Director: Andrei Konchalovsky
Starring: Elle Fanning, John Turturro, Nathan Lane
*
Boasting an impressive US$90 million (Dh330m) budget, The Nutcracker in 3D is an interpretation of the classic ballet. Fanning stars as Mary, a bored young girl whose Christmas is brightened by her Uncle Albert (Lane), a mysterious man who gives her a nutcracker (named NC) as a gift.
To Mary’s surprise, the nutcracker comes to life and takes her on an adventure to its magical homeland, which has been turned into a dystopia by the evil Rat King (Turturro). Together with her brother Max, she must overthrow this powerful foe to save NC and stop the Rat King’s master plan.
A frankly bewildering attempt at serious cinema, The Nutcracker in 3D takes the interesting, if baffling, decision of having essentially nothing to do with the original story. The actors wander around trying to make sense of (among other things) Nazi-esque villains (led by Turturro, buried in make-up), a bad script and computer-generated effects that look jarring and cartoonlike.
Simply throwing as much expensive imagery at the screen as possible and hoping to pass it off as a film, the director Konchalovsky has turned a beloved holiday classic into something with very little festive spirit, or any sort of cohesion. A box-office bomb in every sense of the word.
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Remaining fixtures
- August 29 – UAE v Saudi Arabia, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
- September 5 – Iraq v UAE, Amman, Jordan (venue TBC)
GROUPS
Group Gustavo Kuerten
Novak Djokovic (x1)
Alexander Zverev (x3)
Marin Cilic (x5)
John Isner (x8)
Group Lleyton Hewitt
Roger Federer (x2)
Kevin Anderson (x4)
Dominic Thiem (x6)
Kei Nishikori (x7)
2018 ICC World Twenty20 Asian Western Sub Regional Qualifier
Event info: The tournament in Kuwait is the first phase of the qualifying process for sides from Asia for the 2020 World T20 in Australia. The UAE must finish within the top three teams out of the six at the competition to advance to the Asia regional finals. Success at regional finals would mean progression to the World T20 Qualifier.
Teams: UAE, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Maldives, Qatar
Friday fixtures: 9.30am (UAE time) - Kuwait v Maldives, Qatar v UAE; 3pm - Saudi Arabia v Bahrain
Warlight,
Michael Ondaatje, Knopf
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Pieces of Her
Stars: Toni Collette, Bella Heathcote, David Wenham, Omari Hardwick
Director: Minkie Spiro
Rating:2/5
'The Lost Daughter'
Director: Maggie Gyllenhaal
Starring: Olivia Colman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson
Rating: 4/5
The Year Earth Changed
Directed by:Tom Beard
Narrated by: Sir David Attenborough
Stars: 4
