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Day: 10 December 2012

Live: Martha Wainwright

Written by Joe Goggins on . Posted in Music.

4th December 2012

7/10

You’ve probably heard of Rufus Wainwright; he’s one of his generations most fascinating artists, having perfected his dramatic, often operatic brand of pop music across an eclectic, seven-record oeuvre that spans the past decade; he’s also appeared on countless film and television soundtracks, often with original work, and has even written and staged his own opera, Prima Donna, which opened here in Manchester back in 2009. His sister isn’t quite as well-known, a fact neatly underlined by her performing at a sparsely-populated Ritz just a week before Rufus plays a sold-out Apollo, but her own repertoire is every bit as interesting, and eccentric, as her brother’s.

Martha Wainwright’s only real mainstream exposure to date came in 2006, when she managed something most of us thought impossible by injecting some genuine feeling into a Snow Patrol record, with a stirring turn on ‘Set the Fire to the Third Bar’. In the year’s since she’s built a modest,  but diverse, back catalogue, segueing between indie rock, folk and pop on her records and even releasing an album of Edith Piaf covers. It’s a variety that spills over into the live show, with Wainwright opening the show with an acoustic number from her self-titled debut before moving onto the guitar-driven ‘I Am Sorry’ and electro-tinged ‘Four Black Sheep’, both from her latest record, with the full band, which tonight includes Andrew Whiteman of Broken Social Scene and Mr. Martha Wainwright, Brad Alberta, on bass; for reasons undisclosed, he’s dressed up as a monk for tonight’s performance.

The new record, Come Home to Mama, delves lyrically into the changes in Wainwright’s personal life since her last full-length album; her marriage to Alberta and the birth of her first child are covered, as well as the passing of her mother, Kate McGarrigle, whose presence is felt throughout tonight. Wainwright covers a number of McGarrigle tracks – referred to between songs as ‘Kate’, not mum – with ‘Proserpina’, the last song written by McGarrigle back in 2009, proving both an album and set highlight. It’s when Wainwright draws upon emotional content as heavy as this that she’s at her most impressive live; the raw passion in her vocals is intoxicating – she howls rather than sings, turning in a stunning rendition of ‘Stormy Weather’ and more than doing justice to the couple of Piaf numbers that sneak onto the setlist.

The constant back and forth between acoustic and full band performance, and indeed between tracks that make full use of Wainwright’s intense vocal delivery and those that use it as just another instrument, lends the set an disparate feel by no means  atypical of her recorded output, but still frustrating. In terms of sheer talent, there’s little in the way of a gulf between the Wainwright siblings; she’s got a better voice than her brother and is almost as good a songwriter, when she wants to be, but tonight the solo tracks are unequivocally brilliant while the more experimental numbers with the band are decidedly hit-and-miss – perhaps figuring out how to play to her strengths will be key in bridging the popularity gap between herself and Rufus.

 

Epic Mickey 2: The Power of Two

Written by Lisa Murgatroyd on . Posted in Games.

Epic Mickey 2 comes as a multi-platform sequel to the Nintendo Wii original Epic Mickey, released in 2010. The game centres on co-operative play between returning hero Mickey Mouse and Oswald the Lucky Rabbit. Using the magic paintbrush and a remote control, this unlikely duo is reunited to help rebuild and defend Wasteland from a mysterious evil.

The story moves forward with enjoyable cut scenes and cheery musical numbers in case you ever forgot this was a Disney production. Friends and foes from the original game appear, with the main antagonist, the Mad Doctor, persuading Oswald that he’s seen the error of his ways and wants to help restore the cartoon world which has been wracked by earthquakes and Blotlings. Oswald’s girlfriend, Ortensia, is not so convinced, working together with the Gremlin game guide Gus to bring back Mickey Mouse.

The main story has both single and co-op modes, though the game is clearly intended to be played co-operatively. The in game instructions for Oswald caused some confusion to start, with no explicit reference to the fact that AI will pick up these controls rather than being able to swap between the two, I was often left wondering whether all aspects of the game could be completed as a solo act. Co-operative play has been well received, and is certainly the ideal way to play it though.

There are collectables and side quests to entertain while you work your way through a simple storyline, including options for design customisation, as well as the idea of being able to choose a path of destruction, or a path of resurrection through the dual powers of the magic paintbrush and its thinner or paint modes.

The camera angles leave a lot to be desired, making game play a little frustrating at times with a limited field of vision in third person and a fixed camera angle for first person (used as part of a quest to take photos throughout the game). With such a vivid game design, the natural instinct is to look around and explore every little nook and crannies, which makes the camera particularly annoying.

Overall, it’s a fun platform adventure with the quirk of an enjoyable story told through music that’s sadly hampered by frustrating camera angles.

Review: ‘I, Anna’

Written by Jessie Cohen on . Posted in Film.

Set in present day London, I, Anna is non-action film noir that draws on drab cityscape to evoke the dark internal world of Anna Welles, a lonely middle-aged divorcee played by Charlotte Rampling. By reinventing the role of femme fatale in the image of an older woman, the film has potential to disrupt the young and darkly alluring archetype, but by following the predictable formula of male saviour and female victim, it offers a reactionary exploration of gender dynamics and female sexuality.

Through jagged camerawork and music that powerfully evokes isolation and mental instability, viewers are interpolated into Anna’s fragmented mindset. The psychological thriller takes a non-linear structure, syncing our perspective with that of the disturbed protagonist by jumping from past to present, mimicking Anna’s agitated mental state.

Aside from her age, Anna exhibits the hallmark qualities of a femme fatale, namely: dark mystery and elusiveness coupled with a deep vulnerability. She has a secret born out of a shameful personal tragedy, crippling Anna emotionally and causing her to suffer from amnesia – a mechanism with which to evade the pain.

In an attempt to get on with daily life as if nothing has changed, Anna seeks human contact by attending dating evenings for middle-aged singletons. Director Barnaby Southcombe describes the story as ‘a moving account of the complications involved in a spurned, older woman’s right to find love again in today’s world.’ In an exploration of ‘the older woman’s right for love’, the film throws out some pretty shocking suggestions about the state of female sexuality in the twenty-first century. At the dating events, Anna switches identity, calling herself Allegra and performing for the male gaze in figure-hugging dresses, high-heels, a lick of lipstick and never making the first move. This self-objectification distances Anna from a true sense of self – a fragmentation subtly indicated in the title by the comma that separates ‘I’ and ‘Anna’. In a pivotal moment in the film that takes place between Anna and a forceful male who has responded to her alluring persona, we witness a tragic fragility in Anna as she turns to her set of ‘woman’s weapons’ – reapplying her lipstick and removing her high-heels – momentarily succumbing to entrapment through a deluded sense of empowerment.

By constructing Anna in the pre-defined role of femme fatale, her character is given little room for new moves. The film tries to assert its contemporary relevance through an urban London setting, but shoots itself in the foot by painting female sexuality in a problematic light. It’s unsavory combination of a ‘1950s-type’ woman with an independent twenty-first woman is encapsulated in a scene in which Anna is pictured ‘fixing her face’ in the bathroom of a dating event when a mysterious old woman approaches her with some apparent wisdom: ‘Things ain’t what they used to be. We can meet the men we want now, we can choose. So get your skinny legs back out there and flaunt them!’

Amen sister! .. I think not.

Review: ‘Decay’

Written by Faye Broadbent on . Posted in Film.

Proving you don’t need a big budget to make your movie, Decay –  created University of Manchester PhD Physics students – is a gore filled zombie flick, is a movie with more blood than Dracula would wish to sink his teeth into.

After two years in production, the self-funded film roped in a huge turnout, proving this labour of love had certainly paid off as the queue meandered endlessly. The atmosphere was greeted in style as the cast and crew brought a touch of theatrical bliss, sporting lab coats and welcoming the crowd with jelly zombie sweets.  After such a reception I knew that I was in for a treat.

On the surface, Decay is a conventional zombie film. It follows a group of students trying to survive a zombie apocalypse in a science lab.

We know the formula and understand how this zombie scientific hybrid works out. A popular choice and yes although predictable, its tongue in cheek approach allows Decay to hold its charm.

Set on location at CERN, the film was made for physics-lovers. With its deliberate overt scientific tone and consistent references and physics in-jokes – could this be a mini cult film in the making?

As I myself have no scientific knowledge I can safely say that I wouldn’t let that put you off. If you’re a horror nerd and can’t get enough of the zombie formulae then you’re in for a treat with a frenzy of bucket loads of blood, gore and some pretty gruesome scenes packing plenty of punch. It is often so easy for a student made film to look homemade. But the golden syrup and red food colouring combination definitely comes across as convincing.

For a group of students who have no previous background in film, Decay is a fresh and local approach to filmmaking, proving that with a lot of time and dedication it is possible. It may not win an Oscar but it is refreshing to see something made so close to home. If there was anything to take from Decay it is that we should and can make a film on a low budget. So no excuses, grab those cameras and get filming!