The film runs in retrospect, beginning with a climactic scene before returning to George’s earlier, unhappy and almost misanthropic lifestyle. As George moves through these stages, dealing with the death of his nephew and the stoned indifference of Betty (the only girl in his life), he discovers that training this particular bird becomes synonymous with accepting his place in life and finding true meaning.

Goldberger extracts strongly convincing performances from his actors. Giamatti depicts George with a sardonic unhappiness, with the only thing he cares for being his hawks and his nephew. Giamatti’s co-actors perform with similar believability: Betty, the young stoner who is not only George’s occasional lover but his only real emotional outlet; Fred, his nephew, whose raw and innocent experiences of life (and love) provide some of the film’s most moving moments; and even the bird, who seems to understand its owner’s feelings and ’see into his heart’, as George says.

While the film seems to drag early on, the characters are captivating, particularly George with his insistence on carrying the hawk on his arm everywhere. The film’s emotional depth is also heightened by its variety of themes: devotion, parental responsibilities, love and relationships are all explored with stark realism. The camerawork is often handheld’somewhat reminiscent of amateur film-making’but beautiful imagery, performances and an uplifting ending give this film a depth that makes it definitely worth the watch.

One day while hunting deer in an Argentinian forest, he finds his dream a reality when he becomes heir to a plot to rob a nearby casino. Espinosa is an epileptic, and just before an attack he feels a moment of stillness, where time seems to stop and sound fills his head that is described as an aura. As the film progresses, he must outwit both the police and his accomplices to pull off his master plan.

An excellently captivating watch, the film is complex and intelligently written. As the story unfolds, an air of tension is never lost, so much so that the audience is enthralled and the connection to the onscreen character is palpable.

The supporting characters are well acted, but seem almost unneeded. Dar‚àö‚â†n’s performs well as Espinosa, with his introverted and usually silent nature evident in every movement and facial expression. The ‘auras’ themselves are especially interesting. With everything seeming to freeze, quiet noises are suddenly amplified and Espinosa cannot move. These moments are paralleled in the dead animals that Espinosa initially works on as a taxidermist. Animal emotion is a strong key in the film, particularly in one wolf-like dog that seems to know and understand Espinosa’s every move. It is also very entertaining watching Espinosa bluffing his way into his accomplice’s confidence, using the plans he found in possession by the former plot-mastermind.

The Aura is a must-see’captivating, intriguing and above all entertaining.

Humourously examining the way publicity and public opinion affects our decisions, these three talented comedians examine Brian’s story as other kids get the same treatment and people start rallying against ‘Mature Aged Adoption’. The comedic performances are excellent, not to mention a variety of character personas complete with foreign accents. Cutting from live theatricals to footage of pre-recorded interviews, it follows Brian’s journey as he is shunted from a ‘Czechoslovakstanian’ family to a pair of tripped-out hippies, while his parents get on happily (mostly) without him, his neighbour Des lives in his own weird world, and a crazy Fairy Godmother appears now and again attempting to guide Brian on his ‘path’.

With the three actors switching flawlessly between characters there is never a dull moment, even until the climax where everything is resolved and all the ‘important moral issues or something like it’ come to the fore. A hilarious satirical show and social commentary combined’not to be missed.

Captain Frodo’s story offers a look not only into the early life of this wonderful entertainer but also into the art of the travelling sideshow itself, which is rapidly becoming smaller in today’s world. Frodo may appear to occasionally fumble, but his stage presence is captivating. The slapstick comedy pervades and everything is done with a flourish. There is a point when Frodo tells a story from his youth that inspired him and, as he tells of the characters ascending into the air to safety, the feeling of this performer’s delight in what he does is palpable and touches everyone in the audience. This is as much a reflection on his life as a complete one-man show. As he says, though, ‘It may be sideshow, but I like it.’

Featuring songs by Tom Lehrer, Stephen Sondheim and others, and accompanied by the talented David Young (who must never speak), this is as much a true ‘cabaret performance’ as it is ‘comedy’ made all the more captivating by Krum’s excellent vocal skills and stage presence.

His mood changes from soft (‘Girlfriend in a Coma’) to boisterous (‘We’re Going Down’) and is accentuated by the intimate atmosphere of the Butterfly Club. He makes the audience feel comfortable, before hilariously shattering their dreams while somehow keeping them continually entertained. In bad taste (but constantly amusing) and topped off with a little schadenfreude, Reuben Krum captivates and serenades the audience’reflecting on ‘postcard Israel’ and intimate concocted asides about audience members, as The Pun found out.

He shocks and offends, but always feels good doing it’and so will you.