Sundance Film Festival: London 2021 – Our Best of The Fest July 30, 2021 Thursday sees the return of Sundance London to Picturehouse Central. Like many events, the 2020 edition was held online, but the independent film extravaganza will once again be taking place in-person this week with a stellar line up picked from the best of its parent event in Utah. Fifteen features have been chosen, along with [...]
The Suicide Squad review: DC antiheroes get film they deserve July 30, 2021 If there’s one group that deserves a second chance, it’s Suicide Squad. David Ayer’s 2016 original had a lot of promise but became a lesson in studio interference, held back by a nervous Warner Bros who made their own edit that was poorly received. This week’s The Suicide Squad also had a turbulent path to [...]
Green and pleasant land? The future of cannabis use in the UK July 29, 2021 Smoking as a social activity suffered a heavy blow around 15 years ago. Between 2006 and 2007, the four parts of the United Kingdom brought in new laws prohibiting smoking in public places, with Scotland being the first to take the leap. I bear a sliver of responsibility: I worked for the House of Commons [...]
Sundance London review: The Sparks Brothers is Edgar Wright’s love letter to music July 29, 2021 In another universe, Edgar Wright should be working on his third Ant-Man movie. It’s seven years since his departure from the Marvel film due to ‘creative differences’, in which time he has made three movies – car chase hit Baby Driver, the upcoming Last Night In Soho, and this week’s critically adored music doc The [...]
Jungle Cruise is a silly but entertaining Disney adventure July 28, 2021 Musclebound A-lister Dwayne Johnson has made his name in the movie business by making hits from unlikely source material. Reviving the Fast and Furious, GI Joe, and Jumanji franchises, his face alone is enough to make hits out of dodgy propositions. Skyscraper, San Andreas, arcade game adaptation Rampage: the list goes on. Can he work [...]
The Two Character Play at Hampstead Theatre reinvigorates Tennessee Williams’ late work July 28, 2021 There’s something comforting about the way Hampstead Theatre, always a bastion for experimental works that tease at the boundaries of mainstream theatre, has emerged from the pandemic. At a time when the pressure to stick on something that’s guaranteed to fill seats must be overwhelming, it instead decided to revive a tricky series of plays [...]
`Your network is your net worth´: seven tips to propel your career July 27, 2021 | City Talk My thought leadership speaking tours to the Middle East and Europe were postponed. To convince the organizers to host their events online, I went on a shopping spree and bought all kinds of audio and video equipment just before the first lockdown in Singapore. It wasn’t just me. Everyone, from students to senior professionals, needed [...]
Why we must resurrect the tie from this boorish open-collar culture July 23, 2021 Since the general demise of hats, the most vulnerable, because the most superficially dispensable, piece of a gentleman’s wardrobe is the tie. In politics, we have perhaps David Cameron to blame for pioneering the look of dark suit and open-necked white shirt which may have been a carry-over from his days in public relations. For [...]
The World To Come review – a passionate if familiar love story July 22, 2021 The early days of America provide the backdrop to this stripped-down drama, set in 19th century America. The daily routine of grieving mother Abigail (Katherine Waterston) is interrupted by the arrival of Tallie (Vanessa Kirby), a neighbour who comes for a visit. The pair strike up an instant friendship that turns to attraction, but their [...]
Night of The Kings is an inventive, hard-hitting prison drama July 22, 2021 The prison movie is an inexhaustible inspiration for filmmakers. Just when you think you’ve seen every permutation, a film comes along and shows you something different. Ivorian filmmaker Philippe Lacôte (2014’s Run) goes into the heart of an infamous location for his new story, Night of The Kings. We find ourselves The Ivory Coast’s notorious [...]