The man who helped Tom Cruise act at 7Gs in Top Gun: Maverick August 26, 2022 Top Gun: Maverick has ascended like a graceful jet to become the sixth highest grossing film in US history. Quite some doing given it was only released three months ago. A mixture of cynicism and wonder drove people back to the cinema: the promise of Tom Cruise flying in real fighter jets at hundreds of [...]
Mr Malcolm’s List review: by-the-numers but pleasantly entertaining August 26, 2022 The stale genre of costume dramas has been given a boost in recent times by productions that have opted for a more diverse approach in casting. Amando Iannucci’s David Copperfield and Netflix smash hit Bridgerton have all the hallmarks of the classic tales, but with stars that revive character tropes with a different approach, and [...]
Official Competition: Penelope Cruz shines in biting movieland satire August 26, 2022 One thing Hollywood loves to celebrate is itself. There are numerous movies of the highs, lows, and in-betweens of the American film industry, but not as many that focus on European cinema. New comedy Official Competition puts prestige cinema in the spotlight, and comes up with a winner. Set in Spain, an elderly millionaire (José [...]
Beast review: A surprisingly straight story of man vs lion, and actually good August 26, 2022 Let’s tackle the elephant – or should that be the lion? – in the room. The concept of new Idris Elba film Beast is flatly ridiculous. It features a deadly serious scene in which Elba fights a lion with his bare hands. It’s about a man-munching lion skulking around South Africa tearing limbs off locals [...]
We try a Cruffin at the beautiful Richoux on Piccadilly August 26, 2022 If you live for the weekends, then start them off the right way with breakfast at the classically beautiful Richoux on Piccadilly. This is a place that caters for your hangover with some seriously indulgent comfort food, then gets the party started again with a selection of excellent hair-of-the-dog breakfast cocktails. Please do not visit [...]
US Open: Andy Murray tips Emma Raducanu and Cameron Norrie to shine August 25, 2022 Andy Murray has backed defending champion Emma Raducanu and British men’s No1 Cameron Norrie to flourish at the US Open, which starts on Monday. Raducanu, 19, has struggled to live up to her incredible Grand Slam triumph 12 months ago but has shown signs of a return to form, beating former major winners Serena Williams [...]
Luke Chadwick interview: Ex-Manchester United star out to change children’s coaching August 25, 2022 When Luke Chadwick joined Manchester United as a shy teenager it was not the culture of excellence so much as the welcoming environment that Sir Alex Ferguson had cultivated which made the biggest impression. United’s legendary manager favoured the personal touch, as Chadwick found before a trial match. “Sir Alex came into the dressing room [...]
Five million pounds of Banksy art is now free to see in the City August 25, 2022 Walking into the Banksy exhibition at the new Red Eight Gallery at The Royal Exchange, the first artwork you’ll see is Morons, a depiction of an auction room upon which Banksy has scrawled: “I can’t believe you morons buy this shit.” Let’s just get this out of the way first: it’s blazingly ironic to host [...]
Premier League clubs smash record with £1.5bn spend in transfer window August 25, 2022 Premier League football clubs are flexing their financial muscle by smashing spending records in the current transfer window, according to Deloitte. The £1.5bn spent by English top-flight teams is already more than in any previous window, with a week still to go until the 1 September transfer deadline. Clubs are also on track to make [...]
Moscato d’Asti: Why this sparkling wine is pure joy in a glass August 25, 2022 In my last column’s wine recommendations, I referred to Moscato d’Asti as the happiest wine. For me, it is as joyful a glass as you could hope to have, so it surprises me that more people do not indulge in it more often. Though from the same region, around the town of Asti, it should [...]