ALSO AVAILABLE FROM SOUNDCLASH RECORDS, ST. BENEDICTS ST
NERINA PALLOT
APRIL
+ SAMUEL TAYLOR Thursday 21st • WF £18.50
THE QUIREBOYS
+ THE TEXAS FLOOD + BAD TOUCH SURCO Friday 1st • WF £17.00 + PERFECT MISTAKES + AJQJ + GENTLEMEN TOTAL STONE ROSES Friday 22nd • WFS £6.00
+ OAYSIS
SECTION BOYZ
Friday 1st • WFS £11.00
Friday 22nd WF • £15.00
MUSHROOMHEAD
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THE DUNWELLS
+ BRONZE RADIO RETURN + THE EXTONS Sunday 3rd • WFS £10.00
MARTIN TURNER
EX. WISHBONE ASH Saturday 23rd • WFS £15.00
+ UPRISING + ASTRAL VOID + NSG Friday 8th • WFS £10.00
WICKED FAITH
+ TEARAWAY + DANGER ROAD Saturday 9th • WFS £7.00
JACK & JACK
Sunday 10th • WF £16.50
DEFECTED IN THE HOUSE FT. SHADOW CHILD
+ HEATH + LUCY GRUBB Tuesday 12th • WFS £10.00 Wednesday 13th • WF £25.00
BASSJAM OUTLOOK FESTIVAL LAUNCH PARTY
+ ATILLA Sunday 17th • LCR £17.50
NOTHING BUT THIEVES
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MOLOTOV JUKEBOX
+ EUGENE THE CAT Wednesday 20th • WFS £13.00
THE BURNING CROWS
+ STONE TRIGGER + BLIND TIGER Thursday 19th • WFS £8.00 + YAGA SUNET Friday 20th • WF £14.00
RUMJACKS
LAURA MVULA
+ SARAH WALK Sunday 22nd • WF £15.00
PUGWASH
RAT BOY
POUT AT THE DEVIL
Wednesday 4th • WF £10.00
SON OF DAVE
JAMES
GIRL AT THE END OF THE WORLD TOUR Monday 9th • LCR £36.00
SPRING KING
Wednesday 11th • WFS £7.50
THE RENADEANS
+ TIBETAN NIGHT TERRORS + CHANGING TIMES + FINGERS CROSSED Friday 13th • WFS £6.00
THE HUNNA
Wednesday 8th • WFS £8.00
ABSOLUTE BOWIE
Saturday 11th • WF £12.00
NELLY
Wednesday 15th • LCR £25.00
ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES Saturday 18th • WF £15.00
VINTAGE TROUBLE
+ SLYDIGS Thursday 23rd • WF £18.50
LEMMY NITE
CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF IAN ‘LEMMY’ KILMISTER Friday 24th • WFS £6.00
ALSO IN 2016
Thursday 19th • WF £15.00
+ NIGEL CLARK (DODGY) Monday 2nd • WF £21.00
+ URBAN RESCUE Sunday 8th • LCR £18.00
HOLLYWOOD UNDEAD
HAYSEED DIXIE
+ MARKSMEN + EAST TOWN PIRATES + DOGTOWN REBELS Saturday 21st • WFS £14.00
+ THE BIG MOON Friday 29th • WF £12.50
REND COLLECTIVE
+ ANVIL Sunday 17th • WF £20.00
Wednesday 18th • LCR £25.00
MYSTERY JETS
FT. DAVID RODIGAN MBE + MUNGOS HI FI + ED SOLO VS JFB Thursday 5th • WFS £12.50 Friday 15th • 10PM-4AM 18+ MIKE PETERS PRESENTS LCR £20.00/£17.50 NUS THE ALARM DECLARE YOUR STRENGTH TOUR THE DOORS ALIVE Friday 6th WFS • £16.00 THE DOORS TRIBUTE Friday 15th • WFS £13.00 JESS AND THE BANDITS + SAM COE & THE LONG SHADOWS GAVIN JAMES + CRAIG GALLAGHER + GRANT LEY Saturday 7th • WFS £12.00 Saturday 16th • WFS £9.00
UDO DIRKSCHNIEDER
Wednesday 18th • WFS £15.00
ECLECTIC DEVILS
THE BLUETONES
THE CAT EMPIRE
Tuesday 17th • WFS £15.00
+ SAM DIVINE + SONNY FODERA Friday 29th • 9PM-3AM 18+ LCR £18.00 ADV/£15.00 NUS
MAY
MIKE DIGNAM
SNAKE OIL & HARMONY: DAN REED + DANNY VAUGHN
THE TREATMENT
Tuesday 28th • LCR £16.50
MUSED
+ VEGA Monday 16th • WF £22.50
TRAVIS
LETHAL BIZZLE
Thursday 7th • WFS £14.00
MAGNUM
HAWKWIND
+ THE AMORETTES + WALKWAY + BOY JUMPS SHIP Wednesday 27th • WFS £10.00 Wednesday 6th • WFS £12/£24 VIP
KARNATAKA
40TH ANNIVERSARY TOUR + THE MOJO KINGS + THE GEEZERS + CAPONE Saturday 14th • WFS £12.00
ADAM GREEN
Saturday 23rd • LCR £22.50
PATENT PENDING
CHELSEA
Monday 23rd • WFS £10.00 + BLIND TIGER + DIE A VILLAIN Saturday 28th • WF £6.00
WILEY & SLIMZEE
AVERAGE WHITE BAND
Wednesday 6th Jul • WF £23.50
PETER ANDRE
Saturday 9th Jul • LCR £25.00
BELLY
Monday 18th Jul • WF £20.00
HOT 8 BRASS BAND
Wednesday 27th Jul • WF £15.00
QUADROPHENIA NIGHT WITH ABSOLUTE KINKS
THE KINKS TRIBUTE + DJ DREW STANSALL Saturday 20th Aug • WFS £13.00
HI ON MAIDEN
IRON MAIDEN TRIBUTE + SHOCK! HAZARD Saturday 17th Sep • WFS £12.50
DIRT BOX DISCO
+ SICK ON THE BUS + EAST TOWN PIRATES + PROJECT MORK + PLASTICIAN + AJ TRACEY + JMAN AND PATRICE + TROPICO DJS Saturday 24th Sep • WFS £12.00 Sunday 29th • LCR £20
DOWN BY THE RIVER
CLASSIC INDIE ALL DAYER FT. THE WONDER STUFF + THE HOUSE OF LOVE Sunday 29th • WF £22.50
JUNE
THE PISTOLS
SEX PISTOLS TRIBUTE + THE MOJO KINGS + DOGTOWN REBELS Saturday 1st Oct • WFS £10.00
DIRTY DC
AC/DC TRIBUTE + 101% PANTERA Saturday 8th Oct • WF £14.00
BON JOVI EXPERIENCE SUGAR HILL GANG + + THE GUNS N’ ROSES GRANDMASTER’S FURIOUS EXPERIENCE FIVE Saturday 15th Oct • WF £12.50 Wednesday 1st • WF £20.00 ALL SAINTS NEW YEARS DAY Tuesday 18th Oct • LCR £27.50 Wednesday 1st • WFS £10.00 THE METEORS MAMMAL NOT FISH Sunday 23rd Oct • WFS £16.00 Friday 3rd • WFS £5.00
PEARL JAMM
PEARL JAM TRIBUTE + SCREAM SERENITY + BLIND TIGER Saturday 4th • WF £10.00
Y&T
Tuesday 25th Oct • WF £16.50
BUZZCOCKS
Wednesday 26th Oct • WF £22.50
SELLING FAST
FOR FULL LISTINGS & TO BOOK TICKETS GO TO
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POSTER
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Editorial
Venue Editors: concrete.venue@uea.ac.uk Ana Dukakis Joe Fitzsimmons Arts: concrete.arts@uea.ac.uk Niamh Jones Creative Writing: concretre.creativewriting@uea.ac.uk Jay Stonestreet Fashion: concrete.fashion@uea.ac.uk Lizz Gowens Leah Omonya Film: concrete.film@uea.ac.uk George Barker Melissa Haggar Gaming & Technology: concrete.gamingtech@uea.ac.uk Tom Bedford Music: concrete.music@uea.ac.uk Freya Gibson Daniel Jeakins
Issue #325 26 April
Well, what can we say? It’s over. This is our last issue as editors of Venue, and the last few weeks before we take our leave to move into the ‘real’ world of non-student life. Applications for next year’s editorial position are already flooding in, and pretty soon we will be handing the reins to someone who, at this point, will be much more emotionally stable than us when it comes to using InDesign. Perhaps all that’s left, is a short retrospective on the year, and what it has meant for us. UEA is a relatively small university, based in a small city. Our campus is a closely tight knit community, and with that comes a very specific type of student organisation. Whilst there are obvious benefits to small communities of specialist interests groups and individual talent, teamwork between artistic communities and journalists from all walks of life cannot be understated. As a student publication, we naturally offer those eager to cut their teeth in journalism the facilities to work on their talents. However, we should also strive to create a publication that reflects the student lifestyle we are produced by. With work including our multiple supplements, and showcasing of creatively and artistically talented students, we have made great efforts to reach out into the wider student populous this year. We could not be happier with result. If we are to chalk up our success to anything this year though, more so than anything else we have to acknowledge the debt we owe to the rest of the Concrete team. This year is a clear indication that Concrete and Venue belong together. Our successes are a result of working to a mutual benefit. At this year’s SPA awards, where we swept the awards ceremony, including a win for best publication, special mention was made of the cross platform work done between the two publications. From writers who contribute to both issues in one week, to our phenomenal team of illustrators who provide work for everything from covers, to content, to editorial cartoons, Concrete and Venue are able to consistently print to the high standard we are known for because of the collaboration between our members. This is something that should be preserved in future. To sign off, thank you all. For your dedication, your articles, your illustrations, and for the opportunity you have given us. Now it’s up to you.
Televison: concrete.television@uea.ac.uk Hannah Ford
Art and Design: concrete.artdesign@uea.ac.uk Dougie Dodds Cover Art : Dougie Dodds, Niamh Jones, Kirsty McAlpine
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Music
AUTOMATED ANXIETIES, A POP UP EXHIBITION
RIP Prince
Daniel Jeakins Music fans have already taken a beating in 2016, but this one feels like someone is kicking us while we’re down. On April 21st news surfaced that Prince had died at his home in Minnesota. Beginning as a rumour, the devastating news was eventually confirmed by the Associate Press and, inevitably, hundreds of heart-felt tributes soon followed. Triumphing when pop music was at its
1958-2016
most flamboyant, Prince was for the 80s what David Bowie was for the 70s. A true icon, he celebrated his own weirdness and taught others to do the same. His influence is inescapable in pop music today – in fact it’s hard to think of an artist who has been more important to the industry since.
He was also a true devotee to the album format, and one can take comfort in his passing by celebrating the ridiculously good
discography he left behind him. Purple Rain, the soundtrack to the cult classic film of the same name, has to go down as the greatest movie soundtrack ever. 1999 defied genre and is one of popular music’s greatest musical achievements. Even his collaborations with 3rdeyegirl released this decade broke new ground and showcased his enduring talent. Few artists as prolific as Prince also managed to be so consistently excellent – there’s few moments across his
thirty-nine discography that don’t sound exciting today. There were of course artists that sold more records than him, but his impact on the charts was also mightily impressive. It’s hard to imagine a more influential run of number one singles than his 1984 trio: ‘When Doves Cry’, ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ and ‘Purple Rain’. Still heard on the airwaves today, these three songs will certainly be chart-bound Wikiepdia, Penner
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Released with his backing band ‘The Revolution’, his next two records Around The World In A Day and Parade embraced psychedelia. In particular Parade garnered widespread critical acclaim, and was named
In stark contrast to the intended sound of The Black Album Prince rounded off his 80s output with Lovesexy - a light, joyous pop effort with a risque nude album cover. At this point in his career his relationship with Warner Bros had greatly deteriorated.
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Off the back of one of the most successful tours of the decade, Prince cemented himself as a pop culture legend with the release of his most iconic album, Purple Rain, and its accompanying feature film. Starring Prince himself, it was a huge financial success and spawned some of his most successful singles. When Doves Cry and the film’s legendary title track converted many of the unbelievers, and can currently be found at the top of the UK iTunes chart. Although far from adored by critics at the time, Purple Rain is now an essential piece of cult cinema. Upon his death, it was aired by MTV alongside a marathon of his best videos.
Undoubtedly, Prince will go down as one of the greats. His death has seen countless comparisons with David Bowie, and one could certainly argue Prince was as important to American music as Bowie was to British culture. His recent residency in London saw fans (myself included) scrambling across the capital in an attempt to locate the venue for his secret shows. He has been embraced by new generations time and time again and it’s hard to imagine that will change at any point in the future. Undoubtedly, he will be remembered. Rest in peace.
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It was the 1980s that Prince truly hit the ground running, and this began with double-album 1999, a conceptual masterpiece which has since been inducted into the Grammy hall of fame. Released in 1982, the record sold three million copies and turned Prince into the biggest pop star on the planet alongside Michael Jackson.
In his obituary for The Daily Telegraph Neil McCormick suggested Prince “may have been the greatest popular musician of our times”. Continuing, he worte that “he was certainly the most multitalented. He could play every instrument he
At his last show he told the audience “wait a few days before you waste any prayers” – even in poor health, he continued to write, create and inspire – a fact that only makes his passing even harder to accept.
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His first two albums as part of his initial three-album deal with Warner Bros, For You and Prince, suffered poor sales and a lukewarm critical response – it was not until his third record Dirty Mind that the industry got true insight into his genius. Frequently cited as one of the best albums of the 1980s, it’s post-disco stylings acted as a precursor to the synth-pop sound that would go on to define the decade.
His next phase as a recorded artist brought with it some controversy. He recorded and intended to release The Black Album, which indulged in hip-hop influences, but with half a million copies printed Prince claimed he had a ‘spiritual awakening’ and insisted the record would not be released. It eventually surfaced in 1994.
So, at the time of his sad passing, how should we look back on Prince’s incredible career? It’s certainly safe to say that pop music hasn’t provided an icon quite like him since – someone who inspires his fans as much as other musicians. His sound, whilst at times hard to pin down, defined an entire era.
Barry Nicolson of the NME wrote that “the purple reign may be over, but Prince’s music will outlast us all” – a touching sentiment echoed by much of the music industry over the last few days.
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Hit talent blossomed early – he produced his first demo tape at the age of 17 and was signed shortly after by American businessman Owen Husney. A major-label bidding war shortly ensued, with Warner Bros eventually beating Columbia and A&M to his signature.
It was towards the end of the 80s that Prince began to have disagreements with label Warner Bros. Interested in capitalising on the success of Sign o’ The Times, they pushed Prince to do an extensive world tour when he wanted to record a follow-up album. The label eventually got their own way, and Prince toured Europe from May to July in 1987.
He continued to release music going into the 2000s and has barely stopped since – in 2015 he released two studio albums and was reportedly working on a follow-up at the time of his death. It has also been reported that he had been writing his memoirs.
touched to impossibly high levels, recording many of his albums completely solo”.
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Born Prince Rogers Nelson, the American singer, song-writer and multiinstrumentalist was born in Minnesota. The son of a jazz singer, he grew up on the music of Sly and the Stallone Family, James Brown and Jimi Hendrix – eclectic mix of genres that would go on to inspire his signature sound.
In 1987 backing band ‘The Revolution’ disbanded, and Prince once again flourished as a solo artist. His ambitious release Sign o’ The Times featured some label intervention – Warner Bros insisted that it should not be a ‘triple album’ as Prince had originally requested and cut it to two discs. It still proved successful, however, producing four hit singles and more critical acclaim – including a rare A+ rating from The Village Voice.
In order to remove himself from his record deal, Prince recorded prolifically throughout the 1990’s. His solo output still showed signs of brilliance, but lacked consistent quality and as a result saw Prince hit a career slump. It was not until he was able to release music through his own record label, NPG Records, that the Purple One was once again rejuvenated as a recording artist.
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The vast number of contemporary musicians who have paid tribute to Prince over the last few days reveals just what an influential artist he was. The Weeknd, whose music owes a lot to the purple one, described meeting him as ‘the greatest moment of my entire life’. Katy Perry wrote that ‘the world lost a lot of magic’, whilst Billy Idol described him as a ‘great talent’.
the best album of 1986 by the NME. It was fronted by lead single Kiss, which proved to be a worldwide hit and saw Prince return to the top of the Billboard 100.
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this week and act as a reminder of what a remarkable pop phenomenon he was.
Music
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Music
AUTOMATED ANXIETIES, A POP UP EXHIBITION
Venue's Revision Playlist Freya Gibson
Photo Credit: Face Use, Wikipea: Comedown Machine
Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons, Scan
Photo Credit: Fair Use, Wikipedia Commons Are We There
The Strokes – ‘Tap Out’
Fleetwood Mac – ‘Albatross’
Aptly titled, ‘Tap Out’ is my favourite tune for furiously typing out the last one thousand words I’ve obviously left to the last minute. This song comes when I’m in need of some serious momentum, and can also be found on my gym playlist (should I ever feel inclined to actually go). Layers of catchy guitar riffs make it hard not to dance in your chair, which can become embarrassing on silence floors of the library.
I’m going to use the word ‘wavy’ to describe this song. If you’ve heard it, I hope you’ll agree that it’s the right adjective to use. Another instrumental addition to the list, Fleetwood Mac successfully and beautifully managed to capture the movement of the bird, with the use of drums and a dreamy guitar hook.
Photo Credit: Fair use, Wikipedia: Grace & Danger
Photo Credit: Fair use, Wikipedia: Turn Blue
Photo Credit: Fair use, Wikipedia: Choose Your Weapon
John Martyn – ‘Sweet Little Mystery’
The Black Keys- – ‘Weight Of Love’
Hiatus Kaiyote (feat. Q-Tip) – ‘Nakamarra’
Dirty Beaches – ‘Lord Knows Best’
The summer of 2014 graced the world with a new album from The Black Keys, Turn Blue. My favourite track from the record, ‘Weight Of Love’ is a treat for the ears at nearly seven minutes long decorated with various impressive guitar solos to inspire ideas for even the most chronic writer’s block.
Naomi Saalfield’s buttery vocals will guide you through any essay turmoil, and the groovy piano riffs will help lift you up from the depths of a revision session. Taken from the Grammy nominated album, Choose Your Weapon, this song is also a necessity for your iPod as summer approaches
Any song on the Badlands album would be perfect for a revision playlist. Alex Zhang Hungtai’s ghostly vocals and contemporary take on the rock’n’roll sound, using reverberation and distortion, makes for a hazy but delightful listening experience. ‘Elizabeth’s Theme’ would be another great contribution to your playlist, especially for those of you who like to revise to instrumental songs.
This catchy classic is a comforting listen when you’re unsure whether or not you’re homesick from being in the library too long, and have begun to smell like The Campus Kitchen. Inject your work schedule with a dose of jazzy keyboard tones and Martyn’s famously gentle vocals. Lovely.
Sharon Van Etten – ‘Every Time The Sun Comes Up’
Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons
If you’re already a fan of Sharon, then you’ll know that her brutally honest lyrics and delicate voice go unmatched. ‘Every Time The Sun Comes Up’ uses a rolling bass line to give some edge to an otherwise soft song. Ideal for lulling you into a productive rhythm.
Alt-J – ‘Lovely Day’ Bonus Track to the band’s second album, This Is All Yours, this dreamy cover never fails to de-stress me in the midst of essay panic. ‘Lovely Day’, just like the rest of altJ’s material, feeds you with soothing vocals and hazy tempos, perfect for maintaining deadline momentum.
Photo Credit: KCB Radio 3 Flikr
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Music
Live Review: Nothing But Thieves at the LCR Daniel Jeakins The atmosphere in the LCR was ecstatic for a Wednesday evening,on the 20th April but this was entirely understandable as Nothing But Thieves were playing to an audience that had already been upgraded from the Waterfront. Black Foxxes were a convincing opening act, playing a blend of alternative and hard rock, and managed to win over the crowd by their last song. However, much more suited to the crowd were Sundara Karma who played their blend of rock pop, and are a must listen for fans of The 1975. Sundara Karma saw the first vestiges of a crowd getting involved in the gig, singing and even moshing to tracks along to tracks such as ‘A Young Understanding’. The band certainly won a fair few fans from the evening, however the crowd were still
clearly there to see Nothing But Thieves. They came on to play their breakthrough single ‘Itch’, and the fact that the band have been supporting Muse playing in venues such as the O2 Arena to tens of thousands of people shows. The band followed this up by playing a set made up of tracks off their debut album and singles both new and old, which were well received by a crowd who knew the lyrics inside and out. The key aspect of the band and most likely their huge popularity, is Connor Mason’s voice. His voice is quite simply the best in up and coming rock, channelling the likes of Jeff Buckley, Matt Bellamy, and Thom Yorke. The song writing behind him stands up because they have stripped the songs
back to being tracks centred around his voice and a riff, without masses of solos or instrumental work. This is obviously targeted to a certain taste, most likely the Radio 1 generation, however it works as the set is full of sing along songs which make the crowd constantly active. A standout point within the set is the cover of ‘Where Is My Mind’ by the Pixies, showing the band’s influences and impressing a non-believer of the Pixies. The band waste very little time in between songs to talk, occasionally thanking the crowd for being involved, and wishing their guitar tech a happy birthday. This could possibly be improved; the only other real improvement that could be made is the biggest issue in live rock music: the planned encore. Every band may do it,
however I’m sure most people at a gig which had such high energy would rather the band play another song in the time that they were off stage. This said, the three songs played following the encore, ‘Trip Switch’, ‘If I Get High’ and ‘Ban All The Music’ were arguably the best songs of the set, due to their popularity amongst the fans and fact that they are the three biggest sing alongs in the bands catalogue. All three bands performed well and demanded the move from the Waterfront. The show was a resounding success and was arguably better than other acts to play the LCR within the last year who have received far more critical acclaim for shows far less enjoyable.
Photo Credit: Wikipedia Commons
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Fashion AUTOMATED ANXIETIES, A POP UP EXHIBITION Fashion Brands and Environmental Initiatives How Strong is the Impact in a Globalised Industry?
Alice Mortimer Since the launch of their global garment collection initiative in 2013, Swedish fashion retailer H&M claims to have collected over 25,000 tonnes of unwanted clothing across 3,600 stores worldwide. Shipped to Germany and sorted by the company’s partner, I:Collect (I:CO), who also partner with brands such as Levi’s and Forever 21, fabrics from the UK are assessed for their recyclability (generally on a success-rate of 30%), before being either sold on as secondhand items, re-used as upholstery or recycled into new fabric - the creation of new fashion items for the company to sell back in-store. As part of World Recycling Week, which ran from the 18th to the 24th of April, shoppers in the UK and beyond were encouraged to bring in bags of unwanted or worn clothes, and in return they would be provided with a 30% in-store discount for the textures that could be recycled. It sounds like a pretty good deal for everyone involved. But to what extent can global fashion brands as large as H&M really make significant positive environmental impacts? With huge supply chains, worldwide creative operations, and large-scale shipping, how much can global companies truthfully go on about the environment when it’s an impossibility
for the brains behind their ethically-led marketing campaigns to disclose all of the facts? Not much, in truth. Cue our good old friend, Globalisation. One of the biggest players in the global economy, fashion would be unlikely to even exist without the industrial revolution, and a media culture which allows garments to become fashion ‘trends’ through mass advertising, global manufacturing, and worldwide shipping. Due to this, products owned by large industry contenders, such as H&M, are produced on a world-wide scale, often between continents; the fabric from your jeans may be shipped across seas numerous times to be amended before they make it into your local store and into your wardrobe. This supply chain is strategically strong, providing customers with low-cost fashion, transported from design studios to the window of their local store within a mere couple of weeks. This being part of the brand’s appeal to the consumer means production is pushed to the limits, and we are unable to keep track of any risks taken deep within the supply chain to ensure this, regarding both the following of human
rights codes, as well as when thinking about sustainability and the environment. We can’t claim that brands aren’t doing their bit; it’s of course better than doing nothing at all, but claiming to be great for the environment is a strong statement to make when brands are unable to know what goes on down the other end of the supply chain. Back in 2015, Patagonia and Stella McCartney, both known for their strong ‘use of sustainable supply chain practices’, learned that serious animal abuse was being committed by one of their suppliers. Human and animal ethics should be coming under what we term to be ‘the environment’, not simply global warming and sustainability. Even so, Vivienne Westwood, another of fashion’s ‘ethical’ brands, has no environmental policy in place with regards to reducing global warming impact of the company’s processes, despite Dame Vivienne’s personal commitment to fighting climate change. We can argue that being an ethical, environmental brand is perhaps often more about marketing, brandawareness, and profit-making in a world where people now care more about the such environmental factors.
For those whose purchases are not significantly influenced by ethical reasons, stores such as H&M offering discounts and vouchers for recycling are arguably encouraging customers for the wrong reasons. H&M’s Head of Sustainability said of their global garment collection campaign “we know that there’s a huge interest from our customers to be more conscious in how they enjoy fashion” - but would this still ring true without such value incentives? Are fashion brands really able to change how people think about fashion and the environment for the long term, and can these brands themselves even be fully submerged in sustainability? Of course, only good can come out of what such brands are beginning to do with environmental projects, but in a hypercapitalist, globalised industry, it is unlikely to change the world. For fashion to truly become environmentally-ethical, supply chains need to be cut; an impossible situation for big brands which rely so much on worldwide production and quick, mass sales for their social-standing as a global fashion brand. Until the whole industry stands up for change, the impact thus can only be minimal.
Zara "Ungendered" Have the Brand Succeeded in Their Latest Endeavour? Roseneath Machube High street giant Zara recently launched a new “Ungendered” line as part of their Trafaluc collection. The line carries just under ten pieces of clothing; including unisex sweatpants, sweatshirts and jeans. This comes after competitors Selfridges and American Apparel had introduced their own non-binary collections in 2015. Gender fluidity promotes the notion of not defining anything as either masculine or feminine, and Zara aims to support this notion by providing a fashionable and affordable unisex line. The introduction of the new line came as a pleasant surprise as it was quietly added to the retail store’s website with no prior advertisement. The new addition was applauded, as you can count the number of high street stores who already have or are planning to move towards unisex clothing lines on one hand; however, the Spanish giant’s revelation received mixed reviews. In as much as their announcement was
a positive step towards the visibility and acceptance of the Trans Movement, many took to Twitter to air their frustration, as they felt Zara duped them and hadn’t pushed the boundaries for gender non-conformity. Without a doubt the clothing is good quality and made well; Zara hardly disappoints in that department. The line hosts mainly grey, black, and blue hues, and can be seen on their website modelled by both a male and female. People aren’t happy with the line; here’s why. If you shop on Zara’s website you would have seen almost identical pieces over the past few years. As a matter of fact, if you shop any high street store these are clothing items that have been around for a while. This seems more like a marketing gimmick where Zara has adapted plain basic pieces that were already genderless and slapped on the “UNGENDERED” title so as to join the gender fluid movement. There is hardly any innovation. 2015 saw the most androgynous and gender neutral pieces on
the runways of Europe from luxury clothing brands such as Gucci showing feminine male clothes in their Milan fashion show, as well as the controversial ACNE studios campaign that featured a 12-year-old boy modelling women’s clothing. Nothing from the “ungendered” line is clothing we haven’t seen before. The pieces are simply men’s loungewear with a slightly tighter fit to accommodate women. It’s a very noble move for Zara who have global reach and ability to impact many markets with said reach. However, because we have seen male models on the runway in skirts and dresses we expect more from Zara as one of the leading high street stores in not only the UK, but Europe and America. Transgender models have been given a platform to be the face of top designer campaigns and to fully support the progression Zara ought to try a little harder to make more of a positive impact and not be seen as barely scraping the surface; they could
consider adding pieces to their ungendered line that push the boundaries and really start some conversation. They run the risk of this line backfiring as the trans community may view this as a poorly thought out gimmick which merely shows they are not presented well and that fashion houses aren’t willing to full support them. Through Twitter people have spoken about what they want to see: “More colour! Currently the line has a 3 colour palette which is very bland and boring.” “More pieces that really shout “UNGENDERED”. This could include maxi dresses, tunics, skirts, crop tops and so on.” “More defined silhouettes, better fit and fun-fashionable clothing.” We acknowledge that Rome wasn’t built in a day, we just want better, soon.
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in bookable room 6. 30th arpil 19.30
Fashion
Grin and Dagger Abbie-Leigh Smith Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms for sharing and discovering inspiration, art, creations, and of course, what you ate for lunch! But some very talented Instagram users are starting to be recognized for their beautiful work, such as Chelsea Derber, aka Grin and Dagger. Derber is a special effects make-up artist and Lip Art extraordinaire. Her account currently has 1500 followers, and is home to innovative lip art designs including Disney princesses, colour swatches, and a lot of glitter! Chelsea’s art also explores a side to the beauty industry, that is not only mostly untouched, but often avoided at all costs. The ugly side, as shown in her ‘Pretty Ugly’ series, highlights and glorifies those things that we ourselves may see as ugly, but what in fact make us beautiful. We at Venue have spoken to Chelsea about what it is like to work as a make-up artist, her inspiration, some tips for the everyday make up user, and even those looking to break into the world of make up artistry! What inspired you to move from special effects make up to Lip Art? It was something that I had been thinking about for quite a while. Not necessarily lip art, but branching out to something a little different from what I usually do. Constantly doing the SFX work started to become
A Look Into the Life of an Instagram Makeup Artist tedious and I didn’t want to lose my love for it, so I needed to find something else to do in conjunction with all the weirdness. An Instagram account that I follow set up a lip swatch challenge in the month of December and I decided to get involved. I had done a couple of lip arts previously, but didn’t think I was particularly good at it. This time round however, people responded really well to my work, and it encouraged me to carry on. Doing it every day as well also meant that I was improving more rapidly.
afraid to do something ugly, or something controversial. I’m all about making an impression, and even though some of my work is generic beauty, my most popular pieces are more out of the norm. Being selftaught is another game changer, as I don’t necessarily use products for their intended purposes, because once upon a time, I assumed that that was how said product should have been used. I think it makes it more interesting to look at, if it’s not what you would have initially expected.
When coming up with ideas, is there certain inspiration sources that you turn to? (Other make-up artists or Instagram accounts for example?)
If you weren’t a make-up artist, what else would you do?
I actually make a conscious effort not to follow other Instagramers, Youtubers or artists that work in the same areas as me, as I’m worried about accidental plagiarism. Inspiration comes in many different forms. For example, a necklace my sister got me for Christmas inspired my most recent makeup look, but others can be inspired by something I’ve seen, or a conversation I’ve had with someone that day, it always differs. What is it about your lip art that sets you apart from other people? I think my background in SFX is a massive help as it gives me areas to venture into that others wouldn’t necessarily think of. I’m not
I actually have a lot of qualifications completely unrelated to makeup. I got into the makeup world by accident, and before that I had been following other paths whilst studying for a degree in Theatre Production. I’m a qualified singing teacher, so there would always be that route. However, on the other end of the spectrum, I’m also a qualified international show-jumper and have been horse riding since the age of three, and for a very long time, wanted to go into agriculture. So, maybe competing, or teaching others… Or voice acting… I’ve always wanted to do that… I’m very indecisive. Do you have any advice for someone looking to start Lip art or any other career in the professional make up industry?
Yes. Every piece of makeup artistry that you see on social media shouldn’t be taken at face value. Do not be discouraged if your makeup attempts looks nothing like the flawless images on your computer or phone screen. Chances are, they have been retouched. The best advice I can give is if you want to start in lip art or any makeup artistry in general, do it! Don’t stress about whether it’s a good idea or not, if you want to do it, go for it. Do it because you love it, there should be no other reason. Whatever follows is just a bonus. Practice, be patient, and don’t be discouraged if you don’t achieve your desired look first time. Keep going! Also be very careful when taking inspiration from other people, credit accordingly or come up with your own unique ideas. Intellectual property theft is real, and it is taken very seriously! If you could give any make up users one piece of make-up advice, what would it be? Layers are bad! Layers create texture! Texture creates cake face! Cake face is not sexy! Basically, every product you place onto your skin will add another layer of texture. The more layers you have, the more chances there will be for your makeup to crease and crack. Colour correcting, foundation, concealing, powder, contour, blush, highlight. All of these may be necessary in your makeup routine, but use them sparingly and only place them where they’re needed.
Instagram: @grinanddagger
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Arts
AUTOMATED ANXIETIES, A POP UP EXHIBITION Katharine Lyon
The Suffering Artist
It’s a tired stereotype, but one that’s still incredibly prevalent in the collective consciousness of today’s society. The tortured artist. Hunched over a typewriter. Painting at midnight. A cigarette in one hand, a paintbrush in the other. They drink whisky in the morning and almost never venture outside. Although it can take various different forms, the trope centres around one idea: their unhappiness is the source of their talent. In a culture that is becoming more and more occupied with the benefits of mindfulness and clean eating, the idea of being medicated for a mental illness is a massive taboo. Speak out about the benefits of antidepressants and you’ll be met with a barrage of pseudo-science think veiled as well intended advice: Have you tried going outside for a walk? Looking at nature? St. John’s Wort?
Kirsty McAlpine Even as I write this, it’s important to acknowledge my own weaboo adolescence. I lived and breathed anime as a teenager. I wore my hair like my favourite characters, learned basic Japanese, and bought as much merchandise as my measly allowance could muster. I was such an avid fan that, should I ever get the opportunity to meet my past self in the future, I shall make a point to smack her and remind her to wash. With that out of the way, the crux of my argument: Modern anime is the scourge of media culture. Between massive world-renowned series such as Naruto and the more obscure Bludgeoning Angel Dokoro-chan, normalisation of abuse is rampant in anime culture, particularly towards men. Stereotypical ‘tsundere’ (i.e. outwardly harsh and cruel, inwardly soft and sweet) women beat their male counterparts into the ground for the most insignificant reasons. “Awh, that’s so kawaii!” The
Illustration: Dougie Dodds
Many of the fears surrounding antidepressants stem from how medicated people are presented in the media. More often than not they’re portrayed as a type of narcotic. You won’t be anxious or depressed. You won’t be anything more than a shell. Forget your passions. Your hobbies. Those sacrifices are collateral damage in the war to keep you alive.
A while ago, #WhyIWrite was trending on twitter. Aside from the hugely problematic comments regarding characters being ‘voices in my head (seriously?) one comment stuck with me: I write because it keeps me away from mind-numbing antidepressants. I’m not denying that many find art as a helpful outlet, and that’s wonderful, but not everyone finds it helpful, and that’s where the problem lies.
The tortured artist. Hunched over a typewriter. Painting at midnight. I was prescribed antidepressants when I was sixteen to treat a long-standing anxiety disorder. It had been at least ten years since the problem started, yet this was the first time I’d gone for help. I didn’t want to go to the doctor because being put on medication seemed like the ultimate failure. I finally gave in when I’d tried everything else. I’ve been a writer, or at least a storyteller, for as long as I can remember, but it never helped. In fact, my overactive imagination was part of the problem. Had I thought more about
it, I might have been worried that being medicated would impact creativity, but I didn’t. At this point, I was so ill that I barely wrote at all. Four years later, anxiety is still something that impacts my life in a big way, as well as periods of depression that creep in now and again, but I’m coping. It’s not all down to the medication, but being medicated had gotten me to a place where I’ve been able to develop my own coping mechanisms. The best part about feeling better? I’m writing again. There’s room in my head to be creative, and that’s the best thing peace of mind has given me. I once saw someone on the internet ask: ‘What if they’d medicated Van Gogh?’ I don’t know the answer to that question. Maybe he would have felt better and been able to create more art. Maybe he would have been happy and no longer felt the need to seek refuge in art. Maybe it would have made no difference at all. What I do know is this: Not all artists suffer, and not all artists who do suffer are able to be creative when they’re at their worst. Just as we have all have different creative processes, we all have different ways of coping. Don’t feel that you have to suffer for your art. Your life comes first.
Anime Issues A Misunderstood Artform? Or an Exploitative Industry?
weaboos cry, “She beats men to the point of death because she’s insecure and she secretly fancies him! Uguu!” Is it little wonder why fans scream censorship when their yaoi paddles are banned from conventions? Or when non-fans sneer at the Tentacle Grape drink? Anime perpetuates the horrendous idea that it’s okay to physically abuse men as long as you’re small and cute. If he even glances at you, you’re fully within your right to scream ‘pervert!’ and deliver unto him a massive brain haemorrhage. It’s even funnier if you misread his intentions and deliver a completely unnecessary beating. If only the silly man had been able to get his words out before you literally caved in his skull with a hammer. So cute. Perhaps the most famous reason for anime’s deplorable reputation is sexploitation. In particular, the unsettling genre of harem animes in which your stereotypical personality-devoid male protagonist finds himself blundering into increasingly sexual
situations with a group of women that are inexplicably attracted to him. Before you ask, no; they’re not well-developed and interesting characters either. Each harem is often boiled down to the girl next door, the sporty tsundere, the seductive magical girl, the shy one with the big breasts, and the nine year-old, embellished with a sickening amount of fanservice in the form of pantyshots, revealing fetish attire, and occasional lesbianism. Women are objectivised, boiled strictly down to which “naa~!” spouting sex doll is the viewer’s favourite. Not only that, but encouragement of paedophilia runs rampant as extremely young girls are depicted with massive breasts and thighs, strapped into fetish cosplay, making thier way into sexual merchandise; waifu body pillows and flesh lights. Even better when, in titles such as Kiss X Sis, two underage teenage twin sisters get naked and rub all over each other. What about Ouran High School Host Club, an extremely popular anime in which two twin boys proudly
proclaim their incestuous relationship? Examine High School of the Dead, an anime that would have been utterly stunning if not for the desperate, endless fanservice. An expert swordswoman’s breath-taking fight scenes are ruined by constant panty shots, gratuitously bouncing breasts, and ridiculous fetish outfits. Her character development was stripped down to “killing people makes me wet” and then abandoned. As the most initially promising characters of the series, she was an absolute disappointment to have to witness. Brilliant, well-defined characters such as Ghost in the Shell’s Motoko Kusanagi and Death Note’s Misa Amane are a thing of the past. Yes, not all anime is bad. I’ve viewed some awe-inspiring works in my lifetime. They can be child friendly, they can be funny, and they can defy all that I’ve discussed in the course of this article. But I’m struggling to find these rare gems more and more as time goes on.
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in bookable room 6. 30th arpil 19.30
Arts
UEA Artists Presents: Digital Art Some Incredible Art, Close to Home.
Dougie Dodds
Niamh Jones
You’ve probably spotted some of the amazing covers that we’ve had on Venue this year. You’ve most likely noticed the hilarious satirical cartoons that perch atop the editorial of Concrete. And you’ve almost certainly seen the vast range of illustrations that brighten up the whole publication. This edition of Artists at UEA is dedicated to our very own Art and Design Director (who refused to write this themselves, because they’re insanely modest). Yes Dougie, this is a whole article devoted to you. You can stop blushing now.
Credit: Dougie Dodds
Niamh Jones
Kirsty MacAlpine
Kirsty’s earliest memory is writing, illustrating and assembling a novel (on a folded piece of A4) about a rabbit that went to a hedgehog’s house and ate pickled onions. Clearly this was foreshadowing a successful career, since she later faced criticism for her outspoken modern art. Forced to stay inside at playtime after daringly writing the word ‘SHAG’ on a bench, the misunderstood Kirsty silently resolved to become an artist. Kirsty is responsible for a lot of the adorable chibi art you may have seen in Venue, namely the sassy Deadpool in Film issue 323 and the adorable Daenerys Targaryen and Drogon in TV issue 324. She is inspired by ‘better art than she can do’ and likes aspiring to unattainable standards. Though specialising in chibi art, she uses influences from Pokémon, the Persona games and Ōkami. Using a drawing tablet and her phone to take rough pictures of sketches, she works on each figure in incredible detail. Kirsty’s week can be entirely dominated by commissions that she receives from the internet, with each chibi taking twenty minutes to complete, combined with her determination to crack out at least forty of these every week. Requests come in for favourite video game characters and cartoons, but also for
Dougie (known affectionately by his nearest and dearest as ‘Douglad’) seems to love working on his digital pieces, rustling up such wonders as the Doctor Who cover of, the cheeky Deadpool cover and the most recent Shakespeare cover of Venue. However, he is also an avid sculptor, model-maker, doodler, and intricate sketcher. Coming from artist parents, he was bound to exhibit some creative talent, but apparently he lucked out on the artistic gene front and now seems completely unstoppable. I’ll give you an example. During the end of his summer term as a fresher, Dougie had become bored without the customary stack of essays to do. Instead of going home for a restful summer, he decided to
stay in his accommodation and build a miniature version of Leonardo da Vinci’s flying machine. He caught a bus into Norwich, purchased a metre-square section of MDF and attempted to take it home. After being thrown off one bus because the material was too cumbersome, managing to get onto another and then somehow missing his stop, he lugged it all the way back to his flat and began work. With a kitchen knife, a lot of patience and some PVA glue, he constructed a workable model of the flying machine. We have the pictures and video to prove it. Dougie enjoys the detail in any project, which can be seen in his book sculptures. Intricate paper pianos, trees, and figures are cut from the thinnest of pages of discarded books. But it’s the attention to detail in his digital art that has been the most recognised in recent months. In fact, a picture drawn for fun has led to commissions being sent his way. The picture in question displayed a housemate riding a certain Pokémon (Ho-Oh to be specific), and since then avid Pokémon fans have been requesting work from him. Having Dougie as Art and Design director has helped us win the SPA award for best publication, and has brightened up our paper. We don’t know how he manages to do the amount of art pieces that he does, but we do know that we can’t stop him from producing his legendary work, and we certainly wouldn’t want to try.
pictures of real people. Kirsty fondly remembers the time she was commissioned to draw a couple, and was sent a nude photo as a reference. As well as partners requesting portraits of their other halves, one of her most requested illustrations is of various characters smoking marijuana. Aside from the paid work, Kirsty is known to draw her friends for free as Christmas and birthday presents. I myself received an adorable chibi-me with a Gourgeist Pokémon. Yes, that picture you can see is of yours truly. I’m not that cute in real life sadly. [Untrue-Ed.] As for the future, Kirsty would like to go on to do more illustrations, possibly even branching out into graphic design. Look forward to seeing her name on your favourite magazines...
Dougie and Kirsty will be showcasing some of their new pieces at the Automated Anxiteties exhibition in Bookable Room 6 on 30th April.
Credit: Kirsty MacAlpine
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Creative Writing “Welcome to the last issue of Concrete this year! And what better way to celebrate a year of brilliantly diverse talent from UEA’s writers than to get them writing about the thing that unites us all: UEA itself. But here’s the twist - the pieces before you are all examples of lipograms writing which excludes certain letters - and therefore represent what can be done when limited resources are available to a writer. It might sound easy at first but anyone who has tried will know that excluding letters (vowels in particular) is incredibly difficult as it often forces an unusual sentence order or encourages the use of words which would not normally be used. In celebrating UEA, then, I thought it appropriate that we should attempt to construct lipograms including only the vowels U, E and A in our work and the results are as usual commendable. On a different note, I want to thank everybody who has contributed not just to this issue but to all issues over the last year. I’ve had a brilliant time reading some of your pieces and have been genuinely touched by the enthusiasm and care shown in your responses. Keep creative, keep writing.” - Jay Stonestreet, Creative Writing editor
The Campus Daren't Breathe Others, not myself A specific Direction To point They help Me Learn to love Me He helps me Stand She helps Discover
Who Orientation Intention Another, that cannot Be named or Targeted
The campus daren’t yet breathe.
Them.
Human trust lacks. Watch, endure heavy feet, delay cause and effect.
Sophie Chapman
Shape sharps angles just and exact.
Dusk must be reached. The sun sets the hexawalls a new
shade and hue. Red relaxes the lake, calms the walkways, blank heat ceases, vagueness leaves. Jay Stonestreet
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Creative Writing A Dream Beneath the Pages Letters, teach me the best way, Teach me ease, help me please Be the best me.
Beneath the schemes and the extremes Are the jewels the human race need.
Relaxed, gathered, engaged, Make my mental state A place of steely ruthlessness Where waste and clutter may be cut away. Every day must be A crafted, researched play All hands and twelve marked faces Must have plans branded at every end.
We breathe them, unaware, deep under fraught flesh Between the weeds, But we need to sense them. Be them. Set them free. Emily Fedorowycz
Must never bend. Clever reader, lay a heart bare and Beware. Take care.
Can We Relax We stay up late, but we feel eased at last. Furry mammals all run up the grass.
Tetraverse Use caged verse as my means And make a small stream Enlarge, bulge and rage Such that a surge shall be made? A challenge my heart can’t deny! My hands shall leap at the sky And beg thee: Walt! Yeats! Keats! Please revise a weary bard’s sheets. UEA, grey temple, perfectly aged, A haven made by the new and
the sage. Beats unleashed at the LCR, Serene scenes seen at Earlham Park. Tarmac meets grass and students unearth glee, A balance between heavy zeal and gentle peace. Here be where dreams take shape and advance, When we fuse talent and chance. Rahul Mehta
Curled spuds such a tasty treat such zest can be seen At the campus where we eat. Saw art where we gazed, the great sculptures that gleam beneath the sun, the creamy grey structures. The parents are away, the students shall play and drink and read, and read, and read. Tom Cascarini
Illustrator: Jessica Belt
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Television AUTOMATED ANXIETIES, A POP UP EXHIBITION Better Not Call Saul
The Prequel to Breaking Bad Fails to Live Up to the Hype Dan Struthers About a year ago I wrote a review of the first episode of Better Call Saul and largely praised the tone, direction, and characters which were introduced for the much anticipated Breaking Bad spin off. Now, I wish to right a wrong. This sounds very dramatic, but having watched Better Call Saul’s first series and half of series two I don’t feel any compulsion to resume watching it.
plans for a spin-off. I, like many Breaking Bad fanatics – even though I had jumped on the bandwagon rather late – was keen to watch this prequel/spin off to its elder sibling.
Breaking Bad, while having the occasional slow episode (need I say more than: Fly), was addictive thanks to its compelling characters, nail biting cliff hangers, and fantastic writing which made each episode a treat to watch. In my unpopular opinion, Better Call Saul took one of the fan favourite characters and plonked him into his own series, a prequel not really deserving of ten 45 minute episodes, or any screen time at all to be honest. Taking the fantastically quotable and hilarious Saul and giving him a ‘gritty’ backstory that seems like it’s trying to echo the depth and complexity of Walter White’s five series rise to Heisenberg may be head writer and creator Vince Gilligan’s biggest mistake.
Better Call Saul, as I stated in my review of the first episode, started strong with a light tone and funny dialogue, but as the series progressed the laughs from the funny man stopped, and we had a brooding drama about a struggling lawyer. Because God knows we’ve not got enough law TV series at the moment with Suits, Silk, Jimmy McGovern’s Accused, Law and Order US and Law and Order UK. Another problem is the supporting cast which includes a brother who suffers from electromagnetic sensitivity, a female love interest who seems to be as two dimensional as they come, and a nasty boss character. Chuck, Saul’s brother, is a social recluse, and we’re informed he has a condition which makes him fearful of technology of any kind, from phones to artificial lights which while is obviously a good way of raising awareness for this psychological condition, doesn’t really seem to go anywhere.
Gilligan rightly decided to not turn Breaking Bad into a cash cow and made the fifth series the final one (maybe Game of Thrones should take a leaf from its book, just a thought) but also announced his
We are introduced to Kim too, the love interest whose name I had to Google, which says an awful lot about her memorability. Gilligan hasn’t got a good track record for writing women unless he makes them
nagging unlikeable wives like Skyler and Marie. In this respect Kim doesn’t nag Saul as much, but she makes up for it through lacking an interesting personality outside of her screen time with Saul. The nasty boss Howard Hamlin is, likewise, so two dimensional he might as well have a label stuck on his forehead saying ‘I am the baddy, you don’t like me’. One welcome addition to an otherwise bland supporting cast is Mike Ehrmantraut, who emigrated with Saul to the spin off series and whose deadpan delivery and tough grandad personality is a welcome return to form, and feels like the most Breaking Bad-esque element that survived. However, recently even his bad ass image has become a little heightened and gone from incredible to boring as he seamlessly exceeds every mission he is given. I know the critics and many other viewers love Better Call Saul and many long term fans may disregard this nit-picking article as blasphemy, but believe me I wanted to love the spin off TV series as much as the next Breaking Bad fan. So, to the fans of Better Call Saul I want to ask: what actually happened throughout the first series? The problem is it is fairly forgettable, probably because it takes place in the same universe as its counterpart, and so can’t be too outlandish and risky as we know the fate of the main cast already. There
are restrictions of not being able to write a massive event before Breaking Bad, as it would look strange for there to never be a reference to it throughout all five series of the show. Fair enough, this is a smaller show taking place in the same universe with the twist of a different perspective that focuses on one lawyer. But at the same time: bingo at an old people’s home? Is that really how you’re going to end the first series about such a great TV character? When watching a TV series feels like a chore it’s a sign that you should stop, and that’s why I gave up on Saul Goodman and his bland story arc after a few episodes of series two. I’m sorry to any die hard Better Call Saul fans out there, but hear me out… people will remember the ‘Say my name’ speech, the bathtub full of blood falling through the roof, and Jesse’s addiction to a certain profanity from Breaking Bad, but I have a feeling people will struggle to remember any memorable moment from this disappointing spin-off. Better Call Saul doesn’t qualify as a good spinoff series like Torchwood, which stands on its own two feet – but at the same time it hasn’t failed spectacularly like Joey, the Friends sequel which is the butt of all jokes. Instead it’s reached the unenviable position of mediocrity, which means you certainly won’t hear anyone asking if you caught last night’s episode, unlike with Breaking Bad.
Image: flickr, televisione streaming
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in bookable room 6. 30th arpil 19.30
Television
Be Unbreakable this Exam Season Season Two of the Hit Netflix comedy Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt is Here in Time to Save You From Stress Denise Koblenz Exam season has just started which, for most of us, basically means no social life, late night sessions in the library, lack of sleep, copious amounts of stress, and the constant anxiety of having made the wrong choice of degree, what’s even the point of it all anyway? Let me introduce you to something that might help you take your mind off things and give you back that feeling of life being great again, even if it’s just for 30 minutes in between study sessions. I’m talking about Netflix’s huge hit Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt. A show truly binge-watch worthy and if you’re at a point where you just want to escape responsibility for as long as possible, it gives you a total of 780 minutes of pure comedic bliss. However, if you want to be a bit more responsible, those 30 minute episodes offer comic relief in between study sessions, and as there aren’t any major cliff-hangers, it’s relatively easy to stop after one or two episodes and continue studying with renewed energy! Debuting its first season in March last year, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt has been a
success from the start, with critics raving about it, and an impressive 95% on Rotten Tomatoes. This success is no surprise, as multi-talented comedy genius Tina Fey, known for 30 Rock and Saturday Night Live, is responsible for writing and producing the show. Fey’s genius writing, combined with the performances of Ellie Kemper, Titus Burgess, and Jane Krakowski make the show what it is. Each of the actors fit their roles perfectly, and Ellie Kemper’s role of Kimmy Schmidt was actually written specifically for her. For those not yet familiar with Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, here’s the premise: As a teenager Kimmy was kidnapped by cult leader Richard Wayne Gary Wayne and locked in a bunker with three other girls, having been told that they were the only survivors of the apocalypse. After 15 years in that bunker, Kimmy and her fellow “Indiana mole women” (as the media later dubbed them) are finally rescued. Having lived the last 15 years of her life in total seclusion, Kimmy now has to figure out how to tackle life as a responsible adult (a struggle most of
us can probably relate to). Moving to New York and befriending her overly dramatic roommate, would-be Broadway performer Titus Andromedon, she manages to secure a job as a nanny for the son of super rich Jacqueline Voorhees. No matter what life throws at her, Kimmy really seems to be unbreakable. Although the idea of a girl having been locked up in a bunker for 15 years initially doesn’t seem to make the best comedy material, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt manages to take this rather dark plot and make it funny without being crude or vulgar. It’s very fast paced, giving a joke a minute, and it does it in a way that is not too obvious and boorish as is often the problem with sitcoms. Some of the jokes are subtle, so much so that you would probably have to watch it twice to be able to appreciate its full comedic genius. Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt satirises our society with light and kooky humour. The show doesn’t shy away from making fun of their own cast as you can find several references about the actors’ past careers and
shows such as 30 Rock. One review from the A.V. Club pretty much sums it up in calling Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt “a joke factory with heart”. There are many reasons to love this show. It’s a combination of genius writing, the actors’ amazing performances, clever humour, and a lot of heart. Going behind the scenes it must feel like a family reunion as most of the cast and crew have worked together on previous shows and are more than just colleagues. Even Tina Fey’s husband contributed to the show in writing its extremely catchy theme song “Unbreakable” which is inspired by viral hits such as “Ain’t Nobody Got Time for That”. If there’s nothing else you get out of it, we can all stand to learn something from Kimmy Schmidt’s positive, perservering, can-do attitude to life. And the next time you despair over some coursework or revision, just tell yourself this: “You can either curl up in a ball and die or you can stand up and say ‘We’re different, we’re the strong one and you can’t break us!’”
Illustration: Dougie Dodds
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Television AUTOMATED ANXIETIES, A POP UP EXHIBITION Edge-of-your-seat Drama
BBC’s Line of Duty has had its Best Series Yet, With the Finale this Week Set to be a Shocker Hannah Ford Last week’s episode of Line of Duty, the penultimate of what has been the incredible police corruption drama’s best season yet, was possibly the tensest 60 minutes of the year. They warned us it was going to be ‘a biggie’ (in the words of actor Martin Compston), but we weren’t prepared for that. The series has been building and building to this point, with this week’s episode being a 90-minute special finale, and it seems certain we’ll be in for edge-of-your-seat tension, shocks, and a master class in exactly how to put a hit drama together. The very last five minutes of the episode had my housemate and I shouting at the TV several times as the twists and shocks kept coming, and a quick look on Twitter afterwards, when Line of Duty was one of the top trending topics in the UK, shows that we weren’t the only ones. Line of Duty is known for throwing a massive twist in its audience’s faces in the last few minutes of its episodes, leaving its viewers cursing the whole week they have to wait to see what happens. The shock shooting of firearms officer Danny Waldren (Daniel Mays) in the closing minutes of the first episode was a major twist, as Daniel Mays had been billed as the main character for the series. For those unfamiliar with the show’s format, the same cast of DS Steve Arnott (Martin Compston) DC Kate Fleming (Vicky McClure), Supt Ted Hastings (Adrian Dunbar) and Matthew ‘Dot’ Cottan (Craig Parkinson) feature every season as the officers in ‘AC12’, the anti-corruption unit, with a guest main star as the police officer they are investigating changing each season. Season one featured Lennie James as corrupt
cop Tony Gates, and season two featured Keeley Hawes’ character DI Lindsey Denton as its main antagonist. Hawes’ incredible performance as the hugely complex Lindsey Denton – one minute the victim, the next the villain, who the audience could never really judge one way or the other – earned her a BAFTA nomination for Best Actress, and propelled the season into critical acclaim. It’s not difficult to see why, then, writer Jed Mercurio brought her back in episode two of this series, after both Mercurio and Hawes had maintained she would not return. They may have been telling porkies, but the unveiling of the return of one of TV’s best characters in recent years was a huge twist and great for fans of the show who had loved the character. Winning her retrial and regaining her freedom, she was free, but still nowhere near regaining her previous life, being unable to rejoin the police force – the one thing she had to live for. Lindsey was a female character unlike many female characters in TV, with an actual fleshed out backstory and a complex personality beyond the flat stereotypes. Hopefully, Hawes will earn herself a Supporting Actress nomination and a win for this season, in which she has proved herself one of our best female TV actors. And yes, I said ‘was’… more of that later. During the episode, Kate and Ted Interviewed former Chief Superintendent Patrick Fairbank over his complicity on coveringup a child sex abuse scandal in a children’s home, Sandsview. It was this children’s home in which Danny Waldren had grown up and, as it was revealed, had been abused in. This, they discovered, was the reason he shot
Ronan Murphy in the opening episode, after recognizing the face of his former abuser in a briefing meeting. The list he compiled of all the abusers was hidden by corrupt cop and ‘The Caddy’ Dot, and remains a crucial piece of evidence in bringing those involved in the abuse to justice. But it was evidence presented in Fairbank’s interview which provided one of the first big shocks of the episode: a photograph of Fairbanks with politician Dale Roach, also revealed to be a part of the abuse ring, with actual real life child abuser Jimmy Saville. Yes, you read that right: the BBC referenced Saville, once employed within the BBC, in one of its own dramas. Though not referred to by name, being referred to by Ted later as the ‘clapped out DJ’, it was clear the implications, with reference even to ‘our colleagues in Operation Yewtree’. The BBC released a statement revealing the photo was Mercurio’s idea, and that they spent much time considering whether or not to include it. It was a risk, and could have seen to be trivialising the reallife crimes and suffering of the victims, but public reception has been overwhelmingly positive. The BBC released a statement explaining its decision by claiming ‘one brief picture has been included to highlight the real-life context of the fictional story’, and, being placed in a drama all about corruption of those in a position of power, along with Ted’s incredible speech about the evils of child abuse, this inclusion worked well and sensitively within such a difficult topic. Now to those last, fateful five minutes. Unwittingly getting into the car with Dot, the corrupt cop who set her up for taking
the blame for the scandal last series, which saw her imprisoned for life, Dot attempted to bribe her with £100,000 to ‘forget’ about that infamous list of sex abusers which she had discovered (proving how much of a brilliant police detective she really is, as this is the list Steve has been hopelessly searching for since episode two). But remaining determined and a police officer to the last, she denied the bribe – and sealed her fate. Dot threatened to shoot her, and she bravely taunted him to kill her, and with the possibility of her bringing in ‘The Caddy’, having quickly solved who he is (again, much quicker than Steve!). She also threatened to email the list to Dot’s boss Ted (mine and my housemate’s first scream: ‘send it!’) And then he shot her. In the head. (second scream). RIP Lindsey, you amazing psychopath and one of the best TV characters I have ever seen. A terrified Dot realized the email had already been sent before she died, and attempted to wipe the car clean of his DNA, before removing fake license plates from the car. The car which, as it turns out, is actually Steve’s. (cue our hysterical ‘it’s Steve’s car!’ screaming for a good five minutes). Dot had been attempting to frame Steve as ‘The Caddy’, the corrupt cop who has been affecting events since season one, and Lindsey, whom he wasn’t exactly best buds with, being found dead in his car, doesn’t look too good for him. Whatever happens, the finale is sure to be amazing, whether Steve gets the blame or Dot is finally caught out. This series has proved that British drama is stronger than ever, and we have some of the best writers and actors around. So take that, America.
Illustration: Ana Dukakis
16
in bookable room 6. 30th arpil 19.30
Television
Credit: Flickr, Flickr, Lwp Kommunikáció
1953 - 2016 Victoria Wood
Peter Sheehan
“I’m going to finish now with a romantic ballad dedicated to my deep interest in the act of physical love-making... It’s very short”. What follows is, without a doubt, one of the greatest comedy songs ever written. Indeed, it isn’t just a good comedy song: it’s a good song. “I could handle half the tenors in a male-voice choir”, “Bend me over backwards on my hostess trolley”, and finishing with the immortal line “Beat me on the bottom with a woman’s weekly”, “Let’s Do It”, written by the now late
Victoria Wood, is just so damn funny.
If ever there was a celebrity whom we felt we knew, it was Wood. She had a warmth as a performer, an smile and a charisma, that somehow managed to overcome the otherwise obvious fact that, in all likelihood, we did’t actually know her. This may, of course, be said of many comedians and actors. But Wood had an honesty that made her performances feel less like a spectacle put on for the entertainment of thosands than an amiable – if wickedly funny – chat over a cup of tea or a pint.
But the fact that so many people felt an affinity with Wood and her work is that she wrote comedy about the familiar and the mundane: about antique’s shops and workplace canteens, about pregnancy, and about middle-aged people who just can’t be bothered to have sex anymore. Many of us found some aspect of our lives referenced and reflected in her work, and that made her all the funnier. Wood had no time for the glamorous and the showy. She was interested in the humble and the ordinary. She introduced us to all the odd
little things that we do and showed us just how barmy so many of them were. It was brand of humour that was ostensibly gentle but which, in reality, could be clinically precise. Wood joins the platoon of other celebrities who have shuffled off this mortal coil so far this year. We prefer deaths of which we are forewarned; in any event, 62 is not as old as it once was. She leaves behind a country where social mobility is not what it was. If there are any lessons that Victoria Wood taught us, it’s that embracing and ordinary life is far better than sneering at it.
17
Gaming & Technology
AUTOMATED ANXIETIES, A POP UP EXHIBITION
England's Secret Gaming Gem Exploring the Norwich Gaming Festival Kirsty McAlpine The Norwich Gaming Festival returned to the Forum again this year. Between the 28th of March and the 2nd of April, the NGF showcased a massive variety of talks, workshops, and events, offering a fantastic array of entertainment to keep the keen gamer returning throughout the week, with each day offering new experiences completely different from the last. I visited on the Thursday, keen to sample what the gaming festival had to offer. The main area was buzzing with activity; after its popularity last year, The Retro Arcade made its much anticipated reappearance, bringing along a series of obscure consoles to fuel our nostalgia against a comprehensive timeline of gaming. A massive range of games old and new were available for the inquisitive player. This was a huge attraction for younger gamers particularly, who flocked to consoles from long before their time and began to enjoy some critically-acclaimed games of
the past. Many older players also enjoyed this attraction, indulging in the nostalgia brought about by the fantastic opportunity to revisit the gaming experiences of their childhood. Not only did the Gaming Festival play host to an array of existing titles, but it also exhibited a line-up of many locally developed indie games, with their creators present to answer questions and discuss their creative process. This offered more than a series of varied and interesting experiences with a vast variety of genres and themes, but it also presented an opportunity to playtest and help refine already comprehensive and beautiful gameplay. Between titles such as the spaceship builder Cosmicraft and the beautiful puzzle-platformer Hue, there was so much available for every gaming fan to sample. All of these titles are present on the NGF website and many are available for donation and support. It was not just video games
that were featured however; the festival also played host to table-top games such as the tactical King’s Court, which provided a fun yet highly strategic experience for the player, and garnered much popularity amongst festival visitors.
as their able-bodied counterparts in order to assist therapy, confidence, and rehabilitation. It was fantastic to see such a good cause garnering such support, and was certainly one of the most amazing parts of the experience.
Attractions varied throughout the week, with many indie games available only on certain days. The Friday was of particular note, playing host to both the Norwich Gaming Festival Pub Quiz, which ran between 7pm and 11pm, and Gamerbake, which offered an amazing variety of gaming-related cakes and sweets.
The centre of the main area held a huge art display, home to a vast exhibition of beautiful gaming and technology-related works from the Norwich University of the Arts. None of these were for sale, but luckily Patrick’s Art Room was present in the outer tent to offer bespoke portraits and prints of darkly hyper-realistic gaming paintings, particularly of Nintendo characters. The tent also played host to many different stalls with vastly different merchandise. Of particular interest, the Iwanna…Candy! stall offered a delicious range of American confectionary.
The main area also held stalls of many larger companies and institutions. GAME made an appearance, as did Ubisoft, UEA, and the Norwich University of Arts. GamerHub was on hand to offer gaming advice to parents. However, one company of particular remark was SpecialEffect, a charity dedicated to allowing those with physical disability to enjoy video gaming to the same extent
Overall, the NGF had so much to offer, and hopefully every gaming fan studying at UEA got an opportunity to visit and enjoy the experiences available.
Playstyles of the Rich and Famous Celebrities Play Games More Than We Realise
Kirsty McAlpine It’s hard to imagine your average celebrity doing day-to-day things like popping to the shops, microwaving a ready-meal, or reading Heat - but it happens. Something in particular that is often neglected from public thought is that of video games. Popular opinion seems to dictate that anyone aged twenty or older has no interest in gaming, but they couldn’t be further from the truth. As one of the biggest mediums of entertainment on this planet, gaming has accrued a fantastic number of fans, and celebrities are not absent from this group. Yet when one thinks of Megan Fox, her Halo obsession isn’t really the first thing that springs to mind. Neither do many attribute the breakup of Vanessa Hudgens and Zac Efron to the latter’s Xbox, but it is believed to be the case. Likewise, few recognise Will Arnett’s keen appreciation for the Call of Duty franchise. Nevertheless, celebrities fall to the same vices as any member of the population- sometimes to fantastic lengths. Many know Matthew Perry as Chandler Bing from the hit series Friends, but few
remember his admission on The View that he played Fallout 3 so obsessively that he contracted carpal tunnel syndrome and had to see a doctor. This led to Bethesda taking note of the star’s interest, and immediately enlisted his voice work on the developing game, Fallout: New Vegas, in which he played the character Benny. Many players will know Benny as the secondary antagonist of the game, and the instigator for the entire main quest after he shoots the protagonist and leaves them for dead. Though Perry’s acting was not massively well-received by fans as it lacked his usual humour and charm, his character was a greatly interesting facet of the game. Under certain circumstances, the player character can even go to bed with him!
obsession with the Legend of Zelda franchise, and has a great appreciation for many MMORPGs such as Tachi Panda with her character Randa, and the greater known World of Warcraft, on which she plays as a Night Elf Hunter and a Blood Elf Rogue.
Ronda Rousey also takes a surprising place here as she is very outspoken about her Pokémon obsession. In an interview she admitted that she has completed every single Pokémon game from every single Pokémon generation, and that her favourite creature is Mew and her favourite type is the fighting type. As a teen, she moderated a Pokémon forum. Not only that, but she holds a keen
Finally, Dara O’Briain, the fantastically famous Irish comedian, is somewhat renowned for his own love of video games. They often find themselves as the subject of his stand-up, usually in the form of a frantic rant about gaming interface or unlockable content. In one of his acts on Live at the Apollo, Dara detailed his experience with video games, his hatred of the crouch
Fun Fact Microsoft employs TV personality Jonathan Ross as an Executive Producer for Xbox games produced in the UK.
mechanic, and his scorn of the Nintendo wii. A notable fan of the Metal Gear Solid franchise, the Grand Theft Auto franchise, and the Rock Band franchise, Dara is very proud of his love of video games. Many celebrities are secretive of their second lives behind pixel screens, perhaps indicative of the prejudices still levelled against video games. But every time you spend a ten-hour gaming spree, don’t forget- you’re exactly the same in your habits as acclaimed actors and wrestlers.
Fun Fact Henry Cavill, the latest actor to play Superman, almost lost his chance to land the role when he ignored a call from Zack Snyder to continue playing World of Warcraft.
18
Gaming & Technology
in bookable room 6. 30th arpil 19.30
Questioning a New Console Generation Should We Prioritise Games or Technology? Tom Bedford It doesn’t seem it, but we’ve had our latest console generation for three years now. Time flies, doesn’t it? It seems quite peculiar then that all the latest talk regarding the consoles seems to be about new ones. Rumours have been circulating surrounding Sony’s rumoured ‘NEO’ project, otherwise referred to as ‘PS4.5’ or ‘PS4K’, which will supposedly have better graphical and processing power than the standard Playstation 4. Microsoft too have been working hard, filing with the Federal Communications Commission for features not seen in the standard Xbox One. It seems that these long-time competitors are gearing up for this console generation’s second battle. Yet that’s not the only news surrounding consoles that these parties have featured in. Talking to someone from Game Informer, the president of Playstation- Shuhei Yoshidareferred to a Playstation 5 with an uncertain ‘if ’. Meanwhile the head of Microsoft’s Xbox team, Phil Spencer, stated that he’d much rather build a new Xbox than improve the Xbox one. However if the upgraded Xbox one was to go ahead, the future of Xbox too would be in question. These revelations cause us to question our
assumptions about a new console generation. The previous generations lasted roughly five and seven years respectively, so people were working with the prediction that these consoles would last nine years- until roughly 2022. This would give developers time to work out how to properly work with the new consoles, us gamers time to become comfortable with them, and give retailers time to reduce the prices properly until games were affordable, as they became for PS3/ Xbox 360/ Wii games towards the end of their cycle. It seems we were wrong. The main function of new consoles is to improve the hardware- giving us new features, improved processing powers in the machine, or longer lasting accessories. However with the current console generation being relatively powerful, these features have become redundant. The lack of improvement necessary in the power of the consoles would suggest that the current generation is where we should stay. Of course, this isn’t the only factor. A console is only as good as its games, and with each new console comes a new salvo of games. Series like Uncharted, Gears of War or the Batman
Arkham games are all series that we associate with a specific console generation, despite new iterations being produced currently.
Fun Fact The current generation of consoles is considered the eigth. It consists of the 3DS, Wii U and PS Vita from 2011, and the PS4 and Xbox One from 2013. Generations are like chapters in a bookalthough elements are carried over, certain things are expected to stay in one compartment. This new chapter has brought us games that will lead to franchises such as Titanfall - and this industry assumption of new generations meaning new franchises is what keeps games fresh. How many new intellectual properties were released at the end of the previous gen cycle? If we keep with the current gen consoles permanently, it’s highly likely that the amount of new franchises will diminish severely. Let’s look at it from the point of view of the
developers, too. Over time the price of a console drops- it becomes older and less novel, people are less excited for it. Presumably, this will keep going until they are as cheap as previous-gen consoles are now. This means the companies won’t be making much- especially if we consider that, as some sources reported before its release, Sony actually makes a loss from selling PS4 consoles on their own. It’s only with accessories and games that they make their profit- and with a decrease in price, this loss will only increase. The same can be said for Microsoft, there will be a point at which it simply isn’t profitable to carry on selling Xbox One consoles. It’s understandable that hopes are of there being no new console generations. We’ve only just started to become comfortable with what we play currently, the thought of new consoles already makes our bank statements weep. There’s no doubt that we’ll be happy with our current consoles for a long time now, but this won’t always be the case. People used to dread the thought of the current console generation until it happened- and now we rarely touch our previous consoles. For the industry, change is always better. We just need to remember that change is only good when it happens at the right time- and now isn’t that right time.
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19
Film
AUTOMATED ANXIETIES, A POP UP EXHIBITION
Rob Klim This film feels truly necessary in an age when man’s precarious relationship with the natural world has seriously come into question. The imagery in harmony with beautiful CGI, coupled with the remarkable performance of Mowgli (Neel Sethli) instantaneously enrapture the audience in a world more tantalizing than Avatar’s. The film’s imagery is more pronounced and hard-hitting thanks to the effective use of CGI to animate the mesmerising images of a Garden of Eden-esque rainforest, bustling with photo-realistic flora and fauna. Incorporating the theatricality of the classic 1967 animated Disney film, as well as the memorability of the characters of stories, The Jungle Book comes together around of a calibre of cast rarely seen. Only in a paradise
The Jungle Book like that on screen would the lazy Baloo the Bear, be played by Bill Murray, or in the dark depths of its jungle, have Shere Khan be brought to life by the commanding tone of Idris Elba.
fall out of the tropical tree. However, from both the perspective of the original material and contemporary audiences, the director takes a dignified and respectful approach to his work.
Idris Elba possibly playing James Bond has been a much debated topic in recent years, yet, at the very least, if he was cast as a Bond villain, he would inevitably cause you to drop your popcorn and wet yourself in excitement and fear!
Never is this blend of old and new clearer, than in what has to be the best adaptation of Mowgli put to screen. Mowgli embodying man and his cooperation with animals such as Baloo, assisting in honey foraging. Conveying powerfully how nature and mankind can live side by side.
Even during the end credits, the director John Favreau continues to work his magic, ensuring that the audience remain stuck in their seats with the eerie anaconda Kaa’s (Scarlet Johanssen’s), slithery performance of “Trust in Me”. Some audiences expecting an archetypical, romping Disney musical may
Overall then, with the Director combining the timeless characters and imagery of the nineteenth century stories, with timely themes of environmentalism, this on-screen adaptation of The Jungle Book, is the best one yet!
+Immersive
Yes
+Brilliant cast
+Good use of CGI
Jon Favreau knows how to perfectly combine the old with the new, in the best adaptation of The Jungle Book yet.
Illustration Credit: Dougie Dodds
20
Film
in bookable room 6. 30th arpil 19.30
Eye in the Sky
Louis Pigeon-Owen This is more than a political thriller. This goes deeper than a commentary on the dehumanising effects of drone warfare. This is a very different type of story altogether. What starts off as a simple mission to capture Al-Shabaab extremists in Nairobi, rapidly becomes a tangled, incomprehensible mess of violence and conflicting interests, affecting people on every rung of the military hierarchy. Perhaps that’s why Eye in the Sky is so unique, for the fact that every member of the operation is put under equally microscopic observation. From the undercover agent (Barkhad Abdi, of Captain Phillips fame) risking his life on the ground, to the British Foreign Secretary taking video calls as he battles food poisoning on the toilet, everyone is feeling the pressure. Just as the suicide bombers are under unflinching scrutiny, so too are those running the operation. Those
Alex Morrison
such as Lieutenant Benson (played by Alan Rickman in his brilliant and last ever screen appearance – praise be) and Colonel Powell (Helen Mirren) as they toy with human life, coffee in one hand, computer mouse in the other. With previous films such as Ender’s Game and X-Men Origins: Wolverine marring his track record, such a profound and sensitive film would have been the last thing you’d expect from director Gavin Hood, and yet, that’s exactly what he delivers. Hood’s decision to depict the film largely using a combination of shots through the drone crosshairs, the “insect drone” cams on the ground, and video conference calls was a stroke of genius. It places the viewer in the position of judge, jury, and executioner, making them feel the burden of each decision weigh like a mountain on their shoulders, from the collateral damage debate
in London to the final, heart-wrenching decision by the drone pilot (Aaron Paul). The film keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout and, as the credits roll, it leaves you there; with no moral resolution tied up with a pretty pink ribbon, you’re left to turn the scenario over and over in your mind. This movie skips the foreplay and cuts straight to the heart of the issue: ‘what would you do?’ it asks. It’s all too easy to condemn world leaders for decisions which the media strips down to right vs wrong as if real life were just another Marvel blockbuster, but instead, Eye in the Sky provides ambiguity and grey areas by the bucketload. It plants the seed of doubt, insidiously trapping you into thinking that in aparticular environment and under certain pressure, you too might be able to squeeze the trigger … Eye in the Sky is brutal, tender and emotionally
torturous, but above all it’s one of those rare films which refuses to be forgotten.
Yes
+Daring +Provocative +Alan
Rickman A stunning and intricate study of the act and consequences of war.
Midnight Special
Midnight Special may look like a high budget science-fiction film, but in actuality it plays out like a tranquil and sombre chase movie that focuses upon the importance of family and cults. Following the journey of Alton, a young boy with special abilities, and his father (Michael Shannon) attempting to get to an important destination, whilst escaping authorities and the cult that held him, writer and director Jeff Nicholls allows the story to play out in a fast paced yet serene manner. Little time is spent on exposition, instead leaving the audience to fill in the mysteries of the film. Whilst this method of storytelling threatens to leave a confusing tone to the story, it works due to the cerebral nature of the plot – if it were bogged down with a heavy amount of detail, the film would be not as likely to be as interesting as it is. The downside of this however, is that the conclusion proves to be somewhat disappointing, coming across as syrupy and rather out of place with the more sincere rest of the movie. The movie exceeds in its technical style and acting. With a crisp filming style, the film looks suitably down to earth and natural, whilst the moments when Alton utilises his powers contain strong special effects and intense camera work that helps to contribute to a tense atmosphere and making the film seem more grand scale than it actually is. The cast all give solid performances too, creating depth to what are on the surface light characters. Michael Shannon is particularly good as father Roy Tomlin; serving as an
entrance point for the audience, he brings gritty emotion to the film and resonates as a parental figure. Strong performances are also given by Joel Edgerton and Kirsten Dunst, who serve to provide support to Alton’s trip, whilst Adam Driver is intriguing as an FBI agent curious to discover Alton’s abilities. Meanwhile newcomer Jaeden Lieberher is decent if not spectacular as Alton, being above average for a child star. Overall, Midnight Special succeeds in being a thoughtful and visually appealing sci-fi film which makes up for its lack of action with its intriguing human drama. Sure, the ending is a bit out of place and may leave an overly sugary taste, but the build-up is done so well that it’s easy to forgive.
+Thoughtful
Yes
+Strong acting
-Weak ending
Minimal storytelling creates a strong family drama in the disguise of a sci-fi film.
Credit: Entertainment One
21
Film
AUTOMATED ANXIETIES, A POP UP EXHIBITION
Zootropolis Melissa Haggar Following on from the enormous success of Frozen and Big Hero 6, Walt Disney Animation Studios are back to bring you Zootropolis (or Zootopia, depending on your regional location), a family friendly feature full of, well, fur. This mammal movie takes place after all species of animals have had a biological evolution, no longer needing to attack each other, choosing to instead live in a haven together in Zootropolis. So, in this animal utopian buddy-cop animation, we meet our unlikely hero: Officer Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) – a small town bunny from Bunnyburrow who dreams of helping the world at the Z.P.D (Zootropolis Police Department). When Judy’s chance comes up, she packs her bags and sets off for Zootropolis, leaving her many rabbit relatives behind. Once in the big city, life isn’t quite how she imagined, and she is quickly relegated to parking meter duty by Cape buffalo Chief Bogo (Idris Elba), a significant step down from what she envisioned. Determined to battle prejudice amongst her fellow officers, and after a chance
encounter with an otter, she rallies to be put on a missing animal’s case, and things quickly descend into chaos as the predator mystery unravels. Along for the ride is her reluctant ‘team-member’, a con artist fox named Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman), who Hopps hustles into helping her. Goodwin (Once Upon A Time, He’s Just Not That Into You) embodies every characteristic of her plucky bunny in her performance, showing that you can be small and still make a difference. In an unlikely pairing, Goodwin’s Hopps finds a friend in Bateman’s (Arrested Development, Horrible Bosses) Wilde, a street-smart but somewhat disenchanted fox. Goodwin and Bateman are electric on screen together, and the voice acting is some of the best to have graced the screen in recent years. If you are expecting some utterly vibrant animation, considering the Disney name, you will not be disappointed. Every image is a triumphant creation, and the vast landscapes of this world are displayed in breath-taking
hues; from the hustle and bustle of Savanna Central, to the frosty fisheries of Tundratown, every environment is thoughtfully developed to create maximum immersion for viewers. As Judy rides the main train to the city, you really feel as if you are right there with her, watching the illustrious storms of the Rainforest district overhead. Zootropolis is an enlightening celebration of multiculturalism amongst animals which has thought-provoking relatability to our everyday lives. It seems unlikely that an animated film could be as resounding and potentially influential as more traditional media in changing ideas and viewpoints, but it is actually well positioned to promote its messages of tolerance, unity, and acceptance. Along with its rebellion against stereotypes and seeming social commentary on police bias, the film will hopefully not only resonate in children’s minds, as this is a movie that appeals to all generations. Disney seems to have timed this release perfectly, especially considering current cultural and political climates; Zootropolis may well indeed be the
reminder that we all need to be accepting of those around us, and to always keep trying to be better versions of ourselves. Filled with genuine heart and imaginative characters, Zootropolis is every bit as inspirational as it is enjoyable, giving hope that perhaps there is a Zootropolis out there for us all to bask in one day.
+Inspiring
Yes
+Charming +Socially relevant
Judy Hopps is the role model every campus rabbit should aspire to be.
Credit: Disney
22
in bookable room 6. 30th arpil 19.30
Film
The Silent Woman Why Do Men Still Dominate Dialogue in Films? Claudette Gaia “White men dominate movie roles” is something we have all heard and read before, but now the anecdotal truth has finally been statistically proven, as the results of the largest ever analysis of film dialogue has been undertaken. The results: bad. Very, very bad. In 40 years only 164 films have given 6090% of their dialogue to female characters compared to 1206 films giving 60-90% to men. Only nine films have given 90% of lines to women, compared to 307 films giving 90% or more to male characters. The results are unsurprising, but the statistics are shocking. Why is this the case? Is it a covert, secret plot to wipe out female representation and perpetuate a ‘meninist’ agenda? Probably not. Is it everyday sexism? Is it casual ageism? Do we as a society not see the value in hearing women speak proportionally to men? Perhaps. In fact, this is what the statistics underline. I do not believe this intense underrepresentation to be a conscious decision in all situations. One of the reasons could be the fact that more men are playing minor character roles than women are. There is an assumption in Hollywood that men will
play smaller roles such as the sidekick, or a doctor, or a police officer, whereas women won’t. If we look at a film like Frozen, for example, despite being a female-centric film (one driven by female characters and plot) male characters still have 57% of the movie’s lines. Is this that shocking when you think about it? The only real female characters in the film are Elsa and Anna; nearly every other character, minor or major, is male. What this means is that in the two years it took to get Frozen from an idea to being on the big screen, no one thought to say to an executive producer, or a writer, or anyone with any power, “hey, this film doesn’t have many women in it actually! Why don’t we make the shopkeeper a woman? Or Olaf, why does he have to be a snowMAN?” Which is exactly the point, Hollywood takes for granted that even minor characters can be female. Instead, it is just assumed that they will be male. To the point that you can spend two years physically creating every detail of a film and not even notice that the majority of the characters, in a movie about empowerment, are completely dominated by men. While this seems to be an unconscious
decision made by Hollywood, a mistake for a better word, the rest of the time it isn’t. The study examined the dialogue given to men and women at different stages of their life. As you would expect, as a woman ages her dialogue decreases, while the opposite is true of a man. An actress between the ages of 2231 has 38% of the lines (which is actually more than men of the same age who only receive 20% of all lines) but by the time they are between the ages of 42 and 65 women only speak 20% of the dialogue in all films. Men, on the other hand, end up with 39% of the dialogue, which is 55 m words compared to women of the same age who only receive 11 m words. What this tells us is that as women age, their voices grow more and more invaluable. It teaches us that women’s value in society is based on their youthfulness. This message is bad enough, but it only gets worse. The prevailing opinion in Hollywood seems to be that a woman over 32 is over the hill, and by the time an actress is in her forties she is no longer believably attractive. Hollywood perpetuates the equation that youth = beauty and that beauty = youth, but it specifically emphasizes this for women. Not long ago, it came to light that at 37 Maggie Gyllenhaal
was told she was “too old” to play the love interest of a 55-year-old man. Just let that sink in, with an 18 year age gap he would technically be old enough to be her father, but she was too old to be his girlfriend? I understand that we are supposed to suspend our disbelief when watching a film, but who would honestly look at an 18 year age gap and say “no way, she is too old for him”? Where is the logic? The mindset of Hollywood is that men get wiser and more attractive as they age, whereas women just get older. And who wants to hear a woman in their forties speak? Well, I am sure that the millions of women around the world aged forty or above would not mind hearing, and seeing themselves, honestly represented on screen. Hollywood has some serious issues to sort out and needs to not just give women a voice on screen, but also a fair representation, because as it is going now it is not just harmful and damaging to women, but it is affecting the way in which we view women in our society. The backlash to the white male domination of Hollywood is growing louder, and this will hopefully result in women of varying ages, backgrounds, and colour being given equal representation on screen. At the moment though, Hollywood has a way to go.
Illustrator: Dougie Dodds. Credit: Entertainment One
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