Exodus: Gods and Kings – film review December 19, 2014 Cert 12a | ★★★☆☆ Many great directors have earned a place in history by tackling the juicier parts of the Bible, but with Exodus, Ridley Scott may have bitten off more than he can chew. As with Darren Aronofsky’s Noah earlier this year, it seems to mistake an epic running time for epic cinema, clocking [...]
Henry IV Parts 1 and 2: An RSC hit at the Barbican December 18, 2014 Barbican | ★★★★☆ The Henry IV plays occupy an odd place in Shakespeare’s canon. They have the dimensions of a soap opera, spanning the breadth of society for the entire duration of a reign. They’re tonally inconsistent, flashing from palace to pub, and sparse of incident. Tense battles conclude with the blackest of comedy, [...]
Unbroken film review: Angelina Jolie’s debut feels like torture December 18, 2014 Cert 15 | ★★☆☆☆ Unbroken is the inspirational story of one side-parting’s survival against the odds. Global conflict, aviation disaster, regular beatings from a sadistic Japanese prison guard nicknamed “the Bird” – the list of hardships endured by this hairstyle makes for harrowing reading. The hardy parting even survives 40 days at sea in a [...]
Exclusive: Liverpool still in mix for top four, insists Barnes December 18, 2014 CRISIS club Liverpool can still finish in the top four this season but only if the Anfield hierarchy maintains faith in under-fire boss Brendan Rodgers, according to Reds great John Barnes. Rodgers’ position has become precarious just months after falling agonisingly short of the Premier League title, following the club’s worst start to a domestic [...]
Instagram post KOs Balotelli for Arsenal match December 18, 2014 CONTROVERSIAL Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is set to miss Sunday’s Premier League clash with Arsenal after he was last night handed a one-match ban for an offensive social media post. Balotelli was also fined £25,000 and ordered to attend an education course for republishing an image of video game character Super Mario that contained the [...]
Sport Comment: Mike Ashley taking the biscuit in rations row December 18, 2014 MIKE Ashley may not – on the face of it – have much in common with Marie Antoinette, but he is similarly distanced from the reality of the eating habits of the common people. The Newcastle United owner and vastly wealthy Sports Direct founder has allowed his spiky relationship with the media at St James’ [...]
Pietersen fires selectors taunt December 18, 2014 DEBUTANT batsman Kevin Pietersen top-scored for Melbourne Stars yesterday in their Big Bash opener before sending a message direct to the England selectors. The 34-year-old former England captain struck 66 from 46 balls in a losing cause against Adelaide Strikers to record his first half-century in 16 innings. While fielding on the boundary, Pietersen said [...]
Toulon legal threat to Tigers fans December 18, 2014 FURIOUS Toulon chiefs have warned they may take legal action against Leicester supporters who complained the French club’s full-back Delon Armitage used offensive language towards them at a match. Former England player Armitage was this week banned until March over the flare-up, which happened after a European Rugby Champions Cup match at the Tigers’ Welford [...]
Launchbury out of Six Nations as Wasps lock sent for neck op December 18, 2014 WASPS and England lock Joe Launchbury’s World Cup hopes have suffered a setback after he was ruled out of the Six Nations while he recovers from surgery on a nerve problem in his neck. Launchbury had hoped to resume playing this month, having missed England’s entire autumn campaign, but has now been told he needs [...]
Highest salaries by sport December 18, 2014 New Zealand fly-half Dan Carter is poised to become the highest earning player in rugby union after agreeing a £1.2m per year contract with French side Racing Metro. His pay packet may dwarf his colleagues but is loose change compared to those in other leading sports. Formula One: Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari £50.0m Baseball: Clayton Kershaw, [...]