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Day: 6 December 2016

Student running to be NUS delegate pledges to defeat ISIS

Written by Jennifer Sterne on . Posted in News.

Tom Harwood, a second-year politics student at Durham University has made some bizarre pledges in his campaign to be elected as an NUS (National Union of Students) delegate, including defeating ISIS and building a 217ft statue of Malia Bouattia, the President of the NUS.

In Harwood’s campaign video, which at the time of print has over 14,000 views on on Facebook, he pledges that he will “construct a giant statue of NUS President Malia Bouattia, so that students in Durham can see how vitally important the NUS is to us”.

The campaign video also outlines that he plans to “use NUS boycotts to destroy ISIS” and “bring down the government by means of violent revolution”.

Harwood’s campaign Facebook page states that he is “standing to be an NUS delegate because otherwise there won’t be an opposition to its ridiculous ideas” and includes further campaign pledges including a promise that if elected he would ensure “every lecture begins with a glorious pledge of allegiance to our benevolent supreme overlord — the NUS.”

Harwood ran Durham’s NUS disaffiliation campaign ‘A Better Durham’ last year, when 40 per cent of students voted to leave the Union.

Speaking to The Independent, Harwood argued that “as long as we’re in the NUS we need to work to make it ever so slightly less terrible.”

Despite the satirical nature of his campaign he stressed “my candidacy isn’t just about showing that discontent with the way the NUS works is still strong, it’s also about working to make membership slightly more bearable while we remain a member of this ridiculous organisation.”

The campaign aims to stress that the NUS should not assume students’ interests and that it should be up to campaign groups alone to stage boycotts and protests.

Harwood added: “Most students rightly don’t care about NUS elections. They’re usually full of student politicians producing dull and lengthy policy documents.”

“People are rightly way more enthused about a serious message if it’s presented in a fun way.”

Harwood ends the video saying: “If you vote for me I’ll vote against all irrelavent grandstanding, self-aggrandising, self-defeating NUS policies that only serve to discredit students as a whole.”

Voting closes for students at Durham University on 9th of December at 5pm.

Preview: LightUp Fallowfield

Written by Eliza Slawther on . Posted in News.

LightUp Fallowfield is a protest art installation coming to Fallowfield on Thursday the 8th of December. The event is open to everyone, and involves members of the community coming together in the Ladybarn area of Fallowfield with torches and lights of all kinds to provide solidarity with those who feel afraid to walk home alone in the dark.

The event’s aim is to raise awareness of the fears that students have around their safety when coming home in the dark, especially in the winter months. The event will also be followed by drinks at The Font along with some discussion around the issues raised by the event.

The ‘protest art installation’ will begin at 7pm on the footpath off Ladybarn Lane behind Sainsbury’s, an area which is dimly lit at night, where everyone is encouraged to light up the area by bringing whatever they can — be it fairy lights, torches or just their phones.

Concerns surrounding the safety of students walking in the dark have been raised before, with a string of sex attacks being reported earlier on in the year which left detectives urging women in particular to avoid walking alone at night.

The project is run by Jessica Mallard and Zuzanna Niska, and their event is not only important in bringing attention to the unsafe nature of walking home in the dark, but it is also relevant to the time of year. They have introduced the event by explaining that “while an array of Christmas lights are turned on this winter, we continue to live in the dark reality of not feeling safe to walk alone at night”, and it is therefore a chance to “switch on some lights of our own”.

Jessica and Zuzanna have plans to continue raising awareness with future events, such as “more workshops, exhibitions and collaboration with organisations in the new year”. Jessica then went on to tell me that they plan on “using art to instigate meaningful discourse between the community and those in power”.

The facebook page for the event can be found here, where updates surrounding the event will be posted.

MUFC Player Ratings: Everton vs Manchester United

Written by Magnus Henderson on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester United’s poor league form continued when they visited Goodison Park. Having put in a brilliant attacking display in the quarter final of the EFL Cup against West Ham, many United fans felt that the fixture with Everton was a good opportunity to gain some momentum in the Premier League. Unfortunately, like so many times already this season, United failed to capitalise on their positive momentum and dropped two points against an out of form Everton side.

Jose Mourinho switched back to a 4-3-3 formation with Michael Carrick holding down the anchor midfield role while Paul Pogba and Ander Herrera attempted to get up and support United’s attack. Ronald Koeman, however, had other ideas. The Dutchman had clearly instructed Idrissa Gueye and Gareth Barry to man-mark both Pogba and Herrera respectively. With Kevin Mirallas and Romelu Lukaku giving Carrick no time on the ball, the Reds failed to dominate the midfield and looked vulnerable to the Toffee’s counter attacks. Henrik Mkhitaryan, Antony Martial and Zlatan Ibrahimović, as a result of United’s midfield problems, were left very isolated and struggled to link up effectively.

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The first half was a drab contest with very few chances, the better of the slim pickings going to Everton. United struggled to find that killer pass and, despite their superior possession, looked the more likely to concede. However, a long ball from Martial to Ibrahimović saw the Toffee’s goalkeeper, Martin Stekelenburg, make an error of judgement in rushing out to intercept the pass. The Dutchman did not get anywhere near the ball and Zlatan proceeded to chip the ball into the empty net from 25 yards out. Half time came and went and the game opened up at the beginning of the second period, with both teams searching for a much needed goal. Herrera struck the bar in the 59th minute and suddenly United’s heads dropped. Everton proceeded to dominate possession for the final half an hour and David De Gea was called into action an uncomfortable number of times. The Red’s sat back, seemingly content with a one goal advantage and decided to hold out for the win; a massive error of judgement by Mourinho in hindsight. The introduction of Marouane Fellaini led to the Belgian clumsily giving away a penalty in the 86th minute, which Leighton Baines tucked away.

Jose can no longer blame ‘bad luck’ for his team’s inability to close out a game. Maybe the players are more motivated by cup competition? Maybe Jose is not fussed by the League with it looking very unlikely that United will qualify for Champions League football? Whatever the answer, luck can no longer be an excuse. The Reds next task is away to Zorya Luhansk. It is an opportunity for Mourinho to demonstrate his ability to arrest a slump with United having not picked up a single point away from home in the Europa League this season. The unpredictability of Manchester United continues.

 

Player Ratings

GK: David De Gea: 8

It has been a strangely long amount of time since United have relied on De Gea to keep them in a game. His below-par form of recent weeks was turned around at Goodison Park, with United calling on the Spaniard multiple times in the second half to keep them in the game. Made a montage worthy save against Mirallas in the 52nd minute and kept Gueye, Valencia and Baines at bay with decent stops thereafter. Got agonisingly close to Baines’ penalty, but, all in all, won United a point on the balance of play.

RB: Antonio Valencia: 6

A blow par performance from United’s November Player of the Month. Played most of the game in no-mans-land; failing to get up and support Mkhitaryan effectively while being caught out of position a number of times in the first half. Put in a measly two tackles, although one of them was a very important challenge in the box in the 83rd minute.

RCB: Phil Jones: 7

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Another very reliable performance from the man who is stereotypically unreliable. Dealt comfortably with the pace and strength of Lukaku, keeping him quiet from the first minute to the last. Played as the sweeping centre half, dropping deep when Marcos Rojo pushed forward to win headers or interceptions, which came naturally to the Englishman. Won two tackles and four headers, bettered only by Rojo for United. Made a very good tackles on Enner Valencia in the 69th minute.

LCB: Marcos Rojo: 6

A game which characterised Rojo’s United career in 90 minutes. Was imperious in the air winning more headers than anyone else on the pitch (8) but made a few rash decision which could have cost the Reds dearly. The Argentinian’s two-footed tackle in the 16th minute should have seen him sent off. Did not fare as well against Lukaku as Jones, often being outmuscled by the bulky Belgian. With Bailly on his way back from injury it is likely that the Argentinian will not be in the first eleven for much longer.

LB: Matteo Darmian: 6

Struggled with the direct running of Yannick Bolasie in the first half and seemed completely lost when in Everton’s final third, consistently cutting in on his stronger right foot but playing unadventurous or inaccurate passes. Grew into the game more in the second half and commanded his area of the pitch defensively but still lacked the impetus going forward. With Luke Shaw sidelined, Darmian is losing the battle with Daley Blind for the starting left-back role on current performances.

CDM: Michael Carrick: 7

One of United’s better performing players against Everton. Made some important interceptions (3) and clearances (3) to stop the Toffee’s breaking. Was not able to dictate the tempo of the game, like he so often does, because of Everton’s press, but his defensive positioning forced the Blues to attack down the flanks. Won three tackles and had an 87% pass accuracy, bettered only by Jones.

RCM: Ander Herrera: 7

Better from the Spaniard than against West Ham in the EFL Cup as he was played in a more comfortable box-to-box role rather than at the base of midfield. Won more tackles than any other United player (5) but gave a limited performance in an attacking sense, not creating any chances for his teammates. Was unlucky to hit the bar from a volleyed effort in the 59th minute. Lost possession dangerously to Lukaku in final quarter of the match when he was caught faffing about in midfield.

LCM: Paul Pogba: 5

@WikimediaCommons

A very frustrating performance from the £89 million man. Had a very low pass success rate of 73% and the same went for his dribbling (50%) and aerial duels (33%). Looked like he was trying too hard to produce the spectacular when the basics would have sufficed. Idrissa Gueye had the Frenchman in his back pocket for the majority of the match and won Sky Sport’s man of the match for his efforts.

RM: Henrik Mkhitaryan: 6

Despite earning a second start in the Premier League with his performance against West Ham in the EFL Cup, the Armenian struggled to have to same impact. Was isolated and invisible for the majority of the first half but grew into the game after the break and was at the heart of United’s attacking play when they pressed for a second. His Borussia Dortmund-esque pressing from the front gave Baines and Ramiro Funes Mori issues but the Red’s lacking midfield support hindered Mkhitaryan’s creativity.

LM: Antony Martial: 6

After decimating Michail Antonio in midweek, Martial failed to give Seamus Coleman or his replacement, Mason Holgate, any real issues. His shots were either wayward or straight at Stekelenburg. The Frenchman did, however, play a very good lobbed through ball to Ibrahimović for the Swede to open the scoring. Was substituted for Marcus Rashford in the 83rd minute who did not have much better luck at breaking down Everton’s left flank.

ST: Zlatan Ibrahimović: 6

Played some nice incisive passes in the opening stages of the game but dropped too deep at times when United were looking to find a finisher in the box. His free kick in the 28th minute was, quite frankly, awful. Mourinho may need to battle the Swede’s ego when it comes to direct free kicks because they have been wasteful so far this season, especially when there is a surplus of dead ball specialists in United’s squad. His goal, however, was very well executed when under pressure from the onrushing Stekelenburg.

 

Subs

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Marcus Rashford: N/A

Failed to have any better impact than Martial on the left hand side of United’s attacks. Lost possession wastefully in Everton’s final third by trying fancy flicks when a more basic approach may have had a better outcome.

Marouane Fellaini: N/A

I cannot give the Belgian a rating as he only played for ten minutes, but if I could, it would be a 2/10. On his 100th appearance for United, the lanky Belgian stumbled into Gueye in the penalty area and handed Everton the opportunity to level the scores from the penalty spot. This action may well be his last for Mourinho with big errors like this normally provoking the ‘exile treatment’ from the Portuguese manager.

Review: Much Ado About Nothing

Written by Brogen Campbell on . Posted in Theatre.

The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) team up with Chichester Festival theatre to put on one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. It has all the recipes for success: villains, romance, fake deaths, misunderstandings and much more.

Despite there being two love stories, one couple really steal the limelight. That is of course, Benedict and Beatrice, who are both equally quick witted and far too stubborn to admit their love. This results in a comic plan by the other characters to fool them into thinking the other has declared their love, thus allowing them to declare their love face to face without pride getting in the way.

Edward Bennet as Benedick and Lisa Dillion as Beatrice are sublime in their roles. Their characters have real emotional depth, which has you rooting for their love to work out. Bennet really has a flair for comedy, leaving the audience in fits of laughter, especially when he is hiding (without success) behind the Christmas tree.

The drama revolves around the love between Claudio and Hero. These two are the targets of a villainous plan to prevent their marriage by the treacherous Don John.  This leads to the shaming of Hero, who is an innocent party, yet this is overlooked due to Don John’s claims. This is a particularly poignant scene, as resonates with the unfortunately common notion that female voices are overlooked in favour of males.

The staging really is remarkable, beginning with the magnificent manor house, which resembles Downton Abbey, and effortlessly changes throughout the play. You are taken around the grounds, into the various rooms and even to the local police office. The seamless transitions only added to the exceptionally polished performance.

One of the factors that most caught my attention was the use of music. Nigel Hess composed the music, which aided the audience in being immersed in post-war England. The catchy ditties made you want to dance and sing along, not least as the play ended in a fabulous dance number. It really had me wishing for a Shakespeare musical.

Much Ado About Nothing was a sensation, if only for the fact it leaves the audience in such a merry mood. You did need to concentrate, as with any Shakespeare play, but RSC have done a tremendous job in making Shakespeare more accessible, which I cannot praise highly enough.

Much Ado is not the only play being performed by RSC at the Opera House or on their tour. It is being performed in junction with Love’s Labour’s Lost. The plays can be enjoyed separately or together as share the same cast.  Love’s Labour’s Lost is set pre-war and Much Ado About Nothing or Love’s Labour’s Won follows after, set post-war. Love’s Labour’s Won is a supposed missing sequel that Shakespeare wrote.  The theory is that the title was changed to Much Ado About Nothing, and the soldiers returning home are the same ones who left to fight in Love’s Labour’s Lost.

You can choose whether to enjoy both plays together by watching them on separate nights or not. If you have not watched any Shakespeare you should, and why not begin with one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies. RSC are outstanding once again with this hilarious version of Much Ado About Nothing.

Euro Watch: Primera Liga

Written by Joshua Jenkins on . Posted in Sport.

Teams to watch: Sporting Lisbon and FC Porto

Players to watch: Sebastian Coates and Bas Dost

Manager to watch: Jorge Jesus

Game of the season so far: Vitoria de Guimaraes 3-3 Sporting Lisbon

The 83rd Primera Liga season sees Benfica in pole position to win a fourth consecutive league crown. This year their only realistic challengers appear to be rapidly improving city rivals Sporting Lisbon, the 14-year hold that the big three have had on the league title appears to be continuing.

The Primera Liga has always been a league with startling disparities between the top three and the rest. This can be seen by just looking at stadium capacities — Benfica’s Stadium of Light holds more than 64,000 people, whereas Tondela and Nacional have stadiums fitting for just 5,000 people.

Managerial changings is also associated with the league. Since May 2016, fourteen out of the sixteen teams have changed manager — it makes the Premier League look like a safe-haven for managers.

In recent times, Sporting Lisbon have been unable to keep up with the big two; their grip was simply too firm for Sporting who were left in the wayside. But times are changing.

It all started it the summer of 2015. In a bitter story that dominated the news in Portugal, they prised away manager Jorge Jesus from arch-city-rivals Benfica. A man who played a big role in the success of Benfica was a big coup for the green team of Lisbon, and they have not looked back since.

After finishing second last season, the momentum has continued and they find themselves once again having a realistic chance of being title contenders again this year.

They have also been very respectable in the Champions League this year. In a group with Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund, they have put in good performances and will be a challenge for any team in the Europa League come the New Year.

Sporting really excite though when you look through their playing squad. Filled with many recognisable names such as Sebastian Coates, Joel Campbell, Bryan Ruiz, Bas Dost, and William Carvalho; their squad contains players with a point to prove and they definitely have the quality to succeed at this level.

Coates in particular looks a player reborn. Following an unsuccessful time in England with both Liverpool and Sunderland, his great reading of the game, along with ability to help Sporting build attacks from the back as been integral to the teams’ good form so far this year.

Dutch striker Bas Dost was an incredible coup not just for Sporting, but the Primera Liga as a whole; a man who, when in the right frame of mind, could not stop scoring in both Holland and Germany. If Jorge Jesus finds the right formula for him then he will easily score 20-plus goals this term.

The future is looking very bright for Sporting Lisbon, and with an exciting playing squad to match a talented manager, who knows what success lies ahead for them during the rest of the year?

However, one team where the good times are most certainly a distant memory is FC Porto. A team stuttering on the field and with sanctions from the UEFA Financial Fair Play committee looming, these are the worst times in many years for the north Portuguese club.

Until 2014 Porto were the country’s dominant side. Winning nine league titles in a twelve-year period as well as a Champions League triumph. Their transfer policy was also hugely successful — sign young players on the cheap, then slap a hefty transfer clause on them and sell them for a huge amount of profit. Porto were the club that could do no wrong.

But a return of the good times seems a long way off in the present day. Their league form is stuttering with a winless November and they have only scored one goal in the process. They are a team devoid of ideas and lack a creative touch.

Their form in European competition is not much better. In a seemingly straightforward group with Leicester, Brugge and Copenhagen, they are struggling in qualification, and need to avoid defeat in their final group game to finish in second place.

Off the field the picture is even gloomier for Porto. In October the club announced a record loss of €58.4 million, with over €75 million spent on salaries in 2015/16, a figure that was only €40 million three years ago.

The mismanagement of the club’s finances can be seen no clearer than the signing of Iker Casillas — the highest-paid player in the club’s history and a man who also holds no sell-on value, is a signing that would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Look throughout the rest of the squad and the picture is pretty much the same — expensive flops.

The club’s financial plan for the coming year announced that a figure of  €116 million must be generated via player sales in order to prevent UEFA sanctions.

The FC Porto squad that we see today will almost be entirely unrecognisable in twelve months’ time. Times are looking very dark indeed.

Final Fantasy XV – Review

Written by Stephen Lewis on . Posted in Games.

About a year ago, in last December’s ‘most anticipated feature’, I wrote that Final Fantasy XV was my most anticipated game of 2016, and after a near ten-year wait, it finally arrived last week. Before I get into the review however, I should state that at the time of writing this, I am yet to fully beat the game; I am well into the story and am in the final few chapters, but have not reached the journey’s conclusion. What I intend to focus on here however, is whether the game is true to its opening statement: ‘A Final Fantasy for fans and first-timers’.

That message is shown proudly every time you boot up the game, right before you get to the main menu, and Square Enix have made a push to get Final Fantasy back into the upper tiers of gaming success. After the somewhat disappointing XIII Trilogy and the original version of Final Fantasy XIV Online — before being remade as the excellent ‘A Realm Reborn’ — it is not unfair to say that the franchise was starting to buckle under its own weight. But now Final Fantasy XV is out there, you can see it on most buses going up and down Oxford Road, and how does it stack up? In keeping with the idea of a game for ‘fan and first-timers’ I shall take two approaches: on one hand a review of the game for those entirely new to the series, alongside how the choices and changes might be seen to a long-time fan of the series. I myself have play a few entries before this, namely I, VI, VII, X, XIII, XIII-2 and XIV (Realm Reborn).

For those unfamiliar, Final Fantasy has largely been known as a turn-based JRPG set in either large worlds that showcase either a traditional fantasy setting — castles, wizards, crystals, etc — or a more futuristic aesthetic  — steampunk, factories, guns, motor transport, etc. XV is none of these. Instead it has tried to buck the trend and place itself as ‘a fantasy based on reality’, but what does that mean beside seeing American Express logos in shop windows and an in-game mention of Vivienne Westwood? XV is intended to be grounded in a world that could feel real, but with little dashes of magic of wonder thrown in: you could be driving your car, the Regalia, down the highway, stop off in a town, eat at a restaurant, go do some fishing and then camp one night. The next morning you might then go off in search of an astral giant that powers a city with the energy from a fallen meteor, come face-to-face with a storm god, or just ride around the countryside on a Chocobo — the big yellow birds.

For those familiar to the series this is a welcome change, and sits nicely alongside previous entries whilst offering something fresh. Whilst not identical in premise, it reminds me a bit of how the Dark Knight films tried to make a more grounded setting for Batman.

The story centres around the journey of Noctis and his three friends, Ignis, Promto and Gladiolus, as they are sent out by Noctis’s father, King Regis, to meet Luna for Noctis’s wedding. As is common in these games however, the trip takes a turn for the worse and turns into a much larger narrative, dealing with large and personal themes, ranging from a war between nations and the threat of the world ending, to how Noctis and his friends relate to one another, and individual moments like Ignis cooking dinner whilst you camp, Promto wanting to run a photo-op, or Gladio taking you out for training. Despite it being easy to discuss the larger arcs of the story, these intimate moments between friends are better experienced for yourself, and Square Enix have acknowledged this, by having Promto take photos throughout your journey that you can save to an in-game album of 150 images total. These photos are individual to each player, so no two games will have the same exact album.

From what I have played of the story so far, it has reminded me at time of the narratives of VI and X more than any others, but still retains enough of its own identity to stand by its own merits. However, I would strongly recommend that before playing you watch the Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV anime — it’s short and free on the official YouTube channel — as well as perhaps seeing the film Kingsglaive, which runs parallel to the opening of the game. Whilst not required, it certainly gives you a much better sense of who is who and what is going on in this world, as when the story begins, the four main characters have already known each other for years and it can feel a little like you’re jumping into a story that started a little before you got here.

In stark contrast to most other games in the series, combat is now fully in real time, and is somewhat similar to that of Kingdom Hearts but with a more fleshed-out system: Disclaimer: I have not played any Kingdom Hearts games, this is based off what I have seen and been told by those who have. Whilst some die-hard fans may be a little unsure of this at first, the system works very well, apart from a camera that can’t always keep up. The system is very simple to learn, but becomes deeper the more you get into it. Perhaps the only let down is the use of magic, which has been cut back to three basic elements — Fire, Ice and Lightning — and are essentially very flashy grenades that can be buffed to give added effects such as poisoning enemies, or healing your character. I could go further into the combat system, but then we’d be here for quite a while…

A final point that I only discovered whilst playing the other night is how players should react to the pacing of the game, which towards the end can get a little odd. In a reversal of XIII’s structure, the world here begins very open, and once you get to a certain point in the story it begins to shove you down more of a corridor. At this point you can start moving through the chapters at quite a clip, but then reach a place where you will be slowed down a lot, which can be a bit jarring as you are still locked on the path. The only place where I became concerned about this was when I was fighting through enemies around my level, before facing a boss that was many levels higher, and so was essentially impossible to defeat. This was the point however where I found out that from save points — there was one right before the boss — you can travel back to ‘the past’ and continue your journey in the open world from earlier, and ALL your levels and experience carry over, which was not made entirely clear. It does feel a bit odd however that to progress the story you may have to jump between the actual chapters, and the open world of the first half of the game, but you could always avoid this by just levelling up your character more than you should a little early on.

I wish I could talk more about Final Fantasy XV but then I’d be here for days trying to unravel every single element. Basically, the game is amazing but not perfect, yet the flaws are so small they fade in the background. As a jumping-off point, XV is a great place to be introduced to the series, and is also rewarding for fans. It took ten years, but it was worth the wait.

Cookie cutter perfect biscuits

Written by Lily Carden on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Are you looking for cheap yet thoughtful Christmas presents for your friends? Look no further, here’s your solution. These cookies look great and all you need to do is get together the ingredients (which I’d wager you already have) and buy a pretty tin from a pound shop or Home Sense. If you really can’t get a tin then stack half a dozen or so up on a cellophane sheet and tie with a pretty ribbon. These cookies taste great and can be personalised to taste with cocoa powder — or ground ginger for a festive spin.

Makes 12-24 depending on cutter size (one box worth plus a few for you)

Prep time: 15 minutes + 30 minute chill
Cooking time: 10-12 minutes

Ingredients:
150g soft butter
100g muscovado sugar
1 large egg
250g plain flour
1tsp baking powder
1tsp vanilla extract or paste
optional 1tbsp cocoa powder or ½tsp ground ginger

Beat the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add the egg and stir until incorporated. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and mix to form a dough.

Wrap the dough in cling film and leave in the fridge to firm up for 30 minutes to an hour. Meanwhile line trays with greaseproof paper.

Liberally flour your work surface and rolling pin before rolling the chilled dough to 1cm thick. Cut into your preferred shape (stars are great, as are bells and gingerbread men but if all else fails just use the rim of a clean glass). Lay the cut biscuits on the prepared trays (they don’t really spread so you don’t need to leave big gaps). Repeat until you run out of trays/dough and cook in the hot oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden. Transfer to wire racks to cool before packing into the tin and presenting to your friends.

Top 5: Winter Films

Written by Shema Begum on . Posted in Film.

5. Edward Scissorhands

Tim Burton’s modern fairy-tale with Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder became an instant hit. Brilliantly stylised, as the juxtaposition between the gothic mansion where isolated Edward resides, and the pastel coloured town gives the film this unusual but quirky effect. Though this is the least winter-y film in this list, the use of snow is undoubtedly iconic.

4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson, The Girl with the Dragon tattoo achieved critical acclaim. Rooney Mara in particular gained recognition for her role of computer hacker, Lisbeth Salander. David Fincher’s psychological thriller takes you to the snowbound country that is Sweden, where a 40-year-old disappearance case awaits. It’s intense, gripping and will certainly make you feel the winter

3.Encounters at the End of the World

Werner Herzog’s documentary looks into the lives of scientists who work at the McMurdo research base in Antarctica. The various interviews not only give an insight into the projects being worked on, but also the human psyche. Herzog’s narration is very conversational and engaging, as he explains the film isn’t about “fluffy penguins.” He further captures the breath-taking surroundings and even some aquatic life. The film shows what a winter wonderland truly is. You can find the full film on YouTube.

2. A Simple Plan

Three men stumble across a plane that has crashed, where they find millions of dollars in cash. The film follows the individuals after they decide to keep the money with the simple plan to hide it. From here the consequences of their actions begin to unravel, and the moral implications are explored. All of this is set against the backdrop of Minnesota in the winter.  A Simple Plan provides a disturbing twist on the American dream, and the frozen wastelands mirror the protagonists’ outlook on life.

1. The Shining

I usually refrain from watching horror films but this is a must on everyone’s watch list. Stanley Kubrick manages to make the ordinary seem so frightening with the meticulous care taken in crafting this film. A secluded hotel during a long Colorado winter drives caretaker Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) to insanity and he’s out to kill. Though it has grown on audiences throughout the years, The Shining is so deeply embedded in pop culture. The iconic scenes and phrases are replicated in a variety of films and TV shows. This classic is ideal for thrill seekers during these short winter days.

Live: Sampha

Written by Harrison Kersey on . Posted in Music.

23rd November at Academy 2

7.5/10

If the name Sampha rings any bells for you, it is likely due to his otherworldly guest spots on SBTRKTs eponymous 2011 debut. His smoky, tentative performances on standout tracks like ‘Something Goes Right’ and ‘Hold On’ dripped emotion and showed off a serious vocal range. Since then, Sampha has been elusive; despite his obvious star quality he has only released a six-track EP as a lead artist, otherwise sticking to features and remixes for the likes of Drake, Solange Knowles and Frank Ocean. The cover of 2013’s Dual captures this ephemeral presence — with his face in shadow, Sampha comes across as uncertain as his voice.

However, in February the man in the shadows stepped into the spotlight with the release of his debut full-length, Process. In support of the album he announced three pre-release UK shows, and after some last-minute haggling this reviewer bagged a ticket. Support was provided by Kelsey Lu, a singer and cellist from New York who has collaborated with Dev Hynes of Blood Orange. Not your typical warm-up act, Lu gave a sparse but powerful performance; alone on stage with minimal lighting effects, her rich voice captivated about half the crowd. Sadly, those who had come just for the main event were not so drawn in, with a pre-gig buzz of conversation audible throughout her set.

Support done, and after a solid half hour of setup, the time came for Sampha to take the stage. Big and broad, he didn’t look like the guy singing about his emotions on ‘Hesitant Oath’. Flanked by four musicians, including a wardrobe-changed Kelsey Lu on cello and backing vocals, he greeted the audience with a big grin and a few words of thanks before opening with a tune from the new album. Complex arrangements immediately apparent, each person on stage seemed to be playing some kind of percussion as well as their instrument. The man himself held things down on two keyboards and a drum pad, without missing a note of his stunning vocals. As the show wound on through new material punctuated with a few SBTRKT tunes (sadly just from 2013 release Wonder Where We Land), the moments which stood out most were the transitions; the shift from quiet to loud on lead Process single ‘Timmy’s Prayer’ was phenomenal, as the song moved from a low-key, woozy synth line to a climactic outburst of emotion.

Another memorable track was second single ‘Blood On Me’, a frenetic meltdown made more unnerving in live rendition. A few songs did feel a little directionless, with angsty atmospherics leading nowhere, but the consistently on-point vocal interplay between Sampha and Lu often made this forgiveable. The fact that much of the material had not been heard before also gave a sense of anticipation to the whole show, with the crowd waiting for either a new sound or a throwback tune like ‘Hold On’, neither of which ever really came. This said, there is nothing wrong with the sound of the new album; if anything its consistency should be its strength as Sampha fleshes out his sound. Based on this performance, when Process drops on the 3rd of February, I would recommend you check it out.

Meat Allergies

Written by Miriam Mizzi on . Posted in News.

Last week, I made the long overdue trip down to London to meet my brother and catch up on all the non-exciting things that work and university have been throwing at us. We sat in his favourite café, sipped on coffee, and caught up on all these non-exciting things. Our chat however, swiftly moved onto our favourite topic, food. Normally this centres on where we want to go for dinner, what we have recently been cooking, and at this time of year what meat we want for Christmas dinner. But, this time instead, he casually brought into discussion a podcast he has recently listened to which surrounded the topic of ‘becoming allergic to meat’. I instantly scoffed at the idea. What?! This couldn’t be a thing, a thing legitimate enough to be discussed on an academic podcast.

I hesitated, then asked him to go on. What I heard next was something probably up there with one of the most devastating things I have ever heard. It is, in fact, possible to become allergic to meat, affecting people in Europe, Asia, America and Africa, as well as, incredibly, 800 people around Sydney’s Northern beaches in Australia. Dr. Erin McGintee reported to CBS News about 200 cases of this type of red meat allergy among people on New York’s Long Island.

How? I hear you ask, just as I did. This is where it gets even more shocking. A link has been found between tick bites and new found meat allergies. Usually, tick bites are not harmful to humans; they cause an inconvenience but can be treated by cleansing with certain ointments. However, the Lone Star tick, which is widespread, has been seen to trigger in some cases an anaphylactic reaction. The Lone Star tick carries a sugar called an alpha-gal, which is also found in red meat. When the tick bites a person it transfers this alpha-gal into the blood stream. This person’s antibodies fight this intrusion and the next time this person eats red meat, an allergic reaction occurs.

Sydney allergy specialist Sheryl van Nunen, who first formally identified the link in 2009 explains that her patients who have become allergic to meat this way, experienced hardened swelling and a large red rash rather than the usual reaction of a small red itchy bump. They went on to experience an allergic reaction similar to that experienced by people allergic to peanuts. These symptoms are caused by too many antibodies attacking the allergen, in this case the alpha-gal. After that, each time meat is consumed, the allergen binds to the antibodies and causes the cells to release massive amounts of histamine and other chemicals to try to protect the individual. These chemicals can cause symptoms that can range from mild to severe.

Despite there being some evidence that certain meats such as poultry, and seafood may still be consumed safely, many suffers restrict themselves to vegetarian diets to remain entirely safe.  Jana Pearce who has experienced two life-threatening events told The Guardian of her difficulties: “The hardest thing is all your social life is interrupted — you can’t go out to dinner for fear of the cross-contamination. It sort of spoils the whole experience of dining out,” she said. “You have to eat very clean and you have to learn to cook again, which is the hard part.”

Much is still unknown about this bizarre occurrence, such as why some people result in becoming allergic to meat after being bitten by these ticks, and others do not. All I know is, it sounds like a nightmare.

@hungoverhabits

Christmas markets: La Cuisine Provençale

Written by Charlie Spargo on . Posted in Food & Drink.

If your cheeks are stinging from the cold, what would you choose to eat in order to get you warm and full — a German Bratwurst? Not likely.

Seen as perhaps the more grown-up part of the markets, the King Street section, with its vaguely French theme, has always been one of my favourites. To make it better, it’s also ever-so-slightly less popular: a blessing you’ll understand if you’ve ever been caught up in the hordes of increasingly desperate shoppers at the markets on a Saturday afternoon nearing Christmas.

Halfway down, in pride of place among King Street’s classy outlets, is my favourite food stall at the Christmas Markets — La Cuisine Provençale. Serving traditional food of Provence, France this is the kind of food that hits the spot for me in the midst of the chaos of the markets.

The servers are friendly and generous, each plate handed over the counter of steaming hotplates full of meat, mushrooms and potatoes with a polite “Merci”. It is their food, however, that puts any other lunchtime-offering the Christmas Markets have to shame.

I choose their Mustard Chicken every time I go. Cooked in cream and dijon mustard, the perfectly-cooked chicken is bursting with herby, French umami flavour, and at £6 for a regular, you get your carton piled high with meat for the money you spend. Each dish also comes with a free choice of garlic potatoes or fluffy spiced rice. The potatoes — piping hot and powerfully flavoured with garlic, French herbs, and spices — are in my opinion the better accompaniment to their meat dishes.

They also cater to most, if not all, dietary habits and choices. Their vegetarian main is garlic mushrooms, cooked slowly in a smooth garlic and parsley sauce which is fragrant and satisfying on a cold winter’s day, and all at £5 per regular serving. If gluten’s your problem, they also have many options for that — the mushrooms, Provençal chicken, and garlic potatoes are all gluten free.

If you ever feel like the German part of the Markets has got a little bit too much, get yourself to the calmer part on King Street. But, you’ll have to be quite quick, even when I visited early on a weekday afternoon they had run out of the tartiflette that they had on offer. Perhaps while you’re visiting, you could also treat yourself to a “special” mulled wine, made extra-specially  French with a shot of brandy, from the outlet just down the street.

Make your bright hair dreams come true

Written by Kitty Mitchell Turner on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

If hair was a game then I’ve completed all the levels. I have been every colour under the sun and gone through most hair styles from alopecia-inflicted baldness to waist length locks. For the past couple of years though, since my hair has come back, I’ve stuck to rainbow colours, and I am not alone.

Kylie Jenner, Zayn Malick and Rita Ora are just a few of those jumping on the bright-haired band wagon. But without the celebrity hairdressers or green wigs costing thousands of dollars, it is only too easy to end up with patchy, streaky, straw-like tresses. So, if you’re thinking about braving the bright, here are some tips I have learnt from personal experience (good and bad) to help you on your way.

1. Bleaching basics:

First things first, to get the right colour bleaching is unavoidable. For optimum impact you want to lift your colour to white blonde or ash. The best way to do this is to use powder bleach mixed with peroxide and NOT a blonde box hair dye. I use 9 per cent cream peroxide and blue powdered bleach, but Jerome Russell B Blonde cream bleach and bleach packets are equally effective and can be bought in supermarkets or chemists. The important thing is to leave it on for at least an hour. I should mention here that it burns, and will possibly leave your scalp rather tender and flaky, but being something that we also use to clean toilets, that’s no surprise. Whole head bleaching is not for the faint hearted, which is why the first time I bleached my hair I got my hairdresser to do it, so don’t hesitate to go to a professional if you’re nervous.

2. If at first you don’t succeed..:

If you don’t get your desired base colour i.e. it ends up yellow, streaky or with brassy tones PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD PLEASE DO NOT BLEACH IT AGAIN. It won’t fix it and will leave you with cheese strings on your head that will snap off a la Georgia in Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. If this does happen, which it shouldn’t if you have followed the instructions correctly, opt for a toner or use a purple shampoo to remove the brassy tones. Here I should also say that if you think covering the orange tinge with your bright green dye will work, it won’t. It always rears its ugly head sooner or later.

3. Cost:

Vibrant hair requires an investment of both time and money. A professional job costs anywhere between £90-£150 and takes around 4 hours. Even doing it at home can take up to 6+ hours and can cost a bomb with dye(s), toner, bleach, peroxide, gloves, tint brushes etc. Bright dyes also cost more than your classic box dye from boots, and the upkeep is more demanding (but more on that later). So before you give your heart to rainbow hair, consider the impact on your diary and wallet.

4. Brands to love and hate:

Every vibrant hair dye states their dyes are semi-permanent. The reason for this is that the more unnatural the colour, the more it fades. This said some stick more than others. I for one steer clear of Crazy Colour and Bleach London because they fade so quickly, whereas Manic Panic and Shwarpzkopf Live tend to fade with a nasty grey tinge after the first wash. My personal favourites are Directions, Pravana and Special Effects, as they last longer and are cruelty free.

5. Phone a friend:

Ask someone who dyes their hair (preferably bright colours) and is happy to rinse your head over the bath. It is a really fun activity and my go-to friend Martha is great at getting the spots at the back of my head and helping blend my colours.

Rainbow hair. Photo: The Mancunion

6. Maintenance:

To really maximise vibrancy and minimise damage and fading my recommendations are not popular. Heat should be avoided, so let your hair dry naturally and avoid styling with heat. Showering contributes massively so only wash your hair once or twice a week on a cold setting. This isn’t fun in the winter months, so make dry shampoo your new best friend and get used to quick showers, at least you’ll save money on water bills!

7. Fade:

As I have mentioned before your hair will fade quickly. I dye my hair every six weeks or so. I start by bleaching my roots then rinsing and drying my hair before dying it all over. I’m currently sporting four colours in my hair (so close to being that McFly song) which can get a bit pricey, so love every brilliant shade your hair turns. On a side note, pastel colours tend to wash out after about a week, so go for a brighter shade that fades to pastel over time to minimise effort.

8. Damage control:

All this bleaching and dying will have quite an impact on your poor head. To help keep it healthy invest in a colour shampoo and conditioner. If you are currently using Head and Shoulders or any other dandruff shampoo, bin it. It will strip your colour and natural oils leaving it dry and faded. The only time I have found it useful was removing colour when I accidentally dyed my hair black aged 13. While you’re at it, you should avoid chlorinated water too as it will sap the moisture and most of the colour from your lovely locks. Instead, invest in a serum like Moroccan Oil which rehydrates your hair and leaves it soft. It may be pricy, but it is SO worth it.

9. The less glamorous side:

Having bright hair is incredible, I get so many compliments, can coordinate it with my multi-coloured wardrobe and don’t get me started on how cool it looks in plaits. But this all comes at a price. Forget just dying your hair; your bathtub, towels, nails, sweat, t shirts, pillowcases and virtually anything else your hair comes into contact with will end up the same colour. So while some damage control is possible, just embrace it. Everything I own is pink anyway so the excess dye just adds to the fun!

10. Changing colours:

If you decide that bright hair isn’t for you, or you just want a different shade, the best thing to do is ride it out. Wait until it has faded as much as possible and whatever you do DON’T bleach over it. If you want to go back to a more natural colour bear in mind the aftermath of the bleach means it may fade faster than on a natural base, and if your bright colour was red, orange or anything else with brassy tones they may need toning out before you dye over it.

So go forth and dye my friends, though it is tough at times, it is a sacrifice one should willingly make.

2016 in Film

Written by Eliza Slawther on . Posted in Film.

2016 has been a disastrous and depressing year for many, and the unpredictable turbulence of world events has caused much divide and debate in the media. Luckily we are here in the comfort of the film section, where such issues can be brushed aside while we get cosy with a warm blanket, some popcorn and appreciate all the great film and television that 2016 has gifted us — this is with the exception of Black Mirror Series 3, which was essentially the film section’s version of Brexit.

My personal favourite film this year was the modern western Hell or High Water — something about it was intoxicatingly beautiful and profound, and has stuck with me. I was seduced by the cinematography and characterisations, and feel that it has been forgotten by many critics for the likes of Arrival and Captain America. Notable mentions go to Under the Shadow, a beautiful Iranian horror, as well as Nocturnal Animals, High-Rise and Everybody Wants Some!!.

We have also had a great year for documentaries, with Adam Curtis’ HyperNormalization taking centre stage — a dark insight into the corrupt world around us (perhaps even the film section has not been spared from the trauma of 2016 after all). Louis Theroux’s My Scientology Movie was yet another long-awaited documentary film that certainly lived up to standards.

Some of the section’s contributors have picked out their specific favourite moments in film and television this year, with Jake Sanders favouring the part in American Honey where “they sing along to Choices by E-40”, and Rosa Simonet having chosen “Any time when the camera lingers on Daisy Domergue in The Hateful Eight, particularly in the first hour of the film, or just Jason Leigh in The Hateful Eight in general”. Sadly for contributor Luke Bull, no 2016 film or television show lived up to the legacy of Seinfeld. Understandable.

Diversity in television has been another highlight of the year, with The Night Of and Atlanta standing out for their originality and showing a move away from white-washed sitcoms of the past. Planet Earth II is also back on our screens, with David Attenborough providing some stability and joy in our ever-changing world.

I would finally like to thank the contributors who have all gone the extra mile this semester and made the section so consistently full of good content, as well as Deputy Editor Shema who has not only edited the section but also written many excellent articles. We have had a range of diverse articles, from reviews of lesser-known and international new-releases, coverage of the Jewish Film Festival, Q&As with directors and re-appraisals of old classics. This year has also seen the creation of the Mancunion Film Review Show, hosted by Alasdair Bayman and Jake Sanders. The show has provided a new platform for all things film, and hosted many guest speakers, most of whom also write for the section.

Here’s to a great new year, we will be back on the 30th of January with the next print issue but will still be posting articles and reviews online over the coming weeks so make sure to keep an eye out for those.

Eliza,

Head Film Editor