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Day: 15 February 2018

Photos: soccer0010.com @wikimedia commons

English teams excel in Europe

Written by Sam Cooper on . Posted in Sport.

The first week of the round of 16 knockout ties in the UEFA Champions League is over and all three English sides that played provided a throughly impressive performance. Tuesday saw Manchester City travel to Basel, while Tottenham faced a tricky tie away in Turin against Juventus.

Spurs’ evening against the Italian Champions got off to the worst possible start when the hosts scored two goals in the opening ten minutes. Gonzalo Higuaín was smart in his movement to finish off a Juventus set piece in the second minute and seven minutes later he had the chance to double his and his team’s tally from the penalty spot. The Argentine slotted the ball into the net and put Juventus firmly in the driver’s seat.

A characteristic of Spurs under Mauricio Pochettino has been an increased maturity in their game and it was on show here. Unfazed by conceding two quick goals, the London side continued to dominate the ball and assert their authority on Juventus. The sustained heightened pressure earned its rewards when Harry Kane pulled a goal back in the 35th minute.

Still trailing by a goal, Tottenham continued to look the better side and a free kick from Christian Eriksen secured a deserved equaliser. Pochettino’s men continued to push for a winner but the game ended at 2-2. A very strong result given the circumstances and one Spurs will be confident of building on at Wembley.

It was a much easier night for Guardiola’s City, who strolled to a 4-0 win over Swiss outfit Basel. İlkay Gündoğan scored a brace while Sergio Agüero and Bernado Silva competed the scoring.

Liverpool also enjoyed a fine away performance as they went one better than City with a 5-0 victory away at Porto. Billed as a potentially tricky tie in the build-up, Jürgen Klopp’s men took very little time in opening the scoring. Sadio Mané, who had been out of form recently, fired a low shot towards goal in the 25th minute and the power behind the ball meant the Porto keeper could only palm it into his own net.

The hosts looked shocked and just three minutes later, James Milner was unlucky not to score. A wonderful effort from outside of the box cannoned off the woodwork but an alert Mo Salah was on hand to calm round the keeper and prod the ball home.

With the score 2-0 at half time, Liverpool could afford to sit deep and punish Porto on the break with their devastating front three. Roberto Firmino saw his attempt saved by Mané was in a great position to roll the ball into an empty net.

Firmino was not to be left goalless though as another Liverpool counter attack released Milner on the left wing. His drilled pull back was precisely laid into the path of Firmino who did not even had to break stride as he finished.

It was 4-0 and, like City, Liverpool’s place in the quarter final was looking assured. The evening was rounded off with the perfect icing on the cake as Mané completed his hat-trick. This time, he recited the ball on the edge of the area and powered a shot into the top corner. For a striker suffering of late from bad form, this is the perfect tonic and one that will give him confidence for the next run of games.

With an aggregate scoreline of 11-2, it was a fine week for English sides in Europe and all three teams will be confident of their chances at progression to the next phase. Chelsea and Manchester United both restart their Champions League campaigns next and face difficult Spanish opponents in Barcelona and Sevilla.

Whether it will be five out of five English teams in the next round remains to be seen but given that this time last year the Premier League only had one team make the quarters (Leicester City) it is an uplifting sign for any English fan.

Review: Black Panther

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

It was always going to be a risk from Marvel to produce a film surrounding a minor superhero and with an almost entirely black cast, but it is one that certainly pays off. Not only does Black Panther boldly stand shoulder to shoulder with the other films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it feels distinct enough from those previous that it can serve as a stand-alone film.

When T’Chaka is killed in a terrorist attack, his son T’Challa inherits the throne. His nation of Wakanda is hyper-advanced by fortune of a mineral-rich meteorite hitting their land thousands of years prior. To protect themselves from the outside world they don the disguise of an impoverished third-world country. When a rebellious Wakandan tries to take the throne and through it take revenge for an age of discrimination against his race, T’Challa must risk his life to defend peace.

Whilst T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) is the titular character in the film, he is surrounded by strong female characters. The key difference between the women here and in other Hollywood blockbusters though is the importance they have in the story. Lupita Nyongo’o plays the King’s most trusted spy, Letitia Wright his wickedly intelligent sister and, in arguably the best performance of them all, Danai Gurira takes on the role of Okoye, the warrior general. All three influence the direction of the plot and it was refreshing to see female leads who were well-written and not just used as flimsy love interests.

That same high quality of performance was shared amongst almost all of the cast with one major exception, Michael B. Jordan’s villain Erik. The character had a rich backstory and yet, as is often the case with Marvel villains, he felt one-note and unexplored. Jordan’s character had a tough upbringing in a poor American community before entering the army and getting the nickname ‘Kilmonger’, the sheer amount of detail glossed over could have easily become a film in its own right. Nevertheless, even with this scripting disadvantage, he squeezed every drop of life from his lines to be one of the best villains yet.

Black Panther is immediately striking in its unique aesthetic. Bold and colourful, it is unlike anything we have seen in the Marvel Universe before. In the Kingdom of Wakanda, for example, there is a dazzling mesh between traditional African and contemporary culture, a style contained within Afrofuturism. With 20th century roots in artists such as Sun Ra, Afrofuturism lays at the heart of the artistic vision for the film. It runs deeper than just clothing and architecture though, a critique of the African and African-American experience, one that is revisited multiple times throughout the film.

Accompanying the visual delight is a soundtrack featuring that same traditional-contemporary collaboration. Hip-hop visionary Kendrick Lemar creates and curates a collection of emotionally and politically charged tracks with artists such as SZA, Schoolboy Q and Future. Ludwig Göransson, best known for working with Donald Glover on his Childish Gambino albums, composes a complementary score containing a vast array of unorthodox sounds. In fact, Göransson spent a month in Africa to ensure he could weave these authentic African elements in a way that wasn’t intrusive. Bringing all this together and you have one of the most innovative soundtracks ever seen in mainstream cinema.

In the end, despite the new representations and artistic style, Black Panther cannot escape what it truly is: a Marvel film. Therefore it must adhere to the formula, with a CGI packed climax where our hero overcomes the villain. Thor: Ragnarok and this show that the creative reigns are loosening but the series needs to evolve to remain dominant after Infinity War. You can dress a man in different clothes, but at the end of the day he’s still the same man. Maybe the time has come for Marvel to cast someone else.

Photo: Flashmag @ flickr.com

Ugly trainers: the rise of the dad shoe

Written by Ella Searle on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

If wearing ripped jeans doesn’t set off a tirade of abuse and corny jokes at any family event, what would your grandparents think of the latest designer trend of ‘ugly trainers’. With brands such as Balenciaga and Gucci sending pre-muddied, distressed sports trainers fit for your school’s lost property bucket down their catwalks, is it time we reconsider blind brand loyalty?

Balenciaga’s sold out ‘Triple S’ trainers retail at £595, and appear to be a perfect combination between a pair of soiled hiking boots and your dad’s oldest pair of gym trainers. Yet despite looking like they should also come smelling of old socks, causing mass amusement and mock online, the model is continually sold out, fetching almost double their retail value on reselling sites.

Yet it is also brand of the moment Gucci that has similarly cashed in on the ‘Dad’ nomcore trend with their ‘Ryton’ trainer. Their chunky, scuffed, yellowing trainers are yet another example amongst the likes of Lanvin, Raf Simons and Yeezy to cash in on the moment.

The hefty looking runners mimic what you might slip on to take the bins out, and in the process, thousands of Dads in wide leg jeans and stained t-shirts have unwittingly become fashion’s latest dystopian muse, being resold to fashion followers at £675. But what makes these luxury models any more desirable than the likes of the notorious Lonsdale scuffed trainers found in every local sports direct or the unbranded Primark trainer?

The popularity of these ‘ugly trainers’ is just further evidence to show how designer fashion has become a world of ironic references and deep-set brand loyalties, whilst also moving toward a much more daring and individual aesthetic. If Fallowfield is anything to go by, the muddy trainer trend is something which is here to stay, and appears the catwalks of Paris have been similarly inspired by the mass of muddy reeboks found on every magic bus.

Whatever the outcry, these bold, extreme models don’t seem to be disappearing anytime soon.

Picture: LGBT Foundation

Manchester and the history of HIV/AIDS

Written by James Huyton on . Posted in Lifestyle.

In the year 1980, reports began to emerge from the United States of people presenting unusual symptoms associated with immune collapse, followed by rapid health deterioration and later death. A couple of years later, the first reported case appeared in the United Kingdom. Initially named GRID (Gay-Related Immune Disorder), it would later become known as HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus).

The progress we have made with HIV in the past few decades has been nothing short of miraculous. Thanks to advances in modern medicine, people who are living with HIV go on to live happy and healthy lives. Regular testing to know your status is the best way to combat HIV transmission, and early diagnosis and treatment ensure that a person living with HIV will become undetectable and will not transmit the virus – the medical concept of Undetectable = Untransmittable or U=U.

The LGBT community was affected in countless ways by the AIDS crisis, and a worldwide mobilisation of this community and our allies were ultimately what pulled us through it.

Manchester has always been a unique city in terms of its community, and this is especially true with its LGBT people. This month is LGBT History Month and it’s important to remember the decades of progress and fighting Mancunian activists have made against HIV.

As HIV began to emerge throughout the United Kingdom, fear and uncertainty about how it was transmitted led to widespread panic. Sensationalist media reporting only made this worse, stigmatising those living with HIV as well as anyone vulnerable to the disease. It was often colloquially known in the tabloids as the ‘gay plague’.

In a 1987 editorial, The Sun newspaper openly called for the deportation of all gay men from the UK. Uncertainty about how HIV was passed on initially led health authorities to adopt disproportionate and sometimes draconian infection control measures. In 1985, one man diagnosed with HIV was quarantined against his will at North Manchester General Hospital.

In 1988 the Conservative government introduced ‘Section 28’, a clause of the Local Government Act forbidding the ‘promotion of homosexuality’ and ‘pretended family relationships’ in schools and local authorities. In practice, this prohibited any discussion of services for homosexuals and marked the first anti-gay legislation for over 100 years.

At this time, the Chief Constable of GMP was James Anderton. Known by the moniker “God’s Cop” and infamous for his old-fashioned views, Anderson stated publicly in interviews that he believed homosexuality should never have been legalised, and that those with HIV were “living in a cesspool of their own making”. Anderton was known to order raids on gay bars and his tenure as Chief Constable marked an all-time low point in the relationship between the police and the LGBT community.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the combination of HIV/AIDS, Section 28 and James Anderton meant that many LGBT people felt under attack, galvanising the community and fuelling waves of protest and direct action across Manchester. The first meeting about HIV took place in 1984 at The Thompsons Arms leading to the formation of Manchester AIDSline in 1985, one of the first HIV-specific organisations in the country.

The helpline offered support and information about HIV to thousands of callers. In 1988 tens of thousands of people rallied in Albert Square against Section 28, the largest demonstration in the country. Activists from this demonstration would go on to form the Manchester branch of ACT UP.

Picture: LGBT Foundation
Picture: LGBT Foundation

In 1994 campaigners from Manchester MESMAC set up Healthy Gay Manchester, an organisation dedicated to improving the sexual health of men who have sex with men. HGM launched a free condom and lube distribution scheme in Greater Manchester that became a model for the rest of the country. In 2000, HGM merged with the Manchester Lesbian and Gay Switchboard to become the Lesbian and Gay Foundation which is now LGBT Foundation.

Operating since 1985, Manchester AIDSline was succeeded by George House Trust. GHT is today the largest HIV charity in the North West and is currently the main provider of services to people living with HIV in Greater Manchester. George House Trust along with the LGBT Foundation, Manchester City Council, the NHS, Brook Manchester, the BHA and the Manchester World AIDS Day Partnership – a collective of organisations that marks World AIDS Day every December 1st by showing solidarity with all those living with HIV and remembering everyone who has lost their life to the virus.

Launched this LGBT History Month, the ‘Let’s Talk About Sex’ exhibition documents the stories of people across Greater Manchester involved or affected by campaigns on sexual health and HIV prevention sparked by the AIDS crisis. Providing a fuller picture of this story, it also features video testimonials from those involved that can be found in the North West Film archive pods at Manchester Central Library.

Events are still happening across Greater Manchester for LGBT History Month that is well worth checking out, as well as those ran by the UoM LGBTQ+ Society.

Photo: Joshua Ezzell @ Flickr

When will we see a new Elder Scrolls game?

Written by chrisglover on . Posted in Games.

Some video game franchises manage to churn out new installments on an annual or biennial basis — a feat usually made possible by huge development teams, formulaic game content, or a combination of the two. Say what you will about how this may affect the quality of the games, one thing’s for sure: this tenacious level of consistency is what has allowed series like Call of Duty, Assassin’s Creed and FIFA to maintain prime real estate in the forefront of gamer’s minds.

But some titles manage to foster this kind of following despite lengthy and sometimes unpredictable periods of time in between releases. Bethesda games are perhaps the best example of this; their two IPs Fallout and The Elder Scrolls (TES) have, since 2006’s Oblivion, alternated in their major releases, taking two to four years in between.

Bethesda is known for their Fallout and Elder Scrolls gamesPhoto: flickr @BagoGames
Bethesda is known for their Fallout and Elder Scrolls games Photo: flickr @BagoGames

With the studio’s huge success with Fallout 4 back in 2015, it must be about time we heard about the next Elder Scrolls game, right?

Wrong. So very depressingly wrong. I scoured the darkest corners of the internet and braved more niché subreddits than you could shake a stick at, and the prognosis isn’t great. I’ll try to break it gently to you:

At E3 2016,  Bethesda’s Director Todd Howard told us that yes, The Elder Scrolls VI is “of course” going to happen, but that the technology simply isn’t there for it yet. He then said that we would be seeing two major titles release before TES VI, and that both would be brand new IPs and bigger games than we have ever seen from Bethesda.

Fast forward to E3 2017, and Bethesda’s Pete Hines reiterated, with the heavy sigh of a man tired of receiving the same question relentlessly on twitter, that there were two big projects we would see before the eagerly-awaited Skyrim sequel. Then, after some more prodding, delivered the dream-killer:

“No, no, we’re pretty clear: The Elder Scrolls VI isn’t in development.”

Gutted. When in the world, then, can we expect to return to Tamriel? When will we get this Elder Scrolls which will boast mind-blowing technology of the future?

TES V: Skyrim was a hit in 2011 Photo: flickr @BagoGames
TES V: Skyrim was a hit in 2011 Photo: flickr @BagoGames

Well, since 2002, Bethesda Game Studios have released a game roughly every 3 years. If we take that trend as a given, that puts their next release this year, in 2018. Multiple leaks and a number of Bethesda-registered trademarks suggest this first of the two massive mystery projects will be a game called Starfield.

Assuming Starfield does release later this year, that means Massive Mystery Project Number 2 will release in 2021, three years later. Which, as I’m sure you’ve already figured out, puts TES VI at a projected release year of 2024.

2024. If I only I knew when I first sat down to play Skyrim aged 15 that I’d be nearly 30 years old by the time I played its sequel. Perhaps I’d have even spent more time taking in the game’s beautiful landscapes before I systematically eradicated its inhabitants.

Of course, I could be wrong — and it can’t be overstated how happy I would be if that’s the case. Bethesda may expand their core development team to accelerate production beyond their average three years, or they may even be lying about TES VI not being in development — anything could happen. 2024 is simply an estimate based on the current numbers we have at our disposal.

So, all that remains to be done is to wait to see if Starfield does indeed release later this year, and whether we can glean from its content any hints of the new technology Bethesda need for TES VI, or the direction they may take it in.  As for whether the unbearable wait for a new Elder Scrolls will be worth it, only time (a whole lot of it) will tell.

Are the British really more fashion-conscious than the French?

Written by Ellie Fraser on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Meet Paris, a city home to fashion’s in-crowd – designers and models alike. Parisians are world-renowned for their effortlessly chic and beautifully refined style.

So it may come as a surprise to hear that out of 26 EU countries, Britain that spends more on fashion than France – coming in at 8th in a recent survey carried out by Eurostat. France however, ranked 23rd.  Whilst the average Briton spends £1000 a year on new clothes, the average French person tends to part with a lesser £600.

Although I do not believe this is in a bid to compete with our superiorly stylish French cousins, there are some lessons we can learn from their ‘less is more’ precept. French women tend to buy clothes of a finer quality, but less frequently. They look for luxury and transitional ‘investment’ pieces in order to curate a simplified yet ‘très-chic’ wardrobe. What is more, they turn their back on trends in favour of a distinctively individual look.

‘Fashion’s fade, style is eternal’ – Yves Saint Laurent

The viral trend of the ‘capsule wardrobe’ among fashion’s blogging community is perhaps an attempt to emulate this refined yet elegant Parisian style. An idea popularised by Donna Karan (founder of DKNY) in the 1980s, it has been snapped-up by Voguish millennials whom use instagram to share their collection with their thousands of followers. The concept however is simple: choose key interchangeable pieces made from high-quality fabrics.

Perhaps then, we should look to the French (think Brigitte Bardot in the 1960s) and their sustainable ‘buy better’ attitude to fashion. Say au revoir to trends and hello to timeless, beautifully tailored and well-fitted slim jeans, cashmere sweaters, blazers and (of course) the LBD.

Choose neutrals (black, navy, white, and nude) over colours to see you through the seasons and add a much-needed versatility to your newly-simplified wardrobe. When it comes to accessories: think minimal. Opt for one eye-catching yet elegant piece and don’t forget a daring red lip! French women are effortlessly sexy without showing too much cleavage or leg – so don’t shy away from a staple turtleneck. But, most importantly dress for yourself and feel good doing so. After all, fashion is about finding your signature look.

Image: Franz Ferdinand

Live review: Franz Ferdinand

Written by Jay Plent on . Posted in Music.

13th February 2018, The Albert Hall

It’s been five years since Franz Ferdinand dropped an album (not including that weird detour with Sparks), and it seems that this tour heralds a fresh start for the band. New songs, new look, new sounds. The night in Manchester was theirs for the taking, and boy did they hit a home run. After a brief but gratifying warmup by Albert Hammond Jr, it began.

From the moment they set foot onstage, they commanded the evening, Alex Kapranos looking more Malfoy than man, his robotic star jumps seemingly weightless, his vocals smooth, and growling restlessly atop the band’s danceable angular sound. Franz Ferdinand has a quant, understated swagger only Brit bands can truly pull off. Nothing’s ever too serious, but the performance is seriously tight.

There are some great moments in the set, and not just great songs, though there were plenty. A fun twist on the normally dull ‘introduce each member of the band and they take a solo’ trope, for example. Kapranos built up the reveal of the names (which given the two new members, was helpful) to a silly degree, “I KNOW YOU WANT TO KNOW THE NAME…” Charming.

Furthermore, in the final, explosive build up for ‘This Fire’, everyone was made (after some coaxing) to crouch, then leap upon the song’s re-entry. Not a new idea by any means, but something that both showcased the power of Kapranos’ front manship, and looked crazy in a venue the size of the Albert Hall.

Speaking of songs, the setlist for the night was any fan’s dream blend of old and new. Classics like ‘Take Me Out’, ‘Do You Want To’ and ‘Jacqueline’ was of course, a riot, but so was their more recent work. Songs like ‘Ulysses’, ‘Love Illumination’ and ‘Always Ascending’ were just as ‘super fantastische’ as the rest. Franz has always been the masters of tight danceable hits covering all emotional ranges.

They’re one of the few bands from that early 2000s period that seem to love all eras of their music equally, and the confidence in the material is rightly earned. Throughout the performance, there’s not a bum note, not a lull that wasn’t needed for a recovery, and not a second that they didn’t stop being an absolutely stunning band to watch.

Franz Ferdinand has said in past interviews that they wanted to write music that would make people dance. Over a decade on, through various phases and experiments, they are still doing exactly that and doing better than any other band on the market. They sound just as vital and exciting as they ever have, maybe even more so. See them play live with haste, Franz Ferdinand are the absolute gold standard for a good time.

Ross Wilson reigns Supreme

Written by Nicole Lloyd on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Supreme is the hype beast statement of today’s generation, with kids queueing for hours to get a piece of the glory. It is a streetwear clothing brand founded in 1994 by James Jobbier, with the goal to give fellow skaters in New York clothing to skate in and somewhere to call home.

In 1994, Supreme opened its first store in Manhattan and became the embodiment of new York’s skate scene. The supreme box logo t-shirt one of their first designs, originally sold for $19 more than 20 years ago, and has become the love letter to the cult streetwear brand. It can now be resold at prices of up to $300.

Supreme is embraced by skaters, artists, musicians and creatives who make up the supreme family. Supreme established its brand over the years as quality, style and exclusivity operating on a small scale; supreme garments are little in quantity and have only 11 stores worldwide. This exclusivity is what drives the excitement for each supreme drop, many items being rare and hard to get a hold of.

They exploit this by coming out with new clothes every Thursday, which means people will have a a reason to come back every week. This has led to the recent culture of reselling; many people rush to purchase the supreme merchandise before it sells out in mere minutes, then resell for a bigger punch of the pockets of youngsters. Many have criticised this movement as the death to streetwear believing it’s no longer about the fashion, creativity and self-expression. Whilst others believe it only strengthens the brands presence and generates greater excitement.

Now that you can understand the literal hype over supreme. You’ll understand why the name Ross Wilson and his announced plans have been such a recent buzz amongst the supreme family. Ross has been collecting supreme merchandise since 1994, since the early box logo days, his Instagram is now considered as the temple of some of most exclusive and more rare supreme pieces.

Ross Wilson took a trip from the UK to New York in October 1994 to explore the skate scene, which wasn’t very popular within the UK. Ross came across supreme whilst exploring the streets of downtown Manhattan where he bought his first box logo tee for $19. Over the years the brand widened, and they began to design shirts with the box logo t-shirt flipped onto images of famous people. Ross continued to buy into the brand because it embodied everything he was about; pop culture, music, movies and skateboarding.

Now Ross has taken his collection and made his vault of 23 years available to all hypebeast who reign the land, it consists of many skateboards, clothing, trainers and accessories etc. He held a supreme archive launch party on the 4th of February at the idle man in London where many people came out to get a glimpse of the glorious collection, it included supreme basketballs, boxing gloves, American footballs, toolboxes, skateboard decks and endless supreme clothing.

He has also teamed up with idle man to sell his items online. The intent for the exhibition was to give people a glimpse of what Wilson has to offer before he sells half of his collection. Although half of his collection will be departing from his home, Wilson will still have a heavy collection remaining, still holding the power to make every supreme fan swoon. His decision to sell some of his prized possessions on to the next generation came about when he felt like supreme was taking over his house.

Now only 20 per cent to 25 per cent of his collection remains, but once a Supreme-head, always a Supreme-head, so I imagine his collecting won’t stop there.

Photo: Rex Orange County

Preview: Rex Orange County

Written by Tobias Soar on . Posted in Music.

Surrey-born Alex O’Connor’s lo-fi, scratchy guitar soul borrows elements, old and new, from Stevie Wonder, Frank Ocean, Mac Demarco, Thundercat, King Krule, KAYTRANADA, and Toro y Moi, to name a few, while still holding its own character. At 19, Rex Orange County’s already made an astounding start in the industry, most recently collaborating with Tyler, The Creator on his critically-acclaimed 2017 Flower Boy album.

If I had to put into words what Alex’s music feels like, I’d say this: it’s the sound of the thoughts of that fresh, novel teen love racing through your teenage brain while as you stand in the corner of the house party, illegally drinking some piss-poor beer. The slightly upbeat rhythms of his songs are contrasted by his almost melancholic voice, leading to a unique sound that stands out in the ever-growing pool of mediocre post-pop artists of our current time.

I had the pleasure of seeing Rex open for BadBadNotGood back in November at the O2 Ritz. When purchasing my tickets, I was just as excited for him as I was of the main act, and Rex really delivered. He’s slightly awkward and a bit shy but those traits make him all the more charismatic and, ultimately, almost hypnotic with a special stage presence that few artists can achieve.

Due to high demand, the venue for his Manchester gig on the 24th of February has been upgraded from the Deaf Institute to Gorilla. This means that more tickets will be available on the door, and I highly recommend you go and see Rex perform live. 2018 will bring big things for him and by being at this show you’ll be able to say “I discovered Rex before he got big.”

Photo: AlloCiné.fr

Review: Darkest Hour

Written by Tom Hunter on . Posted in Film.

It’s May 1940. Hitler’s Germany has swept across Europe, and his sights are now firmly set on France. Europe trembles beneath the swastika, as the last of the British troops find themselves at Dunkirk, trapped between the sea and the Nazis. Neville Chamberlain is ousted from government and the only man to fill his shoes, and to do so with Clement Atlee’s approval, is Winston Churchill. You know the stakes; you’ve seen them before in your GCSEs, A-Levels, and countless films before.

And therein lies Darkest Hour’s fundamental problem. Look around you. Spoiler Alert: We won the war. Darkest Hour barely has a plot, because to rely too heavily on it would be equivalent to watching Return of the King first, then going back to Fellowship knowing nearly everyone (sorry Sean) turns out alright. A good film of this genre must have either a good plot, ground-breaking visuals (see: Dunkirk), or an impressive performance. Oldman delivers a spectacular performance, but beyond that Darkest Hour has little else to give. However, it’s testament to its lead that in 120 minutes, I never felt bored.

Despite what the marketing for this film would have you believe, there is a supporting cast. Notably, Ben Mendelsohn gives a remarkably understated performance as King George VI, and joining him in the world of war-time speech impediments is Stephen Dillane, as the usurped candidate Viscount Halifax. Mendelsohn is the star of the background cast, and Dillane brings the same gravitas he gave Stannis in Game of Thrones. Unsurprisingly, given the era, the women take a back seat. While both Kristin Scott Thomas and Lily James (as wife Clemmie and Elizabeth ‘Typewriter woman’ Layton) give some life to otherwise dull moments, it’s hard not to see James as a token inclusion (a shame given her similar ‘non’ character in last year’s Baby Driver).

But it doesn’t matter, as no one is allowed to outshine Oldman; the film simply won’t let them. This is partly because the film doesn’t let him out of your sights for more than a few paltry minutes in its entire two-hour run time. We get snippets of political skulduggery from Halifax and Chamberlain, and a few brief interludes on mainland Europe, mostly revolving around Dunkirk, but beyond that this is Gary Oldman’s film.

Quite simply, he’s phenomenal. He dominates every scene as expected, be it a rousing speech, an inappropriate joke, or simply a conversation between husband and wife. Surprisingly however, Oldman’s Churchill is not infallible. Short-tempered, rude, rash, the range on display here is truly astounding and it’s made all the more impressive by the sheer quantity of prosthetics layered on top of Oldman’s usually distinctive face. Despite the sheer amount, it never seems silly, nor do you ever doubt the authenticity of his performance or his characterisation. It’s remarkable, but not always truthful.

Anyone with access to Wikipedia will know Churchill was far from perfect, not least for his staunch advocacy of the British Empire. Therefore, Darkest Hour is forced to play fast-and-loose with history. For example, given his views on white supremacy, you might question the authenticity of his friendly interaction towards a black man on the London Underground. It’s understandably difficult to market a film of this nature while simultaneously acknowledging such steep pitfalls and, as such, Oldman’s Churchill by necessity has had a slight personality makeover. Whether you see it as a problem is another matter, though if you ask me, the problem lies in the film’s mere existence. Perhaps we should be questioning the necessity of a film glorifying Churchill, now one of Britain’s most controversial figures, in 2018. I’ll leave that up to you.

Whilst watching Darkest Hour, I learned two things. Firstly, any company called ‘Perfect World Pictures’ should never have their name displayed over footage of goose-stepping Nazis. Secondly, Gary Oldman is simply brilliant. Any actor who can bring such an infectious likeability to a character so shrouded in controversy is surely worth of an Oscar. Thank God. Because without him, it’s difficult to recommend.

3/5

Photo: Steindy @ Wikimedia Commons

Mousa Dembélé – Spurs’ Midfield General

Written by Dane Massey on . Posted in Sport.

His middle name is ‘Sidi Yaya,’ and there’s certainly shades of a prime Yaya Toure about Spurs’ Mousa Dembélé right now. The Belgian bulldozer was a colossus yet again in midfield against Juventus in Turin last Tuesday.

Harry Winks’ early season form, the change in system to three at the back, along with personal injury problems would have concerned Dembélé – especially considering that Winks is eight years younger than his fellow central-midfielder and Pochettino is building for the future.

But the man from Antwerp has kept his feet firmly on the ground and wrestled back his place in the team as assertively as he dispossesses opponents. The game at the Juventus Stadium was the latest Dembélé midfield masterclass. The Belgian international attempted 95 passes – 17 more than anybody else on the pitch. He completed 94 percent of his passes in a controlling performance against last season’s Serie A Champions and Champions League finalists.

In a match that saw Juventus race into an early 2-0 lead thanks to a brace from Gonzalo Higuain, Spurs began to gain a foothold in the game after going two goals behind and Dembélé was the catalyst. As a centre midfielder, he is as complete as they come. Just as they overran Manchester United and Arsenal in midfield, Spurs did the same to Juventus, as midfield duo Sami Khedira and Miralem Pjanic – so vital to the Bianconeri’s success last season, struggled.

The pair completed just 42 passes between them – less than half the number of passes Dembélé completed. Pjanic’s pass success rate was just 67 percent, while Khedira’s was as low as 54 percent. This was the same midfield pairing which successfully overran Barcelona’s midfield in last year’s Champions League quarter-final.

If Massimiliano Allegri’s team are to reach that stage this season, they have a huge task on their hands at Wembley in three weeks’ time. Spurs’ two away goals have blown the tie wide open, and their strength in midfield may force Allegri into a change or two.

The absence of Blaise Matuidi perhaps helped Dembélé to find extra space, with the Frenchman’s energy a vital factor in the way Juventus play. Matuidi’s skill set would have proved useful in preventing midfielders such as Dembélé and Christian Eriksen dictating play so easily.

Even if Allegri was to change the structure of his team ahead of the second leg, though, finding the answer to nullifying Spurs’ man mountain will be problematic due to his sheer physical strength yet incredible composure on the ball. Jose Mourinho and Arsene Wenger also struggled to cope with Spurs’ midfield unit. For long periods in the games against United and Arsenal at Wembley, and also against Juventus, Dembélé was left unmarked in the middle of the pitch frequently.

In last Saturday’s North London Derby, Spurs talisman Harry Kane was given the man of the match award for his towering header which separated the sides, but in truth Dembélé’s influence on the game was greater than that of Kane’s. As well as his 97 per cent pass accuracy on the ball, Dembélé was equally as good off the ball doing the nitty-gritty side of the game. The former-Fulham man won 100 per cent of his tackles and recovered the ball eight times for his side. Arsenal’s midfielders simply couldn’t touch him, just as Pjanic and Khedira failed to get to grips with the box-to-box midfielder.

Both Arsenal and Juventus, as well as United, replicated Spurs’ 4-2-3-1 formation, a system which has proved fruitful for Mauricio Pochettino when he has used it over the past three and a half years since he took the managerial reins in North London. But neither of the three midfields could contain Dembélé, it was like a lion holding off a pack of hyenas.

This has become an all too familiar sight in the Premier League over the last two and a half seasons. Dembélé has fought for and continuously maintained his place at the central hub of Pochettino’s team structure, becoming one of the best in the league in his position. While Kane and Eriksen gain most of the plaudits for Spurs for their decisiveness in the final third, Dembélé’s contribution in the middle third cannot be underestimated.

The claim was made at the beginning of this article that he shares characteristics with a certain Yaya Toure, and Dembélé can use the Ivorian’s game template to get even better. If he can add goals to his game, there is no reason why he cannot reach the destructive levels of Toure at his very best, and fire his team up another level.

‘The Italian Job’ is the best film ever, and nothing will change my mind

Written by Tobias Soar on . Posted in Film.

A wide shot of the Italian Alps precedes a beautiful opening montage of Rossano Brazzi cruising round the winding mountain roads. This is put to the symphony of the screaming Lamborghini Miura’s V12 in a duet with Quincy Jones and Matt Monroe’s ‘On Days Like These’. A spectacular crash that abruptly ends the pleasant scene introduces the antagonists, the Mafia, as they dispose of the wreck with the aid of a bulldozer and a cliff.

The plot is straightforward: Charlie Croker — played by Michael Caine a couple of years after his stellar debut in Zulu — gets out of prison and is tasked with stealing 4 million dollars worth of gold in Turin, under the Mafia’s nose, in the middle of an insane traffic jam. The se pieces for the getaway include Turin’s streets, its subway, and the sewage system, where a 360 degrees roll of the cars was attempted and, allegedly, completed when the cameras weren’t rolling. Finally, there’s also the the test track on the roof of the Fiat factory, who were of course the sponsors for the project.

The clever camerawork, a soundtrack that assigns instruments to different characters’ when they are present on screen and the witty writing make for a 99 minute joy ride filled with clever quips and classic quotes delivered with finesse by its fantastic cast. Honestly, the film never bores you because it is pure filler and no fluff whatsoever.

Despite my title, it wasn’t love at first sight for wee Tobias. It used to be a boring slog of a film that was ultimately rewarded with the most thrilling car chase I’d ever seen. This was of course accompanied by the hilarious ‘Get a Bloomin’ Move On’ or, as it’s more commonly referred to by its chorus, ‘The Self-Preservation Society’.

As the years went by and I re-watched the film at an almost yearly rate, every viewing of it revealed something new to appreciate. The Mafia’s over-the-top plot and writing, the undyingly patriotic Mr. Bridger’s reign over the prison while still being a convict, the fact that Croker is a womaniser, Benny Hill’s hilarious antics as Professor Peach and so many other details. On my most recent watch I noticed the clever use of music, the fantastically stylish wardrobe of all the characters, laughed at every single subtly rude joke and realised that Camp Freddie was definitely not PC in the late 60’s.

The payoff of the iconic getaway in red, white and blue British Mini Cooper’s — always shown in that order and forever being established as the coolest vehicle on the road — is just as sweet as the first time I saw it and the literal cliffhanger ending always makes me laugh and appreciate that the lack of a sequel makes the film all the more sweet.

Some bits of trivia that I picked up over the years add to the charm of Peter Collinson’s masterpiece. The “Pakistani Ambassador’s car” was, in fact, the actual car of the Pakistani Ambassador; the real Mafia allegedly aided in creating the traffic jam in Turin; the entire scene where Croker goes to pick up his Aston Martin DB4 was completely improvised and, most surprisingly, Michael Caine, couldn’t drive at the time of making the film, which explains why he’s never seen in control of a moving vehicle.

It’s impossible to deny the cultural impact the film has had. Every British person knows the quote “You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!”. Hell, I’ve even seen a stop-motion Lego recreation of the iconic practice scene on YouTube produced by what must be a very young lad. I could honestly quote this film all day long as the script is timeless and unpredictable. Many polls have set this film as one of the best ever made and the aforementioned line as the most unforgettable cinema quote of all time.

Of course, I can’t express my never ending love for the film without addressing the cliffhanger ending with the bus carrying the loot and the crew hanging off a cliff. Only recently, in 2009, Michael Caine disclosed that the reason for the ending was, quite simply, because the censors wouldn’t allow a film to show criminals getting away with a crime. So, as the bus hangs precariously over a valley in the Alps, it hits me: the solution to the fiasco was staring right at us all along. Bear with me, I’ve got a great idea…

Photo: Lucy Stockdalea

Review: DMA’S – In The Air

Written by Lucy Stockdale on . Posted in Music.

No introduction shall soon be required for DMA’S, an alternative rock trio from Sydney, who are rapidly establishing themselves in the British music scene. With a sound often likened to Britpop and some of Manchester’s most renowned bands like Oasis, their growing popularity is hardly surprising. Following a string of successful and sold out Academy and club gigs last year, DMA’S have their second album in the bag. For Now is due for release 27th April.

In the meantime, the album’s second single, ‘In The Air’, dropped on 12th February. The boys have delivered once again. A song about an uncertain relationship perhaps is not what you want to hear around Valentine’s Day, but Tommy O’Dell’s powerful yet soft vocals on the chilled-out, melodic track are impossible not to fall in love with. The track’s stripped back sound takes a break from their more lively and guitar-based singles such as ‘Dawning’ – For Now’s first release – which is perhaps a little more up your street if you like it turned up to 11.

Their latest releases prove that DMA’S are not just another rock band, but a competent group of musicians capable of producing a variety of different sounds and vibes. Guitarist Johnny Took claims there is ‘more synth stuff going on’ in their upcoming album, with guitar-based bangers still to be expected. This should leave no room for boredom with fans, as well as providing an appeal to a wider audience, particularly as The Presets’ Kim Moyes is the producer on the album.

‘In The Air’ will undoubtedly raise lighters when played live; who doesn’t love a mushy gig moment? The emphasis however on the moment, as the majority of DMA’S’ sets are loud, lively and exactly what you would expect from great upcoming rock stars (who charmingly play in their trackies, I must add). With this being said, DMA’S are playing Liverpool’s Sound City festival this May, so you can experience the magic for yourself.

Photo: Hana Kelly @ The Mancunion

Live review: The Front Bottoms

Written by Hana Kelly on . Posted in Music.

The Front Bottoms are back and with a slightly evolved sound but the same perfectly laid back attitude. Going Grey was released in October, with their tour commencing on the 9th of February in Manchester, a gig that was described by members of the crowd as “sick as fuck” and “emotionally unforgettable”.

The crowd were lively and expressive, constantly moving and sending many fans in crowd surfs over the audience. However, mosh pits and surges in the crowd also occurred in the slower, lyrical songs.

The band kept their set list fresh, mixing in their bigger hits with their new album as well as some surprising fan favourites including ‘Twelve Feet Deep’, a song that created so much noise and movement that the Albert Hall’s famous floor began to bounce. The newer songs released on Going Grey make a slight change away from the heavy guitars of indie rock to a more synthesised indie pop; the charming and chatty lyrics keep The Front Bottoms relevant and relatable.

Brian Sella’s voice is impressively distinctive and fresh, sounding just as quirky and memorable on stage as it is in the albums, a feature that is missed in today’s society of auto-tune and editing. The band in entirety are, of course, incredibly talented with an addition of an extra musician who was playing violin, trumpet and any other instruments required.

Sella created a relaxed and friendly relationship with the audience, telling us how much he loved playing in Manchester and asking where was best in the city to go for afters. The Front Bottoms are not new to the city, having played their way up through venues for years, from Sound Control a few years back (R.I.P.) to the O2 Ritz last year.

The atmosphere was excitable and only egged on by the sketched naked man and woman who adorned the backdrop of the band for the first few songs. This then dropped to show the band’s logo which was a thrilling addition to show. These were fronted by large screens showing simple videos that explored the themes of each song and created electrifying light shows.

There are stories being told by The Front Bottoms that deserve a listen. They entwine the exploration and lyricism of folk music with the fast-paced assertiveness of punk, and it would be well worth a ‘Far Drive’ to hear them.

Photo: Drflet @ Flickr

Ludonarrative dissonance: the developer’s paradox

Written by Jeremy Bijl on . Posted in Games.

‘Ludonarrative dissonance’ means when the gameplay mechanics (from the latin ‘ludo’ — to play) of a game are not in harmony with its narrative — its story, message, and aesthetics.

The term first emerged in reference to the game most often used as the poster-boy for viewing games as an art form: Bioshock. In a 2007 blog post, Clint Hocking, a former creative director at LucasArts, wrote that Bioshock promotes self-interest through its gameplay whilst simultaneously  promoting selflessness through its story.

By giving the player the choice to choose between sparing/killing the ‘little sisters’, Bioshock offers ludic freedom to choose between altruism/objectivism, but by denying the player the choice of choosing between Atlas/Ryan, narrative freedom is withheld by the design of the game. Hocking argues that, in this way, Bioshock violates its own “internal consistency.”

If that sounds complicated, that’s because it is. More recently, however, the much-maligned Star Wars: Battlefront II offered a somewhat less obfuscated example of ludonarrative dissonance.

At one juncture in the story, Iden and Meeko, two of the game’s main protagonists, become disillusioned with the empire after it refuses to protect the citizens of one of its planets, instead choosing to save only high ranking officials.

The righteous indignation of the pair, though, is almost made a mockery of by the gameplay that follows. In escaping the clutches of the evil empire, you, the player, are made to shoot your way out by means of killing literally hundreds of stormtroopers whilst using an AT-AT to plough your way through the streets of the city.

So, first we had the narrative: not all stormtroopers are the same, and they struggle with the orders they get. Human life is important to our protagonists, and they have become disillusioned with the Empire’s disregard for the lives of anyone but their own highest-ranking officials.

Then, we have the gameplay, in which the very same protagonists kill hundreds of faceless stormtroopers – nevermind what lies under their masks – who are now expendable lives made for our trigger-happy enjoyment. It’s okay, as long as the protagonists can escape the planet to save their own skins. Sound familiar?

photo:EA

Later on, we are introduced to Luke Skywalker, the wise, altruistic Jedi intent on saving the universe from the evil clutches of the empire. In his introductory mission, we, the player, use him to mow down hundreds of insects whose planet has been invaded. Yoda once said, “a Jedi uses the Force for knowledge and defence… never for attack.” You can see where I’m going with this one.

The problem here is in reconciling the (narratively) inherently good nature of the protagonists with enjoyable gameplay.

Herein lies the first paradox: developers must create protagonists who are in some way representative of societies values (valour, kindness, benevolence etc.), but who are also capable of doing things utterly divorced from societal sanctioning: acts of violence, selfishness, self-entitlement and reckless abandon. These characters, in this way, have to be both relatable and, conversely, a means of escapism.

What arguably makes Grand Theft Auto V so compelling is that it simply chooses to ignore these conventions: its gameplay and narrative are perfectly blended in that it harbours no pretentions of us being good people doing bad things for the greater good but also enjoying it – it simply lets us get on with being cold-hearted, maniacal psychopaths, and writes us accordingly.

photo:BagoGames@Flickr

Skyrim encounters similar problems to Star Wars. In the game’s universe, we are hailed as the Dragonborn; the saviour of mankind from the world-eater, Alduin. Yet, playing the game in its entirety we kill what must be close to one-thousand NPCs (non-playable characters), and, on our way to becoming the leader of every single last faction, almost eradicate each one in its entirety.

Indeed, when I finished Skyrim after some 250 hours, I was struck not by a sense of accomplishment, but by a sense of emptiness, as I wandered around the now-barren plains of the continent. Troublingly, the only way around this, I realised, would have been to complete the opening mission and stay eternally in my house in Whiterun without triggering any of the missions.

photo:JeremySoaper@Flickr

This is a problem not restricted to Skyrim, but common to almost all RPGs. The universe of such games is so player-centric that it relies on us to trigger any given event. Philosophically, this is an issue as we become not just participatory in the fate of various characters, but causally responsible for everything that happens: Fallout 4’s waste land has a lot more life in it before we come and blow everything to smithereens (again) simply by following the directions of the gameplay.

The obvious rebuke to this is to say it doesn’t matter. The NPCs aren’t real. They have no agency. Yet is this not the very definition of breaking immersion in itself? In order to reconcile our role as the cause of in-game destruction, we must sever ourselves from the idea of the game’s universe as something we are truly a part of.

Games are, generally speaking, consumer products, inherently populist in nature. They have to be fun, playable and practical for the end-user. Whilst it would be an interesting and innovative artistic concept for Alduin to destroy the world while you were busy dicking about in some cave north of Dawnstar, it probably wouldn’t sell very well.

Yet this is where the second, ultimate paradox lies for developers. In tethering games so indelibly to the player, developers sacrifice the cold reality of an objective universe that exists outside of us rather than for us.

In other words, making us the centre of the universe – an inevitable byproduct of consumer-driven game design – forgoes the possibility for us to find our place in the in-game universe to begin with.

Photo: Album Artwork

Album review: MGMT – Little Dark Age

Written by Tara Bharadia on . Posted in Music.

MGMT (stemming from the bands original name, The Management), have released their first album in five years, Little Dark Age. The album’s name is in-keeping with anyone’s view on the world right now in both political and social terms.

When asked why they had been gone so long, they stated how the US elections of 2016 sparked the inspiration for the new album: “Apparently, we were more inspired to write pop music after evil took over the world.” The two members Andrew Van Wyngarden and Ben Goldwasser, met at college and carry through their heavy electro-pop influences to this day. The touring band expands to six members, one of which provided inspiration for the track ‘James’.

Stand-out tracks on the album include ‘When You Die’ and ‘Me and Michael’. The former is an uncomfortable song which plays like a chilled pop song but the lyrics add a tenser air: ‘I’m ready/ To blow my brains out’. The latter sounds like an ode which would be just as disturbing when spoken aloud as well as sung. It sounds like the kind of music and comments Soft Cell would be making now.

The LP’s title track sounds like classic MGMT, just a little less upbeat, which is in line with the tone of the album. Spaced out lyrics with big breaks for synth beats will remind you of an earlier time for the band but this track has more to say than initially appears. While haunting and clean, the track also manages to masquerade some darker themes in that it is commenting on society and music as we know it: ‘I grieve in stereo/ The stereo sounds strange’.

Their music may have gotten darker in tone compared to summers past, and while the music is very good, the mass market aren’t listening to anything like they used to. Gone are the days of ‘proper’ bands and that is what will keep this album’s goodness under wraps. MGMT are fully aware that they haven’t been able to recreate their success of their debut album and while we can safely say this LP won’t bring them the same recognition, it has the ability to influence people’s thinking.

7/10

Photo: Album Artwork

Album review: First Aid Kit – Ruins

Written by Winona Newman on . Posted in Music.

The Swedish sister, folk duo First Aid Kit’s new album Ruins is one forged from heartbreak. However, far from being an album filled with self-indulgent remorse it acts as a life-affirming presentation of the human heart.

Klara and Joanna Söderberg’s breathtaking, often heart-breaking, harmonies and their impeccable ability to craft new music allowed them to capitalise on their 2008 Youtube fame. Since then the duo have released four albums and two EPs. Riding on the success of these and growing critical acclaim, with a nomination at the BRITS and a powerful Glastonbury performance last year, there was a lot of pressure on this latest album. Despite this Klara and Johanna stayed true to their original sound, resisting the temptation to commercialise.

The sisters grew up just outside of Stockholm yet their music has been heavily influenced by American folk movements, with this album being written in LA. Despite this movement away from their Scandinavian routes the warmth within their music strongly evokes the notion of ‘hygge’ — a Scandinavian celebration of the cosiness of candlelight and company. The duo aren’t afraid of tackling difficult issues, such as sexual assault and divorce in the past, meaning that, despite its warmth, their music carries power, with ‘Hem Of Her Dress’ culminating in the full-throated, impassioned voices of a choir of band members and family.

The album has acted as a catharsis for Klara who, after taking a well-earned break from touring, ended a long-term relationship before moving to live with her sister in LA. By taking a break from touring she was able to explore the emotional impact of the break-up through music, creating an album from the so called ‘ruins’.

In this sense the album could be seen as their most personal to date, yet their powerful story-telling continues to paint beautifully accurate depictions of women, their dreams, hearts, and stories, which remain relatable. The sister’s unmistakable harmonies run throughout the album, their voices complimenting each other in a way perhaps only sisters could.

From the dance-inducing opener ‘Rebel Heart’ to the bitter-sweet ‘Postcard’ and the heartbreakingly dreamy ‘To Live A Life’ the album culminates with the stripped bare ‘Nothing Has To Be True’, the only song with none of the duo’s trademark harmonies. Instead the album concludes on a loop of white noise that will, on the singers’ own admissions, leave you feeling like you’ve just awoken from a dream, and what a beautiful sounding dream it is.

Photo: soccer.ru @wikimediacommons

A Smalling dive helps Newcastle leap to 13th

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

Manchester United will be looking to cement their place in the top four with a win over Rafa Benitez’ Newcastle United. Manager Jose Mourinho has never won a Premier League match at St James’ Park (Played six, Drawn three, Lost three) and will be hoping his side can end that bad record here.

Mourinho decides to field the same eleven that lost 2-0 to Tottenham. De Gea starts in goal with a back four of Valencia, Smalling, Jones and Young. Pogba and Matic are the central midfielders, Martial, Lingard and Sánchez play in an attacking trio. Romelu Lukaku is the lone striker.

Newcastle get a free kick in the opening minutes from a Chris Smalling handball. It’s around 20 yards out, a prime shooting position. In the end it is a poor attempt to hit it under the wall but the ball bounced to Jonjo Shelvey who fires an absolute rocket requiring a good save by de Gea to stop the Red Devils going behind early.

That shot gives the Newcastle fans something to chant for and the players react off that excitement, pressing high and causing Manchester United to make several passing errors.

In the opening ten minutes Newcastle have had five shots and conceded none. Pogba or Matic need to calm their team down and try to have some sustained possession. A scrappy game will suit Newcastle as they seem intent on challenging for every ball, their work rate so far has been incredible.

Manchester United are beginning to get a foothold in this game now, predominantly though Alexis Sánchez. His defensive work rate is higher than any other United forward and his vision for passes is fantastic. He finds Lukaku with a wonderful lofted ball which the linesman incorrectly rules offside, it would have been a goalscoring opportunity for the Belgian and he’ll feel a little hard done by there.

Dubravka, a deadline day loan signing from Sparta Prague, has made a confident debut so far in goal for Newcastle. Matic cuts the Newcastle defence in half with a delectable pass to Martial, putting him through one on one with the keeper, a position you would expect him to score, but Dubravka makes a fine save.

Not a minute later, St James’ Park erupts in anger as Chris Smalling takes down Dwight Gayle in the very corner of the penalty box and a penalty nor a foul is given. Replays show that Smalling’s foot misses the ball and lands on Gayle’s foot, a very poor decision by referee Craig Pawson who was in a good position to see it.

At the end of the first half it is hard to choose a more dominant team. Both have had long spells of possession, equal goalscoring opportunities and a lack of quality in the final third. Newcastle may suffer towards the end of the game however due to their work rate. There are no substitutes at half time.

The second half begins much like the first, end to end and very scrappy. Lukaku manages to head the ball into the back off the net in a bit of penalty box pinball but he fouls his man to get to their first. Sánchez then tries to break through this Newcastle defence singlehandedly, going past two players in the box but his shot hits the side netting.

Lukaku receives the ball on the edge of the box and finds Sánchez with a sublime pass. The Chilean then takes on the keeper and, only needing to tap the ball into the empty net, does a fake shot which allows the defence to recover. He really should of taken that first time and I can’t quite understand what he was trying to do. In such a close game that could prove very costly indeed.

Newcastle are not without their chances too, however they are limited more to counter attacks. The Manchester United defence, particularly Young, don’t look entirely confident on the ball and if Newcastle get a goal here it’ll be from a defensive error or a set piece from a nervous tackle.

Chris Smalling, inside his own half, dives and receives a yellow card. Not just that but he concedes a free kick in a good position for a set piece attempt. The ball is lofted in, headed down, and then flicked on to Matt Richie with acres of space to pick his spot. He finds the back on the net to make it 1-0. All originating from a Smalling dive.

Immediately after Lingard and Pogba come off for Carrick and Mata. Pogba sustained an injury in the warm up and it is surprising he has lasted this long, he spent all of the second half so far ambling around and it would have perhaps been better for the team to bring on some fresh legs earlier.

Newcastle have 20 minutes defend this lead. The will undoubtedly use every ounce of energy doing so and Manchester United will only get a few more chances, they’ll have to be ruthless to come away from here with any points.

The final substitute is Scott McTominay coming on for Nemanja Matic. His first piece of action is a Manchester United corner. The ball is crossed in and headed down by Smalling to Martial. The Frenchman has two stabs at goal but both are blocked by a Newcastle defender. You get the feeling this might be Newcastle’s day.

Antonio Valencia, desperate to get the ball back and set Manchester United back on the attack, comes in with an high foot and kicks Atsu in the head, reminiscent of the Mané challenge with slightly less contact. The player only gets a yellow card and he’ll be relieved to still be on the pitch.

With just minutes left Newcastle do not look likely to concede at all. Their defensive work rate has been phenomenal, spearheaded by Jonjo Shelvey. The fourth official hold aloft a board announcing four minutes extra time, every Manchester United player except de Gea is in the Newcastle half looking for an equaliser.

The defending is desperate but every home supporter in the stadium is on their feet cheering the team on. In the last seconds of the game Dubravka makes an astonishing reacting save. As the whistle blows the fans celebrate wildly and rightfully so, it is their first win since October an a deserved one too.

Rafa Benitez’ side moves from the relegation zone all the way to 13th. The bottom half of the table in incredibly tight and that win gives Newcastle fans hope that they can survive. On the other side of the table, the loss for Manchester United means they are just six points away from missing out on the top four with Chelsea and Liverpool in their next three games.

Photo Credit: Vera Wang.com

Fashion player of the week: Vera Wang

Written by Rona McCann on . Posted in Fashion & Beauty.

Few high-profile celebrity weddings, awards-season red carpet events or fashion-orientated rom-coms can truly be taken seriously without the feature of a Vera Wang couture gown. The line’s namesake designer has been at the centre of high-end fashion since designing her first dress aged forty and continues to reign as the industry’s couture queen.

First making a name for herself by becoming Vogue US’s youngest ever editor, Wang worked her way up the magazine that she called home for seventeen years, before a brief stint at Ralph Lauren. Of course, her greatest career journey was yet to come. Her global brand had its origins in a very personal occasion when in 1989 Wang designed her own wedding dress.

A year later, she had launched her first bridal boutique in her hometown of New York. It wasn’t long before her talent saw her open similar sites across the globe, and later take the fields of perfume, lingerie and jewellery similarly by storm.

Her work has made her the indisputable go-to for feminine, elegant and simply beautiful couture. Whilst she may be regarded as the force that introduced the strapless neckline into the wedding dress world and establishing this style as her trademark, Wang delves deeper in many of her creations, experimenting with different cuts and fabrics – think lace, think bows, think hand-stitched embroidery of excruciating detail.  Whichever way she evolves her dressmaking it is always guaranteed that her pieces look timeless.

Wang’s influence stretches further than red carpets and the pages of Vogue. If you caught this year’s Super Bowl you may not have even noticed her involvement. Its 2018 champions, the Philadelphia Eagles, donned their cheerleading squad in exclusive Wang-designed get-ups, curated by the designer right down to the ‘sneakers’.

The sport that truly holds the designer’s heart, however, is figure skating. Having competed in the 1968 US Figure Skating Championships and just missing out on making the Olympic team, Wang kept up with the elite of the sport by designing intricate costumes for Olympic skaters since the 1990s, most famously iconic numbers for skating star Nancy Kerrigan. This year Wang is dressing American male champion and Olympic hopeful Nathan Chen for the ongoing Winter Games.

With a career of this magnitude under her probably self-designed belt, we can only expect that the impact of Vera Wang will subtly guide our style for decades to come.

Photo: Jodi Tipton

Live review: Jorja Smith

Written by Yasmin Duggal on . Posted in Music.

Thursday 8th February – Invisible Wind Factory, Liverpool

Stood elegantly sporting a simple linen dress and coral AirForce, Jorja Smith captured attention with a mere movement. Her small UK tour has completely sold out and it was clear the 20 year old West Midlander was basking in the wonder of fame and awe she received. From the first sultry note of ‘Something In The Way’ to the final beat of garage-esque Preditah collaboration, ‘On My Mind’, in her palm she held Liverpool in wonder as she effortlessly led the crowd through an array of soul and heartbreak.

A shoutout has to be given to the support act, fellow soul singer-rapper Mahalia, who passionately delivered a stunning rendition of SZA’s ‘The Weekend’. The acoustic version of the RnB track was matched sublimely with Mahalia’s unusual tones.

…and then there was Jorja. After opening tracks ‘Where Did I Go’ and ‘Beautiful Little Fools’ set the tone for the kind of intimate, personal gig this was going to be, an intriguing range of new tracks set to grace the long-awaited album (June – for those wondering) made up the body of the setlist. Standout tracks included ‘Goodbyes’ and ‘On Your Own’, soulful ballads which Jorja breezed through with a cool nonchalance.

‘Lifeboats’ offered a surprise as the singer experimented with the political grime genre, noting before the track its importance in the context of austerity and poverty in Britain. Her attempts paid off; it was a bold yet absolutely comfortable section unexpectedly oozing charisma.

The last few tracks took Jorja back to Project 11 and exceeded expectations in the performance of much loved tracks ‘Blue Lights’ and ‘Teenage Fantasy’, demonstrating again her multifaceted artist persona and her ability to transcend styles. A flawless cover of Frank Ocean’s ‘Lost’ reinvented to fit her calm and collected charm was met with proud silence, as she paid homage to one of the heroes of the genre.

Two collaborations were left to conclude the night’s fluid performance; ‘Let Me Down’ and ‘On My Mind’ were commanded by Jorja with such effortless power, only enhancing her independence as a creative artist. She didn’t say much, but when she did it was humble and slightly overwhelmed, and the coherence of masterful track after masterful track only left us wanting more of her dulcet tones.

9/10