Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones salvage this tale of marital woe September 13, 2012 FILM HOPE SPRINGS 12A | *** HOPE PRINGS can be viewed as an inverted romantic comedy. Instead of a young couple haplessly trying to get it together, we have a middle-aged one haplessly trying not to break up. Like your average rom-com, schmaltz levels are high, but three winning performances from Steve Carell, Meryl Streep [...]
Choir Boy is an adept and moving take on cultural tensions September 13, 2012 THEATRE CHOIR BOY Royal Court Theatre | **** WHEN YOU hear the name Choir Boy for a theatrical production what springs to mind? If you’re anything like me, its the idea of an excuse for a good old sing along, followed by a tale of the protagonist’s use of music to conquer all. Okay, so [...]
Premium rush is fast, forgettable fun September 13, 2012 FILM PREMIUM RUSH 12A | *** IT SAYS a lot about the US’s attitude to cycling that its filmmakers see the world of bicycle couriers as fertile ground for an action movie. Apparently American roads are so beholden to the requirements of the automobile, that the only people who dare traverse them by bike are [...]
The greatest show on earth September 13, 2012 Legendary cabaret club Crazy Horse is set to finally hit London next week after decades of wowing Parisian crowds. Appearing in a purpose-built temporary venue on the South Bank, the club promises to be the best night out in the capital. We caught up with organiser Harvey Goldsmith, the clubbing stalwart who brought Club Tropicana [...]
The cream of the cabaret and burlesque crop by Albany Bell September 13, 2012 Crazy Horse The legendary Parisian cabaret has made its way to London’s South Bank. Featuring a cast of ten dancers, the spectacle opens with its iconic act God Save Our Bareskin, which features Royal Horse Guards with a twist. Crazy Horse; 99 Upper Ground, South Bank; tickets from £45; forevercrazyhorse.com The Box There is a [...]
The Mulsanne: perfection on wheels September 12, 2012 I’ve never browsed the internet on an iPad in a car before and certainly not at terrifically high speeds on a test track. But here I find myself, Skyping with the missus from one of the rear seats of a £225,000 rear-wheel drive Bentley Mulsanne. On this grandest of Grand Tours, I’ve breakfasted at Hartwell [...]
Car Talk September 12, 2012 New Range Rover revealed Land Rover revealed its radically-new, ultra-lightweight new Range Rover at a star-studded event last week. The 2013 Range Rover has a new, more aerodynamic profile and is the world’s first SUV with an all-aluminium monocoque body. It’s a whopping 420kg lighter than its predecessor as a result and is faster and [...]
The lowdown September 12, 2012 Apple yesterday gave iPhone fanboys plenty to geek out about. The most noticeable change on the iPhone 4S is the bigger screen, which has switched to a 16:9 ratio, the same as widescreen TVs, designed to improve the experience of watching movies on the go. This will also add an extra “row” of icons to [...]
Did Apple just release the iPhone 4SS? September 12, 2012 As if Tim Cook didn’t have enough on his plate. Not only is he following in the footsteps of one of the most revered chief executives of all time, one who is now safely ensconced in the ground where he can never tarnish his image as the greatest technological innovator of his generation; not only [...]
Smartphones: the rivals September 12, 2012 Samsung Galaxy SIII The Galaxy SIII may be embroiled in Samsung’s patent dispute with Apple, but what is not in question is the quality of the handset. With a gigantic 4.8 inch screen, a 1.4GHz quadcore processor and an upcoming update to the latest version of Google’s Android operating system, this is the biggest challenger [...]