Days of future caste April 3, 2014 FILM DIVERGENT CERT 12a Three Stars IN DIVERGENT a special young woman battles against a repressive society to achieve her true potential. Based on the first in a series of “Young Adult” novels by Veronica Roth, and with a sequel already confirmed, Divergent is unoriginal but sophisticated, engaging and surprisingly fun. I don’t wish to [...]
Richard Ayaode is a Double visionary April 3, 2014 FILM THE DOUBLE Cert 15 Four Stars RICHARD Ayoade’s first film, 2011’s Submarine, shuffled bashfully through the beaches and bedrooms of suburban seaside adolescence, stopping for cuddles, puppy love and the odd mumbled voice-over. For his second, loose Dostoevsky adaptation The Double, he dives arms flailing into the chaotic nightmare of adult anomie. It is [...]
Disappointing on a biblical scale April 3, 2014 FILM NOAH Cert 12a Two Stars You probably remember Noah’s Ark from school. It’s the one where the nice man with the beard builds the giant boat to save the furry animals from the massive flood. It’s a simple, morally unambiguous story, and as such it’s is one of the best-loved tales in the Bible. [...]
Murray illness threat to GB’s bid for history April 3, 2014 GREAT Britain’s bid to reach the last four of the Davis Cup for the first time since 1981 hung in the balance last night after Wimbledon champion Andy Murray was struck down with a stomach virus. British hopes of overcoming Italy in Naples will depend on Murray winning at least his two singles matches, and [...]
Vunipola warns Sarries to expect Ulster backlash April 3, 2014 ENGLAND prop Mako Vunipola anticipates Ulster will be out for revenge when Saracens arrive at Ravenhill for tomorrow’s Heineken Cup quarter-final. Sarries, who defeated Ulster 27-16 at the same stage in last year’s competition, are seven points clear at the top of the Aviva Premiership and have guaranteed a place in the end of season [...]
Motta fears Chelsea remain favourites to reach semi-finals April 3, 2014 CHELSEA remain favourites to reach the Champions League semi-finals next week, according to Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Thiago Motta, despite Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat at the Parc des Princes. Blues boss Jose Mourinho questioned whether his strikers possess the capability required to overturn their two-goal deficit, after an own goal from defender David Luiz, plus strikes from [...]
The New One holds off challenge from McCoy to win Aintree Hurdle April 3, 2014 CHAMPION jockey AP McCoy lost out in a photo-finish to Sam Twiston-Davies and The New One on the first day of the Grand National meeting at Aintree. McCoy was eventually ruled to have placed third on Diakali in the Aintree Hurdle yesterday, with Rock on Ruby second to the 4-9 favourite, trained by Twiston-Davies’s father [...]
Sri Lanka storm through to final April 3, 2014 CRICKET: A thunderstorm helped Sri Lanka reach the World Twenty20 final yesterday after beating West Indies by 27 runs on the Duckworth/Lewis method. West Indies were reduced to 80-4 in reply to 160-6 before rain fell.
Seven suspected of spot-fixing April 3, 2014 FOOTBALL: Seven players from Football League clubs were yesterday arrested in connection with alleged spot-fixing. The players are aged 18 to 30 and based in the north west.
Absent Prince set to make up for lost time in Grand National April 3, 2014 BILL ESDAILE PREVIEWS THE CRABBIE’S GRAND NATIONAL THE CRABBIE’S Grand National is now a very different race to what it was 10 or 15 years ago. It has often been referred to as a “lottery”, but that description is even more accurate now with numerous changes made to the fences meaning more horses have a [...]