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Month: November 2012

Bond vs Smiley

Written by Joelle Jefferis on . Posted in Books.

The latest James Bond film, Skyfall, has just been released, and there’s been a lot of talk of British-ness. It seems that Bond has become synonymous with a certain concept of British-ness that begins with the Union Jack and Her Majesty and ends with Aston Martins and sharp suits. James Bond’s image is one of a stalwart protector, serving the greater good.

However is Bond really what we consider a “true Brit” or in fact the idealisation of what Brits are not? Last time I checked, us Brits were famed for our addiction to tea and dedication to the perfect queue, and yet James Bond invokes images of suaveness and seduction. Forgive me the blasphemy, but isn’t that meant to be Italian men?

Ian Fleming developed the character of James Bond after working in the Naval Intelligence Division during World War II. He said that Bond was an amalgamation of all the agents he met doing this work, and that there really was at least one agent who wore hand-stitched suits and was chauffeured around in a Rolls Royce.

However, I’d like to suggest a different literary spy as a bastion much closer to real British-ness and that is John Le Carré’s creation, George Smiley. Smiley was first introduced to readers in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy as a middle-aged spy who, after being forced into retirement, returns to espionage in order to search out the Russian mole in the British Intelligence Service.

As a character he is superficially less exciting than Bond. Far from international playboy, Smiley is easily pictured as a small, grey, accountant-type figure whose wife has left him for someone more debonair. It’s this though that I think makes Smiley all the more the true Brit – despite his life crumbling around him Smiley faces it all with a stoicism and determination that reminds me only of the image of the British Bulldog.

In comparison, James Bond is just too flashy. He may be based around real agents but those were agents of a bygone era, of an overly privileged class whose work was mostly to protect the cosy gentlemen’s clubs that they all frequented. Le Carré presents Smiley’s real opposition in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy as being just this type of agent. They are charming, sure, but one of them is the mole who is betraying their country. After all, this is what it comes down to, patriotism. Despite being betrayed by the service, George Smiley dedicates himself to finding the mole for his country. We know that all James Bond does is “for Queen and country”, but he seems to get a little too distracted by other women along the way.

Ultimately, I say that the true British spy is the one who is more likely to order a cup of tea than a martini, shaken, stirred or otherwise!

Book Club: Francesca Freeman, 22, archaeology student

Written by Phoebe Chambre on . Posted in Books.

Book Club: Hi Fran, what are you reading?
FF: I’m currently reading two books, The Life of Pi by Yann Martel and Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, The Long Walk to Freedom.

Why are you reading it/them?
The Nelson Mandela because I’ve had it for a really long time and I’ve always meant to read it; I’m now taking two modules this term associated with the slave trade and Africa and I thought it would tie in quite well.
I’ve read The Life of Pi before, and I’m actually reading it with my boyfriend. It’s a bedtime read. We take turns reading a chapter aloud.

How lovely. The Life of Pi’s a strange breed of ‘fantasy’ fiction, right?
Yeah I like things like, things like Game of Thrones. I love things that form complete worlds you can put yourself into. I like the everyday stuff as well. But if it’s everyday the book kind of has to work harder to capture your attention.

Do you think it’s therefore more difficult for realistic books to be successful, because, like fantasy genres, you have to believe in them, but they are tied to a reality that we all know and experience?
Yes, in some ways. I think everyday books depend on a lot of investment in the characters on the part of the reader. For instance I never invested in the characters in Wuthering Heights. Whereas in Jane Eyre I completely identified with the characters, despite the story being really extreme. So in that respect you have to have a deep investment in the characters, regardless of the genre or the setting.

I would have to agree that there are so many ‘realistic’ fiction books that are just unbearably bad, because you have to find that balance between a captivating story and an accurate portrayal of reality. In that sense, it really has to reflect the reality of the reader, for you to be able to invest in them.

Yeah, I think I know what you mean. I’m reading short stories by Miranda July at the moment, and the stories don’t confine themselves to realism, in the sense of completely realistic depictions. But still you somehow really understand the stories on some kind of deeper, physical level – beyond the words and the intellectual understanding of them, which only sketch this other meaning. And this suggests that these stories are reflecting your (the reader’s) reality, but a part of it that can’t be communicated in words. I think when a story or book does this, for me this is what only fiction (and maybe poetry) can do at its best. And it’s both unsettling and satisfying.
Well, it still comes back to the characters, for me. I have to associate with a character, and that’s the only way I can enjoy a book. Wuthering Heights is the perfect example of that. I didn’t identify with any of the characters, so I can’t appreciate it at all, not on any level. I want to be absorbed by a book.

I agree. I want to be completely compelled by a book, for reasons that I don’t necessarily understand.
I haven’t read stuff in ages, though. Because I’m always reading uni stuff, it’s just not a break.

I know, it’s terrible. OK, real question now. Paperback or e-book?
Paperback! I have a strong hate of ‘e-readers’. I basically think that they are wrong and unnecessary, and completely take away from the experience of reading. They’re not physical. And you need a physical connection to the story; turning the pages is a big part of reading.

I know, I feel like e-readers are the buyable sign that we’ve taken a wrong turn and it’s too late, we’ve now destroyed everything good about the world. But I don’t allow myself to say this, for some reason I force myself be moderate and say things like ‘well, they’re good for old people’, and people with bad backs. But if you don’t endorse them at all, do you allow yourself to buy any books on Amazon?
No, I don’t buy any books on Amazon.

Really?
Yes, why so surprised?
Ok, well I have bought a couple of course books. But I draw the line at ‘pleasure’ books. I tend to buy them at charity shops.

I like the idea that buying some physically is so dependent on chance. If you buy something in a charity shop or even a small bookshop you are reliant on their selection, and on stumbling across things.
Yeah, Amazon is really the death of browsing. I only go there if I need something specific.

Do the books that you’re currently reading come anywhere near making your Top 10 desert island books?
I remember Life of Pi being really good, but it’s a bit disappointing second time around, possibly because I’m reading it aloud rather than in my own head.

What are you going to read next? Do you have a list of classics that you feel almost morally obligated to read? I’ve never read any Dickens and this is the source of a real sense of failure.
No, I literally just look at the back of the book. I really don’t like reading stuff just because there’s loads of hype about it. It’s almost always a mistake. That happened with 50 Shades of Grey, and One Day.

Yeah but those two books were hardly meant to be classics, most of the ‘hype’ was about how terrible they are.
I know, but they were still disappointing. The same thing happened with Atomised, that Michel Houellebecq book that I read because a friend recommended it. I just like to come across books, and then my reading list is just my bookshelf. I’m working my way across it.

The ‘Argo’-naut

Written by Sophie James on . Posted in Film.

Ben Affleck is a case of the child star made good. Starting his working life on PBS’ children’s series The Voyage of Mimi his career since has been filled with ups and downs but has seen him become one of the few to conquer within the three main disciplines of film-making: screenplay, acting and directing.

Having acted in various TV shows, as well as directing his first short, the curiously named I Killed My Lesbian Wife, Hung Her on a Meat Hook, and Now I Have a Three-Picture Deal at Disney (1993), it wasn’t until 1997 that Affleck was plunged into the critical spotlight with his stunning screenplay debut: Good Will Hunting. Not only did this receive great critical acclaim and public attention, but also consolidated his life long friendship with Matt Damon (his 10th cousin once removed, if you’re to believe everything Wikipedia tells you!). The screenplay was amazing and the few scenes featuring Affleck were said to be the best of the film – Ben Affleck was becoming a household name in Hollywood.

As an actor he’s done some good things – Shakespeare In Love, Daredevil and the cult-classic Dazed and Confused to name a few – but he’s also had disasters, plumbing the depths with Pearl Harbor. Despite being a box office hit, the critics were famously unimpressed, banishing Affleck into acting oblivion.

How was he to come back after that? Very easily. It seems that such blunders only caused Affleck to regroup and regenerate – coming back as director and writer of Gone Baby Gone in 2007. An adaptation of the novel by Dennis Lehane, Gone Baby Gone may not have been a box office success, but won him much industry acclaim with the award for Best Directorial Debut from the National Board of Review. From then on the only way has been up for Affleck. The Town (2010), which not only starred, but was written and directed by Affleck, was this time praised both by critics and box office. Grossing $150 million worldwide, The Town was nominated for nearly every film award under the sun.

But with all of these achievements, the best and most appealing thing that Ben Affleck has proved is that, he’s only human. No matter what your opinion is, there haven’t been many who have been able to successfully venture into, and maintain, a career in acting, directing and screen-writing simultaneously, so a few mistakes can be forgiven. To keep going even after having been frequently named  “the worst actor ever” and having endured a relationship with, and then a highly-publicized break up from, Jennifer Lopez, shows some skill!

With his most recent film Argo (out on November 7th 2012) already receiving rave reviews and being tipped for multiple Oscar nominations, could it be that in the future Ben Affleck’s name will be said in the same breath as Quentin Tarantino or Woody Allen as a multi-talented actor-director-screenwriter? Who knows, but it certainly looks like Affleck is doing all he can to beat back the critics and prove us all wrong time and time again.

‘LAD’ culture: the truth

Written by Dana Fowles on . Posted in Lifestyle.

According to Urban Dictionary, a ‘wolf pack’ is “A brotherhood of attractive male friends who are bonded together by concentrated awesomeness.” Now, while I have to admit that the first part of this definition is usually true, the latter is certainly not.

Typical wolf pack behaviour involves being what is commonly referred to as a ‘top LAD.’ Apparently, a ‘top LAD’ specialises in the arts of heavy drinking and womanising, and also in ‘creating and distributing exquisite banter.’ Trademark top LAD attire consists of chinos and any t-shirt with a label on it (Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch being particular favourites).

The natural habitat of the top LAD is the rugby pitch, although they can also often be found getting kicked out of various pubs and clubs after downing dirty pints and ‘getting rowdy.’ How very attractive. The top LAD’s only ambition in life is to ‘bang’ as many girls as possible and to then rate them out of ten. Admirable, I am sure you will agree. Their mothers must be so proud.

The truth of the matter is, however, that the top LAD is what can only be referred to as a massive pussy. Their fragile ego rests on whether or not they ‘pull’ and if their hunt for a mate is unsuccessful, they practically cry about it. Yet they are only capable of communicating with females when they have Dutch courage. They believe that to care about anything or anyone is a weakness and run a mile if they begin to develop ‘feelings’ for you. God forbid that the LAD should actually like a girl and not just want to ‘destroy’ her.

So, my plea to LADs everywhere is to start acting like gentlemen as opposed to cavemen. Invite a girl out for dinner instead of back to yours ‘for a shag,’ talk about something interesting (not about how ladish you and your fellow wolves are). Whatever you do, do not ‘kick off’ and get floored by a bouncer – it’s just plain embarrassing. If you follow these tips, then you may actually increase those all important numbers and who knows, you might even get a girlfriend.

Coming soon to a computer near you

Written by Tom Ingham on . Posted in Music.

World domination is a scary thought. What if the Nazi’s had succeeded? What would our world be like? Would I have to wear lederhosen? Would I have a strong proclivity towards bratwurst? All troubling thoughts, but thankfully Hitler’s attempts failed. However, it turns out all he needed for world domination was a pair of specs and the ability to impersonate a jockey. PSY’s ‘Gangnam style’ stormed the planet, going to no.1 in 33 countries, and is already the most viewed video on YouTube, spawning endless parodies – using the internet like a giant Petri dish for zany, high-octane music videos.

‘Gangnam style’ features on PSY’s sixth studio album, ingeniously entitled PSY 6. The thought of a Korean artist having such an impact on not only the music world, but society in general, is something that was totally inconceivable until recent times. Gigging across the country in beat up transit vans is a thing of the past; management and promotion through social networking sites is now the key to success it seems. PSY’s brand of K-pop essentially takes Western music, (most notably LMFAO) and then sticks a huge rocket up its jacksie propelling it to dangerous levels of chaotic energy.

Listening to other infectious pop sensations like ‘call me maybe’ and ‘party rock anthem’ they all make use of heavy pulsating beats, garnished with staccato synth stabs which carry the melody. Although ‘Gangnam style’ is very reminiscent in these respects, its defining feature is of course the trademark dance which all ages seem to have taken to. This Vic Reeves-esque bit of slapstick is ultimately what sells the song, and is indicative of the whole video which mocks the high-flying types who populate the Gangnam district in Seoul. Despite being effectively a joke, Park Jae-sang’s ostentatious suits and specs have made him one of the coolest and most recognisable artists around – probably piping Roy Orbison as the most famous sunglasses wearing singer.

For us Brits it is incredibly rare to hear such a popular song that’s not in English, Ritchie Valens 1958 no.1 “La bamba” being one of the few examples I can think of. Take the line “hey, sexy lady” out of the equation and I have no idea what’s going on. But then again, I don’t need to because there’s a bow-tie wearing Korean bloke parading around with a team of synchronised dancers – and for me that says more than enough.

I can see why some have taken dislike to this viral sensation; it took off instantly, seemingly undermining any serious efforts by musicians in favour of sheer stupidity. It’s quite overwhelming when you think of the power social media possesses, just a few fashionable re-tweets is enough to turn a complete unknown into the talk of coffee shops all around the UK. But we don’t always want to cry ourselves to sleep listening to Adele do we?  In times of austerity sometimes all you want to do is run around like a complete lunatic – and now it seems we have the perfect excuse. Just like the ‘Thriller’ video blew people’s minds, it appears we may have the same thing on our hands again. But could this harmless piece of YouTube royalty outshine MJ? …now there’s a scary thought.

Review: ‘The Sapphires’

Written by alexandra.matthews on . Posted in Film.

It’s 1968 and there’s a revolution in the streets. Over the water, the war in Vietnam is raging, but in the back and beyond of aboriginal Australia, four girls are discovering that their shared talent for singing could change their lives forever. The driving force behind them, and the man with all the big ideas, is Dave (Chris O’Dowd–Bridesmaids, The IT Crowd) and as their manager, this family affair becomes a fully formed girl band ready take Vietnam by storm and sing for the US troops.

First discovered singing Country and Western, Dave takes them from timid young girls unaware of their potential and introduces them to soul, rousing them with his passionate words of strength and courage, teaching them: “every note that passes through your lips should have the tone of a woman who is grasping and fighting and desperate to retrieve what’s been taken from her”.

Based on a true story, this show stopper is more than a light hearted morale booster. Moments such as Dave’s request regarding the girls singing: “before you do it again, can you make it sound blacker?” suggest the serious racial undertones explored in this temperamental era. The ‘whitest’ girl in the band: Kay, (Shari Sebbens – in her debut role), for example, has clearly had a different upbringing to the rest of the girls – which is later explained, and thus one of the more poignant sub-plots of this tale is her re-integration into black aboriginal culture. In conjunction with this, Gail (Deborah Mailman – part of the original stage show production, The Secret Life of Us) the most domineering of the girls, learns to accept that Kay’s different upbringing does not necessarily define her as a person and so she begins to accept her own place in the world. The other two girls in the band are Cynthia (Miranda Tapsell) and Julie (Jessica Mauboy). For Julie, the film follows her coming of age, running away from home to join them, but ending up becoming the lead singer and a woman along the way.

Described by Deborah Mailman herself, as “fun, fabulous and powerful” this film previously penned as “part drama, part comedy, with a classic soundtrack”, is contagiously uplifting. With The Sapphires being billed as Australia’s answer to ‘The Supremes’ who can resist making comparisons between this and the box office smash Dreamgirls.

With an exceptional ten minute standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival and international rave reviews, this foot-tapping, feel good film about friendship, love and war is one not to be missed.

‘The Master’

Written by Samuel Parr on . Posted in Film.

Come the end of this autumn, one film should remain in our minds that will scream out to be revisited during the long winter evenings – Paul Thomas Anderson’s, The Master. Having been exclusively screened at London’s West End Odeon in 70mm projection before its national release (16th November), the anticipation is mounting with a Cornerhouse experience sure to quench every film-lovers thirst.

Anderson (There will be Blood, Boogie Nights) rallies together an all-star cast, collaborating with the likes of Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Moneyball, The Big Lebowski) – for the third occasion, Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line, Gladiator) and Amy Adams (The Fighter, Leap Year).

The Master tells a compelling story that will stimulate your every sense and will have you covered in goose bumps. Captured masterfully by Anderson, the narrative hones in on troubled Naval veteran Freddie Quell (Phoenix) as he struggles to reach any level of normality upon his arrival back home from service in WW2. Drifting through life and suffering a series of post-traumatic-stress driven breakdowns, Quell crosses paths with charismatic intellect Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman), forming a bond that ignites the film into life.

Having already swooped to win three awards at the Venice and Hollywood Film Awards, this unique vision is sure to attract further praise and adulation in the coming months. Anderson excels after five years out of the limelight and provides the platform that allows Phoenix and Hoffman to deliver, what may well be considered, their best performances to date. A masterpiece is born.

The Revenge of Tarantino

Written by Nihal Tharoor-Menon on . Posted in Film.

In the last decade Quentin Tarantino has had an undeniable fetish with the concept of the revenge fantasy. Kill Bill: Volume 1 and 2 (2003-4) are, in essence, revenge films, where Uma Thurman tracks down every person responsible for the massacre at her wedding party and enacts incredibly brutal and entertaining justice.

Tarantino’s lesser-known Death Proof ‘s (2007) explodes with the tagline ‘buckle up for a crash course in revenge’ as we follow an ex-stuntman who, murdering young women in staged car accidents, finally becomes hunted by those he is stalking.

Inglourious Basterds (2009) creates an historical fantasy world where we can see Hitler and the Nazis comically degraded and suffer brutally at the hands of American soldiers and Jewish civilians, the very epitome of a revenge fantasy.

It certainly makes sense for Tarantino to have maintained this winning formula of recent years. His films rarely lack in striking and colourful violence, and the sweet sense of justice that is always achieved by the end of these films emotionally satisfies, allowing us to exalt in their brutal killings.

Now this winter brings us Tarantino’s seventh feature film Django Unchained, which looks to follow strongly in suit of this theme, particularly with the historical vengeance of Inglourious Basterds. Set in an America before the emancipation of slavery, it follows Django, a slave turned bounty hunter attempting to rescue his wife from the yoke of a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

Slavery is the greatest injustice in America’s history and it feels perfectly fitting, conscious or not, that Tarantino has built up his revenge fantasies to this. With the fiery Jamie Foxx taking the role of Django the slave, and an exciting supporting cast of both Tarantino regulars (Samuel L. Jackson, Christoph Waltz) and newcomers (Leonardo Di Caprio, Kerry Washington), it does look like all the right buttons are being pressed – the trailer shows us Foxx energetically whipping what could only be a slave master.

It would be nice though, after this release, to see Tarantino put the revenge fantasies to one side and return to the colourful LA backstreet setting where the unique complexities of Reservoir Dogs (1992), Pulp Fiction (1994) and Jackie Brown (1997) thrived.

Yes these films reveled in graphic violence, and even the sweet revenge fantasy (think back room pawn shop scene, where Mr. Wallace is about to go ‘medieval’ on their asses), but this stood as secondary to a hilarious script, interesting characters, and innovative structure and form.

Of course you can argue these last ten years of Tarantino has provided us with highly entertaining films, so why change a good thing? But I think few would dispute that Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs is why, twenty years on, ‘a Quentin Tarantino film’ still has the ability to pack out theatres worldwide.

Preview: ‘End of Watch’

Written by Ally Mitchell on . Posted in Film.

To define End Of Watch as a stereotypical cop blockbuster with a famous actor in the lead role would be doing the film an injustice. I admit, Jake Gyllenhaal’s name (and face) instantly grabbed my attention. His previous critically acclaimed roles have marked him as an incredibly successful film actor, bringing to the media’s attention the indie thriller Donnie Darko and the challengingly controversial Brokeback Mountain. Co-starring Michael Peña and America Ferrera, the End Of Watch cast is full of recognisable faces (Anna Kendrick also stars as Jake Gyllenhaal’s girlfriend – lucky thing!) yet the diverse mix of unknown actors interweaved throughout allows us to appreciate the film as a believable story instead of a distracting who’s-who-and-how-do-I-know-them. Shot by handheld camera work, the audience is sure to be blasted by an immediate sense of intimacy, involving us in the relaxed and comical banter of Gyllenhaal and Peña’s police partnership and consequently the danger they become involved in.

Taylor (Gyllenhaal) and Zavala (Peña) are typical cop-buddies, patrolling the streets as a darkly comic duo on the south central Los Angeles police force. They have a seemingly easy job, enjoying the recognition and perks with little hard work, yet are very likeable characters. The relaxed atmosphere does not last however, as the two policemen are soon threatened and targeted by a dangerous Mexican gang. Subsequently high-octane shoot outs, swinging camera action and night vision create a severe contrast to the blissful personal lives they lead in the meantime.

Rotten Tomatoes have awarded End Of Watch 86%. Clearly this cop saga is successful at differentiating itself from the usual buddy cop genre, or the good cop/bad cop motif. In many opinions the use of handheld cameras is somewhat clichéd especially after Cloverfield, but don’t let this put you off. It can be the perfect technique to create  the sudden visceral changes in tempo that End of Watch claims to be full of, highlighting the vast contrasts between ordinary car patrols, smooth arrests and tense night-time searches. End Of Watch is an intriguing mix of the stereotypical genre. I am certainly fascinated to see whether the  gamble is as successful as the reviews say.

End of Watch will be released on 23rd November 2012.

Top 5: Miscast roles

Written by Dan King on . Posted in Film.

5. George Clooney- Batman and Robin

Seeing as this is one of the worst movies ever made it may seem harsh to lay the blame with Clooney. It is his worst performance, looking so lacklustre it’s evident he doesn’t want to be in it. However nothing could have saved this abomination.

4. Sofia Coppola- Godfather III

Director Francis Ford Coppola cast his own daughter as the daughter of crime boss Michael Corleone. This proved to be a mistake as her awkward and immature performance contributed to making it the weakest film in the trilogy.

3. Katie Holmes- Batman Begins

A rare misstep by Christopher Nolan, Holmes plays assistant district attorney Rachael Dawes and is clearly out of her depth considering her background in teen soap operas. Unsurprisingly she didn’t reprise the role in The Dark Knight.

2. Kevin Costner- Robin Hood Prince of Thieves

American actor Costner landed the role of the mythical English outlaw but decided not to attempt an English accent. Zero marks for authenticity!

1. Orlando Bloom- The Lord of the Rings Trilogy

It’s simple, watch the films and look at his face. His method of acting is to look wistfully into the distance like he’s recalling a particularly good episode of Baywatch. Awful.

60 seconds with…Anthony Scott Logan

Written by Zara Zubeidi on . Posted in Lifestyle.

Have you always wanted to start your own business?

I’m very passionate about what I do and I like the freedom to be creative. Since I was young I have always been business-minded and constantly involved in small projects. Running a business is a lot of work but the rewards of achieving something and reaping the benefits of hard work makes it all worth it. I would certainly say I love what I do.

What made you launch La Vida Magazine?

Manchester is a silent hub of talent and creativity that not many have recognized. I saw this niche and decided that it was time to give Manchester a voice as a fashion and lifestyle capital in the UK, which can compete alongside its London rival.

What has been the highlight of your role as creative director so far?

The highlights have been plentiful, but I would say the best part has been the pleasure of working alongside some really talented people. I have been fortunate enough to meet an array of interesting people and it is always refreshing to meet other creative minds who are as passionate about what they do as I am.

What are your plans for the future?

Without revealing too much, our plans are to keep growing over the next few years to launch and expand nationally, maintaining our growth as a respectable recognised fashion/lifestyle magazine.

What does Manchester mean to you?

I grew up in Lincolnshire and moved over to Manchester two and a half years ago. I absolutely love this city. It has so much to offer with an abundance of diversity. I think being Northern is something to be proud of. Manchester is constantly growing as a city and there are so many interesting events constantly occurring. Through La Vida Magazine I want to ensure such talent is showcased and that everyone is aware of the variety Manchester has to offer.

Four Nations snub leaves England trailing

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

The fact that Australia and New Zealand chose not to play in this year’s Autumn International series, traditionally named the Four Nations, perhaps speaks volumes of their ambition in their preparations before next year’s World Cup.

Instead of pitting themselves against the cream of Europe, the Southern Hemisphere sides decided it would be best to play a test series between themselves, in which Australia duly ran out winners.

As useful as the Autumn Internationals are in terms of match practice, that is all the matches really have proven to be – practice. Anything less than the systematic dismantling of their opponents which led to the 44-6 final defeat of France would have been disastrous.

Despite putting 14 tries past Wales, there are only actually two places between the two home nations in the world rankings; England are third and Wales are fifth, while France currently lie in fourth. Australia and New Zealand are above England, in first and second place respectively. This essentially means that England are third in a three-horse race.

Although there are only two places separating England from the pinnacle of the Rugby League world, there is still a massive gap. The last time the two nations played each other, in the 2011 Four Nations final, Australia eased to victory by 30 points to 6. Since then Australia have beaten New Zealand twice, as well as strengthening their squad with new talent such as James Tanou, the New-Zealand born front-rower who has already looked dangerous in the early stages of his international career.

Australia’s Rugby League supremacy has firm foundations. The Australian NRL is the pinnacle of the domestic Rugby League, and the State of Origin is also one of the most intense sporting rivalries around.

Unlike in England, the NRL is not in the shadow of its upper-class cousin Rugby Union. The stereotypical view of University ‘rahs’ choosing Union over ‘working-class League’ is one which continues to hamper the sport in the modern day.

The relatively recent disbanding of the Great Britain team has also hampered England in the short-term, as the governing bodies have been slow to formulate their vision for the future.

However, it is not all doom and gloom for England. Aside from a handful of fixtures in France, next year’s World Cup will be played on home soil. On a somewhat smaller scale, the home advantage could prove to be just as an invaluable bonus as it was for Team GB last summer.

England can also be grateful for the influence of talismanic captain Kevin Sinfield, as well as the creative flare of Tomkins and players such as Graham and Ellis, who have experience in the NRL.  This experience, along with that of the victory over New Zealand in the 2011 Four Nations, might just give England the belief that they can be serious competitors in the World Cup next year.

Unfortunately, for all the miracles performed by Sinfield in this year’s Grand Final, producing a similar turnaround in a World Cup final may be a step too far.

Live: Japandroids at Sound Control

Written by Patrick Hinton on . Posted in Music.

27th October 2012

8/10

Indie-Rock is a term bandied around a lot, but Japandroids are one of the few bands that really exhibit the latter half of that tag. They offer a welcome respite amidst the current trend of misery in indie music, with bands such as Alt-J and The xx at the forefront. Celebration Rock is the name of the album this current tour is promoting, and also acts as an epitomising band motto. The duo open with a five-minute long jam and casually throw an AC/DC solo into the middle of one song; Japandroids are all about having a good time through rock music, and their mood is infectious.

Song after song, the distortion pedal stays firmly down, the drum beats are boisterous and the enthusiasm emanating from the band is palpable.  ‘Younger Us’ induces the first crowd surfers of the night, and with the floodgates open there’s jubilant chaos from then on in. ‘The Nights of Wine And Roses’ proves the pair are enjoying themselves just as much as the audience as they euphorically “yell like hell to the heavens”. Frontman Brian King even makes errors fun by joking “We don’t fuck up, we just make live remixes”.  By the time ‘Wet Hair’ is unleashed the song title applies literally to all those present in the sweat pit that Sound Control has become.

Japandroids’ desire for everyone to have a great time is exemplified when they invite a journalist, who has been conspicuously writing on a notepad throughout the show, up to join them and perform a stage dive. King declares the exultant chanting of “Notepad!”, for the newly christened folk hero, that accompanies this act as his “favourite gig moment ever”. I leave the venue with my exuberant mood only slightly marred by the fact I wasn’t more obvious with my own note taking.

MUSEA ARTS SOCIETY

Written by Kate Bullivant on . Posted in Societies.

MUSEA stands for the Manchester University Society for Emerging Artists. We aim to cultivate a collective group of like-minded people who are both interested in and have a passion for the practice of contemporary art. We are a forum in which Manchester students can develop artistic skills, techniques and ideas through regular workshops and socials, welcoming all abilities and study backgrounds.

We organise life drawing workshops, art classes, talks, events, gallery trips, film nights, socials and exhibitions. We currently have drawings from our last two socials exhibited at Font Fallowfield, with whom we have collaborated to display MUSEA art and receive10% off with our membership card. Membership also entitles you to discounts at Nexus art café and H.Blyth & Co., both in the Northern Quarter.

Is your society directed at people who are experienced artists, or is it an opportunity to learn to draw and paint?

It is without a doubt a platform from which art students or those interested in art can excel and get the opportunity to exhibit their work; but by no means is it specifically directed at arts students. Our workshops and life drawing classes purposely encourage development of skills, and we often have an art tutor to talk our society members through sketching skills during workshops. I am a management student and have learnt many creative techniques from MUSEA; hence the concept of cultivating emerging and budding artists!

What are the different workshops you offer?

Our signature workshop is the life drawing session, which takes place every two weeks. We have an up and coming paper silhouette workshop which will be accompanied by a city gallery tour, as well as t-shirt design and printing, to encourage interactive and personalised art. We regularly attend exhibitions to inspire new ideas for future workshops; first up is our trip to the David Shrigley exhibition at Cornerhouse.

Plans for this year?

This year we are trying to organise more regular events around our life drawing and encourage more integration from members which will help us qualify for the Manchester societies silver award. In addition we hope to collaborate with other like-minded societies to give our members more scope for creativity; consequently we have a workshop with Photo Soc coming up, and a social at Platt Chapel with Manchester Art group (Wednesday 24th October) We also want our members’ talent to be locally recognised, so we have organised continuous exhibition space at Font which will be publicised through celebratory socials! We’re also have a trip to Berlin coming up, so keep an eye on our facebook page for more details.

Facebook: MUSEA Manchester

Twitter: @_MUSEA

NUS President fears repeat of 2010 violence

Written by Andrew Williams on . Posted in News.

The President of the National Union of Students (NUS) has expressed concern that a repeat of the violence seen at the student protests of November 2010 could overshadow this month’s #Demo2012.

Liam Burns, who succeeded Aaron Porter as NUS President in July 2011, said: “It would be stupid to say I wasn’t [concerned]. I’m not naïve enough to think that we shouldn’t mitigate the chance of risk, but one of the things I can’t do is stop any arsehole from coming along on the day.”

He also criticised some of the decisions made by his predecessor in the aftermath of the Millbank demonstration. “It would be disingenuous for me to say that he coped completely well across the board, because part of the reason why I ran [for President] is that I think we should have made some different calls,” he explains.

Burns’ comments came in an interview with The Mancunion ahead of the latest demonstration against cuts to education funding on 21 November.

This week marks the second anniversary of the infamous ‘Demo 2010’ protest against the trebling of tuition fees, which saw hundreds of students ransack the Conservative Party’s Millbank HQ. Vandalism and violence marred the demonstration, as footage of a student launching a fire extinguisher from the top of Millbank Tower became one of the abiding images of the protest.

Despite “broad support, if not enthusiastic support” for the demonstration amongst the vast majority of students’ unions, both Loughborough University and the University of Reading have refused to back the action. Tellingly, Burns mentions the possibility of a repeat of Millbank as “one of their main concerns.”

He also reveals that the organisers made a point of ensuring that the route did not pass Millbank, a move which he says would have “purposely antagonised the chance of heightened tensions.”

“I think we’ve done everything we can to negate violence,” Burns insists. “All of our students’ unions are quite clear about this being a peaceful demonstration. I think we’ve set the tone right.”

#Demo2012 will focus on the themes of education, employment and empowerment and, with the events of November 2010 firmly in mind, Burns is unequivocal that violence will form absolutely no part of the day. “For me the reason that violence will never form a part of this campaign is that it doesn’t make sense tactically. You want public sympathy on your side; violence is not going to engender public sympathy.”

“One of the things that I’ve always said about Millbank is that I don’t think the act of peacefully occupying a locus of power, when you consider the trebling of tuition fees, was in any way disproportionate,” Burns explains.

“But when you start smashing windows, causing vandalism and harassing people, it’s not Nick Clegg or David Cameron who’s going to come down and clean that up. It’s cleaners that work in the building and we’re trying to claim that we’re fighting to get their kids into uni.”

He continues: “Our members are perfectly clear of the expectations that we have. Our NEC has agreed that we’re not going to support any form of violence.”

At a pre-demo event last month, the organisation’s Vice President of Higher Education suggested that tactics used by the student movement in Canada – including bank blockades and direct action – should be replicated in this country.

She said: “That action clearly works, and it’s clearly important… it’s up to you what tactics you want to use. If you want to go and occupy something, occupy something. It’s about changing people lives and whatever you think works for that, do that.”

Meanwhile, Burns was critical of his predecessor’s handling of the Millbank protests. Whilst he accepts that Aaron Porter was under “exceptional” pressure at the time, he claims that the fallout left “a cloud over the organisation”.

“It won’t be lost on anyone that it was a difficult time for the NUS post-demonstration 2010, but there are decisions that should have been made differently. Would I have made them differently, with all of the pressure that he had? I will never know.”

Burns cites these decisions as his motivation for running to succeed Porter. “We needed to move on from the fee vote and the demonstration… it was about a process of reconciliation to ensure that we weren’t seen as a divided movement. I think broadly that was successful. We feel in a much more comfortable place now.”

Those involved in the Millbank protest include previous members of the University of Manchester Students’ Union executive. A former Campaigns Officer, Amanda Walters, admitted to being inside Millbank on the day. She told Sky News the following day that she “had no qualms about criminal damage” in the name of student protest.

Full interview with Liam Burns here

* This article has been amended to clarify that Rachel Wenstone’s comments do not necessarily conflict with Liam Burns’ stance.

Wenger’s moving measure of success

Written by Dylan Wiggan on . Posted in Sport.

Arsene Wenger spoke to shareholders the day after his Arsenal side suffered their second defeat on the bounce, the comprehensive defeat to Schalke following a shock Premier League loss at Norwich. There he made the claim that simply qualifying for the Champions League is more of an achievement than winning the FA Cup or League Cup.

This statement sparks a debate on what counts as ‘success’ for a club in today’s football climate, and shows how quickly expectations can change from club to club.

Back in 2005 simply achieving a ‘top four finish’ would not have even been a target for Arsenal. Qualifying for the Champions League was a given, and a serious title challenge and perhaps a cup run was expected. Now it seems the top four is a big achievement for London club, with their Manager using it to excuse seven trophy-less years.

Arsene argued that, ‘if you want to attract the best players, they don’t ask if you won the League Cup, they ask if you play in the Champions League’. It cannot be argued that the top players wish to play in the Champions League, but surely to win trophies is the real desire for Europe’s elite, even the cups. After they retire and look back on their career, would the average player be happier to have seven seasons in the Champions League or a few FA Cups to their name?

The answer to this is perhaps best shown in the exodus of star players from Arsenal including Ashley Cole, Gael Clichy, Samir Nasri, Cesc Fabregas, Alex Song and Van Persie. All these players left despite Arsenal’s qualification for the Champions League and all (except this summer transfers Van Persie and Song) have gone on to win trophies.

Whether Arsenal fans agree is another matter, but it is clear that if Arsene ends this season without any trophies, for the eighth year in a row, but qualifies for the Champions League, he will deem the year a success for his team.

Contrast this with the case of Manchester City. They, with the aid a few hundred million pounds of investment, have in the time since Arsenal last won a trophy developed from a mid-table to relegation-fighting team into one of Europe’s elite clubs.

Such is their turnaround, that their supposed ‘underperformance’ in this year’s Champions League group stages has been met with great derision from fans and pundits alike. Rather than marvel at the fact this team has come so far, so quickly, the expectation is for City to reach the Knockout Stages.  That is what now counts as success, and anything less would be cause of shame for the club. Rewind a few short years ago and scrambling a UEFA Cup place via the Fair Play award was an achievement and a cause of great jubilation for the City faithful.

This shows how quickly the landscape of fans expectations and measures for success can change in modern football. Many will point to the extreme influx of money as the cause of this – best shown in the Manchester City example. And many fans would argue that great investment would curb the downward trend of Arsenal’s expectations. However, a note of caution must be taken with this approach, as Liverpool can attest. Hundreds of millions of investment has been met with relatively Premier League stagnancy for the Merseyside team, showing how money on its own doesn’t solve everything.

Arsene Wenger is undoubtedly one of the finest managers of his generation. But these comments depict a man not only slipping away from competing at the very top level, but more poignantly one that is settling for just that. Listing a top four finish as an achievement was probably intended to promote the strength of the Premier League. However, his words came across as more of an admission that his club now has lesser targets than the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and the emerging Manchester City.

Women’s Football: How realistic is the five-year plan?

Written by Andrew Georgeson on . Posted in Sport.

Following the success of women’s football in the Olympic games, the FA have recently announced a five-year plan named the ‘Game Changer’, in an attempt to spread the coverage of the women’s game in England.

The plan focuses around four main areas: the creation of an elite performance unit and the appointment of a head of elite development for development of youth, delivering a new commercial strategy for women’s football including further broadcast strategy, expanding the FA Women’s Super League by introducing second division in 2014 to enable promotion and relegation and finally to improve participation and extend the existing fan base.

The plan seems to be formulated on the back of the pride of the Olympic games that saw 70,584 fans turn out at Wembley to see Team GB defeat Brazil. David Burnstein believes that ‘women’s football is the area with the most potential for growth in the nations favorite game.’ With manager of the year nominee Hope Powell leading the charge, the plan seems to be grounded on solid evidence.

However, this seems a grand proposal that comes off the back of a very uncertain start for the Women’s Super League. The league was formulated following the cancellation of the Women’s Professional Soccer League, the first professional women’s league based in the United States. That league failed because of the lack of financial backing, and that seemed to be a problem for the new WSL even before the league began, with sponsors Yorkshire Building Society and Continental Tyres being announced days before the league started last season. This season only Continental Tyres remain as sponsors.

This not only puts this seasons financial state in doubt, but also undermines the idea of developing a commercial and broadcasting strategy that is specifically trying to gain a separate identity from the men’s game.

Considering the men’s Premier League received £3bn pounds for their latest television rights, it seems odd that Burnstein is distancing himself from this money which will be used not only to pay for ‘parachute’ payments for relegated clubs, for example, but also to help fund projects in grassroots football. In the place of the Sky/BT deal the WSL is currently supported by ESPN, a company who is under particular questions about it’s viability in the UK after losing out to B.T on a Premier League package, who are showing a mere 10 live matches the 2012/13 season as well as highlights, hardly enough to create ‘strong commercial partnerships to elevate the profile of the women’s game,’ an aim which is outlined in the Game Changer’s mission statement.

The competitive nature of the WSL is also something that Burnstein is looking to address. Arsenal Ladies, Birmingham and Everton have finished in the top three places respectively for the past two seasons, with Arsenal only losing twice in those two seasons. An introduction of more teams to create a second division, and perhaps a real sense of competitiveness is the only real point that carries any sort of weight. However, whereas clubs such as Manchester City seem keen to heighten the reputation of their women’s team, others such as Manchester United have not.

There is also a similar sense of realization regarding England’s coaching strategy. The well documented figure that there are only 2,768 English coaches with UEFA A and B pro badges compared to the 23,996 Spanish, 29,420 Italian and 34,790 German coaches applies to the women’s game as well. This prompted the recent creation of St. George’s Park, a state of the art facility in which the England teams train along with qualified coaches. In this sense, the ambitions of both the men and women’s team are similar- a longing for success in our national sport.

The last ambition of this four-fold plan is to make women’s football the second most played sport in England, behind men’s football by 2018. This final statement of the FA is the perhaps the most crucial outcome of the first three stages of the plan. However, they are a long way off reaching this goal. Despite the high attendances of the Olympics as well as the high viewing figures the BBC receive whenever a women’s match is televised, the average attendance for a WSL match is only 500 people – the attendance of some Northern League men’s matches.

The whole strategy may pay off in the long term and I fully believe that women’s football deserves far more coverage than it currently receives; however, it seems to be fully based on the idea that the same nationalistic fervor for the Olympic games will carry on into the future. The FA should confirm a 2016 Olympic women’s squad, highlighting it as the pinnacle of the women’s game, rather that trying to create a seemingly quick fix solution to the growing schism between the men’s and women’s game.

My Political Hero: Ho Chi Minh

Written by Oliver Reynolds on . Posted in Uncategorised.

Choosing French colonial and Vietnam War-era nationalist communist leader Ho Chi Minh was not a difficult choice for this column. I do not particularly support Communism in general, nor do I even consider myself to be especially left-wing, but the legendary leader is something of an inspiration to me. As a man who travelled the world and fought his whole life for what he believed in, he ultimately outfoxed and defeated both the French and the Americans to permanently liberate a country that was under occupation for 150 years, before which it had been subjugated for over a thousand years by the Chinese. He was also a shrewd, intelligent,  and extremely dedicated leader who is revered in contemporary Vietnam almost as a deity.

Born in 1890 near the city of Vinh, north/central Vietnam, as Nguyen Tat Thanh to a family of fluctuating wealth, his father (a teacher and magistrate) taught him Confucian ideas and imbued him with a disdain for French colonial rule, as well as a strong sense of Vietnamese nationalism. He moved with his family to the colonial capital of Hue (central Vietnam) as a young boy where he was educated at a good school, learning French there.

Ho became a sailor and travelled the world: he worked in numerous countries, including as a chef in a London hotel and on the dockyards in Brooklyn.  He also visited other parts of the French Empire and witnessed the exploitation suffered there, which mirrored the oppressive conditions of his own people. He joined revolutionary Vietnamese communist leaders in Paris in 1917 and read the works of Karl Marx, also helping form the French Communist Party. He then lived in Russia, China, Thailand and India for many years, fearing arrest by the French in Vietnam. However, the Japanese overpowered the French in Indochina (modern-day Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos) during the Second World War in 1940 and Ho seized the opportunity to propagate his nationalistic ideals and formed the Vietminh independence movement.

He had been away from his homeland for 24 years before his return in 1941; he was reportedly suffering from dysentery and malaria at this point and was close to death. Ironically enough, he was saved by American doctors. The Vietminh fought a guerrilla campaign against the Japanese (supported with Soviet weapons and American intelligence), and after the August Revolution of 1945 Ho Chi Minh became president of the new Democratic Republic of Vietnam.

Unfortunately, however, the French wouldn’t relinquish their pre-war colonial asset and returned to reclaim Indochina. Even worse, the Chinese Army also marched into North Vietnam. Ho made a deal to have the French return, reportedly saying  “I would prefer to sniff French shit for the next five years than Chinese shit for the rest of my life,” perceptive comments considering the outcome a few years later.

The Vietminh engaged in a fierce guerrilla war with France, until a shockingly decisive victory at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in 1954 saw the French Army obliterated. This meant the communists could enter international negotiations with the upper hand. Vietnam was painfully divided at the 17th parallel into North and South, and peaceful elections never materialised in the context of an increased presence of American ‘advisors’.

They had become embroiled due to their belief in the ‘Domino Theory’ – that if one country fell victim to the evils of Communism, its neighbours would in turn also fall. By 1963, America was fully in Vietnam for one of the most unpopular wars of all time. Ho encouraged the merging of the guerrilla units into the NLF, more commonly known as the ‘Vietcong’, to fight for a united Vietnam (against both the US and her allies in the ostensibly corrupt South).

Led by his right-hand man and strategic genius General Vo Nguyen Giap (still alive today), with their trademark guerrilla no-holds barred frustratingly relentless total-war tactics. Unfortunately Ho died in 1969, six years before his dream was realised with a bitter and embarrassing American withdrawal and the formation of a reunified and independent Socialist Republic of Vietnam in 1975.

Known affectionately in Vietnam today as Uncle Ho, the great Vietnamese nationalist hero had Vietnam’s largest city (formerly Saigon) named after him and lives on in the hearts, minds and daily lives of the 88 million people of a country he was instrumental in forming.

The student foodie generation

Written by Elizabeth Stancombe on . Posted in News.

At the age of 21 do you find yourself buying organic chutneys to match the rather expensive Serrano ham you have just bought, rather than purchasing the rudimentary bottle of Sainsbury Vodka? Or becoming overwhelmed with the desire to venture down to Didsbury to visit ‘Cheese Hamlet’ to get your dairy fix? Is your ideal night out (or rather, night in) flexing your culinary muscles cooking a dinner party for your friends? Or have you ever YouTubed knife skills and found yourself lost in a mountain of celebrity chef recipes because you didn’t know what to do with that belly pork you bought? If you’re nodding your head, you are part of the new and increasing ‘student foodie generation.’

The dramatic increase of cooking programmes over the last few years has sparked a new interest in food across the nation. Students have not been exempt from the trend.  Simply look at Facebook for proof to see countless pictures of people’s dinner with smug captions that go along it: “just whipped up a little something” otherwise meaning “behold the mastery of my superior culinary skills.”

For those infected by the ‘foodie bug,’ long gone are the stereotypes of student eating.  Baked beans and Smash have been replaced with the likes of risotto and garlic-infused mash.  The tin openers have been put away and out have come the mortar and pestle. Many a potted herb plant has lived and died on the halls windowsill.

It doesn’t just stay in the kitchen. Open your ears around university and you will hear many a gastronomic discussion between two enthusiasts usually boasting about what they ate or a new amazing little restaurant they’ve found.  This is because a great majority of foodie fever involves showing off. “I’ve mastered the soufflé.” “Well I can confit a duck leg.” It is a competition to out-cook your mates and great pride is found in your knowledge of what “quenelle” means or in the admiration of your well stocked cupboard.

So when you are reading this and thinking things sound very familiar, fear not! You aren’t alone.  Be unashamed of your Nigella Lawson cookbook or your ability to recall the last three years’ MasterChef winners.  Go forth and drink your Rioja, bake your Camembert and spend your loan on lunch deals and cake tins. Do it because, as Virgina Woolf said, “one cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well.” This speaks all too true when you are at university.

Mini pasta-risotto hybrid

Written by Joanna Fox on . Posted in Food & Drink.

Two days of unrelenting, solid rain combined with several particularly long days at Uni had severely blackened my mood. I turn to comfort food for quick nourishment. Cue revelatory discovery that I can make a risotto-style meal in under 15 minutes. I achieved this using something mini pasta shapes, a concept introduced to me by my friend whose Mum apparently always cooks this for her when she’s ill to make her feel better.

To make one dinner, plus one to reheat the next night:

200g baby pasta – I used orzo but any tiny pasta pieces will do

1 packet of bacon lardons

1 onion, chopped

4-5 sun dried tomatoes, chopped

285g of a tomato-based pasta sauce of your choice

1 small tin of peas, drained

Splash of Worcester sauce

25g grated cheese

Cook pasta according to instructions. Meanwhile, fry the lardons, onion and sun dried tomatoes together until the bacon is cooked (approx. 5 minutes).

Drain the pasta and then mix it into the fried mixture on a low heat. Mix in the tomato sauce, peas Worcester sauce and cheese. The consistency should be quite thick. Continue heating until the sauce is heated and the cheese is melted.