A gritty kids’ adventure that isn’t quite great August 4, 2011 Films SUPER 8 Cert: 12A Sometimes it can be a pleasure to see a children’s movie with real grit and pathos (especially after you’ve watched Mr Popper’s Penguins – see the review below). Of course, Super 8 has an A-grade pedigree, having been produced by Steven Spielberg and written and directed by J.J. Abrams, the [...]
ALSO OUT THIS WEEK FILMS, MUSIC, GAMES August 4, 2011 FILM THE TREE Charlotte Gainsbourg stars in this traumatic family drama set in the Aussie outback. KNUCKLE Hard-as-nails documentary about bare knuckle boxers. FRENCH CANCAN Reissue for one of the finest films from French cinematic pioneer, Jean Renoir. DVD LIMITLESS Bradley Cooper is an unexpected success in this strange tale of power and excess. SUBMARINE [...]
Rightmove defies gloom in real estate August 3, 2011 RIGHTMOVE, the property website, saw its half year pre-tax profits jump by 17 per cent as estate agencies spent more on advertising to attract customers in a challenging housing market. The company’s pre-tax profit rose to £28.7m in the year to June, compared with £24.5m in the previous year. Revenue was up 20 per cent [...]
Taylor Wimpey profits from slow but steady progress August 3, 2011 HOUSE builder Taylor Wimpey said first half profits rose 32 per cent as it benefited from a stable housing market and cutting down its costs following the economic crisis. Britain’s second largest builder by market value said pre-tax profit in the year to June was £28.9m against a loss of £2.3m in the same period [...]
Capital & Counties asset value boosted by Covent Garden site August 3, 2011 CAPITAL & Counties, the London focused property developer, posted a four per cent rise in the value of its assets, boosted by an increase in value of its Covent Garden estate. Net asset value per share rose four per cent to 154p, while pre-tax profit was up 28 per cent at £70.2m from £54.8m a [...]
Turning up the heat on fro yo August 3, 2011 YESTERDAY was a big day for fans of icy treats as Pinkberry, the cult US frozen yoghurt brand, opened a concession in Selfridges. Stars from David Beckham to Alexandra Burke have publicly rejoiced and Americans all over the city are in raptures. Scheduled to open here in 2008, Pinkberry delayed its UK opening after Lehman [...]
GOING OUT August 3, 2011 ASIDE from Bunga Bunga (see below), the main action is in the City. The Door Oyster Bar and Grill opened this Monday across from the Royal Exchange on Cornhill, and their beautiful bar may become the best place to unwind after work with a fine drink and a plate of bivalves. Design features include a reclaimed [...]
Bunga Bunga everyone: Italy comes to Battersea August 3, 2011 Q: Charlie: You first showed your interest in nightlife and parties aged 13 when you arranged a party at Crazy Larrys. Duncan, you weren’t far on his heels. What was it about that world that drew you so powerfully? A (Charlie): I realised it was something I could do at the same time as studying [...]
Capital Shopping Centres spree helps boost profits August 2, 2011 CAPITAL Shopping Centres (CSC), the UK’s biggest shopping mall owner, said its half-year profits rose by 53 per cent, buoyed by the £1.6bn acquisition of Manchester’s Trafford Centre in January. Footfall across its 14 shopping centres increased by three per cent while net rental income rose by six per cent year-on-year, thanks to an increase [...]
Beauty’s in the i of the beholder August 2, 2011 LAST week BMW flew hundreds of journalists from around the world into Frankfurt to show them the future of motoring, as illustrated by its new sub-brand ‘i’. And the future looks pretty impressive if the near-production cars BMW revealed are anything to go by. The German manufacturer showed the first two of its ‘i’ branded [...]