Meet the man who quit the City to reinvent the film industry, one documentary at a time May 9, 2023 City banker Julian Bird set up Lorton Entertainment to show that investing in films could be profitable, and documentaries on Diego Maradona, Oasis and Wayne Rooney have proven him spectacularly right. “I’m not really a massive film fan,” says City banker-turned-unlikely movie mogul Julian Bird. It’s perhaps a surprising statement from someone who has been [...]
Coronation Concert recap: The best moments from Sunday night May 7, 2023 Cheeky charm from Katy Perry, touching tributes from Prince William and a strong message about climate change – last night’s Coronation Concert was much-needed light relief After a tedious half hour introduction in which the most interesting part was learning that Olly Murs has surprisingly huge pecks, it was time for the show to begin. [...]
Ip Man: The Awakening: Kung Fu film about Bruce Lee’s mentor misfires May 6, 2023 This historical origin story is the latest to dramatize the life of Wing Chun master Ip Man. Over the years, the man who mentored Bruce Lee has been portrayed many times, most notably in Donnie Yen’s hit Ip Man franchise (2008-2019) and Wong Kar-wai’s The Grandmaster. This seems unlikely to be as well regarded, as [...]
Fans shocked as Bridgerton spin-off Queen Charlotte tackles royal racism row in key scene May 5, 2023 Queen Charlotte, the new Bridgerton spin-off, landed on Netflix last night and it makes a clear reference to the royal baby racism allegations from within the royal family. In 2021, Meghan claimed that there was concern among some members of the royal family about the skin colour of her baby with Harry. And now, Shonda [...]
The Laureate film review: If you miss Downton Abbey, try this May 5, 2023 The Laureate film review and star rating: ★★★ The lives of writers don’t always make interesting viewing, but the private side of our favourite authors always seem to find their way to the screen. The Laureate centres on poet Robert Graves (Tom Hughes), famous for his writing about his experiences during World War I. The [...]
Coronation wine: why magnums and boxes of wine are best May 4, 2023 We Brits really do enjoy a party and this Saturday will see festivities up and down the country for the coronation of King Charles. The tradition of celebrating these occasions is part of our nation’s heritage, with documents even describing the coronation of unlucky Anne Boleyn as having the streets hung with flags and bunting [...]
Your Anti-Coronation Guide: unroyal things to do in London this weekend May 4, 2023 Things to do in London this weekend, from neon life drawing to final-chance theatre, bird watching and cool new Soho shopping If you’re wanting to know where to go to watch the Coronation on the big screen, we’ve got you covered. If you’re wanting to know where to go to celebrate the Coronation in the [...]
Coronation weekend: Brits to splash out an extra £3bn on food, drink and entertainment May 4, 2023 Brits are expected to ring in the Coronation of King Charles III this weekend in the time honoured tradition of emptying their wallets faster than usual. It is predicted consumers will fork out around £8bn over the Coronation bank holiday weekend, with £3.22bn more spent than during a typical May bank holiday. Of the £3bn [...]
The Motive and The Cue, National Theatre, review: Mark Gatiss is the best bit May 3, 2023 The Motive and The Cue review and star rating: ★★★ If the London theatre scene has an A-List, a good chunk of that list compromises the cast and crew of The Motive and The Cue. Written by Harry Potter & The Cursed Child’s Jack Thorne, directed by the titan that is Sam Mendes, and starring [...]
Guardians of The Galaxy Volume 3 review: Effective but over-stuffed finale May 3, 2023 Guardians of The Galaxy Volume 3 review and star rating: ★★★★ 2014’s Guardians of The Galaxy was seen as a massive gamble for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It made some risky decisions, namely focussing more on lesser known characters, and bringing in a more unknown director, but the decisions paid off, as three movies and [...]