Film review: Child 44 April 17, 2015 Cert 15 | ★☆☆☆☆ According to Child 44, post-war Soviet Russia is a place where the walls have ears and the woods have marauding killers addicted to the blood of children. Little rings true in this collage of Cold War nightmares, but nothing offends reality quite as much as the absurd Reeushyan icksshyents adopted by [...]
Film review: A Little Chaos April 17, 2015 Cert 12a | ★★★★☆ Upon waking, King Louis XIV is greeted by his son who has just passed wind in his majesty’s bedchamber. This opening scene accurately sets the tone for A Little Chaos, a period romp with a keen sense of the absurd. Alan Rickman may not be the first person you’d choose to [...]
Film review: The Salvation is a Viking cowboy fable April 17, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★★☆☆ The Salvation is the tale of a Viking cowboy, which is reason enough to see it right there. Mads Mikkelsen (pictured above) is a war veteran, who fled Denmark for a peaceful life in the American West. After seven years he is joined by his wife and child, but when [...]
Art review: Hue’s she? Sonia Delaunay April 16, 2015 Tate Modern | ★★★★☆ Sonia Delaunay’s life story is every bit as colourful as her paintings. Born in Odessa to an aristocratic family in 1885, she moved to Paris in 1908 where she married the gay art dealer Wilhelm Uhde, divorced him, married her lifelong collaborator Robert Delaunay, moved to Portugal, moved back, and eventually [...]
Something for the weekend April 16, 2015 EAT! THE BULL AND GATE It took its time, but the Bull and Gate in Kentish town finally returns this weekend after a meticulous renovation. Head upstairs to the Boulange Bar for a salubrious mix of velvet upholstery and the finest in British seasonal cooking. bullandgatenw5.co.uk LAUGH! BAC FUNDRAISER Last month’s fire at Battersea Arts [...]
Ballance tips Test towards England win April 16, 2015 BATSMAN Gary Ballance celebrated a century that made up in value what it lacked in fluency after steering England towards probable victory in the first Test against the West Indies last night. Ballance’s resilient 122 helped the tourists to a second-innings tally of 333-7 declared and ultimately a lead of 339 at the end of [...]
Ghosts of Wembley suffering haunt Wenger April 16, 2015 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has called on his players to learn the lessons of last season’s Wembley ordeals when they face Reading in tomorrow’s FA Cup semi-final. The Gunners ultimately ended a nine-year silverware drought by lifting the trophy, but only after being forced to come from behind to beat both second-tier Wigan, on penalties, [...]
Hazard pitted against Kane for PFA awards April 16, 2015 CHELSEA midfielder Eden Hazard and Tottenham striker Harry Kane are both in contention to sweep the board at the PFA Awards after the players’ union revealed this season’s nominations yesterday. Hazard and Kane are among four men shortlisted for both the Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year honours, along with Manchester [...]
“We’re not happy with being second. That’s not being arrogant, just the belief we have” April 16, 2015 Mike Brown explains to Ross McLean why England believe they can win World Cup ENGLAND full-back Mike Brown is not prepared to sidestep the question of what constitutes the minimum requirement for his side at this autumn’s World Cup on home soil: “Winning it. Winning it or else none of us will be happy.” His [...]
Reading put 30,000 shirts on making history against Arsenal April 16, 2015 READING plan to festoon Wembley with 30,000 blue and white T-shirts tomorrow in the belief that fan power can propel them to a famous win over Arsenal and their first ever FA Cup final. Royals manager Steve Clarke credits a rousing atmosphere at the Madejski Stadium for inspiring his team to a 3-0 victory over [...]