fun

You know millennial nostalgia has reached a dangerous peak when there’s a new “Now You See Me” in theaters. The last time we encountered the merry band of Robin Hood prankster magicians known as the Horsemen, it was the Obama era, when “Now You See Me 2,” the sequel to the hit 2013 film, opened in the summer of 2016. Were we ever so young?

Back then, the Horsemen, played by Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco and either Isla Fisher or Lizzy Caplan as the token girl magician, used the principles of magic for altruistic purposes, redistributing wealth and saving the world from various evil tech overlords.

We’re in even worse shape now, so why not do magic about it? It couldn’t hurt and it seems there’s literally nothing else we can do to exert any modicum of control over billionaires who are exacerbating environmental degradation and dangerous technology.

With “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t,” director Ruben Fleischer takes over the franchise reins from Jon M. Chu (now preoccupied with “Wicked”), who himself took over from Louis Leterrier (the screenplay is by Seth Grahame-Smith, Michael Lesslie and Rhett Reese). Some nine years down the line, fresh blood is needed, so “Now You Don’t” plays like “Now You See Me: The New Class,” introducing a trio of budding magicians who take inspiration from the Horsemen.

A reunion show at a Bushwick warehouse turns out to be — you guessed it — an illusion, with a group of young aspiring magicians, June (Ariana Greenblatt), Charlie (Justice Smith) and Bosco (Dominic Sessa), aping the Horsemen’s faces and using clever presentation in order to rob from the rich (corrupt crypto bros) to give to the poor (their fellow broke Gen-Zers). They’re happy to continue their scrappy operation, living in a converted loft in a bagel factory, until an actual Horseman, J. Daniel Atlas (Eisenberg) shows up at their place with an invite in the form of a tarot card, from an entity known as the Eye.

Turns out they’ve got bigger fish to fry: The whale is Veronika Vanderberg (a hilarious Rosamund Pike), a South African diamond heiress with a prize jewel known as the Heart Diamond and a very shady family history. The quest to steal the Heart will take the Horsemen from Antwerp to rural France and then to Abu Dhabi, where they will use their magical abilities to get out of jams, mess with Veronika and ultimately bring justice to the South African communities that have been exploited by diamond mining (naturally). This globe-trotting adventure will also bring together all generations of Horsemen, including former friends and foes, reminding us that even in comparison to big shiny diamonds, the most important natural resource in the world is friendship.

The funny thing about the “Now You See Me” movies, which are delightfully silly, frothy and ultimately quite stupid (in the best way), is that they’re not really about magic. They’re about puzzles and rubber masks and whipping playing cards through the air and escape rooms. But it’s unclear if anything that they do is actually magic. Sure, there are fantastical illusions (some clearly CGI-enhanced) and Henley (Fisher) is a master of escapology, but half the time, the Horsemen are merely setting up elaborate ruses and then their “show” consists of explaining how they tricked one person, which leads to that person’s arrest. Is that magic? It’s misdirection and lying and showmanship on an internationally grand scale, but it’s more “Mission: Impossible” than David Copperfield. It’s like if Ethan Hunt got on stage and explained everything he did to an adoring crowd before giving them all a monetary gift, Oprah-style.

If the Horsemen say it’s magic, fine. Even though the script is laden with expository dialogue — the amount of times they stand in a circle and babble lore at each other is unconscionable — there’s a fleetness to the pacing and the new additions are charming, particularly insouciant scamp Sessa, whose Bosco matches energy with Eisenberg’s smartest-guy-in-the-room arrogance.

Fleischer’s signature style is slick but chintzy, which works here. (There’s something appropriate for the style of a film about magicians being being shiny but cheap.) The first action sequence is incomprehensible, but they get better throughout. Most importantly, Fleischer knows there’s a winking element when it comes to performing or enjoying magic. It’s campy, it’s cheesy, it’s way more fun than you expect it to be, but there’s a knowingness to the whole endeavor. “Now You See Me: Now You Don’t” is the kind of lightweight, harmless and ephemeral entertainment that allows us to be escape artists from reality for a minute, so go ahead and indulge.

Katie Walsh is a Tribune News Service film critic.

A HUGE car race track, retro arcade games and private Singpods – it certainly doesn’t sound like your classic pub?

Calling itself the ‘modern playhouse for Battersea,’ it recently reopened after a £1million refurbishment and I was one of the first to go down.

Formerly known as the Four Thieves, the ‘adult playground’ now called The Thieves, sits between Battersea and Clapham Common.

You can do everything you can do at a usual pub, like grab a cocktail, beer or bite to eat from their menu – from brunch to a hearty Sunday roast.

But beyond the pretty bar and plush velvet seating is also a plethora of other activities.

Let’s face it, the main event is upstairs inside The Thieves Gambit.

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Heading inside the arcade, you’re immediately greeted by a buzzy atmosphere, laughter, and of course, plenty of competitive jibes.

It’s slightly overwhelming at first because of the sheer amount of games – and the sound effects that go with them.

There’s air hockey, golf putting, Mario Kart, pool tables, virtual darts, basketball, and classic games like Pacman, Space Invaders, Tetris and Mortal Kombat.

Crazy Light was another favourite, buttons light up and you have to press them – the faster the better, obviously.

The main event though is the TRBO Raceway, previously called Moonshine Raceway, where players sit in gaming chairs and literally race cars around the track.

It might remind some of old Scalextric games – there’s even an MC hyping up drivers and if it’s possible, making everyone even more competitive.

It’s not easy either as I found out when coming last.

To play the games you need to add credit to your TRBO card which starts at £10 for 500 coins and you can top up throughout the night.

Downstairs in the basement is where you can sing your heart out inside the karaoke room.

If you fancy, you can book out a Singpod to privately belt out some ballads with your mates.

Not being much of a singer myself, this is one that I decided not to take on.

When you’re done with the games, head back down to the bar area where there are a host of live performances.

It’s not just a guy singing with a guitar either, I’m talking mega party vibes.

There will ABBA parties, Taylor Swift socials, cabaret shows, and themed brunches all under spinning disco balls and and flashing lights.

Coming up on the calendar are 70s dance parties to ‘Twisted Time Machine’ with tunes from the party eras, comedy nights, quizzes.

For guaranteed entry, time at the arcades, or a table for eating – make sure to book before you go.

Otherwise, happy playing!

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For more fun, check out the new adult-only indoor playground with pub games and prosecco-flavoured candyfloss to open in the UK.

And for when the sun is shining, check out the best riverside pubs across the UK including a moored boat and one ‘that feels like the south of France’.

Well, it was fun while it lasted … wait, it’s not over?

There’s somehow at least four games left in a UCLA football season that feels like it’s already exhausted its story arc and run out of acts.

Act I: The fall of a proud Bruin.

Act II: The rise of a proud (Fresno State) Bulldog-turned-Bruin.

Act III: A 50-point implosion that sucked the air out of the season and didn’t please any Bruin.

What’s left after an 0-4 start that included the firing of a coach followed by a three-game winning streak and a 56-6 loss to one of the nation’s top teams? Somehow, there’s still at least a third of a season to go.

A victory over Nebraska on Saturday evening at the Rose Bowl could essentially put the Bruins right back where they were a few weeks ago, giving interim coach Tim Skipper another chance to reclaim the hearts of the college football world with an upset of top-ranked Ohio State the following weekend.

But first they have to get past a Cornhusker team missing its biggest kernel. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola is out for the season with a broken leg, forcing the team to turn to a true freshman who was throwing passes for Orange Lutheran High this time last year.

Don’t expect TJ Lateef or any of his teammates to walk into the Rose Bowl waving a white flag.

“It would just be so average to go out there and be like, well, we’ve got a freshman quarterback and it is what it is,” Nebraska coach Matt Rhule told reporters this week. “Like, no, we’re not doing that. We’ve got TJ Lateef and we’re going to rally around him.”

Here are five things to watch when the Bruins (3-5 overall, 3-2 Big Ten) face the Cornhuskers (6-3, 3-3) in a game that starts at 6 p.m. PST and will be televised by Fox:

Quarterback quandary

Nebraska quarterback TJ Lateef hands off the ball to running back Emmett Johnson during the second half against USC.

(Bonnie Ryan / Associated Press)

Lateef is about to become just the fourth true freshman quarterback to start a game for Nebraska since 1950.

Will it be a performance for the ages?

Lateef didn’t wow in relief of Raiola last weekend against USC. He completed five of seven passes as the Trojans rallied for a 21-17 victory, those completions going for a grand total of seven yards — 1.4 yards per completion. Lateef might be more dangerous as a runner than a passer, having averaged 4.5 yards and scored two touchdowns in his 11 carries.

Skipper said the Bruins would watch Lateef’s high school game footage to get a fuller understanding of his potential.

“We know we’re going to get some unscouted looks, unscouted plays,” Skipper said. “I’m sure there’s things that he does well that they’re gonna want to do that they haven’t really shown. He kind of had to do the game plan and scheming that they had up for Dylan and his reps [against USC], so we’ll have to adjust as the game goes.”

On the other hand . . .

Nebraska’s uncertainty at quarterback likely means more opportunity for its running game.

And the Cornhuskers have a good one.

Emmett Johnson has already topped 100 yards rushing in five games this season, totaling 1,002 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Against USC, he ran for 165 yards and a touchdown while averaging 5.7 yards per carry.

“We’re going to need to know where he is at all times,” Skipper said. “He does a great job of just making people miss, I’m really impressed by how he plays. You know, I come from a family of running back coaches, and I’ve watched a lot of backs, and he’s one of the top guys I’ve ever seen.”

Another mantra

Skipper could keep a custom T-shirt shop busy with all his slogans.

He’s told his players to strain. He’s asked them whether they were one-hit wonders. He’s implored them to uphold the standard they had established.

Over the two weeks that followed his team’s 56-6 loss to Indiana, he’s delivered a new message.

“We’re just getting back to the basics,” Skipper said. “It’s about fundamentals and little details. That’s kind of been what we’ve been really preaching.”

Linebacker Jalen Woods said plenty of time has been spent on tackling after the team experienced significant slippage in that area against the Hoosiers. Offensive tackle Garrett DiGiorgio said players ran between drills to quicken the tempo of everything they were doing.

With an extra week to prepare for the Cornhuskers after a bye, the Bruins have tried not to let the disappointment they experienced in their last game linger.

“Don’t let it carry over into the next game,” Woods said of the team’s collective mindset.

A line redrawn

Eugene Brooks celebrates a UCLA touchdown against Penn State.

(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press)

UCLA guard Eugene Brooks was back at practice this week, a significant development for an offensive line that had struggled in his absence.

The Bruins ran for just 88 yards — 60 by running backs — and allowed three sacks with Brooks sidelined against Indiana.

It appears they’ll be back at full strength against a Nebraska defense that’s allowing only 289.9 yards per game, ranking No. 13 nationally.

Skipper said the Cornhuskers create confusion using multiple defensive fronts with hybrid players who either rush the quarterback or drop into coverage.

“They’re going to create a lot of havoc that way with the people that they use,” Skipper said. “They create a lot of turnovers. They’re very good on third down. They don’t give up big plays in the passing game. They’re really good at keeping people in front of them.”

Another boost

Running back Anthony Woods also returned to practice after missing the Indiana game.

His ability to run the ball and catch passes out of the backfield could help an offense that did not score a touchdown for the first time this season when it faced the Hoosiers.

Running back Jalen Berger said the success UCLA had on the ground during its three-game winning streak, when it averaged 236.7 yards rushing per game, was largely a result of an increased emphasis on its ballcarriers.

“I’d say it’s more of a commitment,” Berger said of an approach the Bruins had to abandon after falling behind big against Indiana. “Just being run-first, you know?”

YOU’RE in the Alps for a ski holiday – you’ve got your gear, your lift pass and the optimism that you won’t wipe out on a blue run as kids whizz past you.

But what if skiing on a skiing holiday is optional?

What if there’s an Alpine world that doesn’t require you to throw yourself downhill at speed?

The wild and wonderful phenomenon of après-ski only gears up after the lifts stop — and the party gets going.

Après-ski is no small affair — this is not just drinks before dinner.

In the Three Valleys area of the French Alps, après is a daily festival and feels like a way of life.

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Picture this: a live band steps on stage ahead of a DJ surrounded by strobe lights, crowds are dancing on the tables (in ski boots) and bobble hats are thrown in the air.

This melee of strangers is swaying together, drinks in hand, as revellers sing at the top of their lungs.

This is a kind of Alpine Glastonbury, where people swap flower crowns and flags for puffer jackets and goggles.

And the best part? You don’t have to ski or snowboard to enjoy it.

The Three Valleys is known for some of the best slopes in the world, with almost 600km of pistes, as high as 3,000 metres, to pick from.

But interconnected Valleys resorts Méribel, Courchevel and Val Thorens also showcase thousands of music gigs.

The magic is thanks to London and Méribel-based agency Après Ski Bands, which books more than 3,500 such events per season across 130 venues.

These aren’t bog-standard cover bands — they’re high-energy pros, picked in X Factor-style auditions in the UK, who turn ski resorts into concert venues during winter.

In five days in the Alps, I saw nine superb acts without even trying — starting with party band Magnolia, ending with DJ and MC duo Rio & Rhymes and acts in between including emerging alt-rock talent Pattern Pusher and diverse après heroes The Wingmen.

For folk fans, there’s guitarist Chris Quinn, who opened for the Jools Holland Orchestra, and singer-songwriter Albert Jones, who appeared on BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend.

Performing in the Alps is hard graft, as musicians play up to 140 dates in a single season.

At Lodge Du Village in Méribel alone, there are 900 live gigs each winter — with Mondays to Wednesdays often wilder than Saturday nights (free shots for those who arrive early).

Le Rond Point — or Ronnie — in Méribel is one of those places where you show up for one drink and suddenly it’s four hours later, and you’re leading a conga line and wearing someone else’s unicorn onesie.

And let’s not forget ultra-Insta La Folie Douce, a venue likened to Ibiza in the snow. If it sounds like an attack on the senses, that’s because it is.

But if partying isn’t really your thing, there are other things on offer in the Valleys.

For a touch of luxury, hit a hotel spa or soak in your chalet’s outdoor hot tub with a glass of fizz, watching skiers from a distance.

If you want to be on the white stuff minus the face-planting, then snowshoeing or sled-dog walking are great for exploring at a gentle pace.

Then, of course, there is the ultimate Alpine sport — eating.

Food here is an attraction in itself, with Méribel’s Le Cro Magnon and La Terrasse du Village delivering everything from hearty Savoyard to refined French-British fusion.

If you come to the Alps and don’t eat fondue, tartiflette or raclette, did you even visit the Alps?

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And now it’s not just a winter thing, with resorts shifting towards year-round tourism, meaning the party doesn’t stop when the snow starts to melt in April.

Whether you’re dancing on tables, belting out rock anthems with a crowd of strangers, exploring snowy forests, or eating your bodyweight in cheese, you’ve made it down a black run to holiday heaven.

A day out at a theme park isn’t just a summer activity. Many parks will be open for Christmas-themed fun, and you’ll find fun, festive activities to suit all ages

Looking for a festive day out for all the family? Many theme parks will be opening their doors for the Christmas season with a range of activities for all the family. In addition to themed days out, some parks will also be offering special short breaks, with extras such as Santa visits and evening entertainment and even the chance to enjoy a festive-themed sleepover at the on-park hotels. Here’s a round-up of some of the most popular theme parks in the UK and what they’ll be offering this November and December.

Alton Towers – Magical Days Out

From £18 per person

In the run up to Christmas and the New Year, Alton Towers offers Magical Days Out starting at just £18 per person. While it’s a cheaper way to visit the park, it’s worth noting that only CBeebies Land and Mutiny Bay are open, plus a couple of the bigger rides, so you don’t expect all the usual thrill rides to be available.

However, the park is set to be decked out in festive decorations, and visitors can enjoy Christmas-themed shows such as Hey Duggee Live: The Christmas Badge!, which is bound to be a hit with the younger members of the family.

Families can also book a Santa Sleepover at one of the park’s on-site hotels, starting at £91 per person. This includes a one-day theme park ticket, a visit to Santa’s grotto, a traditional pantomime, and a festive dinner and entertainment for the whole family. Booking the Santa Sleepover also gives you access to the on-site waterpark and crazy golf.

Find out more on Alton Towers’ official website.

Gulliver’s – Christmas and Land of Lights

From £27 per person

Three of Gulliver’s theme parks will be offering Christmas events: Rotherham, Milton Keynes, and Warrington, with a selection of Christmas rides and attractions open during this time. What’s available over the festive period varies by park, and some of the activities on offer include festive breakfasts, Santa’s grottos, Christmas shows, Elf workshops, and more, with a variety of packages available.

Each park will also have a Land of Lights attraction – a spectacular light trail that opens during the winter. Tickets for this attraction are sold separately and start at £13.75 per person.

For more information and dates visit Gulliver’s website.

Drayton Manor – Christmas Wonderland

From £20 per person

Drayton Manor say they’ve unwrapped their “biggest and most magical Christmas plans ever”. The Midland-based park, which is best-known for being the home of Thomas Land, will open on selected dates from November 22 to December 31 with most of the park’s rides open.

There will also be a range of themed attractions for family days out. Fans of Elf on the Shelf can enjoy Elftoria, with the cheeky creatures taking over the park and adding a mischievous touch to your day. Children can even take part in pranking workshops and enjoy a live elf show.

Kids can visit the Castle Grotto, which will include a story-time experience with Mrs Claus and a visit to the man in red, while Thomas Land will be decked out in seasonal decorations and have festive family shows. In the evening, families can board the Twinkling Express, a gentle journey surrounded by Christmas light trails.

Find out more about Christmas at Drayton Manor here.

Paultons Park – Celebration of Christmas

From £20 per person

Paultons, perhaps most famous for being the home of Peppa Pig World, will be turning their park into a Christmas wonderland. On selected dates through December, visitors can visit Peppa and friends in their festive clothing, enjoy Santa’s Christmas Wish show, or enjoy festive-themed menus in the park’s cafes.

If you prefer thrill rides, the Tornado Springs are will be also be open as well as selected rides in Lost Kingdom and Critter Creek.

Book or find out more about Christmas at Paultons here.

Chessington – Christmas Village

From £32 per person

Chessington’s Christmas village ticket will include a selection of the park’s rides, as well as access to the zoo and SEA LIFE centre. Visitors will be able to enjoy a Christmassy silent disco, wander through a snowy trail, and see the elves making toys in their workshop. Of course, there’s also a visit to Santa to give him your Christmas list.

Visitors can stay for longer by booking the on-site Safari or Azteca Resort Hotel, and there’s even a range of VIP experiences that can be added onto your package to create unique Christmas memories. Book an elf wake up call, with a small pre-Christmas gift for the kids, or take part in a reindeer encounter and see Santa’s helpers up close.

But the fun doesn’t stop once January comes round. Chessington now offer a themed Christmas Room, which will be a permanent fixture in their hotel year-round. No matter when you visit, you’ll be able to enjoy a decorated tree, Christmas crackers, hot chocolate, and even a decorated Christmas parking space. It’s perfect for the Christmas obsessive in your life.

Find out more about Christmas at Chessington and book tickets here.