Theatre review: Bull at the Young Vic January 23, 2015 Young Vic | ★★★☆☆ Mike Bartlett’s one act play, Bull, gives us a Hobbesian view of office-life with backstabbing and conniving aplenty. And at a scant 55 minutes, it’s “nasty, brutish and short”. Tony, Isobel, and Thomas, are a trio of grasping would-be Apprentice-types, awaiting the arrival of their boss, Carter, who will decide [...]
Film review: Ex Machina is a psychological techno-thriller tour de force January 23, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★★★★ With everyone from Stephen Hawking to Elon Musk warning we’re about to be slaughtered by artificial super-intelligences, Ex Machina is a timely reflection on consciousness, creativity, hubris, and the possibilities that await us just around the corner. Author-turned-screenwriter Alex Garland’s directorial debut is a psychological techno-thriller tour de force. Caleb [...]
Film review: A Most Violent Year is a most intelligent movie January 22, 2015 Cert 15 | ★★★★☆ In an early scene in JC Chandor’s A Most Violent Year, budding oil entrepreneur Abel Morales (Oscar Isaac) stares his employees in the eyes and says, “You will never do anything as hard as staring someone in the eye and telling the truth.” This rings especially true in their world, where [...]
Something for the weekend January 22, 2015 PARTY BEYOND CLUELESS FRAT PARTY Celebrate the release of Charlie Lyne’s love letter to the teen movie genre with a screening followed by a frat party at the ICA including beer pong, a prom night photo studio and plenty of red cups. From £8, visit ica.co.uk CELEBRATE BURNS HIGHLAND SWING AT BOISDALE Head to Boisdale [...]
Obscure wage bill rules blamed for January transfers shortage January 22, 2015 An unexpetedly quiet January transfer window could be the first sign of little-known Premier League cost-control regulations starting to bite, according to industry experts. Despite English top-flight clubs being richer than ever before – all 20 are among the top 40 wealthiest in the world, it emerged this week – they have failed to spend [...]
England vow to protect stars after Morgan caught in blackmail row January 22, 2015 CRICKET chiefs have vowed to prevent England’s World Cup bid being blown off course by external factors after one-day skipper Eoin Morgan was yesterday the subject of an alleged extortion plot. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) say they were contacted by an Australian man, the boyfriend of a woman Morgan had a brief [...]
Juventus Mutu appeal victory to leave Chelsea £15m out of pocket January 22, 2015 CHELSEA are set to suffer a hit in excess of £15m after Juventus successfully appealed a ruling ordering the Italian club to pay the sum to the Blues over the signing of Adrian Mutu 10 years ago. World governing body Fifa decreed in November 2013 that Juventus and Livorno were jointly liable to pay the [...]
Sport Comment: Van Gaal system is nothing new but needs refinement January 22, 2015 THERE are lies, damned lies and statistics, so the saying goes. And while British sport is not as consumed by stats as our Stateside cousins, the numbers game is catching on fast. Football formations are not stats in themselves, but are becoming an important part of the game’s currency. This season, more than ever, there [...]
Crystal Palace close in on Lee Chung-yong transfer January 22, 2015 CRYSTAL Palace boss Alan Pardew is set to bolster his squad with the signing of Bolton winger Lee Chung-yong, with the two clubs close to agreeing a fee for the South Korean. The 26-year-old, who has played nearly 200 games for the Championship side since joining from FC Seoul in 2009, is out of contract [...]
One out, one stays at Spurs as Kyle Naughton seals Swansea transfer January 22, 2015 FORMER Tottenham full-back Kyle Naughton admitted a desire to secure first-team football underpinned his departure from White Hart Lane after yesterday completing a move to fellow Premier League side Swansea City. The 26-year-old former Sheffield United defender has signed a three-and-a-half year contract at the Liberty Stadium after an undisclosed fee, believed to be in [...]