A respectable remake still beaten by the original December 8, 2013 FILM OLDBOY Cert 18 | By Simon Thomson Three Stars IT’S COMMONLY assumed American audiences can’t handle foreign films. As a result, whenever you get a successful foreign film, somewhere in Southern California a producer will be asking whether it could translate into a Hollywood movie; this is the only reason Spike Lee’s 2013 remake [...]
Spectacle but no Disney sparkle December 8, 2013 FILM FROZEN Cert PG | By Melissa York Two Stars IT’S ABOUT time Disney set a film in Scandinavia – and what better time to do it than Christmas? Frozen is very loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen; thankfully, there are no children running around with shards of troll mirror glass in [...]
A journey into the colourless void of Midwest America December 8, 2013 FILM NEBRASKA Cert 15 | By Steve Dinneen Three Stars ALEXANDER Payne’s last three films – About Schmidt, Sideways and Descendants – have been bittersweet explorations of disappointment; a glimpse at the places we could all end up if life doesn’t go our way. Nebraska, his latest Oscar-baiting, black and white opus continues the theme, [...]
Premier League: Wenger happy with steady Arsenal despite late slip-up December 8, 2013 AT EMIRATES STADIUM ARSENAL 1 vs EVERTON 1 ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger admits his team blew the chance to go seven points clear at the top of the Premier League yesterday, but insists they are showing the kind of consistency required to win the title. The league-leaders were little more than seven minutes from victory [...]
Quality of Quins’ European win stuns even triumphant players December 8, 2013 HARLEQUINS No8 Nick Easter admitted the quality of their performance in Saturday’s bonus-point 32-8 win at Racing Metro shocked even their own dressing room. With two defeats to open up their Heineken Cup campaign, Quins gave their qualification cause a huge boost as Nick Evans, Easter, Charlie Walker and then Karl Dickson all went over. [...]
Premier League: Refocused Berbatov tipped to ease Fulham’s relegation worries December 8, 2013 AT CRAVEN COTTAGE FULHAM 2 vs ASTON VILLA 0 STRIKER Dimitar Berbatov is fully focused on preserving Fulham’s Premier League status, according to head coach Rene Meulensteen. The Bulgarian nonchalantly stroked in a first-half penalty to cap a starring role that ended his team’s seven-match losing streak and simultaneously produced their biggest home win since [...]
Jimenez eyes Ryder record December 8, 2013 VETERAN Miguel Angel Jimenez fuelled his dream of becoming the oldest player to compete in the Ryder Cup next year by setting a new record at the Hong Kong Open yesterday. The Spaniard, 49, beat Welshman Stuart Manley and Thailand’s Prom Meesawat in a play-off to successfully defend his title and break his own record [...]
Sport Comment: Moyes’ luck can turn – as it has for the Aussies December 8, 2013 SPORT is sport whether it’s cricket or football. When things are going for you, they continue to go for you. When the wheel of fortune turns, it keeps on turning. Manchester United and their fans are being forced to realise for the first time in a couple of decades that momentum is a two-way street [...]
Robertson storms to Triple Crown December 8, 2013 SNOOKER: Australia’s Neil Robertson completed a stunning comeback last night to claim the UK Championship and become only the eighth player in history to win the Triple Crown – having already earned victories at the World title and the Masters. Robertson was 5-1 down at one stage but fought back to beat England’s Mark Selby [...]
Steel spurs British girls to victory December 8, 2013 ATHLETICS: Individual silver medallist Gemma Steel inspired Great Britain to team gold at yesterday’s European Cross Country Championships in Belgrade. The men’s team won overall bronze, with Andy Vernon also claiming an individual bronze medal.