Precious is a new-style weepie but one that is much more bracing than depressing
Precious
Theatre
Ian McKellen is captivating throughout. He delights in the play’s gallows humour, yet is also maudlin and poignant
Waiting for Godot
Theatre
Slight quibbles notwithstanding, this will set the West End’s stock riding high
Enron
Utterly, utterly brilliant. You really are in for a treat
Though 'Trilogy' has won rave reviews, I personally found myself exasperated after about an hour
We went on a quiet sunday evening and the food was excellent, but the experience let down by the service and ambiance
London,
Evening Standard rating
Reader rating
Dir: Phil Lord, Chris Miller.
Cast: Anna Faris, Tracy Morgan, James Caan, Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Mr T, Bruce Campbell
Description: In an effort to solve world hunger, inventor Flint Lockwood creates a machine, which can transform water into different foodstuffs. Before he can test his contraption properly, it launches into the atmosphere and giant pancakes, pasta, steaks and meatballs rain down on the tiny fishing port which Flint calls home. Inexperienced weathergirl Sam Sparks is asked to cover this meteorological phenomenon and she immediately catches Flint's eye.
Country: US. 2009. 89mins
Nerdy hero: Flint Lockwood
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs inevitably owes something to modern kids’ classics such as Monsters Inc, The Incredibles and Shrek.
But the best way to describe it is as a really good episode of The Simpsons.
Imagine a world in which Lisa and Milhouse find love in each other’s arms, Mayor Quimby goes entirely to the bad, Homer’s love of sugar takes him into a wobbly new dimension and kittens dance to Public Enemy’s Fight the Power, and you will have some idea of the surreal, sensual tale in store. Films in 3D often feel like a pain-in-the-eyes gimmick. Here, it’s a positive pleasure.
Nerdy Flint Lockwood (voiced by Bill Hader) is determined to save his sardine-centric home town from economic oblivion — and boredom. So he invents a machine that makes food rain from the sky. Huge steaks, pizza, gummy bears, jello — junk food has never looked, or apparently tasted, so good.
Flint’s technophobic dad and a smart weathergirl (Anna Faris) realise there may be problems ahead, but the townspeople are too busy enjoying ice-cream-ball fights to care. And all that left-over food? It just goes straight on to the food mountain, which is out of sight and therefore out of mind...
The film is based on an American book from the late 1970s. The green message, like everything else, is lightly handled. Sam gets a makeover at one point and winds up looking less — not more — telegenic. She’s taken off the air as the anchorman wails: “Let’s wait till Sam looks more … appealing.” A Guatemalan jack-of-all-trades is also good value. “I came to America for a better life.” Sigh. “That was a smart move.”
Many adults view irony as the equal and opposite of innocence; kids know that the two can go hand in hand. This is a sweet morsel that’s good for your health. Fight the power and tuck in.
Details are correct at the time of publication - please check with venue before booking.
Morning:
3°c
