By Simon Columb  Mean, affected by a tragic condition and with a haunting, arresting gaze, Ava is a memorable tale. Directed by Léa Mysius, this debut can meander and lose a little energy, with plot devices dropped by the way side early on, but it has an intriguing focal point in its lead protagonist who is keen to escape her middle-class, yet lonely life. Ava is also a vulnerable and broken 13-year old girl. Bravely portrayed by newcomer Noée Abita...

By Sam Inglis Most of my go to Christmas movies are the same as anyone else’s: It’s A Wonderful Life, Gremlins, Muppet Christmas Carol, Die Hard, Die Hard 2 (it’s underrated, and as much a Christmas movie as the first). Then there’s this. This is the Manos of Christmas movies: It’s terrible, has been on MST3K, and is great fun with or without Joel and the bots making jokes. It’s an irresistibly silly title and, happily, Santa Claus Conquers The...

The BNP have sent Jeremy Corbyn a racist Christmas card saying “STOP LABOUR STEALING OUR WHITE CHRISTMAS” with a photo of the shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott dressed as Santa Claus taking a Christmas tree. Clive Lewis MP tweeted: "Just spoke to Hackney Abbott about this racist BNP Xmas card Jeremy Corbyn has just received. I’m not keen on sharing racist propaganda but I think it’s important folk see the kind of hate Diane is subjected to for doing nothing...

Putting the record straight – Emily Barley on why holding the Dan and Alexander Adamescu case up as an example of Tories being soft on white collar crime is foolish given the background. In an article published on this website on November 30th, Robert Seiler made a number of claims about Dan and Alexander Adamescu, holding the case up as an example of right wing, eurosceptic Tories tolerating and even encouraging corruption and white collar crime. But the truth is,...

Nigel Farage is among panellists speaking at an "Irexit" event in Dublin next year. The event, entitled "Freedom to Prosper", will feature the former UKIPer and MEP who was largely responsible for Britain's withdrawal from the single market. Other panelists speaking at the event include Independent Galway Councillor James Charity, Journalist John Waters and Sunday Times columnist Cormac Lucey. According to recent figures Brexit is costing Britain £350 million a week in lost output. A Financial Times study revealed the value...

Reporter Tom Bevan spent four days in Cologne to experience a real German Christmas Market. In most towns and cities throughout the UK over the last month a German Christmas market has been one of the major attractions. But if you are hunting for the real thing then Cologne, one of Germany’s oldest cities, ranks among the best places in Europe for anyone wanting to ramp up their yuletide celebrations. The Rhineland city is just over a one hour flight...

The role of First Secretary of State is likely to be banished to the history books after Damian Green was forced to resign over porn allegations. Following the sacking Theresa May has been left in charge of appointing her second in command, but the odds suggest she could well abolish the ministerial portfolio entirely. Betway have slashed the price on the position being abandoned to 6/4 following Green's disgraced encounter. As it is simply an honorific title with no specific powers...

By Rupert Read I’m in London, to be with the family at Christmas. Every year, the lights are bigger and brighter. Is this progress? Thinking about the meaning of ‘progress’ is not easy to do in our society. Because it’s hard-wired into the hegemony of capitalist economics and of liberal technocracy that any technological change, any increase in GDP, anything getting bigger and brighter IS progress. By definition. In fact, we’re often told, if we dare to try to question...

Apple has today admitted to slowing down old models of the iPhone as they age - so you have to buy another phone. The lucrative tech brand, which made $8.7 billion profit in the third quarter of this year, confirmed suspicions that they slow down older iPhones to encourage people to upgrade. The latest iPhone 8 costs punters up to £700 to buy new, although some may be discouraged to let go of their money given the latest revelations. The...