4 fun family time things to do in Inverness this weekend
A ghost movie's brought back to life as an animation, get the buzz at a bee event, stream the return of the Spy Kids and a rare chance to see everyday treasures at Highland Folk Museum
1 The ghost returns ...
The Canterville Ghost (PG) from Friday, September 22 at Vue Cinema (various times) has Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie reunite to voice computer-animated characters in an adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s spooky story. The ghost Sir Simon Canterville (voiced by Fry) is cursed to haunt his home, Canterville Chase, unless a brave descendant can break the spell by performing a heroic deed. Hiram B Otis (David Harewood) and his family – wife Lucretia (Meera Syal), daughter Virginia (Emily Carey) and the twins Kent (Bennett Miller) and Louis (Jakey Schiff), move from America into the property. Virginia is desperate to travel the world so she forges a pact with Sir Simon to scare her parents out of the family’s new residence. Alas, Mr and Mrs Otis respond by recruiting the local Reverend (Toby Jones) and a wet-behind-the ears Ghost Catcher (Miranda Hart) to banish their unwelcome lodger. Battle intensifies between mortals and the undead and Virginia holds the key to resolving the stand-off. One reviewer calls the film "undemanding family-friendly fare" that enjoys mocking outdated gender stereotypes. Like Sir Simon, on his first meeting with Virginia, blustering: “Whoever heard of a girl in trousers? It is against nature!” Cute touches include a love story brought to life in a clockwork pop-up theatre.
2 Bee ready for fun
The Inverness-Shire Beekeepers Association are back at Simpsons Garden Centre on Saturday, September 23 and Sunday, September 24. From 1pm on Saturday, the event will be open to the public to come along and learn all about the honey process, watch a live observation hive and enter a raffle to win some prizes. You can also pick up some delicious honey and beeswax products. For the kids there will be candle rolling as well as colouring to keep them ... bzzz-y The free event is aimed at the whole family.
3 Back to save the world ...
Spy Kids: Armageddon (PG) is streaming from Friday, September 22 exclusively on Netflix. More than two decades after writer-director Robert Rodriguez unleashed pint-sized operatives in the action-packed first Spy Kids, the family-friendly franchise loads up gadgets and gizmos for a fifth chapter. Intended as a reboot of the series, Spy Kids: Armageddon introduces the next generation of saviours of the world: Patty Tango-Torrez (Everly Carganilla) and brother Tony (Connor Esterson). They are the children of the world’s top secret agents, Terrence (Zachary Levi) and Nora (Gina Rodriguez), and hope one day to follow in their parents’ footsteps. When diabolical game developer Rey 'The King' Kingston (Billy Magnussen) releases a computer virus designed to grant him control of electronic devices, the youngest members of the Tango-Torrez clan rise to the challenge of rescuing their mother and father and averting global catastrophe.
4 Free look at folk museum treasures
A free event from 2pm to 4pm on Sunday, September 24 is Highland Folk Museum at Newtonmore opening the doors of its purpose-built storeroom as part of the nationwide Doors Open Day festival. “We have everything from teaspoons to tractors in the store at Am Fasgadh, and this gives us a chance to let visitors step through the doors and explore the treasures inside," says Helen Pickles, High Life Highland’s Curator at the museum. It will be a chance for visitors to have a look around the store and see some of the 15,000 objects that are cared for by the museum team. The collection was started in the 1930s by Dr Isabel F Grant, who saw the importance of preserving the everyday culture of the Highlands. Donations play a vital part in helping to improve the experience of the Highland Folk Museum which is grateful for any contributions.
HEADS UP
Hero with the drive to win
Just in case you fancy another alternative family movie, you can check out Rally Road Racers (U) – from Friday, September 22 – where animated creatures play competitors in a high-stakes rally along the famous Silk Road trade route in this 93-minute movie. To save his grandmother's home from demolition, young Zhi wages a bet with the reigning champion of the rally car circuit and enters the four-day rally hoping to win the cup and live out his racing dreams.Voices of the characters include John Cleese, Catherine Tate, JK Simmons, Chloe Bennet, Sharon Horgan and Jimmy O Yang. At Vue Cinema, various times.
