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maltatoday SUNDAY 29 APRIL 2018 42 This Week MUCH has been made of how Netflix and other platforms of its ilk are 'ruining' the cinematic experience, as less and less peo- ple choose the multiplex as a de- fault entertainment option in fa- vour of consuming audio-visual material in the comfort of their own homes. There certainly ap- pears to be some currency to that sentiment, with mainstream cinematic slots largely dedicated to over-budgeted corporate tent- poles like this week's Avengers: Infinity War – itself propped up on a long and elaborate pedestal of interrelated corporate proper- ties. First shocked-back onto the scene as a potential industry revitaliser by that scion of spec- tacle, James Cameron, upon the release of his dramatically bereft but visually immersive spectacle Avatar (2009), the widespread adoption of 3D was something of an attempt to paper over the problem. Never mind that most people hate it, and that the only real net result of its adoption at the best of times just leads to an an- noyingly jacked-up ticket price (which should serve as a clue as to why it was really adopted in the first place). Strategically adopted as an occasional bit of technological spice, 3D can be a fun way of jacking-up the cin- ema experience if it's attached to the right project. As a 'fun house' gimmick, it can work... but when the industry shoves it down your throat with little rhyme or reason, you're bound to feel cheated. Luckily not presented in man- dated 3D and operating on a more genuine, home-grown pair of gimmicks, Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson's Ghost Stories, adapted from their own stage play of the same name, makes for a slice of quality fun enter- tainment at the cinema – one that actually begs to be seen with an audience. Nyman himself plays Pro- fessor Philip Goodman who, largely owing to a stif lingly con- servative Jewish upbringing, has dedicated his life to debunking paranormal quacks – claiming all the while to be motivated by a desire to show up these ma- nipulative, exploitative charla- tans for who they really are. But his mission is tested when his childhood inspiration – and un- official television predecessor – Charles Cameron, gets in touch. Living out what looks to be his final days cooped up and sick in a caravan, Cameron challenges Philip to resolve three paranor- mal cases that have always evad- ed him... even causing him to make a U-turn on his total scep- ticism about the paranormal ("the mind sees what it wants to see" was always his mantra). The three cases involve a night-watchman at a disused mental asylum (Paul White- house), a young man grown ob- sessed with the occult after a disturbing accident (Alex Law- ther) and a wealthy London fi- nancier haunted by a poltergeist (Martin Freeman). Jeremy Dyson's other claim to fame apart from the Ghost Sto- ries stage show is his participa- tion on the cult British TV series League of Gentlemen, which he co-wrote along with Reece Shearsmith, Steve Pemberton and Mark Gatiss. Though veer- ing more closely to grotesque dark comedy than what's on show here, the three seasons of 'Gentlemen' also showcased a love for old-school British folk horror, and its delivery in an an- thology format in particular. And that's what works best about Ghost Stories – the juggling between three self- contained narratives nested in a 'mother story'. There's a nice 'three for the price of one' feel to it all, with Nyman and Dyson showcasing both versatility and a respect for the genres that they are drawing from. Innovation is not the key here, but the perfor- mance of satisf ying story tropes and modes, done well. It's a shame, then, that while each of the three stories is built with great verve and suspense, the frame story overplays its hand at the very end – undercut- ting rather than bolstering what could have been a superlative slice of pastiche. IN CINEMAS TODAY EMBASSY CINEMAS Avengers: Infinity War (3D) (12A) 10:15, 14:00, 17:30, 20:45 Peter Rabbit (PG) 10:00, 12:10, 14:20, 16:35, 18:50 Tomb Raider (12A) 20:55 Midnight Sun (12A) 10:00, 16:30, 18:40, 20:50 Rampage (12A) 10:30, 13:45, 16:05, 18:25, 20:50 Love, Simon (12A) 10:15, 13:50, 16:15, 18:40, 21:05 A Quiet Place (15) 12:10, 14:10, 16:20, 18:30, 20:40 Valletta Living History (U) 10:00, 10:45, 11:30, 12:15, 13:00, 13:45, 14:30, 15:15 EDEN CINEMAS A Fantastic Woman (15) 14:05, 18:30 A Quiet Place (15) 14:05, 16:20, 18:30, 20:40, 23:30 Akram Khan's Giselle Ballet (PG) 16:00 Avengers: Infinity War (12A) 10:45, 13:45, 14:30, 17:00, 18:00, 20:15, 21:15, 23:25 Black Panther (12A) 18:25, 21:10 Blockers (15) 14:05, 16:20, 18:40, 21:05, 23:25 Duck Duck Goose (U) 11:40, 13:50 Ghost Stories (15) 14:15, 16:25, 18:35, 20:45 Hitler Vs Picasso (PG) 18:30, 20:35 I Kill Giants (12A) 11:45, 14:00, 16:20, 18:40, 21:00 Love, Simon (12A) 11:35, 14:00, 16:25, 18:45, 21:05 Peter Rabbit (PG) 11:50, 14:05, 16:15 Rampage (3D) (12A) 11:40, 14:10, 16:30, 18:50, 21:10, 23:40 The Divine Order (12) 16:20, 20:50 Truth Or Dare (15) 14:15, 16:25, 18:35, 20:55, 23:10 EMPIRE CINEMAS The Golden Calf (PG) 11:00, 13:30, 16:30, 18:30, 20:45 Peter Rabbit (PG) 11:00, 13:45, 16:30, 18:40 Blockers (15) 10:50, 13:45, 16:00, 18:25, 20:45 Rampage (12A) 10:55, 13:40, 16:10, 18:30, 20:55 Truth or Dare (15) 10:45, 13:30, 16:05, 18:35, 21:05 Avengers: Infinity War (3D) (12A) 10:45, 14:00, 18:05, 21:15 Ghost Stories (15) 11:05, 13:45, 16:00, 18:25, 20:45 A Quiet Place (15) 20:55 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ GHOST STORIES ★ ★ ★ ★ GHOST REVERIES ★ ★ ★ GHOST IN THE MACHINE ★ ★ I AIN'T AFRAID OF NO GHOST ★ DIRTY WHITE SHEET FILM By Teodor Reljic Three scares for the price of one GHOST STORIES (15) ★ ★ ★ Country roads: Andy Nyman and Martin Freeman in Ghost Stories Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson's clever take on the horror anthology makes for a great time at the flicks. Shame about that third act, though The verdict A sleek and stylish slice of old school horror for the most part, Ghost Stories is undercut by a third act that aims for cleverness but achieves nothing short of deflation in the end. Still, it's certainly a ride worth taking, and along with A Quiet Place, it confirms that it's perhaps horror – and not 3D gimmicks – that will save the cinema expe- rience in the long run. Just like Krasinski's crunch-and- you'll-ruin-it chiller, this one aims to be experienced with an audience, as the suspenseful set-pieces are crafted for the perfect com- munal scare effect.