Film review: Hot Pursuit is predictable but charming July 31, 2015 Cert 12a | ★★★☆☆ Dirty cops, drug cartels and killer stilettos – Hot Pursuit doesn’t deal in subtlety and that’s fine. It’s not edgy, smart or even particularly original but it is redeemed by the comic chemistry between Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara. Set in Texas, Witherspoon plays uptight and rules-obsessed police officer Cooper. After [...]
Theatre review: Three Days in the Country July 31, 2015 Lyttelton Theatre | ★★★☆☆ If Three Days in the Country was written by Chekhov, the whole cast would have killed themselves by the second day and there’d just be a creaking door on the third day, swinging open and shut to the distant cry of seagulls. Happily, it’s written by one of his contemporaries, Tergenev, [...]
Sinatra: The Man & His Music – theatre review July 31, 2015 London Palladium | ★★☆☆☆ Sinatra: The Man & His Music is the hideous offspring of a multimedia museum “experience” and Strictly Come Dancing. Attempts to cash in on the great crooner were almost inevitable in his centenary year, but this lazily-executed act of technological necromancy could appeal only to the least critical of fans. Sinatra’s [...]
Beijing beats Almaty bid to host 2022 Winter Olympics – despite lack of snow July 31, 2015 Beijing will become the first city to host both the summer and winter Olympic Games, after beating a bid from Kazakhstan's Almaty to the right to host the 2022 Winter Olympics. Read more: Almost no-one is interested in hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics A small majority of the 84 voting members of the International Olympic [...]
Film review: Is Rogue Nation the best Mission Impossible film yet? July 31, 2015 Cert 12a | ★★★★☆ Four years after the success of Ghost Protocol, Tom Cruise returns for a fifth outing as agent Ethan Hunt. With the IMF closed down and his own government on his tail, he must race across the globe to try and uncover The Syndicate, a network of former international operatives led [...]
Community Shield: Should Chelsea and Arsenal fans be bothered? Here’s what history tells us July 31, 2015 Arsenal and Chelsea fans should keep their emotions in check when watching this year's Community Shield – history shows the result has no sway on the final outcome of the final Premier League table. Read more: Wenger at odds with old foe Mourinho over Hazard Of course, the chance to beat a London rival at Wembley [...]
Community Shield looks Arsene Wenger’s best chance of beating Jose Mourinho July 31, 2015 Aside from a bit of pride if you’re on the wrong end of a thrashing, there is very little for Chelsea or Arsenal to lose from the Community Shield on Sunday – but there is plenty to gain. If you win, you celebrate – it’s always nice to start the new campaign with a [...]
Jimmy injury fear deflates victory surge July 31, 2015 FEARS that seamer James Anderson could miss the remainder of the series soured an otherwise assertive bowling display which left England on the brink of victory in the third Investec Ashes Test at Edgbaston yesterday. Fellow fast bowler Steven Finn continued his international renaissance with the fifth five-wicket haul of his Test career to leave [...]
No evidence of Farah misdeeds, says UK Athletics July 31, 2015 DOUBLE Olympic champion Mo Farah has been cleared of wrongdoing by a UK Athletics (UKA) investigation into allegations of doping made against his American coach Alberto Salazar. UKA said it had not been presented with any evidence of misconduct by Farah, nor any material that aroused suspicion over Salazar’s conduct at the Nike Oregon Project. [...]
Europa League: Injuries and suspensions mount for Bilic in West Ham Europa surrender July 31, 2015 WEST HAM UNITED 2 ASTRA GIURGIU 2 WEST Ham manager Slaven Bilic admitted there were worrying repercussions from his side’s two-goal Europa League surrender last night other than a European campaign which now hangs in the balance. Goals from strike duo Enner Valencia and Mauro Zarate put the Hammers in cruise control before a James [...]