London Irish: Exiles desperate to seal return to play-offs, says captain Matt Rogerson March 22, 2022 “As a group we want to leave a mark on the club,” says London Irish captain Matt Rogerson as his side look to clinch a Premiership play-off place for the first time since 2009. “We don’t want to leave here – whether through retirement or whatever – having said we could have done more. “We [...]
Phantom of the Open review: Mark Rylance scores hole-in-one with hilarious underdog tale March 22, 2022 This Mark Rylance comedy-drama is perhaps the most twee film you’ll see this decade, but it’s genuinely heart-warming too, with endless hits of proper comedy. It’s not the year’s first joyous tale of a working class British underdog. The Duke, starring Jim Broadbent as an elderly campaigner against BBC television licensing, was in a similar [...]
Fresh review – a delightfully disturbing thriller March 22, 2022 Loveable Marvel star Sebastian Stan has been trying some darker roles recently, playing shady characters in The Devil All The Time and The 355, as well as raucous rocker Tommy Lee in Disney+ series Pam & Tommy. However, nothing the actor has done so far will touch the grizzly insanity of his new role, horror-thriller [...]
Deep Water review is this Sad Affleck’s disasterpiece? March 22, 2022 Poor Ben Affleck. Last year he was laughed out of cinemas for his part in The Last Duel, and his solid performance in The Tender Bar was largely ignored by awards voters. This year saw The Batman, a film he was originally meant to direct and star in, become a huge success with someone else [...]
The Phantom of the Open sees Mark Rylance on fine comic form March 22, 2022 British cinema loves a quirky amateur. Whether it’s steel workers doing The Full Monty, W.I. members becoming Calendar Girls, or a largely fictional biopic of Eddie The Eagle, comedies about giving it a go have become a regular at the box office. The latest in that line is this golf-themed comedy, loosely based on the [...]
Seville is the sweet spot for rooftop relaxation and city centre cycling March 22, 2022 THE WEEKEND: Seville is the ideal long weekend destination. The flight is less than three hours, it hardly ever rains, and the locals start reaching for their jumpers and moaning about the cold if the temperature drops below 25 degrees. We left grey London on Friday afternoon and spent most of the weekend sunbathing, looking [...]
Complete immersion in Belize March 22, 2022 There is a human skull half-submerged in the mud at my feet. Through the damp gloom, I can just make out other bones, scattered across the floor. Luckily, I haven’t stumbled upon a gruesome murder scene, but the truth is almost as chilling. This is an ancient Mayan ceremonial cave, buried deep within the jungle [...]
An adventure through glorious, neglected Cuba March 22, 2022 Despite only a brief appearance, the hookah-smoking caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland was a significant character. Between puffs he took the time to answer questions and offer advice to someone quite confused by her environs. In Havana, Cuba, I’ve met a man of a similar disposition. Amid chat, plumes of cigar smoke that were custard [...]
First, England. Next, the world? Why those behind The Hundred have big ambitions March 21, 2022 “Every successful brand in the world has to start somewhere, in one geography,” says Nick Sykes, global chief executive of FutureBrand, the company that developed the branding for The Hundred, English cricket’s newest tournament. “But if you look at sporting formats around the world, many of them have travelled geographies and there are large parts [...]
Tales from the Crypto: Will digital assets save sport sponsorship or prove a horror story? March 21, 2022 When you think of US cable TV giant HBO, blockbuster drama series like Game of Thrones, The Sopranos and The Wire immediately spring to mind. One of the first major triumphs for the network, though, was Tales from the Crypt, a horror anthology inspired by a cult 1950 comic book series. The series was successful [...]