Nic Cage brings comedy bite to Dracula movie Renfield April 13, 2023 It’s that special time of year when Nicolas Cage stars in a film so batshit crazy it just might work. This time he plays Dracula with enough scenery-chewing to make Hammer Horror look like The Shining. He’s joined by Nicholas Hoult in the title role of Renfield, Dracula’s “familiar”, who is given some of the [...]
‘We don’t need Harry Potter reboot’: Fans condemn new Harry Potter TV series with JK Rowling April 13, 2023 Fans and television critics have been criticising the new Harry Potter TV series, with many calling out JK Rowling’s involvement following her controversial stance on transgender people. It was confirmed last night that a new TV series by Max – formerly HBO Max – will begin production, with Rowling, the original writer of the books, [...]
A pilgrimage to the isle of Corfu April 13, 2023 Gazing out across the waters of Corfu from my villa’s infinity pool, I see rickety boats and intrepid paddle boarders. Further away, across the Ionian Sea, is the craggy coastline of Albania. Sea views often sound clichéd, but Corfu really is spectacular – and a perfect destination for spring. I picked Corfu as I’m a [...]
Suzume review: Your Name director returns with new masterpiece April 13, 2023 Japanese animation can often be unfairly categorised as a niche genre, meant for the arthouses but not the multiplex. Disproving this point, Suzume arrives on these shores already a blockbuster. Its director, Makoto Shinkai, is an animation veteran who has found international success in the last few years with 2016’s Your Name and 2019’s Weathering [...]
Nothing Ear (1) review: Slick but room for improvement April 13, 2023 Nothing Tech sells itself as a cooler, more rebellious and – crucially – cheaper alternative to Apple. Its Nothing (1) smartphone follows 80 per cent of the Cupertino playbook but then mixes it up with a clear back panel that displays the phone’s innards, as well as using a retro dot matrix font in place [...]
First ever Harry Potter TV series officially confirmed April 13, 2023 The first ever televised series of the Harry Potter books has been confirmed. A 30 second clip was made available by Max, formerly HBO Max, featuring the original Harry Potter music from the film franchise, the Harry Potter logo and a graphic of Hogwarts. It has long been rumoured that a televised version of the [...]
Beleaguered Edinburgh Fringe responds to financial struggles of key London festival April 12, 2023 The future of the Edinburgh Fringe festival is hanging in the balance due to rising costs, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society’s chief executive Shona McCarthy has said. “It’s not an exaggeration to say that this festival is under existential threat,” said McCarthy, speaking on Barry Fearn’s Leading Conversations podcast. “We’ve come into 2023 with a [...]
New Netflix show scores rare 100 per cent Certified Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes April 12, 2023 Only a handful of shows have done it, but one new Netflix series has landed a rare 100 per cent Certified Fresh’ rating on review platform Rotten Tomatoes. It means critics and viewers think it’s one of the best shows out there at the moment, and it joins just a few dozen shows to have [...]
A Little Life review: 4 hours of misery but James Norton is electric April 12, 2023 Author Hanya Yanagihara has said of her 814-page, million-copy bestseller that she set out to create the literary version of an ‘ombre cloth’, a piece of material that’s light at the top and becomes increasingly saturated towards the bottom. It’s a fitting metaphor for A Little Life in its book form. The doorstop of a [...]
Hotel Chais Monnet in Cognac: Stunning space off the tourist track April 12, 2023 The distillery town of Cognac lies off the tourist route, making it ideal for a weekend break that genuinely feels like a getaway. Our Life&Style editor Steve Dinneen stayed at the wonderful Hotel Chais Monnet. Where is it? Cognac, population 18,000, is one of those places whose produce is far more famous than the town [...]