Five things you didn’t know about Jay-Z

PLUS WIN HIS LATEST CD

Businessman, philanthropist, rapper or Mr Beyoncé - call him what you like but there’s no denying the star power of Jay-Z. He recently released his latest album, The Blueprint 3. We give you a few Jay-Z facts you may not know.

1 He has sold more than 30 million albums and has won eight Grammy Awards.

2 He was named one of the world’s most influential people in 2005 by Time magazine.

3 According to his mother, Gloria Carter, the young Jay-Z (born Shawn Corey Carter) beat out drum patterns on their kitchen table.

4 His 1996 debut album, Reasonable Doubt, was included on Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

5 Last year he and his wife, singer Beyoncé, were named the highest-earning couple in Hollywood by financial magazine Forbes. Their joint earnings were estimated to be more than 160 million dollars (about R1 billion).

WIN
Tell us what you think of YOU’s music page Pressplay and you could win one of five copies of Jay-Z’s new album, The Blueprint 3. SMS the word BLUEPRINT, your name and address to 34923 by 5 pm on 8 October. Each SMS costs R2.

aKing to know

We’re so in love with aKing, rising kings of SA rock, and their hit Against All Odds we just had to find out more about them.

THE BAND
Laudo Liebenberg: vocals and lead guitar
Hunter Kennedy: rhythm guitar and vocals
Hennie van Halen: bass
Jaco “Snake” Venter: drums

What’s your favourite meal?
Laudo: A fillet steak with chimichuri (an Argentinean marinade) sauce.
Snake: A seafood pizza-burger-pie.
Hunter: A burger.

What would you save if your house was on fire?
Snake: Probably my housemates - heaven knows they won’t be able to do it themselves.
Hunter: The person lying next to me.
Hennie: My prized vinyl collection. I would face open flames to protect them.

What’s your favourite TV show?
Laudo: Arrested Development and Frisky Dingo.
Hunter: Top Gear.

Who is your favourite band/singer?
Laudo: Travelling Wilburys.
Snake: There are too many. Probably anything with Dave Grohl in it.
Hennie: I really love The Shins.

What’s your idea of happiness?
Laudo: Being able to do what you love until the day you die.
Hunter: Success and love.
Hennie: I’m generally content with life as I live it.

I wish I’d never . . .
Laudo: Started smoking again.
Snake: Jumped out of our tour van at 80 km/h. Maybe if it was going slower . . .
Hennie: Owned a car.

Three words to sum you up
Laudo: Mister Laudo Liebenberg.
Hunter: Very Very Very.
Hennie: Mister Short Cuts.

Music reviews

ONE LOVE by David Guetta
Rating: 5/5
Reviewer: Jared Orlin
On his fourth album the French DJ cements his status as a man who knows how to get a party started. He has worked on vocals with some of the biggest names in the business including Kelly Rowland, Akon, Kid Cudi and the Black Eyed Peas. All the tracks are brilliant dance and house numbers.

LOVE & WAR by Daniel Merriweather
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Jared Orlin
He might call Australia home but Daniel Merriweather is big news in the UK after his second album, Love & War, opened at No 2 on the UK charts. It spawned the singles Change, a hip-hop-tinged duet featuring rapper Wale, and Red, a slower love song. There’s plenty of variety on the album. Definitely worth a listen.

WAIT FOR ME by Moby
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Sulaiman Philip
This album is a return to the form that gave Moby huge success with 1999’s Play. Fans will love Shot in the Back of the Head, Hope Is Gone and Jltf, a beautiful track that blends piano with melancholy lyrics. Moby, not known for his strong voice, farms out the vocals to friends, all of them unknown and ripe for discovery. A great electronica offering.

MUSIC VIDEO OF THE WEEK: Best I Ever Had
WEBSITE YouTube.com
Canadian rapper Drake (22) has been on everyone’s lips since his mixed tape, So Far Gone, produced the hit Best I Ever Had. In the music video directed by Kanye West, Drake coaches a basketball team of voluptuous girls clad in revealing pink uniforms. But he’s not much of a coach - all he does is get them to do stretches. He’s now landed a record deal and Jay-Z calls him “the newest and most exciting artist”.

DVDs of the week

I LOVE YOU, MAN
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Willem Möller
Comedy. 2009. 101 min. With Paul Rudd, Jason Segel and Rashida Jones. Director: John Hamburg. 16L.

Estate agent Peter (Rudd) has always been successful with relationships and is happy with his girlfriend, Zooey (Jones). But when he asks her to marry him and she immediately calls all her girlfriends with the news it dawns on him that he has been useless at making male friends and doesn’t even have a buddy he can ask to be his best man. With Zooey, his mom and his gay brother setting up “man dates” Peter starts looking for a “bromance” – but he’s so socially awkward with men that disaster follows disaster. Then he meets eccentric investor Sydney (Segel) and they hit it off, especially after discovering they both love the band Rush. But when they start to get close Zooey becomes jealous.

The clever script puts a sly, fresh twist on the romcom formula and with both Rudd (Role Models) and Segel (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) in top form and relishing the comic chemistry between them this is a very funny and entertaining comedy.

HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Lara Atson
Teen drama. 2009. 98 min. With Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus and Emily Osment. Director: Peter Chelsom. PG.

She has the best of both worlds – by day she’s a regular schoolgirl and at night she’s a music star. But when life spirals out of control for Miley Stewart – aka Hannah Montana (Miley Cyrus) – her dad (Billy Ray Cyrus) decides to take her back to the family farm. There she connects with an old childhood friend, Travis. But a relentless reporter is hot on her heels, looking for a scoop – and there’s more trouble when Hannah is invited to her hometown for a benefit concert. Miley must now decide whether she can be both her regular self and superstar Hannah Montana. Which will she choose?

This fun flick features most of the cast from the hit TV series and tweens will love getting down to songs such as Hoedown Throwdown which comes complete with dance instructions. A must-see for fans. Bonus: lots including a music video.

We love Paula DeAnda

Roll the Credits singer Paula Dacia DeAnda (19) began singing as a youngster and would belt out tunes at family braais, weddings and charity events. “I’ve been performing since I was six; I just went out there and sang! It’s so crazy my dream of being an artist is now reality.”

She’s working on her second album, Stunned, due out later this year or early next year. Roll the Credits is the album’s first single and is already a huge hit. The album will include a duet with Sean Kingston called There’s Nothing.

The artists she’d most love to collaborate with are rappers Bow Wow, Ludacris and Nelly.

Obsessed with Sean Kingston

- His real name is Kisean Jamal Anderson and at 19 he has the music biz in his pocket.

- The Fire Burning hitmaker’s second album, Tomorrow, has just hit SA. “I called it Tomorrow because the album is about how much I’ve grown since my debut (2007’s self-titled album). These songs are about me being hopeful and looking towards the future. I’m not just about Beautiful Girls or Take You There. When people hear the album I want them to say, ‘This is who Sean Kingston is’.”

- Sean collaborated with Joel and Benji Madden of Good Charlotte and former Fugees member Wyclef Jean on Tomorrow. But his ultimate dream is a duet with Kanye West. “I think it would be huge. The chemistry would be crazy,” he says.

WIN
Ten readers will each receive a copy of Sean Kingston’s CD Tomorrow. To enter SMS the word SEAN, your name and address to 34923 by 5 pm on 1 October. Each SMS costs R2.

CD reviews

BATTLEFIELD by Jordin Sparks
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Annelene Moses

On her second album Jordin, the youngest American Idol winner, makes it clear she’s here to stay. Her mature voice heats up the strong lyrics which are spiced with a rock edge. The title track is not the only winner on this album - listen to Takes More and Watch You Go before she slows things down with melodic ballads.

LOVE THAT MUSIC by Timothy Moloi
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Jared Orlin

Soweto-born singer-songwriter Timothy Moloi blends genres, including jazz, R&B and gospel, on his debut album of 12 uplifting songs. From the catchy Give Me Your Love and the lively house rendition of Burn Out to the melodious Friday Morning, the album will broaden Moloi’s fanbase. Look out for the hidden track, Pretty Necklace.

FOR(N)EVER by Hoobastank
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Mariette Pool

American rock band Hoobastank are back! Unfortunately this, their fourth album, doesn’t deliver anything quite like the 2003 megahit The Reason. Critics haven’t been flattering and rightly so. The songs are mostly about bad girlfriends (All About You and The Letter, a duet with Vanessa Amorosi). The saving grace is Sick of Hanging On, one of the few rock songs in true Hoobastank style.

WIN
Ten readers will each win a copy of Jordin Sparks’ Battlefield. To enter SMS the word SPARKS, your name and address to 34923 by 5 pm on 1 October. Each SMS costs R2.

MOST DOWNLOADED: Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus (iTunes.com)
The first single off Miley’s second EP, The Time of Our Lives, is a peppy, upbeat, autobiographical pop track about moving from Nashville to the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles. The song was released at the end of July, a week ahead of its original release date, because it was leaked on the internet.

And a good thing it was too! Party in the USA is Miley’s best charting single to date, peaking at No 2 on Billboard’s Hot 100 and No 1 on its Hot Digital Songs list, beating her previous winner, The Climb. “It’s an all-American song. It’s about my roots,” she says. “I’m like, ‘This is to represent where I am from. I’m so proud of it’.”

Movie of the week: The Taking of Pelham 123

Drama. With JOHN TRAVOLTA, John Turturro and Denzel Washington. Director: Tony Scott. 16LV. Opens 25 September.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Leon van Nierop

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
A psychopathic ex-convict hijacks the train leaving New York’s Pelham Station at 1.23 pm. He communicates only with the railway official who answers the control room phone when he calls with his demands. Then he starts killing passengers one by one.

WHO WILL ENJOY IT?
Ignore the lukewarm reception this movie received from overseas critics. If you enjoy hectic action, slick camera work and smooth editing that sweeps from scene to scene this fast-paced caper certainly provides value for money. It will leave you with sweaty palms and more hatred for John Travolta’s despicable character than for the worst school bully. New York City is one of the main characters in this nailbiting drama and despite the suspense sometimes slipping it’s just the thing to relieve exam stress.

WAIT FOR DVD?
Yes and no. If you have nothing better to do take your buddies to the nearest cinema and experience what it’s like to be locked up with a bunch of panicky passengers as they’re tortured and terrorised by a raving psycopath. It goes down just as well on DVD - director Tony Scott knows how to turn every suspenseful moment into a mini visual opera, with the camera not only recording but becoming part of the action. It’s not as good as the 1974 film it’s based on and Denzel Washington is no Walter Matthau.

Similar films
The Taking of Pelham 123 (1974 version); Crimson Tide; The International.

DVD reviews

WELCOME TO THE STICKS
Comedy. 2008. 101 min. With Kad Merad, Dany Boon and Zoé Félix. Director: Dany Boon. 13PGL.
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Willem Möller

This film, originally titled Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis, broke all box-office records in France. Post office manager Philippe (Merad) pretends to be disabled to get a posting to the Mediterrenean but is caught out and as punishment is sent to work for two years in the “sticks” - the cold northern part of France where, he’s told, he’ll be surrounded by hard-drinking rednecks who speak a strange dialect called Sh’ti. He sets off, leaving behind his furious family, and finds the northerners, despite their funny ways, aren’t all as bad as he’d thought. He and a co-worker, Antoine (Boon), become best friends. To retain his wife’s sympathy Philippe must keep pretending he’s in hell.

This very funny flick works for a number of reasons: fantastic comic performances by Merad and Boon, perfectly timed jokes and quirky, believable characters. What makes it special is the wonderfully translated subtitles which capture the weirdness of Sh’ti and Philippe’s hilarious misunderstandings of it so you can enjoy the film as much as the French did. No mean feat.

CORALINE
Animation. 2009. 96 min. Voices: Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman. Director: Henry Selick. PG.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Lara Atson

Coraline (voiced by Fanning) has moved into a new house and is bored and lonely. Her workaholic parents ignore her and the neighbours are all weird. Her life changes when she discovers a secret door in the house - a passageway to a magical world with a perfect mom and dad who spoil her and give her the attention she craves from her real parents. There’s only one problem: her Other Mother (Hatcher) wants to sew buttons on her eyes and keep her in this world forever. She’s so desperate to win Coraline’s love she traps her real parents. Can the little girl save them and herself?

Based on Neil Gaiman’s horror-fantasy novel this stop-animation production is a visual feast. Some of the scenes are scary and likely to upset smaller kids.
Bonus: Fascinating making-of doccie; commentary.

Game of the week

SHAUN WHITE SNOWBOARDING
XBOX 360. 2009. 6.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Jeremy Petersen

If the chance to explore breathtaking mountains covered with snow gets your blood pumping this game won’t disappoint. The missions aren’t carved in stone so you can wander around, explore your snowy wonderland and collect coins to unlock new moves to make getting down the mountains so much more fun. Once you get a handle on the somewhat tricky controls there’s lots of fun in this realistic speed fest. You have to fall down a few times before that happens though.

Be photo-fab for your matric dance

Here’s how to ensure you look great in pictures of your big night.

THE PRE-SHOOT
Take a few test shots dressed in your outfit the day before the event. Have some taken outside in natural light so the photographer won’t have to use a flash for every picture, which can be unflattering.

LESS IS MORE
Photos exaggerate so go easy on the make-up so test your make-up in photos the previous day.

AVOID THE BLOAT
The last thing you want is your tum to stand out. Beat the bloat a few days earlier so it doesn’t show on film. Avoid heavy carbohydrates and foods high in salt because these can cause you to retain water. That means you must skip takeaways for a while - they’re the main culprits.

CHINNY CHIN CHIN
If you have a bit of a double chin and don’t want it to show, stretch your neck up slightly and tilt your head down slightly

STRIKE A POSE
Look natural by posing with your hand resting gently on your hip but don’t let your arm jut out too much. Turn your body three-quarters of the way towards the camera, with one foot in front of the other and one shoulder closer to the photographer. And keep your shoulders back and spine straight.

TRIGGER HAPPY
It’s a trick many models use: if you’re in a bad mood when the photos are being taken think of something that makes you happy, such as a loved one or blissful memory. This will instantly relax your face and you’ll look better in photos.

SAY CHEESE
When smiling relax your tongue by pushing it gently behind your teeth. This will make your smile look unforced. If you are worried about your teeth not sparkling go to the dentist for a polish a day or two earlier or use whitening toothpaste to prepare your pearly whites to look their best in pictures and on the big night.

FOCUS
Avoid the drunken celebrity look by focusing your eyes slightly above the camera lens. To relax, close your eyes moments before the picture is taken and open them slowly just before the snap. Breathe in as you close your eyes and exhale just before the photographer clicks, open your eyes and flash that gorgeous smile.

Panic at theDisco’s Brendon Urie

- The Las Vegas-born muso’s full name is BRENDON BOYD URIE and he’s 22.

- The singer’s most recent collaboration is the single Open Happiness with Cee-Lo Green, Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump, Travis McCoy of Gym Class Heroes and singer Janelle Monae. Check out the cool music video on YouTube. “My role in the video is a nerdy news reporter who’s stoked at getting the news that happiness is everywhere. He’s a goofy guy. I think I was typecast because I’m a goofy guy too,” Brendon says.

- He’s recorded the single New Perspective for the upcoming Megan Fox horror film Jennifer’s Body. “I wrote the song about two years ago but didn’t know what it was right for at the time,” Brendon says. Good thing he hung onto it!

- After Panic at the Disco reformed - guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker left and were replaced by former Cab member Ian Crawford and Dallon Weekes of the Brobecks - the band started working on a new album. “They’re really fun guys,” Brendon says of his fellow band members. “Now it’s time to go back into the studio and finish the follow-up to 2008’s Pretty.Odd album.”

BONUS CD REVIEW
Battlefield by Jordin Sparks
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Kim Van Reizig
Come on, own up! You know the words of most of the singles on this album, don’t you? We don’t blame you. The lead single, Battlefield, is one of many gems that include Tattoo, 911 Emergency, Was I The Only One and The Cure. The lyrics, mostly about love and being true to yourself, aren’t soppy enough to roll your eyes and Jordin’s powerful voice is always a pleasure to listen to.

Movie of the week: The Time Traveler’s Wife

Drama. With ERIC BANA and RACHEL McADAMS. Director: Robert Schwentke. 13. Opens 11 September.
Rating: 3/5

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
A young girl playing in a field is confronted by a naked man who announces he’s going to marry her when she’s older. He also reveals he comes from the future. A few years later his predictions come true - but he’ll never truly be hers as he unexpectedly gets lost in time.

WHO WILL ENJOY IT?
This is a super-tearjerker - if you’re the type who takes tissues to the movies buy a new box because you will need a few more. Even the most hardened dude will feel a lump in his throat as the heroine loses her lover repeatedly in the most unlikely circumstances. But if you’re not in the mood for sniffles as you munch popcorn you may get irritated with the rest of the audience sobbing. It’s a tribute to undying love that goes beyond the borders of death or time and will satisfy the sentimentalists but if you’re the kind of dude who loved The Hangover steer clear - this is strictly a chick-flick.

WAIT FOR DVD?
Yes. This super-emotional manipulator is ideal for a romantic evening in front of the TV when your sweetheart is in a sentimental mood. Hunky Eric Bana is nude for half of the film and many may find themselves reaching for the pause or rewind button – so in that respect it’s also an ideal DVD heart-warmer. But Bana also proves he’s a convincing actor as he turns sentimental dialogue into poems of romance, while Rachel McAdams evokes as much sympathy as she did in her previous tearful outing, The Notebook.

DVD of the week: Watchmen

Fantasy action. 2009. 155 min. With Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup and Patrick Wilson. Director: Zack Snyder. 16LSV.
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Kim Van Reizig

This flick is as dark, dangerous, intriguing and corny as an adaptation of a comic book should be, and more, as director Zack Snyder (300) breathes life into old pages. The story follows a group of superheroes, the Watchmen, who live in an alternative time zone where America is facing an impending nuclear war.

The movie has all the ingredients for a successful adaptation - mystery, murder, justice, fascinating characters, gore and even a bit of romance. Visually it’s a feast and comic fans will love the fight scenes - the first one is done to Nat King Cole’s Unforgettable, if you can get your head around that.

The soundtrack makes for a unique fit and includes classics from Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. It’s close to three hours long but for fans of the genre it won’t be long enough.

Game of the week: Infamous

Rating: 5/5
Reviewer: Muneeb Adams
PS3. 2009. 16

When a delivery goes wrong the main character, Cole, develops the ability to generate and manipulate electricity. You embark on various missions to figure out what happened to Cole and why and you must decide whether to be good or bad. Do you fight for your survival or become a protector of the masses?

Your decisions affect your karma, which determines what powers and upgrades you acquire. The game delivers in all aspects and has plenty of replay value. Will you be famous or infamous? The choice is yours.

Five minutes with Nonhle Thema

She has interviewed some of the hottest artists in the world and next month she’ll present the Channel O Music Video Awards for the second time. We caught up with the sexy TV presenter.

- The best thing about working at Channel O: I found out who the real me is. I started to have respect for my talent. It led me to host and be a scriptwriter and producer.

- My biggest dream: to make my mother, actress Cynthia Shange, proud.

- Best interviews: 50 Cent, Rihanna, Keri Hilson, Lady Gaga and Mary J Blige.
I was starstruck when I met Lady Gaga. I was recently on tour with her in South Korea. After 10 minutes I felt as if we had known each other for years.

- My favourite music video: Locally Thembi Seete’s Free is hot. Internationally I’m loving all Lady Gaga videos.

- My favourite pastime: working. I’m lucky enough to have free time. I like to read motivational and spiritual books and hanging out with family and friends.

- My favourite local artists: Skwatta Kamp, Jozi, Jub Jub and Lira.

- The song that brightens my day: Successful by Drake. I start my day with it to get me hyped up and motivated.

- I just can’t do without: my health. Without that I can’t pursue the dreams I have. Also God, my cellphone, DStv and my mom.

- I can’t live without: music. Music heals all wounds and changes hearts.

- I drive: a modest vehicle, a 2009 model three-litre Saab. I’m all about safety rather than status.

CD reviews

MICHAEL BUBLÉ MEETS MADISON SQUARE GARDEN by Michael Bublé
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Jared Orlin
There’s no faulting Michael Bublé on his brand of old-school classics. This album, recorded at a Madison Square Garden concert, features 10 of his favourites songs, including Everything and Mr and Mrs Jones. The real highlight is the DVD of live performances, interviews and two extra songs. Fans will love it.

BATTLE FOR THE SUN by Placebo
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Nici de Wet
This is the sixth studio album by the alternative rockers and signals a few changes since their last effort, Meds. The boys have moved to a new record label and have a new drummer; the result is a more radio-friendly, up-tempo album with enough grungy guitars and anguished lyrics from androgynous frontman
Brian Molko to satisfy fans.

LA ROUX by La Roux
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Jared Orlin
If you haven’t yet heard of La Roux remember the name; you’re going to hear a lot more of this British electropop duo that burst onto the UK scene with the hit In For the Kill. They’re similar in sound to ’80s band The Human League and have some of Lily Allen’s spunk. But more than anything they remind you of Lady GaGa - with cleaner, less explicit lyrics.

WIN
Ten readers will each win a copy of Michael Bublé Meets Madison Square Garden. To enter SMS the word MICHAEL, your name and address to 34923 by 5 pm on 17 September. Each SMS costs R2.

Demi’s living the dream

She’s the star of upcoming Disney show Sonny with a Chance but that’s not all 16-year-old Demi Lovato is up to. Here’s more on the Camp Rock star.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR NEW SHOW, SONNY WITH A CHANCE
It’s a show about a show. I play Sonny, a girl from Wisconsin who moves to Hollywood to be in her favourite TV show. She’s thrown into a whirlwind and gets to live her dream. It’s funny to watch her try to adapt to the new lifestyle and still stay the same. She’s a great character to play because she’s really quirky and funny. I relate to her a lot because I’m from Texas and I moved to Hollywood and I’m living the fantasy too.

HOW HARD HAS IT BEEN TO MOVE TO HOLLYWOOD?
It’s been awesome. I feel really comfortable in LA now and it has been a smooth transition. It wasn’t at all as scary as I thought it would be. Luckily I moved to a really nice area that reminds me a lot of Texas. It’s quiet and I’m quite near friends such as Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus.

WHAT’S THE HARDEST PART OF BEING FAMOUS?
The biggest thing is learning to deal with people not accepting you for who you are. A lot of the time people will pick at you and try to find things that aren’t even wrong with you and at the end of the day you are who you are. Not everyone is going to like it but you can’t change yourself just to please people. I’m just doing what I love. I’m getting to live out my dream every single day and no one is going to stop me.

IS BEING FAMOUS ALL PARTIES AND GLAMOUR?
There are definitely nights when I feel as if it’s a fairytale because I’m in a beautiful dress and getting into a cool car and going to a movie premiere. But it’s also challenging and it takes a lot of hard work and sacrifices.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO WORK BEHIND THE CAMERA ONE DAY?
It’s a goal of mine to direct one day. A lot of the time when I’m doing projects like Sonny with a Chance or Camp Rock I’m secretly wishing I could be behind the camera. Maybe I can try directing episodes of Sonny. That would be an awesome start!

Movie of the week: Up

Animation. Voices: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer and Delray Lindo. Directors: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson. PG. Opens 11 September.
Rating: 5/5
Reviewer: Leon van Nierop

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?
A sad old man never got the chance to travel the world with his beloved wife. After she dies he ties thousands of balloons to his house and floats off to exotic destinations. But there’s an unwelcome guest in his home.

WHO WILL ENJOY IT?
Anyone who loves life but regrets never making their dreams come true. This movie is almost too good to be true; it simply never puts a foot - or a balloon - wrong. Everyone from grandpa to your little brother will cheer when the house takes off and groan when it’s hit by a thunder storm. It’s possibly the best animated movie ever - not only does it teach life lessons without getting preachy, it celebrates the joy of life and inspires viewers by making them believe it’s never too late to leave your comfort zone. Be daring, never mind how old you are - life is there for the taking! But you must be brave enough to tackle it bare-fisted, be prepared to take the knocks and be able to laugh about it.

WAIT FOR DVD?
No. And see it in 3D - with so many 3D theatres opening up there’s no reason to miss out on this experience of a lifetime. To float above the world with a grumpy old man and his witty, naughty guest who always has something to say makes Up worth paying extra to see in 3D. Take off to the skies with these characters - and see what happens when they reach their destination. A joyful, uplifting movie that sets a new standard in animation. Unmissable.

POPCORN FACT
Scientists calculated a house would need 12,7 million balloons to lift off. For this movie the animators created 20 622 - yes, someone counted them!

Game of the week: Transformers

TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN
PS3. 2009.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Anwar Karbary
Videogames based on movies often aren’t great but Transformers isn’t too bad. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a huge improvement on the first instalment. In single-player mode you can play as Autobots or Decepticons. You can also choose a different character, each with unique weapons and abilities, for various missions. The graphics are decent and transforming your characters to planes or cars is pretty cool.