Magnus: this chess documentary charts the genesis of genius November 24, 2016 Of all the sports in the world, competitive chess is not one that inspires Hollywood-style underdog stories. But this tale of the genesis of genius is, in its own way, as compelling as any blockbuster. People of a certain age, of course, will remember the epic battle of minds that was Garry Kasparov vs Bobby [...]
Gavin Turk’s Who What When Where How and Why at Newport Street Gallery is proof he has brains as well as balls November 24, 2016 The double-height room in Damien Hirst’s Newport Street Gallery – recently home to Jeff Koons’ giant Balloon Dog – lies empty save for an English Heritage blue plaque reading “Gavin Turk worked here, 1989-1991”. This is the piece, entitled Cave, that infamously caused his tutors at the Royal College of Art to refuse to present [...]
Your Name: this Japanese body-swap disaster anime is the most beautiful film of the year November 24, 2016 Your Name is ridiculously, heartbreakingly beautiful. Every frame is filled with flourishes that amaze and delight; a sunbeam refracted in a tear-drop, motes of dust swimming in the morning light, the technicolour trail of a mysterious comet. It’s the latest film from the hip young gunslinger of Japanese animation, Makoto Shinkai, and it arrives in [...]
Eddie Jones cites Argentina as biggest threat to England’s unbeaten run, more so than Australia November 24, 2016 England head coach Eddie Jones has warned his side that Argentina will provide the most venomous threat to their unbeaten run this autumn when battle commences at Twickenham on Saturday. Jones has made four changes to the XV which started last week’s 58-15 demolition of Fiji with second row George Kruis replacing the suspended Joe Launchbury [...]
Former Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard coy on next move after confirming retirement November 24, 2016 Former England and Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard insists he is pondering his next career move after confirming the end of one of the most distinguished playing careers of his generation. Gerrard, who won eight major trophies including the Champions League during 18 years at Liverpool, announced last week that he would be leaving LA Galaxy [...]
England seamer Chris Woakes urges cricket chiefs to clear up rules on ball-tampering following Faf du Plessis row November 24, 2016 England seamer Chris Woakes has called on cricket chiefs to eliminate ambiguity in the rules following the ball-tampering conviction of South Africa skipper Faf du Plessis. Du Plessis was fined after being found guilty of using the residue of a sweet he was eating to alter the condition of the ball during the second Test [...]
Winner of the RIBA International Prize for Architecture is a university in Peru November 24, 2016 The winner of the inaugural RIBA International Prize for Architecture has gone to an engineering university in Peru. The UTEC building in Lima was priased by judges for being a shining example of merging form and function, with its brutalist design the perfect foil for the no-nonsense academic work that takes place inside. The judging panel praised [...]
Borussia Monchengladbach 1, Manchester City 1: Pep Guardiola thrilled as City reach last 16 for fourth year in a row November 23, 2016 Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola refused to conceal his delight as his side guaranteed their presence in the Champions League last-16 draw after coming from behind to earn a point against Borussia Monchengladbach. The visitors hauled themselves level on the stroke of half time through stand-in skipper David Silva following Raffael’s opener for the hosts, [...]
Arsenal 2, Paris Saint-Germain 2: Arsene Wenger frustrated but refuses to blame Alex Iwobi for costly late own goal November 23, 2016 Arsenal 2, Paris Saint-Germain 2 Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admitted his frustration but refused to blame Alex Iwobi after his late own goal cost the Gunners a valuable victory and, in all likelihood, top spot in Champions League Group A. Wenger's men fought back from Edinson Cavani's early goal to lead the French title-holders through [...]
Dishonored 2: This first-person assassin game by Arkane is a glorious steampunk wonderland November 23, 2016 Dishonored 2 feels reassuringly familiar. The action may have shifted from plague-ridden, Dickensian squalor to sun-baked, equatorial squalor, but the constituent parts remain: it looks the same, it plays the same, it almost smells the same. Thank goodness, because Dishonored is at the very apex of video-game design, dense and textured, beautiful despite the muck [...]