Skip to main content

Month: November 2012

‘Amour’

Written by Andrew Home on . Posted in Film.

Michael Haneke has made a name for himself with hopeless, despairing films such as the fourth-wall-breaking torture fest Funny Games (2008) and World War I drama, The White Ribbon (2009). Amour, like The White Ribbon, won the Palme d’Or, in its respective year, and with good reason. Amour is a crushingly bleak but beautiful tale of an elderly Parisian couple and their struggle through their final years.

Georges (Jean-Louis Trintignant) and Anne (Emmanuelle Riva) live with a fair amount of comfort and happiness in a Paris apartment until one day Anne suffers a stroke. Georges tries his best to care for the now semi-paralysed and slowly deteriorating Anne, never once complaining about his wife’s tragic situation. Anne begins to show signs of improvement before another stroke leaves her bed-ridden and incomprehensible. Never even allowing the idea of sending her away to a home to enter his mind, Georges is forced to watch as his wife dies slowly in front of him.

One may be inclined to think that a film entitled Amour would have some sort of clichéd, sugar-coated “love conquers all” message but Haneke is far too melancholic for that. In fact, Amour feels far more like a horror movie than one could reasonably expect. One particularly effective dream sequence has Georges walking through the eerily waterlogged, dilapidated halls of his apartment building while the camera follows him around blind corners, much like it does for Danny’s tricycle rides in The Shining (1980). Amour effectively shows how terrifying growing old can really be.

TOP 5…Puppet films

Written by Leo Mates on . Posted in Film.

5. Team America: World Police – Yeah, it’s a bit childish, and it may have been designed to insult just about anyone who could ever watch it, but let’s face it, it is very funny. It also contains the most swearwords in any film ever.

4. Jurassic Park – Quite possibly Spielberg’s finest film. Anyone who had to watch this as a child will have experienced the terror of thinking dinosaurs could attack at any time. Plus, the animatronics on the dinosaurs still look surprisingly good two decades on.

3. The Nightmare Before Christmas – A fantastic Christmas film that isn’t really a Christmas film, it can also be noted as a rare example of a Tim Burton film that doesn’t feature either Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter. Worth watching just for Danny Elfman’s ‘What’s this?’ which features some of the finest puppet acting ever seen.

2. Wallace and Gromit: A Grand Day Out – The original Wallace and Gromit film featured the inventor and his dog taking a day trip to the moon when they run out of cheese. Single handedly responsible for misleading an entire generation of children on the cheese like quality of the moon, it also featured a sad little moon robot who just wants to go skiing.

1. The Muppet Christmas Carol – Though any of the Muppet movies could have made it onto this list, it always had to be the Christmas Carol. A must watch for Christmas time, where else would you possibly be able to see Michael Caine eating Christmas lunch with Kermit the Frog?

Preview: Zero Dark Thirty

Written by Robbie Davidson on . Posted in Film.

Director: Kathryn Bigelow

Starring: Jessica Chastain, Kyle Chandler and Mark Strong 

It seems Kathryn Bigelow is in the habit of breaking records. In 2008 she became the first woman to win the Academy Award for Best Director for the astounding The Hurt Locker. Now, four years later, she has surely broken the record for shortest time between an event taking place and a film based on it being released. By the time Zero Dark Thirty hits screens it will have been little over eighteen months since a team of Navy Seals killed Osama bin Laden in what has become a defining moment of the 21st Century.

Kudos then to Bigelow and her screenwriter Mark Boal (whom she reunites with from The Hurt Locker) for staying topical. But the truth is Bigelow’s film about the hunt for bin Laden in fact precedes the event itself. Before the dramatic events in Abbottabad, Bigelow was already in the process of making a film about the ten year hunt for the world’s most wanted man. Originally it was presumed to focus on the frustration of those most involved in the hunt and the psychological turmoil that came with it. Much in the way The Hurt Locker wasn’t really about defusing bombs, it was about human trauma, Zero Dark Thirty would be more about the emotional impact and dedicated nature of those pursuing bin Laden than the manhunt itself.

But real life events changed things significantly, with Osama bin Laden now dead the nature of the film shifted considerably. Unparalleled access to classified documents means Zero Dark Thirty looks set to be a fascinating insight into how the CIA finally caught their man. That’s is not to say the film has disregarded the themes of its original incarnation. With a heavyweight cast, including woman of the moment, Jessica Chastain, Zero Dark Thirty will likely be as engaging as a character study on obsession, as it will be one as one of the year’s best thrillers.      

Japanimation Society

Written by Richard Les on . Posted in Societies.

Every Friday the Japanimation Society meet for a night of scheduled programming free from the tropes and clichés of western film and television. I caught up with Peter Tran to find out more.

‘‘We are a free society that is centred on watching, discussing and enjoying anime, also known as Japanimation. We do weekly screenings to showcase various shows and films to introduce and engage both people unfamiliar with anime and fans who may just be getting involved (or are long-time fans). It’s all about opening up people’s horizons to learn about different and new concepts, which is one of the big aspects of being at University.’’

‘‘Japanese studios treat animation more objectively and use it to match and enhance the content of their work, so it’s not limited to kids-only fare. It can be applied to different age brackets and genres such as fantasy adventure, science fiction and even just serene drama, all of which can be played straight. The strongest benefit of animation is that it frees up the imagination more than live-action, when those images and scenes would then have to be matched to reality, what settings and actors were available and what the bank balance would allow for with effects. In animation however, all that can be interpreted as the creators wish and be presented directly to the audience. Detractors often dismiss anime as simply being weird, but that is one of the great things about it; it can be as weird, as extravagant, as surreal or as small, intimate and tranquil as it wants to be.’’

‘‘In addition, it is always fascinating to experience foreign products and see how it reflects different concepts and thoughts, be it on specific matters to Japan or on general matters observed across other nations (e.g. Environmentalism, technology in society). Plus, enjoyable stories along with enthralling imagery shouldn’t be overlooked by the general public simply because it’s not from a CGI-saturated Hollywood live-action franchise-spinner.’

As well as weekly screenings of TV shows, the Japanimation Society also hold a feature film double bill most months; next up is a Christmas-themed joint film night with the Manchester Japanese Society on Friday 14th December showing one live-action and one animated film. On Sunday 16th December they will also be holding a Christmas Cosplay Party at The Zoo: ‘The event is open to the general public and attendees needn’t have to dress up to get in. But it helps as cosplayers pay £1.50 (instead of the usual £3.50 entry fee). We have a DJ and there’s going to be a vibrant mix of Japanese and Korean music, so it’s going to be a unique event in the society’s calendar.’

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/mujsociety/

UMSU page: http://manchesterstudentsunion.com/groups/japanimation-society

 

Feeder

Written by Fin Murphy on . Posted in Music.

18th November 2012, Academy 1

4/10

In reminiscence and anecdote, it’s often the case that one can hit a nerve, causing an uncomfortable resonance. For Feeder’s vocalist and guitarist Grant Nicholas this comes late in his band’s set when he introduces the recent single ‘Idaho’, and remarks to the packed out room: ‘back in the 90’s, when there was good music’. It’s in this jocularity that one’s reminded of the sheer irrelevance of Feeder, who’ve long since had their day. Few recall their activity in the 90’s, before they shook off their Radiohead impression and created beauty out of tragedy in the form of ‘Comfort in Sound’, their most creative and commercial peak. The ten years since then have been successful to the point where they have a solid crowd supporting them and no need to be at the forefront of British guitar-rock. It is in this context that we meet them at the Academy, touring to support their latest album ‘Generation Freakshow’.

Feeder kick off with opener ‘Oh My’, the same track which begins ‘Generation Freakshow’, a track reliant on the formula the band have spent years crafting: quiet-loud structure, straightforward lyrics and an anthemic quality, perhaps better suited to venues ten-times that of the Academy. Along with the flamboyant back screen, it suggests an uncomfortable yearning to return to the height of their fame all those years ago. Nicholas begins one of about three attempts at banter, of which he calls Manchester the band’s ‘second home’; red-meat to the largely greying crowd, who’ve turned up for a night of reliably hard rocking. All throughout the night, the band are given a warm reception, but that spikes intensely at several points. ‘Just The Way I’m Feeling’ is one of these, an elegant track on record but here lacking some of the atmosphere-building nuances which are paid off so well by the chorus. It morphs into a big rock track, which the house goes wild for. This is followed by Nicholas noting how he lost a ‘coin toss’, necessitating the band perform the following track: ‘Buck Rogers’. Again, uncomfortably resonant of the fact that Feeder are beyond obliged to play that ‘Godzilla’ of a hit live, so overdone by now it’s hard to see them going through anything but the motions. Nonetheless, this track again overworks many pacemakers in the room.

Many of of the younger fans in attendance go most wild upon hearing choice cuts from recent releases ‘Renegades’ and ‘Generation Freakshow’, leading up to the inevitable ‘ending’ and encore. Here, Feeder end with a fair mix of their catalogue. Recent single ‘Children of the Sun’ kicks off proceedings, again enlivening their crowd- particularly the fresher faced among them. That said, they do play their own official video in the background, something Lethal Bizzle would refer to as ‘a bit leave it.’ Up next is rarely heard early track ‘Sweet 16’, which elicits an almost excessive amount of jumping in an up-and-down fashion and fist-pumping (to the point of nearly banging out my +1). This track is played with an almost sloppy enthusiasm, far from the mechanistic play-through much of their set has been. With a death-like certainty, ‘Just A Day’ caps off the concert, with seemingly every mouth attending singing along to THAT riff; by almost the end, even the band are, leading to the insane idea that they’re having fun. In any case, Feeder set many middle-aged paces running and satisfied rose-tinted sentimentalists, but it’s hardly a cutting-edge, fan-gaining concert. It’s more of a celebration of a career while continuing to plod on until their music finally reaches its desired shade of beige.

#demo2012 “We’re still a bit mad, not really sure why”

Written by Lisa Murgatroyd on . Posted in Opinion.

At the NUS National Conference in April 2012, it was voted to hold a national demonstration in the first term of 2012. It took six months to organise and advertise “#demo2012” across the country to attempt to bring every university on board. The NUS estimated that 10,000 students would attend the demonstration in London, with the catchphrase “Educate, Employ, Empower”. Less than half that number made it on the day, leaving many wondering what the point was, if any.

“We all have a responsibility to make sure that our actions don’t alienate the public.” Hampered by the vivid remembrance of the damaging scenes from the last protest called by the NUS, their hands were tied. With a route that aimed to breeze past Parliament, wanting to avoid any chance of a repeat of Millbank, the march seemed to lose its steam as it moved south of the river. The pouring rain was no encouragement, and it seemed that people only continued to wearily plod along because they knew their coaches would be at the end waiting.

I certainly don’t believe that resorting to vandalism and violence is any way to get your point across, but there’s something to be said about the heavy criticisms aimed at the NUS leadership for leading students on a not so merry trail to Kennington. The story was only given a cursory mention in the national media, because let’s face it – a few thousand students walking around waving placards is nothing new or exciting.

The most interesting point of the day was the crowd turning against Liam Burns, President of the NUS, and against the NUS itself. “Liam Burns, shame on you, you’re a fucking Tory too” was just one of many angry chants they shouted over his attempts to reach out to the shivering students student in the rain and mud. The diehard Socialist Workers Party and the so called anarchists were the only ones with enough passion to stick around to the bitter end to get their point across. They seem to think that the NUS isn’t left wing enough, full of career hacks with an eye on a future in the Labour Party (who apparently aren’t left wing enough either).

The buzzwords ‘educate’, ‘employ’ and ‘empower’ were a good attempt to stir some emotion in a distinctly apathetic national body of students. However, it’s a fairly vague statement to make. The demo wasn’t called as a reaction to some new policy, or appointment. It was more of a “we’re still mad about those fees you increased two years ago”. The demo meant something different to everyone, and whilst I agree with the general sentiment, how effective could it really be?

Let’s take each word in turn. ‘Educate’ – according to the NUS, “Education is a good thing in and of itself.” Well, that’s a revelation. Thanks for spelling that out, I had no idea! It’s actually insulting that they felt the need to express exactly what education means to people who have actively sought to further it on their own accord. It goes on to say that “we demand a properly funded tertiary education system, accessible to all” which it goes without saying is a laudable goal. There’s no set idea of what they mean by properly funded though, whether that’s fee free, or with a better system of student loans, or a graduate tax. The minor triviality of demands is clearly left to your own imagination.

‘Employ’ – youth unemployment is on the rise, according to the NUS. But, latest government figures show that youth unemployment figures between 16-24 are finally starting to fall, down 53,000 since last year as of the end of September. The fact is the UK faces a fragile economy struggling to pull itself out of the black hole of a double dip recession. What is important is to make sure that graduates are not being taken advantage of with the increasing popularity of unpaid internships, but these days we seemed resigned to the fact that for most of us, we need to put in the hours for crucial experience to give us the edge over the similarly qualified competitors.

“Politicians have a lot to answer for. Many of them lied to our faces.” That was two years ago. ‘Empower’ is the keyword here, because we musn’t forget that we have a democratic right to protest. But why has it taken so long to organise a demonstration if we’re so angry? This campaign needs a lot more than a flash in the pan protest. If we want to make sure education and employment are high on the political agenda, then there needs to be more effort made to build a momentum.

There are talks of bringing the campaign to campuses now, to continue to raise awareness, but there’s no strong sense of direction. Perhaps anger against the NUS isn’t so misplaced. However, it’s a difficult task to bring students together and unite on issues in their own backyard, let alone on a national level. Perhaps I’m just too jaded to see the potential, but demo2012 certainly didn’t inspire me to hope for anything better.

LSE Students’ Union bans The Sun

Written by Anthony Organ on . Posted in News.

London School of Economics Students’ Union (LSESU) have banned Britain’s most popular newspaper.

The proposal was voted on by around 80 people and passed with more than half the popular vote at the weekly Union General Meeting.

LSESU’s General Secretary, Alex Peters-Day, said that she made the proposal because the paper is “sexist” and doesn’t sell well.

The elected official originally wanted to ban the paper without a vote, saying: “From my point of view if it were a good idea commercially to get rid of it as well as a good idea politically, I didn’t see why we couldn’t just pull it.

“Once Liam and the newspaper [The Beaver – LSE’s student paper] got wind of that they weren’t particularly happy so we had to facilitate a debate on it.”

Liam Brown, Executive Editor of The Beaver, said that Ms Peters-Day spoke to the student shop about removing The Sun.

He said: “They decided that they would pull it but we got a whiff of it and said that you can’t do this without asking people.”

The Beaver published an editorial column condemning Ms Peters-Day’s actions, accusing her of being “willing to stifle free speech”.

Mr Brown said: “These particular figures have done this before so we want to be careful.”

LSESU were accused of censorship in September when they temporarily removed copies of the London Student newspaper from campus featuring a provocative comment piece on gender-neutral toilets.

Mr Brown said: “We weren’t too happy about that because it’s a really bad precedent.”

The papers were later returned including a statement from the Union and Ms Peters-Day said: “We had to physically take it in to put a statement in but that took place within a half hour, so there was a bit of exaggeration there.”

In 2010 there was also a motion to ban both The Sun and FHM from the LSESU shop, but it was voted down at a meeting which included “sexist heckling and wolf-whistling” at the Women’s Officer.

This year’s Women’s Officer, Alice Stott, voted against the ban in the recent meeting and said: “I’m a bit disappointed, but that’s what people voted to do.”

She continued: “I think it’s very easy to single out The Sun as sexist, but in doing so you turn a blind eye to sexism which is pervasive and pernicious across all of the mainstream media.

“It’s simplistic and classist to single out The Sun, it implies that misogyny is something only working class men do when in fact it happens across the national press.”

Asked why The Sun was targeted, Ms Peters-Day said: “I think because it’s quite symbolic to be honest. I know that’s not necessarily the best reason but it is the only mainstream paper that still has a Page 3.

“The fact that The Independent has hardly any woman columnists is a really awful thing, but I’m not sure it’s as bad as The Sun and Page 3.”

This month is the 42nd anniversary of Page 3 and there is currently a campaign against it titled ‘No More Page 3’.

Last week, MMU student and ‘No More Page 3’ activist  Hayley Devlin told The Mancunion that the campaign got under way after its organiser noticed that – despite the success of British women at the Olympics – Page 3 models were still the most prominent women in The Sun throughout the games.

LSE’s Hayek Soceity responded to the ban by organising a free giveaway of The Sun on campus, but their stall was reportedly attacked and vandalised.

LSE student union were wrong to boycott The Sun

Written by Tom Acey on . Posted in Opinion.

There’s a right way to go about making a stand. Major environmental pressure groups, anti-war demonstrators, anti-fascist campaigners have all found ways to promote their cause without exerting an undue political influence. Sadly, as with our own students’ union’s #Demo2012 societies funding debacle, the London School of Economics SU has sacrificed its own political impartiality in boycotting The Sun newspaper.

Let’s make this clear. The ‘boycott’ in this case was not an organised student protest, but an executive decision to remove the newspaper from the shelves of the union shop. The decision to go ahead with the boycott was made by a committee of 80 individuals, comprised from a student population of around 8,600. According to The Beaver, the LSE student newspaper, the union had removed The Sun for ‘economic reasons’, yet most were led to believe that the objectification of page 3 girls, rather than lack of sales, was the union’s main concern.

LSE SU General Secretary Alex Peters-Day went some way to clearing the confusion: ‘The Sun currently has a very low readership on campus, and it would not be to the economic detriment of the SU if we were to stop stocking The Sun.’ she said in her online blog. ‘Given that The Sun promotes such a negative portrayal of women through page 3 this is an example where our ‘political’ motivations complement our commercial decisions.’

Put simply, the only economic issue was as to whether the union could afford to support the boycott; the decision was almost entirely politically motivated.

Should a small committee of students really be allowed to ban readership of student newspaper because of their own political bias?  Many of us may despise The Sun, but it is not for us to decide who should read it. Press freedom may be under greater scrutiny in the Leveson era, but it is still integral to a fair democracy. People have a right to be informed on current events, but it is dangerous for this information to be fed to us according to the political views of one particular group.

The aforementioned voting process has also come under scrutiny, as many students have rightly complained the notion was passed without a proper referendum. The fact that the vote was wholly disproportionate is concerning, but it is a mere side issue in this debate. Even if the process had been properly conducted, the idea that a majority vote could be taken as validation for the removal of a prominent newspaper is extremely worrying. 

It has done nothing to stimulate debate over what is an entirely relevant argument. Many national and student groups have campaigned admirably against the objectification of women, but the reasons behind the decision are now largely irrelevant. Almost none of the recent coverage of the boycott has been about the legitimacy of the sexualised representation of women. Rather than debating the rights and wrongs of the page 3 format, protesters are simply queuing up in support of the free press.

LSE student Ben Green sympathises with the protestors’ stance: ‘Many people might think that The Sun is a horrendous paper, but this is about freedom of choice. I personally believe that the union should be politically neutral – it is worrying that a small group of students were able to make such a decision.’

With hindsight, the continued stocking of The Sun alongside a considerable anti-page 3 campaign might have done more to help the group’s cause. Simply abusing their position in removing a newspaper without reasonable grounds cannot be in their best interests. In reality, the sudden, unexplained absence of a popular daily newspaper is not going to help garner support for the cause among students.

Had those behind the boycott wished to sufficiently dent student readership of The Sun, then they might have been better advised to continuing educating students on the reasons behind it. Speakers’ events, flyers, committee meetings, socials etc. would have given the group the opportunity to explain their grievances and gain support for their cause, without compromising the supposed impartiality of the student union.

As I have made clear already, the LSE student union have every right to raise their concerns about the sexist depiction of women. However, the union’s role should not be to exert political bias, but to ensure that they do not allow their own political agenda to influence their decision-making. It is ironic to think that whilst feminists in the early 20th century fought for so long for the right to vote, a minority of their modern-day counterparts are instead intent on quashing the democratic rights of others. To steal from Voltaire: the union might not agree with what The Sun has to say, but it is vital that they defend their right to say it.

ISOC raise £7000 for charity

Written by Michael Williams on . Posted in News.

The Islamic Societies in Manchester raised over £7000 from a week of charity fundraising.

This placed Manchester third in the Charity Week North initiative, behind Liverpool and Leeds.

The University of Manchester Islamic Society undertook a variety of charity work, including bucket collections around campus, bake sales at University Place and henna designing. The week was rounded off with a climb of Mount Snowdon.

A ‘Sister’s Social’ also took place, where all females could gather and relax.

“As we get two days in the whole year to celebrate, it’s important that we do”, explained Mohammed Ahmed, lead volunteer.

“I learnt a lot, met people from various backgrounds and felt a spirit of unity throughout, coming together for a cause that is close to my heart.”

The total, £7056.01, was more than double that raised during Charity Week 2011. It was put towards the grand total for the North – which was almost £57,000. This placed the North third in the national tables also, with only Scotland and the Midlands raising more.

The Charity Week initiative is a non-profit, volunteer led organisation that raises money for orphans and needy children. They act according to Islamic principles, and do not discriminate against any volunteer, donors or recipients.

In a statement posted on the Manchester Charity Week 2012 page, ISOC thanked volunteers for a “phenomenal week […] full of love, light, unity and smiles.”

“You did something for which you get no personal gain but the privilege of doing it, and that itself inspired us.”

Liverpool edge out plucky Manchester

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester women were unlucky not to come away with more from the match against a strong Liverpool team at the Sugden centre.

Manchester began the opening set well, dominating the opening exchanges with Kirk looking particularly impressive, picking up three of Manchester’s seven points as they took a comfortable 7-3 lead.

However, Liverpool soon began a fight back, dragging the score back to 7-6 through scorers Cook and Stroscher, with the aid of some Manchester mistakes. Manchester rallied after a timeout to cling onto the lead, holding onto a 2-point buffer, but unforced errors saw the scores draw level at 12-12. The lead changed hands after another Manchester timeout when Liverpool’s Davies hammered a shot through the helpless Manchester defense.

After taking the lead Liverpool started to control the game extending their lead to 17-14. A brief Manchester resurgence saw them bring the scores back to 15-17, but this was short lived as Liverpool began to expose gaps in Manchester defense, forcing ambitious shots from the purples before seeing out the set 25-19.

Despite the fact Liverpool ran out comfortable winners in the first set, none of this momentum would be carried through to the second. Both teams struggled in the opening exchanges as an array of mistakes meant neither got a foothold in the game until the deadlock was finally broken after continuous Liverpool errors, making the score 10-8 in Manchester’s favour.

After taking the lead Manchester began to put more points on the board through Strozik and Gurgul, who despite being ill had an impressive match. Liverpool endeavored to keep within two points of Manchester and it looked like they were going to level the scores before Manchester called a tactical time out.

After the short rest Manchester reasserted themselves in the fixture, and started to exploit Liverpool with a series of good serves, with Morrison, Franceshca and Magda all picking up aces.

Manchester looked to have been in control of the second set with the scores at 21-17, however, they found themselves in trouble again with Liverpool’s Astrid making a last ditch effort to snatch the set for Liverpool with an impressive spike and two aces. Manchester eventually saw out the set through Kirk, leveling out the game at 1-1.

The match remained extremely tight into the third set with neither team being able to pull away in the early exchanges. Manchester did manage to amass a three-point lead at 15-12 through Morrison and Kirk scoring, however, mistakes from Manchester led to Liverpool leveling the scores.

It took until the 20 point mark before any real difference could be made between the two, and with the scores at 22-21, Strozik, Kirk and Tamasi scored to seal the set for Manchester.

Liverpool managed to even the match out in the fourth set after particularly impressive performances from Astrid and Stroshcer saw them pick up the majority of Liverpool’s points. Mistakes again cost Manchester dearly as the set ended 21-25.

The fifth and final set was comprehensively won by Liverpool. Despite strong performances from AnnaLeez and Morrison, the half way point of the set of 15 saw Liverpool carry an 8-4 lead, a deficit which simply proved too much for Manchester to recover from.

Rampant Manchester claim first win of the season

Written by Alex Underwood on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester Women’s Futsal got their first points on the board this weekend by comfortably defeating Sunderland University 10-2 at the Sugden Centre.

Manchester made the better start of the two sides and dominated early proceedings. Throughout the first 10 minutes the home team frequently carved out chances, moving the ball at a good tempo and breaking through the Sunderland defence at will. Despite such impressive build-up play Manchester came up against an inspired Sunderland goalkeeper and were, for a long time, profligate in front of goal. However, Manchester called a time-out in the eighth minute and responded to the brief interlude by opening the scoring. A strong break from midfield allowed Eva Lockner to break through on goal and drive an unstoppable shot into the top right-hand corner to give Manchester a deserved lead.

Yet, Sunderland found a shock equalizer almost immediately; Manchester switched off in defence and allowed Sunderland to put together a quick passing move and finish from the edge of the area from their first shot on goal. The goal was a shock to Manchester, who had controlled the entire game, and caused an animated dispute between Manchester’s eccentric coach and the Sunderland substitutes’ bench. The girls were galvanized into action again and re-took control right on half-time; another midfield break by Yina Luk allowed Lockner to arrive into a similar position and this time she fired calmly into the bottom corner.

In the second half Manchester upped their game and tore into the hapless Sunderland defence. Skilful midfielder Yina Luk commanded the entire game from the middle with her neat control and composure on the ball and deservedly added to the scoring, beating two players before slotting home from the edge of the area. She quickly scored again from inside the area to make it 4-1 before Meida Pociunaite converted from the penalty spot to add a fifth. Lockner was unable to add to her tally after suffering a nasty injury which later precipitated a trip to hospital – Manchester will be hoping she recovers quickly after her strong first half performance.

Sunderland called their time-out in a vain attempt at limiting the damage but Manchester returned even stronger and quickly added a sixth as Teresa Castro found the corner with a neat finish after an impressive run down the left. Sunderland pulled another back to make it 6-2 but in the final five minutes Manchester were rampant. Substitute Abbi Cole finished off a neat move to make it 7-2 before Castro tore through the Sunderland defence again and finished steadily for an eighth. Manchester rounded off the scoring in the final few minutes as Cole and Pociunaite both doubled their tallies.

This was an important result for Manchester after successive away defeats to Newcastle and Durham in their two previous fixtures. Next up is a tricky journey to Leeds Metropolitan University on Saturday evening.

Preview: Arabian Nights

Written by Josephine Lane on . Posted in Theatre.

The Library Theatre Company’s annual Christmas show is always a highlight in  Manchester’s theatrical calendar, and this year is set to be no different. Directed by the North’s very own Amy Leach, a regular on the Manchester theatre scene, Arabian Nights is sure to bring a touch of warmth to us all this Christmas.  I met up with Amy and the cast to watch them rehearse, and to find out more.

The story starts after the discovery (and then murder of) King Sharayar’s wife being unfaithful. His anger causes him to seek revenge on all women: he decides to kill each and every virgin women in the land, after he has married them. That is, until he marries cunning Shaharazad, who tells him all but the end of a fantastical story every night for a thousand and one nights until he sees the error of his ways.

Amy Leach tells me what mainly attracted her to the project was the story-telling aspect. She says: ‘I grew up watching and adoring stories being told in the theatres of Manchester and so feel very lucky to be able to tell one of my own’. She also told me of the epic nature of the show: ‘each story could be a play in itself! The play is being staged in-the-round, at the Quays Theatre at the Lowry, an experience that will surely immerse the audience and transport them to a world of medieval Persia, where stories were traded alongside silks and fine spices.  From watching the rehearsals, it is clear that the show will be a non-stop treat for the senses: music playing throughout, lots of movement and colour and lots of character changes and transitions.

And students, don’t be put off by the ‘family element’ to the show. Talking to Amy, I become aware of the darker and more adult ideas in the play, such as the genocide of a whole nation of women, not to mention the sexuality in the play. And if what I saw in the adultery scene is anything to go by, I’d suggest an adult audience would definitely enjoy the show. This is not to say, of course, that the show will not be fun for all the family. Bring your grandma, bring your six year old cousin, bring anyone so long as you don’t miss Arabian Nights. As all of the cast informed me, it’s sure to bring out the kid in all of us!

Arabian Nights runs from the 30th November to 12th January at the Lowry Theatre

Tickets £8-£18

Magic Mapp keeps Manchester on top

Written by Tom Acey on . Posted in Sport.

Two second-half goals from Chloe Mapp were enough to see off rivals Man Met and keep Manchester top of the Northern 2A Division.

The Manchester midfielder struck midway through the second half, before sealing an impressive performance with a sublime free-kick in the closing stages.

Captain Fionn Andrews scored late on to give the visitors hope, but anything less than a victory would have been harsh on the home side, who should probably have won by a greater margin.

That the game even went ahead was of great credit to the Armitage groundsmen, as much of the playing area was left saturated after 48 hours of persistent rain.

Manchester went into the game looking to continue their 100% league record, and they started in confident fashion.

Winger Sophie Bracegirdle tormented the visitors all afternoon, and it was from her early corner that Manchester almost took the lead. Goalkeeper Elle Stamford failed to deal with a speculative cross, but Simone Wan was disappointed to see her close-range header come back off the crossbar.

That was about as close as Manchester came in a frustrating first half, in which they dominated in possession but failed to create any meaningful chances. Much of the home side’s good work came through Mapp, who repeatedly found space in front of the Man Met back four, and Bracegirdle, who had the beating of full-back Katie Southern and provided excellent service from the right flank.

Man Met were outnumbered in the centre of midfield and struggled to keep the ball, but it was they who came closest on the brink of half-time. A clever turn and shot from Ruth Cornish drifted just wide of the far post, where it was almost met by the sliding Andrews.

Manchester started the second period much as they had finished the first, with Andrews called into action in her own penalty area, nicking the ball from the head of Bergin before clearing off the line after a scramble in the six-yard box.

It was only a matter of time before the hosts’ domination told, and it was no surprise to see Mapp and Wan combine in setting up the opening goal.

Having been harshly ruled offside just moments before, Wan collected the ball 30 yards from goal and, with her back turned, delayed her pass to meet the run of Mapp, who burst between the two Man Met centre halves before slotting past Stamford.

It was no less than Manchester deserved, and despite a brief period of pressure from the visitors, the points were sealed in the 82rd minute when Mapp curled a 20-yard free-kick into the top left-hand corner. Andrew’s late flick was a just reward for her excellent individual performance, but Manchester recorded a deserved win to continue their perfect start to the season.

Leeds media censorship – hear no evil, speak no evil?

Written by Clifford Fleming on . Posted in Opinion.

Leeds University Union are set to hold a referendum on whether their student paper, Leeds Student, should be censored. Voting will be open online from 26th November. After increasing tension between individuals in the NUS and Leeds Student following the publication of an interview with MEP Nick Griffin, leader of the BNP, the student body will have four days in which to vote on if reporting conducted by student media at Leeds on certain political groups should be banned.

On Friday 26th October Leeds Student published an issue in which the MEP was interviewed by an openly gay student at Leeds University. Following a tense conversation, where the MEP described two men kissing as ‘creepy’, Griffin explained: ‘You [students] may think I’m a monster, but look at what your fate would be in an Islamic republic of Britain.’ The National Union of Students, following publication of the article, responded promptly by publishing an open later asking Editor Lucy Snow to immediately remove the article from the Leeds Student website. Their argument was that fascists, such as the leader of the BNP, should not be allowed a platform to express their viewpoints.

Editor Lucy Snow stood by her decision to publish the article, and reported in The Guardian on how she felt: ‘It is essential that his views [Griffin] are exposed for what they are. Leeds Student merely gave Griffin enough rope to hang himself.’ The arguments have led to Leeds University Union calling a referendum on the issue after inconclusive talks in a Union forum. The referendum question asks: ‘Should the Union’s exclusion of fascists and hate-speakers be extended to student media?’ 1,500 votes must be cast for the conclusion to be considered legitimate. On the reason behind the motion, the Equality and Diversity Officer at Leeds SU, Charlie Hopper, states online that: ‘Freedom of speech means Nick Griffin is not arrested for his views. That does not mean that we all need to see them printed and all over our bars, libraries and lecture theatres.’

Although it can be understandable that the Equality and Diversity Officer at Leeds University Union should try to protect the minority groups that officials like Nick Griffin prejudice against, the question arises over whether this should lead to censorship. With so many platforms, such as social media sites Twitter and Facebook, openly discussing contentious issues in society why should it fall on student media to be banned on joining in the debate? Considering the issue is about a far-right politician who would support such censorship of the media, it seems rather hypocritical that the NUS would even consider such measures.

My opinion follows many of the advocates of free media; the student body should not be treated as a passive mass. Students should be encouraged to learn about politics and the difficult issues politicians address; whether it be regarding immigration or civil liberties. Issues surrounding far-right fascists and hate-speakers should not be pushed under the carpet as this will only encourage such opinions to grow. The radical opinions of such people in society should be tackled head on via healthy debate and exposure in the press and online. The press play an important role in not only exposing, but educating. Leeds Student, by tackling the issue and interviewing Griffin, are encouraging students at the University of Leeds to find out more about such issues and engage with them in our society. Students should be encouraged to learn, not ignore.

The United Kingdom has laws on free speech deliberately in order NOT to exclude any opinions. Whether Griffin’s opinions are considered vile and disgusting, he should be allowed to voice them. Students’ Unions and the NUS are there to represent the voice of the student body, and should not act so domineering. Although a referendum is a democratic process which allows individuals to voice their opinions, much of the time it isn’t needed. Much like the Police and Crime Commissioner elections last week, the likelihood is that few people will vote on such a specific issue. The students at the University of Leeds probably have far more direct worries than whether or not an interview with Nick Griffin should be published. NUS officials should encourage debate over issues in society, not seek to limit the exposure of them.

Journalism should be considered much like art; not all art depicts the niceties of life. Art can be aggressive and confrontational, trying to engage viewers to explore thoughts and ideas surrounding the piece. Journalism seeks to do the same, to spark comment and debate. Leeds Student made the right decision in publishing the interview.

The referendum at Leeds Uni follows rising tensions between NUS officials and student media over the past few weeks. At an NUS Senate meeting on 11th October, Queen Mary Students’ Union President, Babs Williams, described student journalists as ‘all dickheads’.  The NUS and Students’ Union Executives across the country should seek to work with student press, not against it.

My Political Hero: Eliot Spitzer

Written by David Burch on . Posted in Uncategorised.

You probably won’t recognise the name or image of Eliot Spitzer – he served as the Governor of New York for just 14 months before he had to resign in the wake of a prostitution scandal. But for those who worked in the banks on Wall Street – his presence was a formidable one.

As Attorney General of New York Spitzer focused on white collar crime – subtle, financially damaging to working people and often overlooked by politicians. He gained the nickname of the ‘Sheriff of Wall Street’ for his crackdown on financial institutions. He prosecuted investment banks such as Goldman Sachs for giving false information to investors, computer chip manufacturers such as Samsung for price-fixing products, and pharmaceutical firms for hiding the damage done by their drugs.

It was also during Spitzer’s period as Attorney General he made the rich, powerful enemies that would eventually conspire to ruin his career. Spitzer argued that the chairman of the New York Stock Exchange’s $150m severance pay was excessive because of a conflict of interest – the people who decided his pay were the CEOs of the companies he was meant to be regulating. Ken Laggoone, billionaire businessman, was one of these people, and was irate by Spitzer’s action. Spitzer had suddenly made a very powerful enemy who was looking to exploit any mistake he made. According to the film ‘Client 9’ made about the case, Laggoone hired a private investigator and a PR firm in order to find out what they could about Spitzer.

A suspicious web of links developed between Spitzer’s enemies – Laggoone, ex-CEO of AIG Hank Greenberg (who Spitzer had tried to prosecute in a case involving accounting fraud) and people Spitzer had fought within the New York Republican Party. A mysterious tip-off was made to the authorities that Spitzer had used a high-class prostitution service, and an investigation was launched. Even though clients are not usually prosecuted in prostitution ring cases and kept anonymous in police reports, lots of identifiable information was included about ‘Client 9’ (the name used for Spitzer in the report), while little was written about the other clients, or even evidence needed to prosecute the prostitution ring itself. After the report was published, Spitzer’s name was leaked linked to being Client 9, and days later he resigned.

When the news reached traders on the New York Stock Exchange, they cheered and opened bottles of champagne. It is sad to think that the man who fought for more women to be employed in upmarket restaurants, for delivery men to gain the minimum wage, who proposed a bill to legalise same-sex marriage in New York and railed against the companies that often act as if they are above the law will be remembered by many purely for the sex scandal. There is much that current politicians can learn from Spitzer – yet the story of how the vested interests he attacked colluded to destroy him acts as a warning – and perhaps an explanation for much of the government inaction on the pressing issues Spitzer fought so hard for.

The Confused Storm

Written by Vicky Carter on . Posted in Theatre.

Two Stars out of Five Stars

The Coming Storm is the most deconstructed piece of theatre I’ve ever seen, and even anti-performance. A fellow student remarked “It was the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen”, and I might just agree with them. The actors continuously break the fourth wall and perform straight to the audience, communicating to them and including them in their humour. The set is simple apart from a few clothes racks, chairs and a piano on the side, but within the performance the actors arrange the set to how they like it at that precise moment.  An interesting concept yes, but most of the time led the performance to seem chaotic and random.  Constant unrelated costume changes and the lack of characters within the performance further emphasizes the destruction of the fourth wall, and the actors seem to be playing exaggerated versions of themselves constantly conflicting and confronting one another.

The show begins with six actors strolling casually on stage and they begin to tell us “What makes a good story”. They then intertwine stories on different topics, different issues and different themes. I say tell us, but in fact they leave the stories unfinished as each actor jostles for the focus from the audience, and having only one microphone on stage, they make the competition for their voices to be heard humorous. Although funny, it leaves audience members disappointed and even confused, as once you’re gripped by a story, it is then lost over someone else’s voice,  or even live music at times.

The performance is an erratic montage of narrative, comedy, physical theatre, live music, dance, and slapstick humour.  I say humour, as the audience had a very diverse response to it; some of the audience was finding it hysterical, whilst other members like myself looked on in confusion and bewilderment.  Although I can see what they were trying to achieve, with their seemingly improvised performance by presenting a critique of theatre and society rather than crowd pleasing entertainment, and how they are breaking boundaries in this radical performance through their non acting style, however I just didn’t get it. Leaving the theatre I noticed I wasn’t the only one. A student studying at a drama school in Manchester said, “I felt like it was my mate’s parents drunk at a house party”, whilst the other exclaimed, “I just don’t know what to say.” I’d recommend going to one of their performances to see this style of theatre for yourself, just don’t say you haven’t been warned.

The Coming Storm ran between the 14th and 16th November at the Contact Theatre

My Political Hero: Lyndon B. Johnson

Written by Aidan Gregory on . Posted in Uncategorised.

Modern politics is all about image. In the media age politicians must sell themselves as people as well as selling their policies. Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy and even Tony Blair are all examples of how being suave gets you elected. But when it comes to politics, forget being suave. My political hero is a curious political rogue who was once described by Robert Kennedy as a “big ass”.

Lyndon Baines Johnson hailed from humble origins. He was born in 1908 on a Texas ranch to a farmer-turned-state legislator and his wife. He would work his way through college to become an elementary school teacher. Whilst teaching impoverished Hispanic children he observed poverty and its effects at its worst. The experience gave Johnson a sense of empathy which would stay with him all the way to the White House.

After a distinguished congressional career, then the Vice Presidency, Johnson was catapulted into the highest office in extraordinary circumstances on 11th November 1963. Johnson would soon embark upon on the most ambitious legislative agenda since the New Deal; the ‘Great Society’. Progressive reforms were made in areas such as healthcare, education, the environment, media laws and gun control. Most importantly, he took the fight to the Southern states over segregation and voting. Johnson supplied the political muscle that the civil rights movement desperately needed to achieve its goals. For example, the Civil Rights Act and Voter Registration Act were passed despite the revolt of the Southern Democrats, thanks to Johnson’s talent as a politician. The victory over the South is perhaps the greatest legacy of Johnson’s political career. Under his leadership, Jim Crow laws were ended, and the widespread legal blockage of black suffrage vanquished. Admittedly, the civil rights reforms were by no means the end of America’s racial problems. What they did serve as was a great symbolic and legal step towards racial equality. In four years Barack Obama has secured the passage of three bills outside of the budgets, Johnson pushed through 105 bills in 150 days, even with the Southern voting bloc against him. The man possessed a heroic and remarkable talent for political coercion that every politician should seek to emulate. In brief, he was one of the few Presidents who actually got things done.

Yet you cannot overlook the Vietnam War. It was the disaster that ruined what otherwise would have been a very successful presidency; it became Johnson’s mess. The war inflicted a tragic human and economic cost. It sucked time, energy and funding away from Great Society programmes, which inevitably did not allow them to achieve their full potential. By the latter years of his presidency, Johnson had become obsessed with trying to win the war, raising troop numbers to 536,000 by 1968. He was not, however, as callous as the contemporary press and the anti-war movement portrayed him. Johnson was an intelligent, empathetic man who was moved deeply by the sufferings of American servicemen; aides would often find him slumped at his desk in tears at the sight of newly published casualty lists. It was Johnson, not Kennedy or Richard Nixon who ultimately paid the high price for the conflict. It cost him his political career, but it also contributed to his untimely death.

LBJ died at his ranch in Texas on 22nd January 1973, aged 64, of a heart attack. For much of his life Johnson had been a 40-a-day smoker, and having left office he reverted to increasingly self-destructive behaviour. War guilt and already-fragile health took their toll. He left office savagely criticised from both the left and the right, perhaps unfairly. Yet arguably he had much less room to manoeuvre than it seemed. Vietnam was a debacle dumped on Johnson by two previous administrations, and in the goading climate of Cold War power politics he had very little choice other than to escalate.

Some may never forgive him for Vietnam, which cost the lives of 58,000 US soldiers. He also often made corrupt bargains to get what he wanted, had an insatiable lust for power, and was rarely honest with the press. In spite of this, no other President in US history worked harder for non-whites, the poor, the old and the sick. The legacy of his Great Society reforms such as the Civil Rights Act and Medicare are apparent today. They cemented the Democratic Party’s liberal credentials and changed US society for the better. Had the war in Vietnam never happened, he might have been instead remembered as one of the greatest modern presidents.

Creative writing professor urges ‘tax avoiders’ to fund libraries

Written by Pippa Allen-Kinross on . Posted in News.

Jeanette Winterson has called for Starbucks, Google and Amazon to fund a countrywide library revival.

The award winning author, and professor of creative writing at the University of Manchester, suggested that the millions of pounds in profits that these companies allegedly owe in tax avoidance should be used to expand the UK’s library network.

Speaking at the Reading Agency Lecture at the British Library, Winterson said that “either we stop arguing and agree that libraries are doing their best to reinvent themselves, and that with a bit of help – financial and ideological – they belong to the future, or we let them run down until they disappear.”

She continued, “Libraries cost about £1bn to run right now. Make it £2bn and charge Google, Amazon and Starbucks all that back tax on their profits here.”

This follows outrage at the accusation that the companies in question have been diverting millions of pounds in UK profits to secretive tax havens, and has led to a debate which has raised questions over whether Starbucks stores should be allowed on campus.

Winterson argued that libraries should be accounted for in the national education budget, rather than local councils’ leisure budgets: “I don’t see how this can be classed as `leisure’ nor do I see how we have a choice between getting our bins emptied and putting cash into libraries.”

The John Rylands Library on Deansgate has recently received Manchester’s `Large Visitor Attraction of the Year’ award, and was described by judges as “progressive” and “exciting”.

However, the Public Libraries News website estimates that 300 libraries have been closed or under threat since April.

Winterson urged her audience not to “hand kids over to computer games and wall-to-wall TV – bring them to books early and see what happens. Give them real choice – let them find out what books are, what they can do.”

 

The Artist: Long Live McQueen

Written by Miles Zilesnick on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Undoubtedly one of the biggest names in British fashion and known to
 be equally as outlandish. His shows have consisted of placing models in a wind tunnel for the exploration of displaying fabric, torn clothes symbolising the rape of Scotland by England and even using a hologram model of Kate Moss on the runway.

In regards to his ‘unwearable fashion’, one of his most extreme pieces includes a collaboration between graffiti and art, where a model was elevated in the midst of a show and spray painted, not too unlike the Citroen Picasso advert. If you haven’t seen the McQueen video yet, I’d highly suggest you put down this paper and watch it. To some, the piece would appear to be a wedding dress violated by a Banksy wannabe, or for other fashionistas, an expression of the fluidity of fashion. Personally I just thinks it looks really cool.

Another favourite of mine, yet more predictable, are McQueen’s iconic Armadillo shoes. His 10inch heels famously featured in the video for Lady Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’, which appear impossible to walk in, let alone dance in. These glittery devils look incredible, but I can guarantee it is not acceptable to wear them in any respectable social situation, (unless of course you know of a higher class edition of Big Fat Gypsy Wedding.) Either way, I still think they look amazing despite their potential excessiveness.

Photo: Sartorial Editorial Blogspot

Since the tragic death of McQueen however, his old work has taken on a certain kind of reverence. His fashion house still lives on through the like-minded work of Sarah Burton, who designed Kate Middleton’s stunning wedding dress, now on display at Buckingham Palace. A timeless classic, representative of British fashion.

Style Icons or Style Crisis?

Written by Alice Tofts on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

TV shows and films are renowned for their fantasy worlds. Superheroes, vampires and wizards challenge reality. But when unconventional outfits are worn by characters who are supposed to live in the real world, the viewer is left either baffled or inspired. Whether entertaining or setting trends, these characters make us question the endless possibilities of dressing with artistic licence. Spanning the last 30 years of film fashion, here is a list of the best through to the worst and the geniality to the absurdity.

Blair Waldorf and Serena van der Woodsen (Gossip Girl– see featured image): Their extravagant outfits reflect their extravagant lifestyles. Expected to dress to impress and to wear the latest designs, their outfits can never be described as boring. Rejecting conventional school uniform, they pioneer a more innovative school style, which includes clashing brightly coloured socks, ruffled blouses and silk ties. These girls do not shy away from experimenting, yet they manage to avoid the terrible mistakes often made by other film characters.

flickr

Carrie Bradshaw (Sex and the City): Confused about her age and sometimes gender, her outfits are rarely within the boundaries of the norm, nor suitable for the occasion. Striding shamelessly down a New York sidewalk, shopping bags in hand, Carrie wore a gold prom dress and fur jacket. Despite claiming to be a ‘normal gal’ her brave fashion choices hardly reflect the average New York street style. Carrie reputes conformism yet beams with self-confidence. It is this carefree attitude which is so inspiring; helping to make her one of the most influential on screen fashion icons of the last twenty years.

flickr

Eddie and Patsy (Absolutely Fabulous): Perhaps the least inspirational of TV stars, these two ladies present a very flamboyant image of British Fashion. Eddie and Patsy’s costumes were designed to entertain rather than inspire. Taking fashion trends 5 steps too far, Eddie and Patsy put the fun into fashion. Patsy’s polka dot coat and Eddie’s snakeskin trouser suit were as outrageous in the 90s as they are now yet we cannot help but enjoy the fun and frivolity of their unique style.

photobucket

Rebecca Bloomwood (Confessions of a Shopaholic): Addicted to shopping, her wardrobe is bulging with items in every shade of pink imaginable. Full of colour and volume, her outfits reach the extent of being ridiculous. Daring and bold colours, textures and prints, her outfits are fun and eye-catching. However her style is less respected than other film characters and it is less likely that her style is seen replicated on the high street.