Film Reviews This Weeks Releases Kids in an eye candymetro Arts & Entertainment life Charles Darwin Lecture In Town This Weekend Evolution for beginners natural history keeper Nigel Monaghan gives a public talk on Darwins groundbreaking theories that still rankle creationists two centuries after they were first published Tomorrow, National Museum Of Ireland, Collins Barracks, Benburb Street D7, noon, free. Tel: (01) 677 7444. www.museum.ie UB40 Last year, UB40 frontman Ali Campbell resigned, citing intolerable management issues and was replaced by his brother Duncan. But the show must go on for this phenomenally successful Brummie reggae outfit, whose special guest tonight is Eddy Grant Tonight, The Academy, 57 Middle Abbey Street D1, 6.30pm, 49.20 to 54.80. Tel: 0818 719 300. www.ub40.co.uk French Film Festival If youve forgiven France for winning Wednesdays game, check out IFIs Francophilian screenings this weekend, highlights of which include coming-of-age romp The French Kissers and Catherine Deneuves (pictured) new drama The Girl On The Train Until Nov 29, IFI, 6 Eustace Street D2, times & prices vary. Tel: (01) 679 3477. www.irishfilm.ie Book Now Paddy Casey Its been a bit quiet on the Paddy Casey front this year but the Dublin troubadour is coming out of hibernation for an upcoming two- in-one charity concert in aid of the Ana Liffy Drug Project and Coolmine Therapeutic Group, both of which provide support and rehabilitative services for people with drug and alcohol addiction. Casey will share the stage with Eoin Dillon, Republic Of Looses Mik Pyro, Klas Eoin Dillon, Eoin Coughlin And The Sick And Indigent Song Club and Ali And The DTs Dec 15, The Button Factory, Curved Street D2, 7.30pm, 20. Tel: (01) 670 9202. www.buttonfactory.ie The Informant! (15A) Running time: 108min A Serious Man (15A) Running time: 105min The First Day Of The Rest Of Your Life (15) Running time: 113min The Twilight Saga: New Moon (12A) Running time: 131min T he new Twilight film comes with a new director (The Golden Compasss Chris Weitz), and an increased budget. Gone is the indie feel of director Catherine Hardwickes original, in favour of a more cinematic, action-packed approach: a wise move, in fact, since it effectively enlivens and condenses the excruciatingly protracted dialogue of Stephenie Meyers second book. This time, our vampire Romeo, Edward (Robert Pattinson, with not much to do but pose no bad thing...), has broken up with his mortal Juliet, Bella (Kristen Stewart), because he thinks itll be sensible. Of course its not; she gets depressed and starts seeking adrenalin rushes by tearing around on motorbikes and jumping off cliffs. Waiting in the wings is Jacob Black (newly buff Taylor Lautner, proudly whipping off his T-shirt every two seconds) who cheers Bella up and wants to be more than a pal until... doh! He finds out hes a werewolf. Which is OK, because shes used to weirdos and doesnt love him like that anyway. Its sweet enough, with Stewart and Pattinsons chemistry still a potent force on screen. But this angst- ridden mush is best-suited to 13-year-old girls or those seeking hot flushes from all the bare-chested eye candy. And dont get too excited about the posters advertising vampire appearances by Michael Sheen and Dakota Fanning: both are woefully underused. Sharon Lougher 14 metrolife Friday, November 20, 2009 When it comes to quality, avoiding anything with a ! mark is generally as sound a rule as avoiding restaurants with photos of food on their menus. However Oceans Eleven series director Stephen Soderberghs latest film delights in tripping up your expectations. Matt Damon (pictured) brilliantly flips his Bourne identity by playing its doofus opposite. Hes Mark Whitacre, a paunchy, early middle-aged executive with a nerdy moustache (think a younger, fatter William H Macy) and a bright future at a giant agri- industrial corporation. Then one day he turns whistle-blower exposing a multi- national price-fixing ring by spending years taping his colleagues wearing an FBI wire. Calling himself 0014 because Im twice as smart as 007, its swiftly clear that compulsive fantasist Mark is more like 003.5. Truth and lies are soon hopelessly tangled as the FBI goes from trying to get this deluded guy to talk, to getting him to shut up. Your head will be sore from slapping it in disbelief. Visually slick, shot like an early 1980s spy caper (reflecting Marks Michael Crichton-stoked imagination) and jauntily scored by the composer of The Sting and The Spy Who Loved Me, this is actually based on a real life 1990s informer case. Damons rarely been better as a seemingly normal guy who you never really get a handle on, but the light-toned narrative could certainly be snappier. Theres only so long you can stay interested in the price of corn extraction. Larushka Ivan-Zadeh The Coen Brothers new movie should come with a warning: Love Burn After Reading? You may not love this. After last years uproarious comedy, this blackly comic fable is a return to their bleaker, more challenging form. The Coens Jewish cultural roots are central to this 1960s-set film. Mild-mannered midwestern physics professor Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlbarg) is stunned into his usual silence when his wife casually announces shes leaving him. As his safe, familiar suburban life begins to crumble, Larry turns to the local rabbis for advice despite this, he ends up even more confused. Everyone around Larry seems to exploit him: his son constantly nags him to fix the TV aerial, his daughter needs cash for a nose job, his wife wants the house as does her new lover, Sy (Fred Melamed). Larrys pupils want good grades. His lawyer wants money. Stuhlbarg is quietly effective in the role and the terrific, non-starry, supporting cast often amuse. Theres also a wonderful Jefferson Airplane-loaded soundtrack. Some will call this a masterpiece; others will find it dull. The characters are kept at a distance, and while tragic events are played for dark laughs, they leave you feeling as alienated, glum and dissatisfied as Larry himself. Anna Smith A smash hit in France, this lively drama is full of energy and humour. Out of the nine Csars (the French Oscars) for which it was nominated, it bagged three including two for the young lead actors, Marc-Andr Grondin and Dborah Franois. They play Raphal and Fleur Duval, siblings born into a close, happy family. We follow them over the years, along with their parents and their brother, Albert, who kicks off the story by moving out of home much to his mothers distress. The structure is simple but effective, focusing on five single days that affect the family forever. While mother Marie-Jeannes life changes after her birds fly the nest, Fleur becomes a rebellious, hormonal teen. Meanwhile, Raphal meets an alluring woman at an air guitar contest one of the films most entertaining scenes. The characters are sympathetic and colourful; broad-minded, fun-loving and sexual (and thats just the parents). The heart-wrenching ending errs on the sentimental side, but is ultimately affecting. Yep, this is typically French but its clearly not part of the ponderous arthouse genre. Its an amusing family saga exploring age, rebellion and family loyalties with a spring in its step and a song in its heart. AS The hoTTesT TickeTs in Town We have a pair of tickets to see BILL BAILEY tomorrow at The O2, 6.30pm For a chance to win, e-mail your answer to the question below to life@metroireland.ie by noon today with Hot Tickets in the subject line. With your answer please include your name, address and a number where you can be contacted between 1pm and 3pm. Strictly one entry per person; entrants must be age 18+. Q. Bill Bailey replaced which comedian as team captain on Never Mind The Buzzcocks? A Simon Amstell B Sean Hughes The winner of yesterdays tickets to see Lo Spazio Inverso is: Paula McGauran index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html