DOWNTON ABBEY

Wdavid@khaleejtimes.com

e have been counting down the weeks and finally Ad Astra is blasting into theatres today! Is there a better movie-going experience than a space epic? We don’t think so. And from all accounts, Brad Pitt has done a stellar job. In this film, Pitt plays the square-jawed sounding astronaut Roy Mcbride (where do they come up with these names, cowboy college?) whose father was lost in the cosmos some years previous while pushing the boundaries of human endeavour. When a disaster befalls Earth, Mcbride must travel to the edge of the solar system to discover the cause. Could his dad ultimately be responsible? During the journey big questions including the reason for our existence and our place in the universe are raised. Is this the brainiest blockbuster this year? Go see it. For those who thought six full TV series of Downton Abbey were insufficient to tell the story of an early 20th century aristocratic family, you are in for a treat. This weekend you have a two-hour movie to indulge in the Granthams’ exploits. It’s now 1927 and the world is changing. “What no valet…not even a nanny?” says a shocked Lord Grantham in the trailer as his daughter and son–in-law arrive at the manor. “No, we’re modern people,” comes the reply. Quite. Aside from cutting the staff wage bill, what other drama could possibly befall the landed gentry’s finest to warrant 123 minutes of celluloid? The king and queen of England are coming to stay. Ripping stuff. Rotten Tomatoes gives it 81%