Film review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles October 20, 2014 ★☆☆☆☆ Cert 12A “There’s nothing wrong with a bit of froth”, protests Will Arnett at the start of Teenage Ninja Mutant Turtles 3D. “Sometimes, people just want candy.” He’s arguing the case for the light-weight, lifestyle news that he finds himself making with a less-than-impressed Megan Fox. I have a sneaky suspicion [...]
Film review: The Judge October 20, 2014 ★★☆☆☆ Cert 12A In the first project under new production company Team Downey, Roberts Downey Jr goes tete-a-tete with Robert Duvall in this hybrid family drama/oddball comedy/ courtroom thriller. Director David Dobkin, who is better known for comedies like The Wedding Crashers and The Change Up, extracts terrific performances from his heavyweight leads, but [...]
Theatre review: East is East, Trafalgar Studios October 20, 2014 ★★★★☆ Trafalgar Studios Most people will remember East is East from the 1999 film, part of the cultural fabric of the New Labour years alongside the likes of Notting Hill and Human Traffic. Ayub Khan Din’s play came two years prior, capturing his feelings of alienation and confusion over his cultural identity as a [...]
Film review: Palo Alto October 20, 2014 ★★★★☆ Cert 15 In Richard Linklater’s coming-of-age film Boyhood, being a teenager looks like a lot of fun. The sense of possibility is palpable, and the world seems like an endless stream of opportunities for the taking. In Palo Alto, being a teenager looks bewildering and the world seems utterly incomprehensible. Adapted from [...]
The world’s most amazing photography holidays October 20, 2014 Everyone thinks they’re a photographer these days. If it’s not arty shots of coffee cups on Instagram it’s endless holiday snaps on Facebook. However, it takes real skill and dedication to take your amateur hobby to the next level, not to mention a little tuition. Thankfully, you can combine your photographic education with an awesome [...]
How to make Blanchette’s perfect beef fillet October 15, 2014 Tom Storrar, head chef at Soho's Blanchette, on his beef fillet with courgettes, sarladaise potatoes and green peppercorn sauce I’ve been at Blanchette since the restaurant opened late last year. The beef in this recipe is a new dish on the menu; a restaurant version of steak and chips. I chose it because many [...]
YBA Gavin Turk: From blue plaques to bin bags October 14, 2014 Gavin Turk was born in Guildford in 1967. The Royal College of Art refused to award his MA when all he exhibited for his final show was a single blue plaque reading “Gavin Turk worked here, 1989-1991.” This did nothing to stop a meteoric rise culminating in his work being exhibited alongside other Young British [...]
The Bottle Opener: Why you shouldn’t overlook Rioja October 14, 2014 There are perks to being the Bottle Opener, and this is definitely one of them. I’m relaxing in the late Autumn sun, gazing across a rich vineyard down to the river Ebro. With me are two charming fifth generation descendants of the founder of one of Rioja’s great houses, and we are tasting some magnificent [...]
Car review: The Lexus NX 300h is an eco-friendly drive that doesn’t skimp on gadgets October 13, 2014 Pulling away in a car on a wave of silence still doesn’t make sense in my brain. I’ve driven plenty of electric and hybrid cars, but every time I gently move off from a standstill on a peacefully eerie surge of current-fed calm, it still gets me. I’m experiencing this soothing yet unsettling [...]
Mountain a new challenge this ski season October 13, 2014 1. Tirol, Austria White 5 pass is valid for 10 days from 1 October 2014 to 15 May 2015, for €358 per person, tirol.com If you just can’t wait to go skiing or you want to beat the peak season rush, Austria is the perfect destination this month. The five Tirol glaciers encompass 229km [...]