Venom review: A talented cast struggles its way through this jumbled anti-hero affair October 5, 2018 Spider-Man recently made a critically acclaimed Homecoming to Disney/Marvel after years tied to Sony, leaving the alien entity known as Venom in a strange hinterland. The character’s first stand alone film is produced by Sony “in association with Marvel” as part of their new sharing agreement, but the resulting conflagration of themes and tones bears [...]
Interiors: The story of a Chinese twenty-something who created a best of British flat in Shanghai October 5, 2018 Anyone casting an eye around this spacious contemporary apartment would find its elegance reassuringly familiar. English joinery, heritage brands, bespoke handcrafted furniture – you could be visiting One Hyde Park. But look outside the 18th-floor panoramic windows and it’s not the sweeping green of central London you see, but the majestic Huangpu river, snaking through [...]
Pinter at the Pinter: Stagings of the great playwright’s short plays and poems offers a rare chance to see these unmissable works October 5, 2018 Harold Pinter was prolific, with more than 30 stage plays, almost as many screenplays and dozens of works of prose and poetry to his name. But while revered masterpieces such as The Birthday Party, No Man’s Land and Betrayal are regularly staged, there are fewer opportunities to see his equally brilliant shorter works. Director Jamie [...]
Tania Bruguera in the Tate Modern Turbine Hall continues a downward trend for the once great exhibition space October 5, 2018 The Turbine Hall is the toughest gig in contemporary art. While it must feel like a dream commission, it often proves to be a poisoned chalice. Filling the largest public exhibition space in the world requires massive art and super-massive ideas. It needs to be engaging, without descending into a crowd-pleasing fairground attraction. And while [...]
Opinion: Brokenshire’s £1bn plan to get SME developers to build more houses won’t work if the economy is unstable October 5, 2018 While it may seem as if all of our politicians are spending most of their time fretting over Brexit, James Brokenshire, the latest secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, recently announced an initiative to encourage more small and medium-sized (SME) developers into the market. The Government will be partnering with Barclays to [...]
Focus On Blackheath: New development is thin on the ground in this quintessential London village October 5, 2018 T here’s a lot of development going on in South East London, but you won’t find it in Blackheath. This little enclave is on the borders of Greenwich, Kidbrooke and Lewisham, which are all undergoing Joan Rivers-level facelifts in the next few years, but there’s nothing going on in Blackheath by comparison. Housebuilding behemoth Berkeley [...]
iPhone XS Max review: An undeniably brilliant handset – but is it worth up to £1,449? October 5, 2018 XS Max may sound like the kind of energy drink beloved of east European builders, but it is in fact the most powerful, expensive mainstream phone ever released. With a 6.5 inch display and a price-tag of between £1,099 and £1,449, it’s a bull-elephant of a handset, a magnificent, powerful beast that could toss you [...]
New homes: Our pick of the new builds going on sale in London this weekend October 5, 2018 11 Fitzjohn’s Avenue, Hampstead From £695,000 Live in a Victorian mansion designed in the Arts and Crafts style that has been converted into 12 apartments with two new build townhouses at the back. Developer Godfrey London has re-introduced period features, along with heritage timber wall-panelling and limestone fireplaces. Call joint agents Goldschmidt & Howland (020 [...]
A Star is Born review: Lady Gaga shines like a supernova in Bradley Cooper’s remake of a Hollywood classic October 5, 2018 A Star is Born is a simple idea that just won’t die. This version, directed by and starring Bradley Cooper as rock star Jackson Maine, is the fourth retelling of the starstruck fantasy. Famous boy meets girl in bar, makes her a star, they fall in love, get married and she cares for his tortured [...]
M&S, Tesco and Primark bosses to face MPs over fast fashion ‘waste’ October 5, 2018 Parliament's environmental audit committee has asked the bosses of 10 UK clothing retailers to reveal their environmental records, amid concerns about serial clothes dumping. High street staples Marks & Spencer, Primark, Next, Tesco, Asda and Sports Direct – among others – will also be summoned to parliament to face questions from the committee in November. Fast fashion is shorthand [...]