Articles

Directed by Stephen Spielberg, Bridge of Spies is a gripping, well written and comfortingly old school Cold War spy drama based on real events, starring Tom Hanks as Insurance lawyer James Donovan and Mark Rylance is the Russian spy Rudolf Abel. The story sets off in the US with an exhilarating chase sequence when KGB agent Abel is intercepted by the CIA. Donovan uses his powers of persuasion…

How do you fill the massive expanse of the Turbine Hall at Tate Modern? This year artist Abraham Cruzvillegas from Mexico has stepped up to the challenge with his large scale sculpture ‘Empty Lot': a display consisting of wooden planters (containers) filled with soil - identical in size (about that of a wheelbarrow bowl), and triangular in shape.

These planters are arranged across a huge…

Well Quantum of Solace was bunkum (yes, there are limits even for a Bond film) and Skyfall, despite the splendidly camp Javier Bardem, was way way hyped (note to Peter Bradshaw, Bond/Craig was not ‘attractively human (though never humane)’ in Skyfall, he was absolutely wooden). But it’s still the making of a dench weekend when another 007 goes on general and you can, largely, put your critical faculties on hold and revel in a pre-holiday season slab of hokey. Are you ready for some fun?

Presented by journalist, environmentalist and activist George Monbiot - and masterclass was filled to capacity. It was perhaps a bit less structured than usual, without handouts or visual aids. But this was a different kind of gig - with Monbiot standing at the front talking to us, and we were mostly spellbound. He spoke with great enthusiasm and energy - about his career trajectory, his early days…

‘Wanderlust’ at the Royal Academy is a fascinating collection of shadow boxes, collages and films by Joseph Cornell. Born in 1903, Joseph Cornell was self-taught without any formal training - but his work has been inspirational to artists such as Andy Warhol and Damien Hirst.  The title ‘Wanderlust’ implies an interest in travel, and many of Cornell’s works reference Europe; but he never went far beyond his…