The Neon Demon review: Nicolas Winding Refn’s follow-up to Gosling smash Drive is a work of haunting genius July 8, 2016 The Neon Demon is to modelling what Requiem for a Dream is to heroin. It seduces you with visions that are equal parts urban grit and starry ambition, then delivers a punch-in-the-gut verdict, summarily, “Hey, kids, drugs are all fun and games until you get your arm sawn off.” In a similarly brutal fashion, Elle [...]
Weiner review: US politician Anthony Weiner stars in the first truly Shakespearean documentary about dick pics July 8, 2016 If you’ve heard of Anthony Weiner, chances are it’s because you know him as the US politician with a penchant for sending pictures of his junk to ladies over the internet. This exceptional documentary follows him from the start of his ill-fated campaign to become Mayor of New York City, shortly after the first scandal [...]
Maggie’s Plan shoots for playful rom-com but gets snarled up in “total sociopath” territory July 8, 2016 In off-beat romantic comedy Maggie’s Plan, a half-adorable, half-infuriating woman (Greta Gerwig) who wants a baby put in her post-haste forgoes both the sweaty method and the tricky paperwork. Instead she takes receipt of a sample of gunk from a helpful old school friend turned artisan pickle salesman, before falling in love with a married [...]
Britons will add £9m to their energy bills this summer just to watch sports July 8, 2016 Energy providers may have more to cheer about than British sports fans this summer. A new study has found the UK's sports fans will add more than £9m to the nation's energy bills from binge-watching their favourite sports on TV, despite England crashing out of the Euros. But a host of other spectacles will see the average [...]
Germany 0, France 2: Deschamps revels in helping fans forget their worries as an Antoine Griezmann double dispatches world champions July 8, 2016 France boss Didier Deschamps believes his side are on course to be immortalised in the affections of the nation after reaching the final of Euro 2016 at the expense of a blunt Germany. A goal in each half from forward Antoine Griezmann propelled France to their first European Championship final since 2000 and maintained his [...]
Wales set for heroes’ welcome on return from enthralling showing at Euro 2016 July 7, 2016 Beaten semi-finalists Wales are set to return to a heroes’ welcome when they touch down in Cardiff tomorrow following their enterprising run to the latter stages of Euro 2016. Wales defied the odds to reach the last four of their first major tournament since the 1958 World Cup, only for a Cristiano Ronaldo-inspired Portugal to [...]
Serena pledges to go all-out in bid for grand slam joy as prospect of all-Williams final ends July 7, 2016 World No1 Serena Williams has warned fellow Wimbledon finalist Angelique Kerber that she is desperate to claim her first grand slam title of the year when the duo do battle on Centre Court on Saturday. Defending champion Serena demolished unseeded Russian Elena Vesnina yesterday to record victory in just 49 minutes and post the fastest [...]
Daydreaming with Stanley Kubrick: A new Somerset House exhibition is dedicated to works inspired by the lauded film-maker July 7, 2016 The final scene in A Clockwork Orange, known as the “Ascot fantasy” sees a young woman writhe in ecstasy on top of Malcolm McDowell. Prior to the filming of the scene, director Stanley Kubrick was introduced to the girl in her trailer. “Could you, erm, drop your robe,” he asked. She did. Kubrick walked out. [...]
Georgia O’Keeffe at the Tate Modern: flowers and skulls abound, but don’t mention vaginas July 7, 2016 A teacher in America was recently fired for saying the word “vagina” in front of her class during a discussion about Georgia O’Keeffe’s series of flower paintings. O’Keeffe would be mad about this for two reasons: firstly, the sheer ludicrousness of her puritanical home country, where women can’t so much as mention their genitals without [...]
Attack key for Andy Murray as he prepares for Tomas Berdych and plots his route to Wimbledon final July 7, 2016 Title-chasing Andy Murray has vowed to go on the offensive in a bid dispatch Tomas Berdych and reach a third Wimbledon final in tomorrow’s last-four tussle on Centre Court. After reaching his first Wimbledon semi-final since 2010 by defeating France’s Lucas Pouille on Wednesday, Berdych observed that Murray had assumed a more combative mindset [...]