Review movies: Mid August Lunch. Directed by Gianni Di Gregorio. Certificate: U | Aliens in the Attic | John Schultz

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The Review - AT THE MOVIES with DAN CARRIER
Published: 13 August 2009

Also on release this week

• Mid August Lunch. Directed by Gianni Di Gregorio. Certificate: U
This Italian film is directed by the man who wrote the screenplay for last year’s incredible Neapolitan gangster flick, Gomorrah, and he creates another snapshot of contemporary Italian life – albeit somewhat gentler. This time Di Gregorio charts the story of four elderly ladies staying at the home of one of their sons for a hot August weekend.
Di Gregorio also takes a lead role, playing a middle-aged wine lover called Gianni. He lives in an old Roman building with his 90-something old ma, and on the eve of the Feast of the Assumption the manager of his block says if he looks after his mother too, he’ll waiver a backlog of unpaid utility bills. Cue an impromptu dinner party, and simple generational observations.

• Aliens in the Attic. Directed by John Schultz. Certificate PG
Horrible little intergalactic blighters come down to invade Earth, and all that stands between them and planet domination are a bunch of squabbling kids. It’s July 4, and extended family gather to celebrate, but things go pear-shaped when some knee-high reptilian aliens crash land in the attic. The adults are no help – aliens fire darts into their necks and then can operate them using a remote control (cool!) and it’s up to them pesky kids to save the world. This B-movie has energy but is cheap, in all respects. I’d hire The Goonies on DVD instead.

• Band Slam. Director Todd Graff. Certificate: PG
Pedestrian battle of bands comedy that spoofs the High School Musical genre. Predictable, boring and with as unappealing a cast as you can imagine.

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