Paul Rudd can’t save bore-fest in the forest October 17, 2013 FILM PRINCE AVALANCHE Cert 15 | By Simon Thomson Two Stars PRINCE Avalanche is the meandering tale of two men painting road-markings in a Texas forest. It’s exactly like watching paint dry. A loose remake of a 2011 Icelandic comedy called Á Annan Veg (Either Way), Prince Avalanche’s plot is slight. Alvin (Paul Rudd, pictured) [...]
Where to drink October 17, 2013 From the top floor of Centre Point to Japanese-Peruvian fusion mixology AS NOVEMBER approaches, exciting new bars and clubs continue to open in London alongside established venues giving themselves facelifts. Zinc, perched atop the Centre Point building on its 31st floor just below Paramount, looks poised to become the highest destination lounge bar in the [...]
Tate’s Klee exhibition is too much of a good thing October 17, 2013 ART PAUL KLEE: MAKING VISIBLE Tate Modern | By Joseph Funnell Two Stars TATE Modern’s newest exhibition opened this week with a bold claim: that the German-Swiss painter Paul Klee was one of the most important artists of the 20th century. Convincing arguments can be made in that direction, but unfortunately in this instance, Klee’s [...]
Artist sets up shop in Fitzrovia restaurant October 17, 2013 ART TIM HEAD: À LA CARTE Pied à Terre Restaurant Four Stars AFTER opening its doors in 1991, Fitzrovia Michelin-starred restaurant Pied à Terre quickly established itself as a favourite among luminaries of the British art scene. The restaurant built up an impressive collection of works by artists who frequented the restaurant. One of those [...]
There’s more than meets the eye in Joe Black’s first solo show October 17, 2013 ART JOE BLACK Opera Gallery | Daniel O’Mahony Three Stars IN HIS debut solo exhibition, British artist Joe Black employs a technique that feels a little over-familiar – making big things out of lots of little things. But it doesn’t feel derivative. A self-professed “love of materials” led the 39-year-old artist to create images using [...]
Street art alternative to Frieze takes you deep under ground October 17, 2013 ARTBRUTALLazarides at 180 The Strand | By Joseph FunnellThree Stars A STRANGE phenomenon in London’s art calendar occurs every year around mid-October when the art-loving masses descend on Regent’s Park to wander around a set of prefab “gallery” spaces in a bleak marquee. Yes, I’m talking about the Frieze Art Fair. The uniform white of [...]
Wikileaks flick struggles to tackle big questions October 13, 2013 FILM THE FIFTH ESTATE Daniel O’Mahony, Cert 15 Three Stars TWO YOUNG idealists defy warnings and threats from the powers-that-be in the relentless pursuit of journalistic truth. Is this film All The President’s Men for the information age? The answer: unfortunately not. This cinematic rendering of Julian Assange’s Wikileaks organisation doesn’t manage to scale the [...]
Lofty characters fail to lift musical’s acrobatic spectacle October 13, 2013 THEATRE THE LIGHT PRINCESS Xenobe Purvis, The National Theatre Three Stars THE NATIONAL Theatre turns to fairy tale in its latest production, The Light Princess, written by songwriter Tori Amos and playwright Samuel Adamson. The musical elaborates on George MacDonald’s story of the same name; this version finds two kingdoms grieving for lost queens, and [...]
Le Weekend of laughter, angst and lingering love in Paris October 13, 2013 FILM LE WEEKEND Daniel O’Mahony, Cert 15 Four Stars IN THIS funny and moving film written by Hanif Kureishi, Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan play a fifty-something couple trying to rejuvenate their ailing marriage on a weekend sojourn to Paris. Kicking off with a fraught Eurostar journey, it’s clear things won’t be that simple. Nostalgia [...]
Knives are out for Rodriguez’s Machete Kills October 13, 2013 FILM MACHETE KILLS Simon Thomson, Cert 15 Three Stars MACHETE KILLS hits you like a shot of tequila. It’s a frantic, stupid, cartoonish mess and that’s what makes it so fun. In this sequel to Robert Rodriguez’s 2009 film Machete, Danny Trejo returns as the former Mexican federale and cleaver-like knife enthusiast, Isador “Machete” Cortez. [...]