Friday 2nd January 2026

Culture

‘The political is also political’: Ash Sarkar’s ‘Minority Rule’

Universities have often been seen as bastions of radicalism. Forgetting the fact that higher educational institutions, particularly ancient and elite ones in the Anglophone world, are governed by centuries...

Graceful and self-assured: Circle Mirror Transformation reviewed

Boulevard Productions’ Circle Mirror Transformation is a faithful and competent take on Annie Baker’s...

‘We’re all mad here’: Alice in Won-DRE-Land at Tingewick 2025

When I wandered into Tingewick Hall on a cold, dark evening in seventh week,...

A comical approach to a classic text: ‘Hedda Gabler’ reviewed

Tiptoe Productions’ Hedda Gabler, co-directed by Ollie Gillam and Gilon Fox, delivered a strong...

The best of all the year’s festivals?

Alex Dudok de Wit chews, digests and regurgitates his Bestival experience

Review: The Sorcerer’s Apprentice

Glossy effects can't hide this clunky film's glaring flaws.

Review: Reading Festival

The Libertines, Arcade Fire, Foals all reviewed

‘Imperial Bedrooms’ by Bret Easton Ellis

Growing pains for the Brat Pack star as he returns to the cast of his first novel

Enter the Dragonette?

Cherwell invites synth-pop’s perennial underachievers to apply for Oxford

Film isn’t dead

Will Self argues that film is dead, and Ben Kirby couldn't disagree more.

Review: The Secret in Their Eyes

This powerfully moving and thoroughly absorbing film is one of the year's best.

Review: The Girl Who Played With Fire

A disappointingly bland and confused adaptation of Larsson's superior book.

DVD Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

A stylish adaptation that can't quite help losing some of the book's appeal.

Interview: Lola Perrin

The piano world's morning-star charms Cherwell

Review: Salt

Angelina Jolie's new vehicle is preposterous, convoluted and surprisingly entertaining.

Playwriting that pays the bills

An interview with playwright, Rachel Barnett on her new work, The Law of Inertia

Review: Big Chill

Patrick Fleming finds his festival served uncomfortably lukewarm

Interviews: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Cherwell interrogates the stars behind Edgar Wright's latest offering.

Reviews: Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

Jen and Ben clash over the effectiveness of this comic book brought to life.

Review: Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky

An abundance of style is no substitute for intelligence or heart.

The real Serge Gainsbourg?

Alex Dudok de Wit watches Joann Sfar's "fairytale" biopic of the French sleazebag icon

Fritzl to hit-zl

Cherwell reviews 'Room', the darkest dark horse in the race for the Booker

Review: The Expendables

A terrible, testosterone-filled fusion of Team America and My Beautiful Laundrette.

Interview: The Expendables

Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham and Dolph Lundgren chat about their action-packed film.

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