12 Strong review: The true story of America’s 9/11 counter-attack is boiled down to a bland horseback war drama January 25, 2018 In the weeks following 9/11, the US sent a covert team into Afghanistan to liberate (and bomb the absolute bejesus out of) a handful of Taliban-occupied towns. The squad joined forces with a local Afghan warlord, and together they traversed the mountainous region on horseback, calling in airstrikes, gunning down Taliban troops and kickstarting [...]
Darkest Hour film review: A fine performance by Gary Oldman, but still an exercise in cosy revisionist history January 11, 2018 Winston Churchill is curiously absent from the opening fifteen minutes of this new Joe Wright-directed study of the tumultuous first few weeks of his Premiership. Instead, we hear political colleagues murmur darkly about the prospect of him becoming Prime Minister in the wake of Neville Chamberlain’s resignation. It’s a clever manoeuvre; with Churchill (played by [...]
Hamilton London review: Believe the hype, this American smash has all the makings of a modern classic December 23, 2017 Victoria Palace Theatre Believe the hype: there's plenty of it. Ever since Lin-Manuel Miranda's hip-opera made its Broadway debut two years ago, it's been a cult phenomenon, catapulting Alexander Hamilton, previously America's most overlooked Founder, into one of its most revered overnight. Many Brits have been playing the soundtrack on repeat in eager anticipation of [...]
Jumanji review: Not quite a rumble in the jungle, but a good stir nonetheless December 21, 2017 Jumanji, an entertaining enough 1995 film about rampaging jungle animals that definitely exists on a VHS cassette in your attic somewhere, embedded itself into the pop culture fabric thanks to its now-terrible, but then-mind blowing CGI effects. Effervescent clown-person Robin Williams helped too, as did the kitschy cryptic allure of the central board game’s [...]
The Greatest Showman review: A musical airbrushing of the sordid history of the freak show December 21, 2017 Like a circus-themed, two-hour long Adele video with original-Jumanji-era CGI elephants and lions, The Greatest Showman is a whitewashing movie-musical about the life and trials of PT Barnum, originator of the big top and freak show, and infamous exploiter of hirsute women. Hugh Jackman stars, and does a decent and sincere enough job belting [...]
Network at the National Theatre review: Bryan Cranston is electric in Ivo van Hove’s brilliant take on this Oscar-nominated movie November 17, 2017 Dutch theatre director Ivo van Hove is nothing if not ambitious. This year alone he’s had Jude Law running on a treadmill as he delivered his lines in Obsession and filled the Barbican’s stage with water for his outstanding Persona. But Network, based on the 1976 satirical film of the same name, is on a [...]
Impressionists in London at Tate Britain doesn’t have enough impressionists in it November 7, 2017 The year is 1871 and French artists are pouring out of Paris like so much spilled milk, the pail they once called home having been kicked over by the recalcitrant mule that, in this metaphor, is the Franco-Prussian War. Among the thousands who sought refuge in Britain were conscription-dodging Claude Monet and his associated network [...]
Tinder’s ‘menducation’ doctrine dispels the notion that women are best served by other women October 17, 2017 A few weeks ago, Tinder announced a new chat feature. “Designed by the women of Tinder”, says the announcement, “the feature gives women extra tools to express themselves”. It concludes: “sometimes men need a little bit of guidance when it comes to communicating….” So many things are wrong with this pitch. Tinder’s new chat feature [...]
Saint George and the Dragon at the National Theatre: A fairytale for adults that’s not half as clever as it thinks it is October 13, 2017 What a time to stage a proper state-of-the-nation play. With record inequality, rising nationalism and the prospect of limping from the EU without so much as a trade deal, this is the perfect time to mull over exactly what it means to be British. And for a while, Rory Mullarkey’s new play looks like it [...]
Loving Vincent film review: An astonishing artistic achievement that’s so overwhelming it borders on psychedelic October 13, 2017 Van Gogh’s paintings have long served as inspiration for animators. I’ve wandered through virtual reality versions of his Paris bars, the lights glowing with distinctive halos, and various filmmakers have attempted to realise the movement implied by the painter’s brush strokes. But Loving Vincent does it on a whole other level. It’s a labour of [...]