Yell Issue 5 by bma_publications

yellmalta.com

November 2008 Arts & Culture

MON

Sport

Leisure

TUE

more on

Music

WED

THU

ye l l m a lta .co m FRI

SAT

SUN

Cinemum - Eden Century Cinemas, St Julians Redprints 68, St.Lucy Street, Valletta Until 11 November

Rome v Chelsea – UEFA Champions’ League Magic from the Balcony Artitube Gallery- Sliema Until 8 November

Blasted St James Cavalier Volumes- An Exhibition of Sculpture Exhibition Hall of the Ministry for Gozo Until 23 November

Brushworks Banca Giuratale Victoria, Gozo Tranquil Moments Art E Gallery, Victoria Gozo

Arts Expression Radisson SAS, St Julians - 16th Nov Souls and Spirit Creations National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta

Nudes, Beauts & Dudes Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle, Valletta

Brushworks Banca Giuratale - Victoria, Gozo Souls and Spirit Creations National Museum of Fine Arts, Valletta

Out of Fire Heritage Malta, Valletta Until 8th December

Real Madrid v Juventus – UEFA Champions’ League Ska Ska Ska Juuls, Paceville

Nudes, Beauts & Dudes Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle, Valletta

Beangrowers Germany Tour Until 29th November

Italia Film Festival Italian Cultural Institute, Valletta

Give us your opinion and feedback on YELL & YELLmalta.com

ow n k s u Let any about s event like uld you wo to us e featur

Art Exhibition Radisson SAS, St Julians Until 16th November Out of Fire Heritage Malta, Valletta Until 8th December

Out of Fire Heritage Malta - 8th Dec Volumes An Exhibition of Sculpture - 23 November

Brushworks Banca Giuratale - Victoria, Gozo Out of Fire Heritage Malta, Valletta Until 8th December

Italia Film Festival Italian Cultural Institute, Valletta

Blasted - St James Cavalier Bla Kondixin goes Super Sir Temi Zammit Hall, UoM Amadeo Minghi Concert Astra Theatre, Victoria Gozo

Blasted St James Cavalier, Valletta Vanity Fridays Club V5 Paul Van Dyk Bay Arena, St Julians

Arsenal v Manchester United IX Maltex Philatelic Exhibition Phoenicia Hotel, Floriana Puccini 150 Anniversary Concert Aurora Opera House, Victoria Gozo

Vanity Fridays Club V5, Valletta Waterfront Metal Night ANGELCRYPT and XVANDALS Remedy, Paceville

Airport Impressions Live Rookies, Bugibba Vanity Fridays Club V5, Valletta Waterfront Blackbird St James Cavalier

Cynic Picture & Organised Disorder Live Rookies, Bugibba Vanity Fridays Club V5 Teatru Unplugged Manoel Theatre, Valletta

you d l u Wo o like t e ibut r t s i d rom f l l Ye your et? outl

Chasing Pandora, PlayRock, Paceville Dance Show: Uniting Diversity Astra Theatre, Victoria Gozo Skakkumatt - Manoel Theatre

Hamallu Night with Live Act Rookies, Bugibba Dopplereffekt Liquid Club

Bee by Carl Bee - Axis, Paceville Elvis Night with Live Act : Aaron “Elvis” TCB Rookies, Bugibba Chasing Pandora PlayRock, Paceville

on in to what’s going ands. the Maltese Isl

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Sixth Simfoni - Republic Street, Valletta Lultimo Cantasrtoie Italian Cultural Institute,Valletta

TICA International Cat Show Razzett tal-Hbiberija Family Planning Manoel Theatre Nudes, Beauts & Dudes Malta Society of Arts, - Valletta

Roma v Lazio – Italian Serie A Dr Knock St James Cavalier Min taht il-Friex Gharghur Theatre

Inter V Juventus Italian Serie A Blackbird St James Cavalier

Manchester City v Manchester United – Premier League Teatru Unplugged Manoel Theatre, Valletta

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101

things to do in

Malta

Part 4 Go back to the past, visit the Ggantija temples in Gozo.

brought to you by Try Maltese sausage and buy it from a village butcher.

Explore Valletta’s grid system of streets.

Admire the Caravaggio painting in St Johns.

Try Kinnie, a bitter-sweet maltese softdrink

Attend a concert or play at the Manoel theatre in Valletta.

Organise a ‘fenkata’ (eat rabbit), at a restaurant in the village of Mgarr

Go to the Citadella in Gozo.

‘Chinese Democracy’ for November 25 It’s been 14 years in production, it has cost $30 million and, it may just land a free can of Dr. Pepper to every American citizen. The long awaited Guns and Roses album ‘Chinese Democracy’ is set to see the light of day in the US on November 25. Out of the 14 new tracks, nine have already leaked on-line through US blogger Kevin Cogill, who is now in custody for allegedly leaking the album. Cogill has appealed to the public for donations to aid his legal battle. Meanwhile, Dr. Pepper, who had promised a free drink to every single American if the album’s released this year, said they will honour their commitment. “People will go on Dr Pepper’s Web site and we will send them a coupon for a free one,” said a Dr. Pepper spokesperson to MTV news. “It’s going to be real easy.” Maybe people could donate the price of their Dr. Pepper to Kevin Cogill. Wouldn’t that be neat?

New Eminem album foryellmalta.com Christmas? Pausini The last time we heard about to take Eminem, he was said to be marooned in his Detroit mansion, binging on year off junk food and video games. Depressed, fat and troubled by writer’s block, some already had him down as a goner. Then came the recent revelation about ‘Relapse’, the new album rumoured for Christmas release. The record is the fruit of multiple sessions at the cutting edge Ferndale studio, which Eminem purchased last year. Dr. Dre attended a number of studio sessions, as did Elton John, but it remains to be seen how much of their work has filtered into the record. Meanwhile, title-track single ‘I’m having a Relapse’ has leaked on the internet and, anyone with access to Google search can give it a hear. The album is just one of a number of pipelined high profile comebacks, which include 50 Cent, with ‘Before I Self Destruct’, and Dr. Dre with the long awaited ‘Detox’.

De Niro & Scorseseback together for crime film Thirteen years after they partnered on Academy Award nominated ‘Casino’, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro are teaming up once more for ‘Painting Houses’, yet another crime movie. The film, an adaptation of the Charles Brandt novel, is about mob hitman Fank ‘the Irishman’ Sheeran who murdered over 25 people including, he claims, Teamster boss Jimmy Hoffa. Steve Zaillian, who had worked with Scorsese on ‘Gangs of New York’, is in charge of the script. The film’s name is borrowed from the same slang expression which refers to the gushing of blood on walls and floors from contract killings.

M.I.A Pregnant

Singer M.I.A. revealed she’s pregnant with her first child. The baby’s father is her boyfriend Ben Brewer, the frontman to a New York rock band called the Exit. The 31-year-old singer also revealed she has already recorded a number of songs for the follow up to her second album Kala.

Macca in McDonalds Fury

Sir Paul McCartney launched an anti-McDonalds tirade after a Liverpool outlet used pictures of the Beatles as decoration. “It’s ridiculous and insulting to use images to peddle hamburgers,” Sir Paul’s spokesman Geoff Baker said. “Fans should boycott McDonald’s — and not just in Liverpool.” Sir Paul has been living on greens since 1975, when his first wife Linda introduced him to the way of life.

Travis Barker released from Hospital

Former Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker was released from an L.A. hospital where he was treated for major tissue damage following a plane crash near Columbia South Carolina. Barker and celebrity disk jockey DJ AM were the only survivors in the crash which claimed the life of two pilots and two passengers. Barker said he had always been afraid of flying.

Celebrity Italian singer Laura Pausini has revealed that she’s planning a year off her illustrious career to have a baby and prolong the Pausini lineage. Speaking to ‘Chi’ magazine, Pausini said that at age 34, the pull to become mum is strong and, in two years’ time, she’ll go into temporary retirement in attempt to fulfill her desire. This would breathe new life into the Pausini family, which faces the threat of Italy’s low birth rate. “I want to give him my surname, to make his dad happy,” Pausini explained. “At the moment, there’s only me and my sister - we’re the last Pausinis.” One of Italy’s most successful exports, Pausini has sold over 27million records to fans all over the world, particularly Spain, France, Brasil, and surely a good few in Malta. In Italy, she’s one of the hottest tickets, attracting sell out crowds like the 70,000 that gathered for her 2007 concert at the San Siro stadium.

Desperate Brits commission Lloyd Webber for Eurovision

Oasis make it seven out of seven No1 albums New Oasis album ‘Dig Out Your Soul’ entered the UK album chart straight into number one, despite many tepid reviews. The Guardian’s description of the album as “neither a masterpiece nor a catastrophe” sums up the general critical reception. Other publications have added a little more sting, with Rolling Stone calling it “comically generic” and the New York Times “unambitious in songwriting content.” Poor critical acclaim or not, this makes it seven out of seven chart topping albums for Oasis, who have proven their long lasting popularity time and time again.

For all it’s lacking, the Eurovision is a very consistent production. The music is consistently atrocious, the voting tactical and the Brits always languish in the bottom places. This year, there should be at least one major change as the BBC has commissioned Andrew Lloyd Webber to pen the British entry. Can the composer behind Evita, the Phantom of the Opera and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat get them going? A lot will depend on the singer, and candidates have been asked to post their auditions to the BBC website until November 21. A television show will screen a number of live shows, titled ‘Your Nation Needs You’ to select a winner from six finalists.

Brad Pitt The Odyssey’ for ‘The

Terrence Howard snubbed for Iron Man 2 Terrence Howard, who had played Iron Man’s best friend Jim Rhodes, was snubbed and left out of the sequel. He will be replaced by Don Cheadle. The news came as a shock to Howard, who only found out about the snub through the media. “It was the surprise of a lifetime,” said Terrence Howard to NPR. “There was no explanation… I read something in the trades that implicated it was about money or something but apparently, the contracts that we write and sign aren’t worth the paper that they are printed on.” Meanwhile, Samuel L. Jackson, who had a brief cameo role in the original movie, confirmed he’ll be taking part in the sequel to be released in 2010. His role is expected to be larger and more central.

Radiohead Claim Good ‘In Rainbows’ Sales

Record label Warner Chapell has revealed that the ‘pay what you want’ business model of Radiohead’s last album ‘In Rainbows’ reaped better profits than the standard released ‘Hail to the Thief’. The label also said that, although one could effectively acquire the album for free (except for a nominal 45pence charge), the majority downloaded it via Bit Torrent. The average price paid and exact number of downloads is still unknown.

Remember when Brad Pitt was in Malta to film Troy? Warner Brothers are teeming up with Brad Pitt once more to make a movie out of Homer’s ‘the Odyssey’, which is effectively a sequel to ‘The Iliad’ on which Troy was based. Those preparing to welcome Brad Pitt for another Maltese working holiday would be displeased to learn that director George Miller has transposed the ancient sea fairing story into a Sci-Fi adventure set in outer space. The standard notion that Maltese roads resemble moon landing sites is unlikely to help. But despair not, the Maltese islands should still have their 15 minutes of fame. In the novel, saucy nymph God Calypso makes a sex-slave out of Odysseus who is held captive in Gozo for seven years.

Max Payne Movie Very painful If you’ve got fond memories of Max Payne the video game, keep away from the cinema as the movie has been deemed as a complete disaster by pretty much every respected publication. With a Meta-critic rating of just 30%, it’s been described by the Los Angeles Times as “miserable in every sense of the word.” Although we’ve been waiting long for a view, at this stage we’d rather take their word for it.

Kate Perry in Cake Disaster

Girl on girl kissing is swiftly losing its shock value, but Kate Perry seems to have plenty more up her sleeve. At the MTV Latin music awards show in Mexico, she belly-flopped into a huge cake which was on stage to celebrate the show’s anniversary. Full of pink icing, Perry tried to throw some cake at the guitarist but lost her balance and drifted into an agonizingly long slip.Try as she might, she couldn’t regain her footing and had to leave the stage on all fours.

Bert 08

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Issue 05 • November 2008

yellmalta.com

Music

ALBUM REVIEWS BY ROBERT PISANI

Brotherhood (2008) EMI In a move as puzzling as placing an eject button on a DVD remote control, dance stalwarts The Chemical Brothers have released a second best of, five years after their previous singles collection. Between the Best Of ’s, they’ve released two albums. Yes two. To make things even more ridiculous, the new Best Of shares no less than nine tracks with the previous one. In a bout of scientific reasoning, I have tried to come up with a number of hypotheses (and answers) to why a second greatest hits collection has been released after the two album gap. Hypotheses: a)They are going to split up b)The Chems felt that stronger emphasis on their ’00 output would be more relevant to the younger generation. c)The label wants to suck up more of our money Answers: a)I don’t think so. b)Could be. I hope so. c)BINGO Without doubt, The Chemical Brothers are one of the best electronic artists today. Go to any disco and, sometime during the set, a DJ will drop a CB tune and

Black Affair

For those young pups reading, I’d like to bring to your attention a late nineties group that gave music a fresh outlook. This group was called The Beta Band and they were way ahead of their time. They mashed hip hop, folk, psychedelic and dub into a

the crowd will turn into a frothing jumping monster. One has to admit though that their ’00 output hasn’t been that great. 2002’s ‘Come With Us’ was patchy, 2005’s ‘Push the Button’ is probably the weakest album they have ever recorded and, 2007’s ‘We are the Night’ – a fusion of big beat and minimal techno – was panned by the critics. Despite the dodgy quality, over the course of the three albums, the Chems wielded great singles which pushed up their popularity. Another aspect of The Chems, and one which shouldn’t be ignored, is that they’ve always brought the best out of their collaborators. Thankfully ‘Brotherhood’ preserves The Chem’s legacy to the fullest. When re-listening to all these songs, a complete onrush of memories flooded my brain and each track sounded great. The middle Eastern Hip Hop head mash up ‘Galvanize’, the neopsychedelia of ‘Let Forever Be’, the chunky ‘Block Rockin’ Beats’ and that brain popping ‘Do it again’… I felt like I was indeed listening to the ultimate Chemical Brothers compilation. The nonchronological track listing adds to the loose feel and

works great. Very often, extra tracks on greatest hits albums are good signposts to what will happen next. In this case, the two exclusives leave me baffled. ‘Keep my Composure’ is collaboration with Spank Rock’s potty mouthed rapper Naeem Juwan. It’s a good piece of slippy digital rap but nothing to write home about. The other song, single ‘Midnight Madness’, is the typical Chemical Brothers romp through and through. Danceable, chockfull of big beats and filtering, it’s been done by the Chems millions of times but, it’s still a pleasant head-rush and they fully get away with it. So is this album truly necessary? If you already own all six albums and the previous Best Of, there isn’t any need to invest. On the other hand, if you want a taster of the Chemical Brothers’ work and don’t know which album to start from, this is the best launching pad by far.

asts – Wild Bebo Pa nto

L i m 08) Domino (20

Wild Beasts are utterly English. I’m not talking about that patriotic ‘Britain is great’ rubbish that the Libertines and countless midnineties Britpop bands used to spew out ad nauseum. What I mean is the ‘ye olde’ eccentric English - the kind favoured by Monty Python or The Fast Show. Take a look at the album’s tracklisting: ‘Veil for a Fuddy Duddy’, ‘She Purred’, ‘While I Grrred’… It could have been a joke band, but Wild Beasts is anything but. In fact, their debut album ‘Limbo Panto’ could be one of the most interesting British band releases in the last few years. It’s a frilly album with twists and turns at every possible moment. Clearly it’s not for everyone. First of all, there’s Hayden Thorpe’s voice which may drive you crazy. This is a voice so high pitched that one wonders if Thorpe’s some kind of eunuch. To compound its bizarre nature, it sometimes mutates into a throaty growl – enough to drive many insane. If you are one of those who actually love Thorpe’s voice, then you are in for a treat. ‘Limbo Panto’ has an oddball beauty that’s very rare in British albums. These songs are anthems for a misfit

NOsVic

Mu ar Ca1lendAmadeo Minghi Concert

Pleasure Pressure Point (2008) V2 heavy stew and soon became an influence to countless bands. Sadly, over the course of three albums, The Beta Band weren’t able to maintain the standard set on their early EPs and, by 2004, the quartet split to pursue solo careers. The ex-lead singer released solo albums under his King Biscuit Time moniker and, last year, he reinvented himself as Black Affair. On ‘Pleasure Pressure Point’, he heavily pillages the past, with elements of early hip hop, 80’s synth artists such as Gary Numan and Depeche Mode, and inevitably, the more electronic leanings of Mason’s former band.

BEAST OF LUCK!

The sound is often fit for dance-floor frenzy, but lyrically, it’s dark and grim, often revolving around failed relationships. Gone are the days where Mason would sing about wizards and mumbo jumbo. Although to be fair, he has written quite a few songs about love, he’s never been as introspective. On the whole, Mason shows he’s able to manipulate genres and come up with the goods, be it folk, hip hop or electro. He’s able to provide something to make you move and think at the same time. What his next move will be is anybody’s guess but, one can guarantee that it will be worth checking out.

1 1 1 2 5 7 7 8 8 14 14 15 15 16 19 - 21 21 21 22 22 22 23- 28 28 28 28 29 29 29

generation but, there’s also a type of exuberant flamboyance that cannot be ignored - partly dramatic, partly rock, totally melodic and completely cliché free. Clearly this band comprises some very clever literate chaps with quite a turn of phrase. Puns and alliteration are scattered within ‘Limbo Panto’ and, with each listen, things become clearer. I firmly believe that music reflects a cultural situation. Right now, there’s a lot of good music coming out of the U.S., possibly because the country’s going through a critical phase and its musicians are releasing their creativity. So where does that leave Wild Beasts? The band represents the quirks and kinks in today’s society. Sure, it may be a bit eccentric but Wild Beasts are also intense. There is a dark undertow to ‘Limbo Panto’ which is noticeable. It’s just like the band is telling us something about the future. If you think that’s rubbish then, let’s just sum up. Limbo Panto is great when given a chance, so put forth the commitment and it will reward handsomely.

Halloween Party Get Funky 44 feat Guy J J&B Start a party Mata Sixth Simfoni Ska Ska Ska Vanity Fridays Paul Van Dyk Headbangers Union Extravagance Vanity Fridays Metal Night Chasing Pandora Feel It 2 Brikkuni CD Launch Beangrowers Germany Tour Vanity Fridays Airport Impress Live Beangrowers Germany Tour Dopplereffekt Hamallu Night Beangrowers Germany Tour Vanity Fridays Cynic Picture & Orgainsed Disorder Live Beangrowers Germany Tour Chasing Pandora Bee by Carl Bee Elvis Night with Live Act: Aaron Elvis TCB

Astra Theatre, Victoria Gozo Sky Club, Paceville Gianpula Amazonia Republic St, Valletta Juuls Paceville V5, Valletta Waterfront Eden Arena Paceville Rookies, Bugibba Sky club, Paceville V5, Valletta Waterfront Remedy, Paceville Paceville Vinyl Club Liquid Club Germany V5, Valletta Waterfront Rookies, Bugibba Germany Liquid Club Rookies, Bugibba Germany V5, Valletta Waterfront Rookies, Bugibba Germany Paceville Axis, Paceville Rookies, Bugibba

Issue 05 • November 2008

yellmalta.com

MUSIC

CLUBBING

the special guest. Local ve Caesar, Vinyl club presents Satur- DJs Ruby, Ste On the upd an s am Ad c Lu Feel it 2 on Novem day November l all wil , ose nic Mo yto ing Cla com ber 15. Djs 1, Get Funky while e, on ta m ber roo Ro in d y an pla Ruby, Joy celebrates its B room 2 will be will team up for a night 7th year with a the Rn d by Tony Tony and of tech-house, minimal, birthday bash hoste n J. techno, prog and eleccelebration at Clayto tronica. Gianpula. Iss ng bri ber rael’s Guy J, Novem who is tour- Paul Van Dyke back to On November 22, ing as part of our shores as part of the Dopplereﬀect will give his Esperanza Vonyc Sessions World a ver y special live perworld tour, will tour 2008. The special formance at the Liquid be headlining , night will be held at the Club. Also playing will be while Djs Miss Bay Arena on November Brian James, Junior B, , Roberta, Carl 7. Danjeli (live), Him&Me Been and Migz n. t and Bja Just a day later, on A.I., Protek will be giving b Clu y November 8, Sk their support. will be hosting Extrava y, eek Ch gance with DJ The ‘J&B Start-A- with an opening by Party ’ series lands in Scream Daisy and sets by Malta for the first time JJoy and Miss Roberta. and, celebrity house dejay Stonebridge will be

IN NOVEMBER

DOPPLEREFFECT LIVE

NOVEMBER 22ND

Pinkpube are proud to present for the first time in Malta the legendary DOPPLEREFFEKT with a rare live performance on November 22 at Liquid Club. Dopplereffekt are one of the more mysterious units of the contemporary electronic music scene. There are no interviews and very few live appearances. Their music is highly eclectic and unusual and, even if at first sight the forefathers Kraftwerk seem to be more than present, Dopplereffekt have developed their very own and highly influential sound aesthetic. The brain behind this mythical group is scientist Heinrich Mueller a.k.a. Gerald Donald, member of other bands such as Drexciya, Arpanet, Japanese Telecom, Der Zyklus, Elecktroids, Abstract Thought and Flexitone. The night will also be a showcase of local talent, with Brian James, Junior B, Danjeli (live), Him&Me, A.I., Protekt and Bjan all playing.

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Music Rookies

Triq it-Torqoq BugibBa, Tel: 2112 3456

le Big Screen Availab

Amadeo Minghi will be playing live at the Astra theatre in Victoria Gozo on November 1. This will be Minghi’s first time in Gozo and it will be as part of the seventh edition of Festival Mediterranea. The concert will also feature Ira Losco, Morena and choir Laudate Pueri.

NOVEMBER

@ 22:00 onwards sat 01 Classic Rock Night with live band performing music from 60s 70s & 80s

For the lauch of youth week, Sixth Simfoni will play at Republic Street in Valetta, in collaboration with hairy amp. Sixth Simfoni will be flaunting latest addition Jimmy Grima (lights) and featuring Carlos Debattista as ‘the freakin` deacon.’ It will all happen on November 2.

The Imagery- live @ 22:00 SAT 05 FRI 07 New Local band DEBUT & Single Launch Headbangers Union @ 20.30 THU 13 sat 08 Charity Event for Razzett tal-Hbiberija (SubCulture, Stillborn, Cable35 & the Myth)

SUN14 16 fri

@ 22.30 - Colourblind Live & Vocalist Paul’s Birthday Bash

sat 15 SAT 25

@ 22.00 - Unplugged Session

fri SAT21 25

@ 22.00 - AirPort Impressions Live

fri SAT22 25

@ 22.00 - Hamallu Night with Live Act

fri SUN28 26

@ 22.00 - Cynic Picture & Organised Disorder Live

fri SUN29 26

@ 21.30 - Elvis Night with Live Act : Aaron “Elvis” TCB

Angel Crypt, Malta’s ‘Melodic Trash Metal’ band will be teaming up with the vintage Xvandals for a night of furious metal. Angel crypt will be showcasing their new 5 man line-up thanks to the addition of a second guitarist. Meanwhile, XVandals, who formed back in 1984 will be assaulting the audience with their breed of speed, thrash and death metal. It will all happen on Friday November 14. Brikkuni are back to launch their debut album ‘Kuntrabanda’ with a gig at the Liquid club on Sunday November 16. Many will want to see whether the band which bills itself as “the most erratic, shambolic, yet visionary of local bands” can live up to the hype. Teatru Unplugged will be back on November 28, 29 and 30. This will be the 11th edition of Teatru Unplugged and, once again, it will be set at the Manoel Theatre. This years’ line-up includes Sasha&Sam, Scar, Simon Vella & Philip Zammit, Peter & Papps, Ray (The Characters, The Riffs) with special guest Ira Losco.

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Issue 05 • November 2008

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THE LEThAL POISON

f o u f o u f o u f

THE COURTSHIP

ALL ITEMSBLE LA ARE AVAIM FRO :

o u f f of o u uo ff u o of uu

DI . COM R A P O Z Z A T USCA OGRAPHY: M SCHIERI U C E L O C I N STYLING: BONANNO A I L A D A : S MAKE-UP OR SYSTEM S S I C S / L E AIR: MICHA ETA & BERT R G : N O I T A PT NOVEL ADA

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“One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun Ne'er saw her match since first the world begun.”

o u f o u f o u f o

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MODELS: CLAYTON & A MA

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Issue 05 • November 2008

Tech

Open Office 3 out & available Open Office 3, the new version of the free Office alternative, was released to an eager rush of downloads which, at one point, brought the server at OpenOffice.org to a halt. Users would be glad to hear that the new Open Office opens .docx, .xisx, and .pptx, files, which removes the major compatibility issue that dogged the last version. It also benefits from a fair bit of aesthetic spit and polish. The toolbars look rounder and the menus more attractive, but the overall feel remains stuck in Word 2003 territory. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, as the hide and seek toolbars of MS Office 2007 frustrated many. In terms of speed, it’s marginally faster but Open Office 2 was pretty nimble to begin with. For the first time, it’s also available in a native Mac version but, according to a number of user reports, at this stage, the Mac version remains unstable and crash prone. So how does it compare to Microsoft Office? From our experience, you’ll be able to do anything you did on Microsoft’s on Open Office. Newcomers may find the journey of adaptation a little frustrating. Dialogue boxes are not quite as intuitive and functions are often performed slightly differently. But there are also times when the free software pull one over Microsoft’s. For example, the nifty built in PDF tool puts Office’s clunky PDF dynamics to shame. Overall, Open Office is more powerful and effective than ever. And it’s free for private and business use. After you with the download. Europe to get Nintendo DSi in spring 2009 The Nintendo DSi, the third generation DS, will not be available in Europe before spring 2009.Meanwhile, Japan will get the DSi this year on November 1. Nintendo said the Euro delay was justified as the second generation DS is still selling well in Europe, unlike in Japan where the technologically more advanced PSP is taking over.The new version includes 17 percent bigger screens, an SD card slot, built in browser, MP3 playing capabilities and better audio production.It also comes with its own flash memory and two 0.3 megapixel cameras - one pointed towards the user and one on the outside shell. Similar in looks but thinner and lighter, the DSi will retail at ¥18,900 (€134) in Japan, slightly more than its ¥16,800 DS Lite father. EU may force iPod re-design

Loud music causing hearing loss epidemic An EU commissioned study has concluded that up to 10 million Europeans could be suffering from permanent hearing loss induced by music at high volume. The report focuses particularly on personal music players and warns that damage is often incremental and difficult to perceive. “Regularly listening to personal music players at high-volume settings when young, often has no immediate effect on hearing but is likely to result in hearing loss later in life,” it stated. Current EU safety standard limit music to 100 decibels, however, scientists have linked prolonged exposure to sounds over 89 decibles to hearing problems. A previous report had suggested that personal music players should be restricted to 90 decibels. Apple shows off new MacBooks Steve Jobs, Apple’s chief executive, announced the new range of Apple laptops in a well attended conference. The new ‘aluminium unibody encloser’, a manufacturing technique which carves laptop cases from 2.5 pound metal blocks was the big novelty. Built through this technique, the new range boast a stronger and sleeker appearance with fewer parts. As for the innards, Apple flaunted the new Nvidia GeForce 9400M video card which replaces the integrated Intel chipset to dramatically boost graphical performance. Jobs promised a five fold increase in graphical power, but what this translates into actual performance is difficult to predict. The track pad has also received a generous overhaul. It is now made of glass and significantly bigger to include the multi-touch technology of the iPhone. So far, the press’ reaction has been mixed. Newsweek was one of the many publications which lamented Apple’s ceremonial approach for what was a relatively modest set of upgrades. On the other hand, the new aesthetic direction and power boost pleased many. Logitech Selling $250 guitar controller

The EU is working on a new directive to force electronic device manufacturers to make batteries easy to remove by the consumer. The directive would effectively outlaw the iPod which requires technical assistance for the removal of the inbuilt battery. The aim of the directive is to make it possible for consumers to recycle the batteries of electronic devices which have reached the end of their useful lives.If it becomes part of EU legislation, Apple would probably come up with a quick redesign to cater for their European market.

Website of the month:

[ www.nytimes.com ]

Over ten million unique visitors a month can’t be wrong. The New York Times website is an absolute colossus of quality information, with free archives spanning back to 1851. Over the years the Times has accumulated 98 Pulitzer prizes, mainly for quality reporting and indepth features that put most publications to shame. Make sure to check out the Health section,which brings the opinions of specialists, doctors, nurses and patients together for a true panoramic view of health issues and services. The food section is another favourite, with countless videos of easy to prepare recipes from top chefs. Best of all,it’s written in crystal clear language for an easy but enlightening read. Once you become a New York Times reader, I guarantee you’ll stick to it and start scoffing at countless other newspapers.

Others News in Brief Sony updates the PSP to model 3000 Sony had updated the PSP model to include a built in microphone and a screen which benefits from a higher contrast ration, better colour and anti relective technology for better visibility in light. The model has been priced slightly higher than its predecessor. Forget Blu-ray says Microsoft XBox product Manager Aaron Greenberg has quashed any rumours of an external Blu-Ray drive for the Xbox 360. “It’s pretty clear [Blue-ray] is not the next DVD,” said Greenberg. “We believe the future is digital, and that’s why we’ve invested in a massive library of entertainment content. Greenberg cited high royalty prices and lackluster sales for the Blu-ray omission.

It looks like a guitar and costs just as much but you’ll hook it up to a Playstation (2 or 3) not an amplifier. The ‘Wireless Guitar Controller Premiere Edition’ is Logitech’s new peripheral for video-game Guitar Hero. As the name suggests, it’s a little over the top. It’s all presented in a one piece contoured shape and it’s got a wooden neck, metal frets, tuning peg handles and even a rosewood fingerboard. Only instead of chords, it has five differently coloured buttons on the neck. Guitar Hero fans will be happy that it’s been specially engineered to work without the plasticky clickity-clack of many Guitar Hero or Rock Band peripherals. It’s also wireless with a 30 foot range, which means that for $250, you’ll be able to run across the room and lunge into knee-slides like never before. A small price to pay, no?

Mobiles May cause rashes British Association of Dermatologists said that the nickel present in many mobile phones may cause rashes on the cheek or ear. The association conducted tests on 22 popular mobile phones and found Nickel present in ten. Nickel allergy is very common and often caused be jewellery coming into contact with the skin. Google defies credit crunch Amidst talk of major global economic recessions, Google posted a 26% rise in profits, partly thanks to strong advertising revenue and cost cutting measures. Google, which handles 64% of all internet searches, reached a revenue of $5.54bn from $4.23bn last year. Obama advertises in racing game Presidential candidate Barack Obama has placed a number of adverts in Xbox 360 video game Burnout Paradise. Adverts appear in the form of ingame billboards. An Obama spokesperson said the adverst are targetting hardcore video-gamers who are tough to reach through other mediums.

Issue 05 • November 2008

yellmalta.com

photography SORROW

Photography is a hobby which is relatively easy to get into but once you get going the sky’s the limit. Nowadays most of us own cameras and carry them around everywhere we go. Each month we shall bring you a subject or theme to shoot - including some tips and examples of how you could approach it. This month we are asking you to set your lenses on things which convey sorrow. Sorrow is a feeling we have all felt at some point in time. It might be due to a personal tragedy or the feeling of helplessness which can grip you when life becomes too overwhelming. Anyway, this is not a self help psychological class so onto some photos:

Canon Launch EOS 50D & 5D MarkII

Broken Metaphors

Few things can give more powerful images than broken metaphors. These symbolise broken dreams and beatiful things which have gone wrong. In this case we have a rose - the ultimate sign of love and romance - lying in desolation on a dirty ground. Capture these objects up close and personal - the closer you get the less clutter around it. Zoom in to the maximum (optical) zoom

your camera affords and get in as close as possible. Make sure never to shoot an object on its own bang in the centre of the frame - you will notice that photos all of a sudden get a better feeling when they’re off centre. Think of other things that usually symbolise happiness and shoot them in a strange location or out of context - you’ll be surprised at the effect.

B&W or Sepia Toning

These effects both turn a photo into a nostalgic shot almost immediately. Most digital cameras offer the option to shoot in B&W or sepia straight from the camera, but if not every basic imaging software (like the excellent and free Picasa) will do this in a jiffy. Remember colours which are very different might be identical shades when shooting in monochrome. Try and capture high contrast situations to further enhance your images. Only apply B&W or Sepia to photos which are already in the mood you intend to capture - they won’t turn a happy picture sad.

News Snippets:

Sad subjects

Adobe Launch Photoshop CS4 Adobe launched Photoshop Creative Suite 4 in October. The new version features a unified tabbed interface, enhanced colour correction and non-destructive editing tools. To speed up operations, it features OpenGL support and 64-bit support (although only for Windows users). Along with Photoshop CS4, Adobe has also announced the availability of the entire Creative Suite 4 product family.

n ed o i m t i ThePhotompet Co

SORROW

If you have just read our guide to shooting photos which convey sorrow why not try your hand at some photos and send them in to us - you could win yourself our fabulous prize of the month. Send us your best shots on info@yellmalta.com by the 19th November make sure to write

The final, and probably most obvious, category would be to shoot objects which convey sorrow themselves. There are thousands of sad statues around Malta and these would be an ideal starting place. You can also try shooting friends or family in a sad pose or expression, cemeteries or even night scenes. Always use a tripod when shooting in low light - these are very cheap and take your photography to a new level. If you can control ISO on your camera you can afford to push it up a notch - some noise (grainy effect high ISO brings with it) can make your photo look sadder. Once again try to keep distracting objects out of the background (unless you’re allowing something in intentionally).

Canon has just launched two prosumer cameras about a month away from each other. The 5D Mark II is a full frame Digital SLR which is not as large as conventional full frame cameras. It packs a 21 megapixel sensor, 1080p video, a 3.0” VGA LCD, Live view, and a higher capacity battery to boot. The EOS 50D also delivers serious specification. It will sit along with the 40D rather than replace it, but comes equipped with a low noise 15 megapixel sensor, incredibly high ISO settings and an array of new features.

“November Photography Competition” in the subject line.

This month you can win

a fabulous

Aztec 3 man tent

REDPRINTS BY ALEXANDRA PACE This rather unusual photographic exhibition is set in the home of the artist, as she invites the general public to have a peak at the architecture, the layout and of course, her purposely-built collection of new prints. Redprints should prove to be a moving experience for both the viewer and the photographer herself. Alexandra has done all the cleaning and restoration of the house though she has not touched any of its original features. With the first collection presented on the ground floor, the atmosphere starts with fun. Here Alexandra took her camera to the beach, actually under water, on a busy summer’s day. Children swim up to her like iridescent fish, legs float, feet Till 11 November play and sand comes alive in the water. Further up on the sec- Opening Hours: ond floor of the house the atmosphere changes to a darker and 10am-12pm & more serious tone of female nudes, male anatomy studies and 2pm-8pm food still life photography. The concept of Redprints exhibition 68, St Lucy is a special one as it allows the viewer to experience a different Street, Valletta kind of reality, through this very personal journey into the space Photographic of the photographer. exhibition

GIRL; INTERVIEWED

by Kenneth Borg and Paul Mizzi Till 21 November Malta Maritime Museum, Birgu

9, Massabielle Str, San Gwann. For more information please contact 27 300 400 or 27 300 500.

t cin Geo u h T

If you are a photographer who is planning an exhibition or activity or if you think Yell should be interested in showcasing some of your photography, do not hesitate to get in touch with the section’s editor Richard on richard@yellmalta.com.

Issue 05 • November 2008

yellmalta.com

Sports

Placed right at the end of the gruelling tennis season, the Masters cup brings together the top eight ranked players for one final showdown. There are many reasons to be excited. First of all, it’s the only tournament played in round robin format, with the top couple of two groups of four qualifying for the semi-final. Like last year, it will be staged at the Gizhong Forest Sports City Arena in Shangai - a venue which seats 15,000 lucky spectators beneath a fully retractable roof. The City Arena’s Taraflex carpet is one of the faster surfaces of the season, so Federer should be more at ease than clay-court specialist Nadal. But, if we learned anything this year, it’s that Nadal can beat anyone on any surface so, much to our luck, the Nadal – Federer rivalry will be at its best. Last season, Federer dismissed Ferrer in straight sets but, can he win it for the third time in a row? If he does, he’ll equal Ivan Lendle and Pete Sampras’ record of five Masters titles. To help you make your best prediction, we’ve recapped this year’s grand slam events.

In what was the surprise of the season, unseeded Wilfred Tsonga of France - playing a brand of hyper aggressive tennis - streamrolled past Raphael Nadal in straight sets to reach the final. There, he faced third ranked Nomad Djokovic who had beaten a sub-par Federer in the other semifinal. Tsonga snatched the first set in emphatic style, but gradually, Djokovic made his experience count as he dismantled a brave but error prone Tsonga. At the end, Dkokovic wrapped it up in four sets to win his first grand slam of his career.

No one beats Raphael Nadal at Rolland Garros. His record stands at 28-0 and this year, he didn’t surrender a single set - not even to Federer in the final. Nadal had Federer pinned down from the start as he fired his heavy top spin shots to Federer’s backhand. Unable to compete with Nadal on the baseline, Federer tried to attack the net, but with very little success. Rafa kept producing one fantastic passing shot after another and, before long, the match was over and done with. Federer managed to win just four games in a whole match to miss out once more on the only grand slam trophy missing in his cabinet.

Widely regarded as one of the best tennis matches of all time, this year’s Wimbledon final saw Raphael Nadal destroy Federer’s unbeaten record at Wimbledon which had extended back to 2002. The epic battle lasted 4 hours 48 minutes – officially the longest singles final in the tournament’s 131 year history. Despite two rain delays, the tennis was consistently breathtaking, with Federer fighting back from two sets down to force a fifth set. It finished in near pitch darkness with a Federer forehand finding the net at 9.10p.m. The clay court specialist had beaten arguably the greatest grass court player in history.

Murray came into his first grand slam final with highhopes after masterful wins over Nadal and a top form Del Potro. With Federer only showing hints of his best form, many thought Murray had a solid shot at the title. But it was not to be. Federer, firing his unique laser guided forehands, destroyed Murray in straight sets. The Scotsman played adequately well, but the gulf in quality was exposed for all to see. This was Federer’s 13th grand slam win and now, he’s just one short of equalling mighty Sampras’ record.

Federer’s poor form at the start of the season had everyone puzzled. At the Australian open, he looked sluggish and tired, and although he reached the semi-finals, his game was not producing the exceptional standards we’ve cruelly come to expect. While everyone seemed to have a theory on what was wrong with him, in March, Federer revealed that during the Australian open he was suffering from mononucleosis, which is better known as glandular fever. The viral infection causes heavy flu like symptoms which result in debilitating fatigue and loss of vitality. In 2007, when Mario Ancic was struck by the fever, he lost six months of tennis and never recovered his rankings. While most doctors recommend that sufferers do not take part in sport (there’s a possibility of rupturing the swollen spleen), Federer battled on at his own risk.

Issue 05 • November 2008

yellmalta.com

Sports

L L A B T OO

ber

em in nov

The football gods have blessed November with some fantastic battles. We’ve handpicked the matches you wouldn’t want to miss.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

On November 1, everyone will want to see whether Harry Redknapp can rescue Tottenham from free fall. Against Liverpool, the odds are stacked firmly against him. Anything better than a decent showing should earn him the plaudits as, against Liverpool’s might, the going will be tough. Two giants of English football lock horns on November 8 with Arsenal hosting Manchester United at the Emirates stadium. If past meetings are anything to go by, it’s bound to be one fiery contest. Manchester United will also star in the Manchester derby which is set for November 30. Last season, City managed to pull the double when both derbies went their way and this time, United will be dying to make amends.

SERIE A

PREMIER LEAGUE.

Inter entertain high flying Udinese on November 9. This will be another tough test for blabber-mouth Mourinho and, it remains to be seen whether the likes of Pepe, Di Natale and Quagliarella can silence the special one - at least for the duration of the post match press conference. Rome will be on fire on November 16 as Roma and Lazio face-off in the famous Roman derby. Spalletti’s Roma have struggled

this season, but against cousins Lazio, they will surely be at their motivated best. November 22 will see another famous derby, this time between Inter and Juventus. While Pavel Nedved has recently said that the Scudetto is unreachable this year, President Giovanni Gigli claimed they’re still in contention. For a shot they need to start chipping away at Inter’s lead so this is the perfect opportunity.

Matches pitting Italian against English opposition attract huge interest in Malta and, Roma vs. Chelsea, set for November 4 won’t be an exception. After the hard fought victory in Stamford Bridge, Chelsea will want another win in Rome. This time around, Roma will want to be a little more adventurous upfront and, with striker Baptista in the mix, things may get tricky for the blues.

And don’t forget Juventus vs. Real Madrid on November 5. Juve’s win in Turin eased the pressure off coach Claudio Ranieri but, unless they put up another great showing, Ranieri will be once more in hot water. With former Inter coach Roberto Mancini reportedly interested in his seat, this is one match he can’t afford to get wrong.

for more visit yellmalta.com

EVENTS in gozo

by ry an m er ci ec a Puccini 150 The Classique Foundation will be presenting Puccini 150, the Anniversary Concert to mark the 150th anniversary of Giacomo Puccini’s birth. Puccini 150 will be held at the Aurora Theatre, Victoria, on November 8 at 7.30 p.m. The concert will feature the 85-strong Malta Philharmonic Orchestra together with two internationallyrenowned singers Maria Pia Ionata (soprano) and Ignacio Encinas (tenor), under the direction of Mro. Joseph Debrincat. Puccini 150 will include arias and duets from masterpieces like Manon Lescaut, La Boheme, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot. The concert will also feature a number of orchestral works, some to be performed in Malta for the first time. e Year

The Youth of th

On November 22, the OASI Foundation will hold the 17th ‘Youth of the Year’ Award Giving Ceremony. The aim of this initiative is to publicly acknowledge the work done by youths through their various voluntary services for the good of others. The OASI Foundation was founded on June 1991. It has since provided services to the public within the realm of the caring profession, specializing in the addiction field. The Foundation caters for the prevention of substance abuse and provides immediate intervention for those gliding into problems. They also provide quest counsel-

ing, treatment and rehabilitation for those who have fallen into addiction. Through this event, the OASI Foundation sends out the message that society is conscious of the various misfortunate circumstances that affect our youth’s social life. Through acknowledging and encouraging the many positive qualities of our youths, it promotes charity work as a method to enhance personal development. for Cittadella Centre ts Ar e th & e Cultur Exibihitions

The Cittadella Centre for Culture and the Arts is found within the fortified walls of the Citadel in Victoria Gozo. The building, which dates back to the Knights of St. John, holds three halls, namely St Ursola, St. Michel and St. John Hall. It is very easy to access the building as it is just a few meters away from the small arch which marked the old entrance to the citadel. Quite a few high profile artists have exhibited in the place, including Raphale Labro, Emma Borg, Colette Merchant, Alfio Sorbello and Thomas J Burnell. The Cittadella Centre will host three exhibitions in November: Photography exhibition “Expression of an Identity” by Luc Arden from Paris, mixed medium art exhibition “Freedom” by Emanuel Previ, and a sculpture exhibition by Paolo Spoltore from Italy. All the three exhibits will be open for public from the second weekend of November till the last weekend of the month from 10a.m. till 4p.m. Monday to Saturday, and from 11a.m. to 3p.m. on Sundays.

NOVGozo Calendar

1st 1  7th

Joy Anthems @ D-Codee v e n t dates

1  9th

‘Saints & Centennels, Postal History', a philatelic exhibition, Ministry Halls, Victoria

Art exhibition by Judy Metters, Banca Giuratale, Victoria

1  19th

Tranquil Moments' an art exhibition by John Martin Borg Art…e gallery, Victoria

1st

Mediterranea Festival, Teatru Astra, Victoria Amadeo Minghi in Concert, Morena, Ira Losco and Laudate Pueri Choir

1  20th

Abstract Exhibition by French artist, Colette Marchant, Cittadella Centre for Culture and the Arts

1  23rd

‘VOLUMES’ an exhibition of contemporary sculpture by gozitan artist Victor Aguis, Ministry Hall, Victoria

2nd 2nd & 8th 7  9th 7  9th

Commemoration of the 1948 Tragedy at Sea, Mgarr Harbour ‘L-Ingassa’ a 3 act drama presented at the Xewkija parish centre Feast of St. Coronatus, Nadur ‘TIPICO’ - Festival of Typical Mediteranean Gastronomy, Victoria

8th

Musical programme by the Mnarja band followed by presentation of award, Gieh in-Nadur’, MBC Theatre, Nadur

8th

Puccini 150 Anniversary Musical Programme, Aurora Opera House

9th

Commemoration of the Two World War Victims, Independence Square, Victoria

9  23rd 14  30th 16th 16th 16th 22  30th

Nadur Council day. Activities include art exhibitions, talent shows and discussions Art exhibition by Maltese artist Henry Alamango, Banca Giuratale, Victoria Commemoration of St Fortunato with solemn mass; followed by a procession accompanied by the Santa Marija band, Zebbug Miss Gozo Beauty For Malta Fashion Show @ D-Code Sports day for children and Fire brigade exhibition, Museum grounds, Nadur Art exhibtion by Pawlu Carbonaro, etchings Art…e gallery, Victoria

22nd

Youth of the Year Award, annual occasion organised by the OASI Foundation Kempinski Hotel, San Lawrenz

22nd 25th

Gee Bros @ D-Code Feast of Christ the King, Victoria

28  29th

‘Dear Nobody’ an educational drama presented by the Gozo Creative Theatre, Club, Teatru Astra, Victoria

29  30th 29th 29th 30th 3030th th

Marcellino, a play presented at the MBC Theatre, Nadur Alexia Live Concert @ D-Code Musical Program by the Precursor Band, Xewkija Day seminar in connection with the art of Crib building Exchange and acquire information of stamps, Gozo Scouts H. Q. Victoria

Issue 05 • November 2008

yellmalta.com

Arts & Culture

ZOO GOES SCHOOL MUSICAL Anyone attending this performance will know what to expect. Be prepared for a night of comedy talent and two hours of continuous laughter and fun. Zoo have worked on a new formula for this show with sketches that will trigger off adolescent nostalgia. In the show, the Zoo team will sing excerpts from popular musicals

BY NICOLE CUSCHIERI

14, 15, 16, 21, 22, 23 - Nov Valletta Waterfront Comedy (Maltese)

and bring back memories of childhood and the good old schooldays. New characters and old loved ones will act out funny situations that will hopefully relieve your mind of any stress or negativity.

Tickets available at www.biljetti.com or telephone 21808080, 79790200 Visit website: www.zoo.com.mt

BLACKBIRD BY MASQUERADE

BLA KONDIXIN Over the years, Bla Kondixin has built a reputation for biting satire and original humour, using the talents of top Maltese comedians to ensure an evening of non-stop laughter. This show features fresh material, with a bizarre bunch of superheroes and super villian Ray Calleja with his side kick, Ex Man. Mario ‘Snits’ Spiteri, returns to the stage, as an unlikely super hero. Paul Portelli plays a range of characters, the most delightful of which is Il-Lajburist and Tanya Scicluna daringly plays Cat Woman and the well-loved Lucy Cocciatolo. Tickets available from St James Cavalier on boxoffice@sjcav.org or telephone 21223216 Visit the website www.blakondixin.com

1, 7, 8, 9 November at 7.30pm. Two extra shows on Sunday 2 and 9 November at 3.00 p.m Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta Comedy (Maltese)

BLASTED BY UNIFAUN 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 Nov. St James Cavalier Drama (English) This play contains scenes of nudity and violence

November starts off with a blast with Sarah Kane’s controversial play, Blasted. This production is directed by unconventional Californian director Dave Barton and will feature fellow Californian actor Bryan Jennings in the main role, together with local talents Jo Caruana and Andrew Galea. Kane’s plays are seen and admired all over the world and almost since the arrival of Blasted, she has been regarded as the most important of the apocalyptic British dramatists. No doubt much interest in her work is due to the sensationalism that Blasted provoked at its UK premiere, but with time, Kane’s work has proved its significance. In the past, it’s been criticized as “nothing but a childish attempt to shock”, but nonetheless the play retains its power to horrify us with its bleak portrayal of human depravity. Kane was a writer of great anger and sardonic humour, who saw the cruelties of the world but also understood the human capacity for love. In Blasted, the power to offend is much less dominant than the power to move emotions and make us confront the limits of our humanity. Tickets available from St James Cavalier on boxoffice@sjcav.org or telephone 21223216

THE MALTA OPEN DANCE SPECTACULAR 2008 Wheelchair dancing has been practiced for over 27 years in different parts of the world and Malta now has the fortune of experiencing it too. The Malta Wheelchair Dance Sport Association is a scheme that was established in 2001 with the objective to allow wheelchair users to learn how to dance. Wheelchair dancing is no doubt a rewarding experience for the participants as they are able to feel music and rhythm while at the same time gain poise, self-confidence and show off their talent as they interact with other dancers. This show will host the majority of the participants who will be taking part in the 4th Malta Open Dance Spectacular 2008, organized by the Malta Wheelchair Dance Sport Association. 29, 30 November San Antonio Hotel, Qawra Dance Show

David Harrower’s critically acclaimed Olivier Awardwinning play, Blackbird, is a powerful and explosive drama featuring Elektra Anastasi and Manuel Cauchi. This is a tragic love story between a 21 year-old girl and a 50-year old man, who meet again years after they

OCVulture N s&

dates

event

location

Soul and Spirit Creations by Imre and Masha Kohan

have an unlawful affair. This highly provocative play built around guilt and abuse is guaranteed to make the audience question their own morals and perceptions. 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30 November St. James Cavalier Valletta - Drama (English)

Valletta

National Museum of Fine Arts

Painting, mosaic & jewellery

A diary of obsessions by John Busuttil

St James Cavalier

Painting

Angels fall first by Anna Nightingale

Tal-Pilar Chapel, West Street

Painting

1  2nd

Suite 719 fil-Plaza Hotel by Talenti Theatrical Co.

Teatru Manoel - 1st-2nd 7:30pm

Drama

Till 

2nd

Anima: The Soul Within by Antonio Mifsud

The Inquisitor’s Palace, Vittoriosa

Sculpture & painting

Till 

2nd

Five – A collective exhibition

St James Cavalier

Interactive exhibition for children

4  23rd

El Color de Los Sabores – by Eugenia Marcos

St James Cavalier

Painting

7  22nd

‘Nudes, Beauts & Dudes’ by Jessica Debattista

Malta Society of Arts, Palazzo de La Salle

Painting

C by Rupert Cefai

E Gallery, Victoria, Gozo

Painting

Out of Fire – A collective exhibition

Heritage Malta Head Office

Ceramics

Magic from the Balcony by Alexia Coppini

Artitude Gallery, Tigne Street, Sliema

Painting

Cinderella

Teatru Astra, Victoria, Gozo

Ballet

Diaries of Existence by Mark Sagona

National Museum of Fine Arts.

Painting

Silverpoint by Victor Koulbak

National Museum of Fine Arts

Painting

Family Planning by Maleth

Teatru Manoel

Drama

Malta Philatelic Society Exhibiton

Hotel Phoenicia, Floriana

Exhibition

Cyrano l’Homo

Heritage Hall

Theatre

George Zukerman in Concert

Teatru Manoel

Bassoon Concert

Malta Book Fair

Sacra Infermeria Hall, MCC

Fair

Itinera 2

Hall of the Italian Cultural Institute

Exhibition of 8 Maltese artists

14  15th

Dr Knock (Ir-Rebha tal-Medicina) by Zararti Foundation

Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta 14 - 15th 7.30pm

Theatre

15th

Zeza tal-flagship by Hermann Bonaci Productions

Catholic Institute, Floriana

Theatre

15th - 16th 15th - 16th

Skakkumatt by M.T.M.C.

Teatru Manoel, 15th 6pm, 16th 4pm & 6pm

Drama

Minn taht il-Friex (Bedroom Farce) by Lino Grech

Teatru ta’ Hal Gharghur 15th 7.30pm, 16th 6.30pm

Comedy

15th - onwards 22nd

Paintings by John Grima

National Museum of Fine Arts

Painting

Concert by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra

Teatru Manoel -22nd 7.30pm

Classical Concert

Girl; interviewed by Kenneth Borg & Paul Mizzi

Malta Maritime Museum, Birgu

Photography

Minn Wara Z-Zipp by Unifaun

Sir Temi Zammit Hall, University of Malta 28 to 30 November at 7.30pm

Comedy

Art lendar Ca Throughout Nov.

8th Till  8th Till 

Till 

8th

8th 7.30pm 8th - onwards Till 

9th

7  9th 7.30pm 7  9th 7.30pm 7  9th 7.30pm 11th 7.30pm 12  16th 13  28th

Till 

21st

28  30th

Issue 05 • November 2008

yellmalta.com

Cinema

film reviews ri mark camilleo m

alta.c

movies@yellm

Film of the

month Righteous Kill

Quantum of Solace In a nutshell.

Cinema’s most successful and long-standing franchise is back for its 22nd outing, fresh from the reboot it received in 2006’s Casino Royale, where Daniel Craig debuted to great acclaim as the man in the tux.

Who’s in it?

Craig returns as Bond, which is no surprise considering the new life he breathed into the character two years ago. All concerns about his blonde hair and looks were swept aside by his performance, and the film was a huge critical and box-office success. Olga Kurylenko is the new Bond girl, Camille. This Ukrainian model and actress was seen in last year’s Hitman, but this is her first big role. Let’s hope her acting is even half as good as her looks. Gemma Arteron, the young British actress who had a small role in the recent RockNRolla, plays a feisty M16 agent, and Judi Dench, Jeffrey Wright and Giancarlo Giannini reprise their roles from the last film as Bond’s boss M, Felix Leiter from the CIA and René Mathis the French agent, respectively. Last but definitely not least, the French actor Mathieu Amalric makes his entry into the 007 archives as the latest Bond baddie. Last seen as the star of last year’s wonderful The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, he also had smaller parts in Munich and Marie Antoinette, apart from his extensive work in French cinema. It was decided that he wouldn’t need any grotesque physical oddities in order to appear menacing, as opposed to many of his predecessors.

In a nutshell.

Bertram is a dentist who hates everyone, which is a dangerous combination. After being brought back from the brink of death, he discovers he can see and talk to dead people. It’s like The Sixth Sense, but it’s a comedy.

Who’s in it?

Ricky Gervais gets his first leading film role as the dentist with people problems. Gervais, a British comedian, has won worldwide acclaim for co-writing, co-directing and starring in the hit series The Office and Extras. Greg Kinnear (As Good As It Gets, Little Miss Sunshine), who’s always reliable as a good guy, is Frank, a recently deceased man who is trying to convince Bertram to help him with some of the unresolved

Behind the camera, Marc Forster sits in the director’s chair, in his first Bond outing. His impressive body of work includes the brilliant Finding Neverland, Stranger than Fiction, Monster’s Ball and The Kite Runner, so let’s hope he keeps to that run of form. The story is an original one, and numerous writers contributed, as often happens with Bond films. The most notable contribution comes from Paul Haggis, who is famous for having penned or adapted Crash, Million Dollar Baby, Flags of our Fathers, Letters from Iwo Jima and Casino Royale. David Arnold, who has been composing Bond’s characteristic music ever since Tomorrow Never Dies, is still on board, and this time the all-important Bond song is written and performed by Jack White (from The White Stripes) and Alicia Keys. The duet, a first for the franchise, is called Another Way To Die. I guess they couldn’t find many lyrics that rhyme with Quantum of Solace.

In a nutshell. Two NYPD detectives, who have been partners for over 30 years, start investigating what appears to be the case of a serial killer. The amount of inside information leads them to believe that the guy their after is in fact a member of their own department. Why we’re hyped. See ‘who’s in it?’.

Who’s in it? Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, two of the most recognizable and respected actors of our generation, team up again as the two detectives on the case. They were both in The Godfather Part II, although they didn’t share any scenes, and then we finally saw them together in Michael Mann’s explosive and brilliant Heat in 1995. Let’s hope this pairing up is in the same league. Filling out the minor roles are Brian Dennehy, Joh Leguizamo, Carla Gugino and Curtis ’50 Cent’ Jackson.

Why we were hyped.

Even at its worst, this franchise has always managed to provide wonderful entertainment, and people of all ages flock to the cinema knowing exactly what they’re going to get – espionage, explosions, femme fatales and vile villains. But in the last outing, the franchise turned out to be in top form, with less self-indulgent frills and a grittier, more emotional Bond. This film picks up moments after the last one ended, with Bond still aching from the loss of Vesper. So we can hope for more of the same, but with a Bond who’s growing into the role and gaining confidence.

Body of Lies In a nutshell.

Based on the novel by the same name, this political thriller follows a CIA agent as he travels to Jordan to track down a high-ranking terrorist suspect.

Who’s in it?

Leonardo DiCaprio is agent Roger Ferris, the CIA guy who gets most of the action. His boss and eventual partner is Edwin Hoffman, played by Russell Crowe, who looks like he just walked off the set of The Insider because he had to put on weight and grey his hair for the part. Directorial duties fall to the inconsistently brilliant Ridley Scott.

Why we’re hyped.

As mentioned above, Ridley Scott is undoubtedly talented, but some of his efforts just seem to miss the mark, and fail to live up to his other amazing work. Let’s hope this will go on the shelf with Gladiator, Blade Runner and Matchstick Men rather than on the shelf with G.I.Jane, Kingdom of Heaven and A Good Year. One thing he can’t complain about here is the cast – because DiCaprio and Crowe have proved to be two of the most bankable and applauded leading men of the past decade.

issues with his wife. Téa Leoni (Deep Impact, Jurassic Park III, Bad Boys) is the wife in question. The film is directed by David Koepp, who although not too experienced behind the camera, has written screenplays for numerous hits such as Jurassic Park, Mission: Impossible, Spiderman, War of the Worlds and the latest Indiana Jones.

Why we’re hyped.

Gervais’ particular brand of humour often comes across best when he’s being obnoxious, which is probably why he was picked for this role. The film has already been released in the US to largely positive reviews, and it seems like this could be one of the main comedies of this otherwise sombre and serious autumn.one a miss.

November 1978 (30 years ago) Watership Down

The chilling and unique animated adaptation of Richard Adams’ famous novel.

animated attempt at bringing the story of stories to the big screen.

dozen sequels. November 1993 (15 years ago) The Piano

A haunting tale of

love down under, November 1988 full of memorable (20 years ago) The Land Before Time scenes and music.

The wonderful family The Lord of the Rings film that was so suc- Mrs. Doubtfire Ralph Bakshi’s cessful it spawned a Few films are this

feel-good. Robin Williams excels in this must-see comedy. November 1998 (10 years ago) Elizabeth

Cate Blanchett stole the show as the British monarch in this historical epic.