The Blackening film review: A fresh take on horror-comedy August 17, 2023 There are almost as many films that make fun of the conventions of horror as there are traditional horror films. It was fresh and smart 25 years ago when Scream became a cultural phenomena, but now anyone making the same statement has to dig a bit deeper. Tim Story, the director of Barbershop and Fantastic [...]
Lie With Me film review: A touching gay drama August 17, 2023 A big hit at least year’s BFI Flare Festival, Lie With Me is a story of confronting the past to heal the present. Guillaume de Tonquédec plays Stéphane, a successful author who returns to his hometown for the first time in 35 years to be the guest of honour at a corporate event. At a [...]
The Effect at the National Theatre: A pulse-quickening exploration of love in the age of medication August 16, 2023 Rarely does a play tackle quite so succinctly and powerfully our inability to reconcile the mass of grey jelly inside our heads with the impossibly complex tangle of desires and emotions that make us human. Jamie Lloyd, one of the finest directors working today, brings Lucy Prebble’s play kicking and screaming – often literally – [...]
Cocktails in the City is returning – here’s everything you need to know August 16, 2023 Raise a glass, or five: Cocktails in the City returns this week, which is your chance to drink unusual and high quality mixes from some of the best bars in London, all outdoors in Bedford Square Gardens. There’s a festival-like atmosphere as bar tenders and mixologists set up stands in the Square. Some of the [...]
Red, White and Royal Blue review: Choose Heartstopper over this August 16, 2023 We’re still very much living in an era where more LGBTQ representation on screen can only be a good thing, and that is certainly the case with Matthew Lopez’s first feature film, Red, White & Royal Blue. This fantastical story about an unlikely pairing between the son of the President of the United States and [...]
Trap Tox: the Botox trend going viral on TikTok August 16, 2023 Botox is typically associated with aesthetics, with changing the way we physically appear. But the latest Botox trend can have an impact on health and wellbeing more than anything to do with appearance. ‘Trap Tox’ is when Botox injections are sent into the Trapezius muscle to try to help alleviate shoulder pain. Trap Tox injections [...]
The Tamil Prince new menu review: Still a star gastropub August 16, 2023 The Tamil Prince is the sort of London boozer-cum-restaurant that’s so achingly cool it could do with being taken down a peg or two. It’s a shame I can’t be the one to do that. If you’ve been to The Marksman, another hipster pub-turned-restaurant (this one in east London), you’ll know the vibe The Tamil [...]
Laya’s Horizon: Take to the skies in a zen-like iPhone adventure August 15, 2023 Some games demand exacting care and utmost concentration. Let your mind wander when you’re playing Elden Ring or Hollow Knight or Overwatch and you’re likely to receive a message telling you you’ve been killed in some horrible way. Other games benefit from a disconnect between the player and the game, inducing a “flow state” in [...]
Porsche 911 S/T marks 60 years with more power and manual ‘box August 15, 2023 The limited edition Porsche 911 S/T combines a naturally aspirated engine from the GT3 RS with a manual gearbox and Touring-style body.
Alfa Romeo Stelvio review: A heart-over-head family SUV August 14, 2023 The Alfa Romeo Stelvio – driven here in 280hp petrol Veloce guise – is a stylish and dynamic family SUV. But it has some downsides, too.