Arts sector output more than halved as one in two creatives were furloughed November 17, 2021 The arts, culture and heritage sectors suffered a 60 per cent decline in output due to pandemic restrictions with a “catastrophic effect”, according to a new report. Around 55 per cent of jobs – 450,000 people – were furloughed in the sector, which was second only to hospitality and well above the national average of [...]
Climate scientists reject Science Museum feature after Shell sponsorship November 16, 2021 Pollution experts refuse to let Science Museum feature work over its links to Shell and willingness to be associated with oil giants.
Little Scratch at Hampstead Theatre: A challenging adaptation November 15, 2021 The idea of the “unadaptable” novel has been repeatedly debunked, with film and theatre directors finding ways to bring works of impossible abstraction or density to the stage or screen. Fitting neatly into the category of “possibly unadaptable” was Little Scratch, the debut novel from Rebecca Watson, a free-flowing stream of consciousness that blurs the [...]
Greece offers British Museum treasure exchange if Elgin Marbles are returned November 13, 2021 The Greek prime minister has issued a fresh call for the Parthenon Marbles to be returned to Greece, even offering to loan some of his country’s treasures to the British Museum in exchange. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the 2,500-year-old sculptures, also known as the Elgin Marbles, were “stolen” from [...]
Arsene Wenger: Invincible review – a portrait of a thoughtful legend November 11, 2021 In October 1996, Arsene Wenger officially became the manager of Arsenal FC. What he would over the next two decades would redefine both the club and English football, introducing new methods and ideas that are now commonplace across the country. A quarter of a century on from that appointment, having stepped down from the role [...]
Becoming Cousteau review – a deep dive into the life of a pioneer November 11, 2021 To a generation, Jacques Cousteau was the man who first uncovered the world beneath the waves. An inspiration to anyone who has dreamed of exploring the depths, he has surprisingly few major films about him, although Wes Anderson’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou is a self-confessed homage. Liz Garbus, director of the excellent What [...]
Cry Macho film review: A passable Clint Eastwood cowboy yarn November 10, 2021 If you think Dune took a while to get a remake, spare a thought for Cry Macho. N. Richard Nash’s novel was published in the 1970s, having been rejected as a screenplay, only to be optioned again as a movie due to the book’s success. Multiple attempts have been made to make an adaptation over [...]
The magic of Cinema: Why there’s no better place to be this winter November 10, 2021 One of my great joys is the cinema. I don’t mean that I rush to see every new release; what I mean is that I love the experience of watching a film as it was intended to be seen. A hushed, darkened room, a ripple of anticipation, the trailers for features to come, the escape [...]
The Card Counter review: Oscar Isaac at his inscrutable best November 8, 2021 While he may not be as well known as his collaborators, the name Paul Schrader still commands respect among movie fans. He enjoyed his greatest success as a writer, working on four films with Martin Scorsese including Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, while also directing hits like 80s smash American Gigolo and Oscar winner Affliction. [...]
Finch movie: Tom Hanks pulls heartstrings in robo-buddy movie November 7, 2021 The timing of Tom Hanks’ new film Finch is either perfect or terrible depending on your outlook. The sci-fi drama with an environmental backdrop comes to Apple TV+ just as major leaders are deciding how to tackle the climate crisis at the COP26 conference in Glasgow. If anyone can inspire people to make a change, surely it’s [...]