Colossal
Director: Nacho Vigalondo
Stars: Anne Hathaway, Jason Sudeikis, Dan Stevens
Four stars
There’s a lot of truth to the saying that some people can turn into monsters when they have too much to drink.
In Colossal, however, Gloria (Anne Hathaway), an unemployed, self-pitying, barely-functioning alcoholic writer, takes things to the extreme when she returns to her small-town roots after her long suffering boyfriend (Dan Stevens) kicks her out of his New York apartment.
She reconnects with childhood friend Oscar (Jason Sudeikis), who – unfortunately, given the circumstances – now owns a bar and is himself prone to overindulging.
Then things take a turn for the strange. The set-up seems like the start of a typical bittersweet indie-romcom, or maybe a drama about the dangers of addiction.
But the inner demons unleashed here are literal, not metaphorical, as Gloria discovers she has an unusual ability: each time she blacks out in a local playpark after a night out, a giant, Godzilla-like monster is unleashed on the city of Seoul, leaving destruction in its wake.
Before she returned to her hometown, the monster had only been seen once – when Gloria still lived there with her parents.
While she slowly learns more about her unusual affliction, the initially-supportive Oscar becomes increasingly needy, ultimately unleashing his own not-so-inner monster, as the pair’s neuroses and failings are brought to life in a monstrous fashion that threatens the terrified citizens of a city thousands of miles away.
It is a clever and brilliantly quirky premise for a film, and although it does sometimes feel like director Nacho Vigalondo might be making it up as he goes along – lurching from genre to genre and improbable situation to even more improbable situation – it never feels disjointed.
This is helped by a script heavy on black humour, plus solid performances from the leads. Hathaway is an eminently likeable train wreck, while Sudeikis in particular impresses as he pivots from solid and stable childhood friend to self-obsessed egomaniac.
The characters’ monsters are here, but the film is a darkly-comic metaphor for the dangers of alcohol abuse, the effects our insecurities and personality flaws can have on those closest to us, and the dangers of our inner demons.
The premise sounds ridiculous, but by the time the credits roll, you will wonder why no one thought to make an indie-romcom/Japanese Kaiju movie mash-up before – and be grateful Vigalondo finally did.
cnewbould@thenational.ae
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
The Comeback: Elvis And The Story Of The 68 Special
Simon Goddard
Omnibus Press
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Thank You for Banking with Us
Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
The rules of the road keeping cyclists safe
Cyclists must wear a helmet, arm and knee pads
Have a white front-light and a back red-light on their bike
They must place a number plate with reflective light to the back of the bike to alert road-users
Avoid carrying weights that could cause the bike to lose balance
They must cycle on designated lanes and areas and ride safe on pavements to avoid bumping into pedestrians
Brief scores:
Toss: South Africa, chose to field
Pakistan: 177 & 294
South Africa: 431 & 43-1
Man of the Match: Faf du Plessis (South Africa)
Series: South Africa lead three-match series 2-0
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
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