Silence review: Martin Scorsese’s newest release is a misty, religious masterpiece that’ll haunt you for days December 21, 2016 Birdsong fills a black screen at the start of Silence, thousands of tiny wings beating ever louder, obscuring our vision. This assault on the senses is a fitting start to Martin Scorsese’s new film, which examines in painstaking detail to what degree external forces can shatter a person’s spirit. The action centres around Andrew Garfield’s [...]
Assassin’s Creed review: Confusing garbage even fans won’t forgive December 21, 2016 I am a cool and popular dude, so I have played pretty much all of the Assassin’s Creed games. From the first one, in which you play a man who runs around on rooftops stabbing popes, to the most recent one, in which you play a man who runs around on rooftops stabbing French aristocrats. [...]
Passengers review: In space no one can hear you be a massive creep December 21, 2016 A contender for one of the most misleading trailers of the year, Passengers is not so much about Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence tootling about the cosmos on a broken ship. Rather, it’s about one man’s selfish decision to doom a woman he fancies by prematurely yanking her out of her hyperspace sleeping pod for [...]
The secret to scrummy seasonal seafood is a click away December 21, 2016 | City Talk Why did the fish get bad grades? Answer: Because he was below sea level… Ka-boom! You may grimace, but have you considered clipping the wings of the traditional Christmas game or fowl this year in favour of a seafood feast? Serving up a little fishy on your dishy will put you in the same school of thought as many [...]
Why you should serve a magnum on Christmas day December 21, 2016 Yes, Yes, Christmas is a time for giving. But it is also a time for a decent glass of wine or two and sharing them with friends and family. One of the greatest pleasures in collecting and appreciating wine is choosing the wines that will work just right with the occasion and the planned menu [...]
Osteria review: An Italian diner embedded deep inside the concrete labyrinth of the Barbican December 20, 2016 A slick, bistro-style Italian restaurant embedded somewhere deep inside the concrete labyrinth of the Barbican Centre, Osteria specialises in classic pasta dishes, cocktails and wine. A vintage meat slicer makes an odd centrepiece here, looking slightly out of place on the carpeted flooring. What if a bit of ham shaving fell on the shag? Best [...]
Six of the best freakshakes: There are only 12 days left to stuff our faces. Quick, grab one of these milkshakes with cake on top December 20, 2016 Molly Bakes Kingsland Road, E8, £7 Relatively new on the Dalston scene, this cafe is for the control freak(shake) inside you that just can’t leave dessert up to any old pastry chef. A simple menu of chocolate, raspberry, caramel and peanut butter awaits with the option to customise your toppings. mollybakes.co.uk A healthier take on [...]
Our columnist Mark Hix loved the acerbic food writer AA Gill, even when he wasn’t complimentary about his restaurants December 20, 2016 I first met the food writer AA Gill when I started as head chef at Le Caprice. Its co-proprietor Jeremy King introduced this monocle-wearing guy who was sat at the bar on his own as Adrian, the new Sunday Times food critic. “Great, nice to meet you,” I said hurriedly, “I had better get back [...]
Cast of the Trainspotting sequel gather for the film’s world premiere December 20, 2016 | City Talk The cast of the Trainspotting sequel have gathered in Edinburgh for the film's world premiere. When it was released in 1996 Danny Boyle’s adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s source novel Trainspotting was a worldwide success and a cultural phenomenon. Twenty years on director Danny Boyle has reunited the original cast for the sequel T2: Trainspotting. T2: [...]
Long Weekend review: We get ahead of the game with an early detox retreat in the south of France December 19, 2016 The weekend: If your idea of detox sounds like it would be better in the part of the world where wine, bread and cheese are considered food groups, this stay marries Provence's relaxed lifestyle with yoga, hiking, circuit training and restorative spa treatments. Though you’re not allowed to sample the wine – not until you’ve [...]