Friday 25 October 2013

Film review: Ender's Game (12A)

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FILM
Ender's Game
(12A) 114mins
★★★★✩

IN A NUTSHELL
More intelligent than your average glossy shoot-em-up, Ender's Game has an earnest undercurrent.

Friday 18 October 2013

Exhibition: Nelson, Navy, Nation at National Maritime Museum, Greenwich

exhib_Nelson142.jpgFrom this distance, Britain's unrivalled national hero Horatio Nelson appears to embody the entire span of glittering age of naval dominance such is his pre-eminence in our cultural consciousness.

And yet, definitive though his actions were, they spanned only a few years at the tail-end of the 1700s through to his victory - and celebrated death - at Trafalgar in 1805.

Wednesday 16 October 2013

Stage review: The Commitments, Palace Theatre

stage_commit.jpgSTAGE
The Commitments
Palace Theatre
★★★★✩

IN A NUTSHELL
Roddy Doyle has re-created his tale of Dublin soul band as a full-on gig with banter.

Saturday 5 October 2013

Spiral Notebook: Breaking bad news for schedulers

sn_breakingbad.jpgI took to humming last week.

Not the usual dirges that are necessary to keep the skull-headed gorilla safely ensconced in my bedroom cupboard but, instead, a chirpy tune, lacking in melody but delivered with considerable oomph.

Friday 4 October 2013

Exhibitions: Royal Museums, Greenwich

exhib_Yinka2.jpgEXHIBITIONS
Yinka Shonibare / 
Astronomy Photographer of the Year
Royal Museums, Greenwich
★★★✩✩

IN A NUTSHELL
Two contemporary exhibitions of very different visuals ask the visitor to think again about what they see.

Thursday 3 October 2013

Film review: Sunshine On Leith (PG)

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FILM
Sunshine On Leith
(PG) 100mins
★★★✩✩

IN A NUTSHELL
Director Dexter Fletcher does it again - courtesty of The Proclaimers - with a life-affirming celebration of love, family and Scotland.