Sony Pictures Animation builds on the success of earlier efforts Open Season and Surfs Up with this food-drenched romp inspired by Ron and Judi Barretts much-loved childrens book. Set on the island community of Swallow Falls, it follows the misadventure of kooky inventor Flint Lockwood (voiced by Bill Hader), who accidentally fires his Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator into space, making food rain from the sky. Enter ambitious weathergirl Sam Sparks (Anna Faris), who teams up with Flint and his talking monkey assistant, Steve, to set things right before residents gorge themselves to death and face a spaghetti tornado. Its absurd but the vibrant animation is a treat and the vocal talents entertaining. While the moral message about obesity and climate change could have been toned down a tad, there are enough decent gags on the menu to sate the appetites of all ages. Extras: making-of, extended scenes, music video, commentary and game. Damian Tully- Pointon CD White Rabbits: Its Frightening Mute D Thursday, January 28, 2010 metrolife 13 HAITI BENEFITS TV Pick Of The Day The Gift Of Life, TV3, 10pm This three-part documentary series is at times tough but always rewarding, as it follows a number of seriously ill patients through their lives as they await badly needed transplants. Tonight, we meet Luke Murtagh from South Dublin, as he undergoes liver transplant surgery. At a time when criticism of the health service is rife, its important to see the high level of care that can be provided in our country. Jezza, the only reason for trackie-bottomed trailer trash to crawl out of their scratchers before 9.30 of a morning is off to crack America. Make that Crack America, given the druggy, deadbeat across-the- Pond-life that will doubtless line up in droves for a chance to wash its funky linen (polyester?) on national TV, a phenomenon described by one British judge as a morbid and depressing display of dysfunctional people. Making it on US telly is a lottery: how come bland blonde Cat Deeley succeeds while razor sharp Vicky Beckham is reportedly abandoning all hope after scathing reviews? While Britains DNA test laboratories go bust in his absence, I predict Stateside glory for the peoples philanthropist for like the great man says, This show isnt about me. Of course not, matey! With luck, JK will not be needing the return portion of his airline ticket to LA. Keith Barker-Main PLANET CELEB Welcome to the world of Jeremy Kyle images reproduced endlessly on tote bags, greetings cards, umbrellas... But I went back to them and realised what remarkable views of nature these paintings offered and how radical they were in their own era. Another chance, then as with the Dracula legend to reimagine what many take for granted. I do keep kind of hoping Ill write a novel that doesnt involve so much research, laughs Kostova but you know she doesnt mean it: shes happy to admit that its important for her to learn something new for myself with every book I write. And she has no intention of scaling down to short-story collections any time soon. I think the long novel is, for many people, an antidote to the rush that were all in. Its a comfort and a haven. For me its a very natural form because I grew up reading Victorian novels. And I think Im just naturally long-winded. The Swan Thieves, published by Little, Brown, is out now, priced 20 Paris DVD Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, U, 23 Two drummers in a band are almost invariably better than one just look at acts like Boredoms, Caribou and These New Puritans. Not so White Rabbits. Apart from the opening track Percussion Gun a terrific slice of indie guitar rock which fires on all cylinders you almost wouldnt notice that the drumming came in a twosome. Here the Brooklyn six-piece seem to promise a hybrid between The Strokes and Spoon (the groups frontman Britt Daniel produced the album) but soon branch off to experiment with the sleazy, thuddering inflections of Lionesse and the retro swagger of The Lady Vanishes. The problem is they never stray far enough to really make their own mark. Each song is a tightly-coiled specimen, slickly made and boasting some great vocals (which are shared amongst them) but despite this, its hard to feel very passionate about anything the band has to offer the most frightening thing is just how unexciting this album is as a whole. Ann Lee GIG Jinx Lennon Nowadays everybody is tut-tutting the silliness and excesses of the Celtic Tiger era. Back when the party was in full swing, however, Dundalk protest singer Jinx Lennon was a solitary voice in the wilderness, castigating the country over its freshly cultivated streak of hedonism. You could have described him as the conscience of the nation were it not for the fact that nobody was really listening. Fortunately, hes not the type to say I told you so. Rather he continues to plunge deeper into a musical universe of his own creation, honing a ragged, rockabilly sound which he labels punk folk, but which could also put you in mind of what Shane MacGowan might sound like if hed stayed up all night reading Noam Chomsky. Singing in a broad Louth burr hes also one of the few contemporary local vocalists who doesnt sound as if he grew up imitating Jon Bon Jovi or Bob Dylan. Its hardly a coincidence that one of his biggest cheerleaders is the gothic-Irish novelist Patrick McCabe. Like McCabe, Lennon taps a part of the Irish psyche which isnt always heard in popular culture with results that can be mesmerizing but sometimes disturbing too. Accompanying him as he road-tests new material and takes a winding tour though his most recent LP, Trauma Themes Idiot Times, is Paula Flynn. A few years back, Lennons long-time backing singer enjoyed a surprise 15 seconds of fame when her cover of David Bowies Lets Dance featured on an ad for sparkling water, and won her a record deal with EMI. Shes recently been trying to get her solo career off the ground again but, for the moment, it is at Lennons side where Flynn truly shines. Eamon de Paor Tonight, The Sugar Club, 8 Lower Leeson Street D2, 8pm, 10. (01) 678 7188. www.jinxlennon.com the worse when we took her to London and unfortunately a pigeon s**t on her head. On the way home on the motorway she suddenly announced shed go and make the tea and started trying to get out of her car seat, so my brothers and I sat on her to keep her from getting out. On turning 60: I dont mind that because Im not going to give up work, so it doesnt alter anything in that sense. Ive paid my tax every bloody year so Im quite looking forward to collecting my pension and travelling on the bus for nothing! Sharon Lougher Film Of The Day 28 Weeks Later RT2, 9pm Its 28 weeks since we first saw the Rage virus decimate the British population in 28 Days Later, and the survivors are given a quarantined area in which they can live safely. But all it takes is for one person to stray before the virus takes hold again. Robert Carlyle (pictured) stars in this horror sequel as a scared father who proves in no uncertain terms that in such a situation, its every man for himself. Adam Hyland Theres no shortage of novel ways to do your bit for Haiti and a glut of events over the coming weeks demonstrates how keen local artists are to do theirs. Haiti Aid sees bands including Ham Sandwich, The Chapters, Butterfly Explosion, Holy Roman Army (pictured below) and Sleep Thieves play across two stages at Whelans and The Village (Feb 03, 20, www.ticketmaster.ie) with all proceeds from the evening going to the Irish Red Cross Haiti appeal. The first Phantom 105.2fm Music Quiz of 2010 takes place at The Sugar Club (Feb 17, 50 for a table of five, www.tickets.ie) with emcee Jack Hyland presenting eight rounds of music trivia to find out if you know your Sugababes from your Sugarcubes (proceeds go to Unicef). If youre in the market for a new painting head to Monster Truck Gallery on Francis Street this Saturday (2pm to 9pm) for It Fell Off The Back Of A Monster Truck. Artists affiliated with the gallery will be bringing along work and bric-a-brac to sell but theres a caveat: if you want to buy something you have to bring something, be it a box of chocolates or that festive jumper youve been trying to offload since Christmas. Concern presents three concerts in Whelans: Glen Hansard will perform a solo gig (Jan 24), followed by former Planxty stalwart Andy Irvine who is joined by The Spook Of The Thirteenth Lock (Feb 14, 15, www. tickets.ie), and David Kitt with Jape (Feb 17, 15, www. tickets. ie). Daragh Reddin index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html