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Month: January 2016

Pangaea recovery

There’s always a comedown of sorts from Panagaea, from the vibrant transformation of our dreary university, to the lack of constant euphoria. But starting the New Year, still mourning the end of the university’s finest festival is frankly not ideal.

Get up

Although your body and mind may be in a state of fatigue, emerging from your stinky bedroom is advisable. Honestly, there’s only so much mindless television you can watch until your brain just doesn’t comprehend it anymore.

Go for a walk

The gym may not be a good idea, unless you consider staring at a weight stack—wondering what it was you intended to do with them for about half an hour into your so-called exercise. A walk, on the other hand, is far more manageable—wrap up warm and take in the fresh winter air.

Watch a childhood classic

Whether you’re a Disney lover, a Harry Potter fan or even a Lord Of The Rings buff. Let’s face it, these fictional worlds are often a fine alternative to the harsh reality of the day after.

Get social 

Wallowing alone in self pity is never a good idea. The joy of having housemates are the hungover recollections of the night before in the most comfortable room in the house.

Eat up

Although your stomach may be oddly silent for once, don’t be fooled—food is still needed for you to get through this already difficult day.

Make it fruity

A natural sugar high and some vitamins will give you the boost you need to wash off any stubborn face paint.

Students for Europe launches nationally and locally

With the EU referendum fast approaching, students across the country have set up the Students for Europe campaign within the wider European Movement organisation.

On Saturday 20th of February, the Students for Europe campaign will be launched at an event in London, where NUS President Megan Dunn and Young European Movement President Susi Navara will speak to activists whilst training will be provided by Britain Stronger in Europe, NUS, and Universities UK.

Students for Europe is a cross-party organisation that aims to galvanise students into action, ahead of the referendum. Moreover Universities UK, which represents vice-chancellors across the UK, has decided to openly campaign for the UK to remain in the EU.

The Manchester Students for Europe campaign has been formed under the national Students for Europe umbrella. The campaign will be campaigning at universities across Greater Manchester, working with student campaign groups and student branches of political parties.

The local group is further planning events in collaboration with the University of Manchester and MMU’s Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence, an interdisciplinary forum in the School of Social Sciences for the promotion of research and teaching about Europe.

Clifford Fleming, Campaign Director at European Movement, told The Mancunion: “The European referendum will be one of the biggest decisions for our generation. Students for Europe is a collective of activists across the country making the case that being inside the EU is better for our rights, our jobs, our freedom of movement, the environment, for international peace and our future.

“We’ll be mobilising student groups across the country in the lead up to the referendum and we want you to get involved. Students overwhelming favour being in the EU, and we need your help to share our voice.”

Inquest records suicide at University of Salford over grades

A student at the University of Salford in Greater Manchester died after being disappointed with her second year grades and grieving the death of her great-aunt, an inquest has found.

Samantha MacDonald, 20, was studying Human Biology and Infectious Diseases at the University of Salford and lived in John Lester Court Halls of Residence. She was from Dukinfield near Ashton-under-Lyne in Tameside, Greater Manchester.

Samantha jumped from her bedroom window, 120 feet from the ground, after a night out with her friends in Manchester’s Gay Village, where they were turned away from AXM Club for being too drunk. They returned to their flat, and went into their rooms at around 4am. At 5:40am, Samantha was found outside where campus security unsuccessfully attempted to resuscitate her.

The medical examiner recorded that Samantha had 206 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millimetres of blood—just over two and a half times above the legal limit for driving.

At the inquest into her death, police revealed they had found a diary in which she had listed her likes, her dislikes, and her dreams in life. She intended to pursue a PhD and “make a difference” in the world by curing diabetes. After receiving a 2:2 in her second year exams, it appears that she had felt that she could no longer achieve her goals.

She had written notes to her family, which police found in Samantha’s bedroom and Police Coroner’s Officer Alison Park said that the handwriting may have been affected by the amount of alcohol she had consumed that night. Police also recorded that she had searched for ‘funeral songs’ on Google at 5:39am.

Shortly before she took her own life, Samantha’s great-aunt died; it is said that Samantha was very close to her. Along with her disappointment in her grades, the inquest believes that Samantha had entered a bout of undiagnosed depression.

The inquest heard that she had not requested help for her mental health issues from her GP or the university’s counselling service.

The inquest recorded her death as a suicide, Coroner Jennifer Leeming added: “”One way of looking at the consumption of alcohol is that it was a way of giving her the courage to perform the act she had in mind.

“I can imagine there is no greater pain than the loss of a child.”

Samantha’s father, Stephen MacDonald, spoke at the inquest, saying: “Sammy was very focused at university and really wanted to get a first. She did extremely well during her first year and was just short of the mark she needed for a first. She did well in her coursework but seemed to struggle during exams.

“After second year, she got a 2:2 which really knocked her confidence.

“As far as we were aware she was very focused on completing her degree and working in science afterwards. We were so proud that she was making new friends and a life and a future for herself at university.

“I now think she did commit suicide. In one letter she says she had written the letter 100 times. I don’t know if she intended doing this at the start of the night but maybe the reason she got drunk is maybe to go through with it.

“One of the letters said she had been hiding her depression from us.”

If you need confidential support or advice, you can contact Nightline, whose number can be found on the back of your student card or contact the University of Manchester’s counselling service on 0161 275 2864

 

The British obsession with Higher Education needs to stop

The recent move by David Cameron to abolish maintenance grants for university students has led many to suggest that universities have made it more difficult for prospective students from poorer backgrounds to attend. The grants will be replaced by repayable loans, meaning graduates will be leaving uni with even more debt. The money will still be available for those who need it and the social stigma towards those who don’t attend university will continue to feed young school-leavers into the Higher Education realm. However, the prospect of an increasing amount of debt will not change this.

The current situation in the UK is the idea that everyone who finishes Sixth Form or college should go to university and those who don’t will be limited in their career. This needs to stop.

A lot of young people are sold down the river by the promise that university will be a guarantee of a well-paid job. This is simply not true and many students only realise this once the rose-tinted glasses of adolescence have been crushed by graduate prospects. Many students lack interest in their degree and can’t wait for it to finish. 8.2 per cent of students drop out before finishing their course. This is likely as a result of the ill-prepared decision to jump onto the university bandwagon.

For one, attending university in England is more expensive than anywhere else in the world. This is because all degrees are met with the same tuition fee. Higher quality degrees at world-class institutions are just as expensive as all other degrees. In America, the tuition fees are weighted based on the institution and quality of the qualification. The increase of tuition fees across the board in England in 2012 led to questions of whether a lot of degrees are actually worth it.

Studies suggest only a quarter of student loans will be fully repaid, which also questions the government’s decision to carry on charging so much for a university education. Most graduates end up having their debts written off and the government will recoup less than it has bargained for. The assumption is that the recent decision to abolish maintenance grants and introduce more loans is an incompetent attempt to plug the vacuum of money appearing in government purse strings.

The lifting of a cap on university attendances has meant that many courses will accept more applicants. The problem lies with the fact that a rise in the number of academic staff at such universities does not occur beside this. This creates a seemingly ever-increasing pattern of over-subscribed courses and rising student-to-faculty ratio. The lifting of the cap has made courses cash-cows for university funding, in some cases.

The Labour government’s vision of higher education for all has given an impression that there is no other option. The transition of the traditional polytechnic universities away from vocational qualifications to traditional degrees has meant that there is now a gap where high-quality vocational qualifications could once be achieved. The expansion of Higher Education in Britain has only caused the value of a degree to decrease, with an even greater need for graduates to have much more than a qualification at the end of university.

Of course, young people should be allowed the option to study at university and the diversification of university applicants is promising. This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t limit the numbers of students at universities. University should be available to all, but that does not mean all should go to university.

The stark reality is that less than half of graduates have a professional job six months after graduating. The shortfall in graduate jobs has meant that there is now an expectation that employers should look for graduates to fill a role that doesn’t need a graduate. This further limits the prospects of those who haven’t gone to university and will force more school-leavers into a system that is currently not working.

Graduates are a vital part of the workforce but we don’t need so many. A rise in student numbers has not been met with a rise in graduate jobs. There should be a focus on producing graduates where they are needed.

Apprenticeships are pushed by the government but university is often seen as the better option. The current state of vocational qualifications means many feel that A-levels and university are the only choice. There needs to be an emphasis on the benefits of the alternatives to university and a clear basis for vocational excellence.

A widely-recognised standard for apprenticeships would attract more young people onto such schemes rather than developing a false sense of self-righteousness because they’ve attended university. Education has become a box-ticking exercise for school statistics, with careers advice emphasising the belief that the only route to a successful career is through university.

Schools instead need to highlight that not going to university doesn’t make you a failure, and break away from the extensive feeling that not having a degree will limit your career.

Review: Wit

“It is not my intention to give away the plot, but I think I die at the end.”

Julie Hesmondhalgh plays Dr. Vivian Bearing, a stern and independent Professor of 17th century literature, who is diagnosed with stage IV metastatic ovarian cancer. “There is no stage V.” Wit covers, in a single unbroken act, her last days, hours, and minutes as she comes to terms with her mortality and observes the comparative differences of art and science—highlighting the contrast between the subject she is a doctor of and that of the doctors who treat her.

Among this darkness is a lot of comedy. Wit is comic, and you find yourself laughing during some of the most emotional scenes, often due to Hesmondhalgh’s perfectly placed dry delivery, maintaining her attitude that years of dealing with those less intelligent than herself have taught her almost to the end. Margaret Edson’s Pullitzer-winning script as well somehow manages to convey the indignity of her suffering with the respect it deserves, whilst injecting enough, well, wit, to a subject that rarely makes one laugh.

Hesmondhalgh’s performance is truly stunning—head shaven and feet bare, Julie flawlessly pitches the character between vulnerability and bravado, spending the whole play’s 100 minutes on the barren, circular stage, performing in the round with the audience watching her from all angle—meaning that she had to move continuously, helped only a little by a rotating stage and clever lighting.

Dr. Bearing’s specialty is metaphysical poetry—particularly that of the poet John Donne—that which addresses some of the largest questions humans have conceived: life, death, and God. Even at the end of her life, however, she realises that all the poetry in the world can neither save her nor make her passing dignified. At the same time, the brute force of science and medicine is no more successful, putting her through more pain than she has ever been before, as her doctors subject her to eight weeks of full-dose chemotherapy. She feels like she is more research than a patient to be saved.

In the end, it is neither her life-defining literature nor lifesaving chemicals that win out, but compassion, that of the kind nurse who sits with Bearing while she screams in pain, dignity finally gone, gives her an ice lolly, and talks through the choices available to each patient if their heart stops—resuscitate and continue the research, or pass on to be peaceful. You also witness her only visitor, her old draconian literature professor, sit with Vivian and read her a children’s book, just like those she loved aged 5.

In short, Wit was perfect, a play of contradictions capturing completely the fear and indignity that are the results of cancer, whilst also making all present smile and laugh and sympathise with all the characters. They truly deserved the standing ovation they received at the end of the performance.

As humans, should we play God?

For once, the content in an article of mine is not political, but instead an appeal to humanity. The world is heading towards an increasingly perfectionist trend with the possibility of designer babies not far away. The chance to choose your child’s hair colour, eye colour or even gender might—to those control freaks amongst future parents—be a welcome change to all this confusing biology. You might well find this concept of designer babies abhorrent, and so you should; but the good news for now is that it is just a concept. However, there is already something along these lines happening in the UK today that is just as horrible. I speak of the systematic termination of pregnancies where the foetus is found to have Down’s syndrome.

It was recently reported in The Telegraph, and other publications in the US, that the future of people with Down’s syndrome in our society is under threat. The figures are most disturbing and if true, paint a rather grim picture; where some 90 percent of pregnancies where the foetus is shown to have Down’s Syndrome are aborted. Now, I am not some rabid pro-life activist of the sort you might find in America. Obviously it is the parents’ choice. But I find the fact that people would terminate a pregnancy purely because the child will have Down’s syndrome saddening. Why do people feel it is necessary? Do they think it is because a child with Down’s syndrome will enjoy a lower quality of life?

Maybe it’s because they believe some of the other big myths of Down’s syndrome like those with it will “die young” or “be forever a child”? Well, while people with Down’s syndrome did in the past have a less than average life span, thanks to modern medicine they can now face a much longer and happier life than before.

But what about them being supposedly childlike? First of all, how many adults still enjoy watching SpongeBob SquarePants or Adventure Time? I think you will find there are quite the multitude who still do. So can we say that any of us really abandon our childhood?

Secondly, if you ever need further evidence to counter this myth, look no further than to the fine example set by Mr John Franklin Stephens—a 30-year-old man with Down’s syndrome. Back in 2012, during a presidential debate, a political commentator named Ann Coulter wrote a tweet using the word “retard” in a most derogatory context. What followed was a nothing short of brilliance as Mr Stephens— a Global Messenger for the Special Olympics—penned an open letter to her explaining why she was wrong, and in doing so, he proved that he is head and shoulders above her, and many others, in terms of the sensitivity shown towards the disabled.

Another shining light in the Down’s syndrome community is Madeline Stuart, the first ever model with Down’s syndrome. She is not only a role model for young disabled people all over the world, but she is also just one of many reasons why those who dismiss people with Down’s syndrome are wrong. There have already been actors with Down’s syndrome in film and TV, and while they might not be able to complete a doctorate in astrophysics, they can sure as hell be valued as active members of society.

Then of course there is the pettiest and downright insulting myth that they will be “embarrassing” as children. Well I challenge you to find a child who isn’t sometimes a little embarrassing. One of the best parts about childhood is that you are not yet bound by social conventions so you can behave as freely or as embarrassingly as you choose.

People with Down’s syndrome are, in my experience, some of the happiest, friendliest and affectionate people I have ever met; and a lot less judgemental than most. They can have jobs, contribute to the economy, to culture and make the lives of those around them happier and fuller.

Where would it end? Do we then start to then abort all foetuses that have dwarfism? If there were no people with Down’s syndrome in the world, I would not have a sister. I would be one of two children, not one of three. It is a reality that I would not want to face and a reality that people should not seek just because they believe the false myths regarding those with Down’s syndrome. We have no right to deny these people a chance at life and if you think you do, then it would set us on a dangerous path towards a supposed perfectionist view of humanity. I say humanity’s imperfections are what makes it perfect and it would be detrimental to us all if they were to disappear.

UCL student strike action for rent cuts continues

Students at UCL are threatening to withhold rent payments that could total £250,000 to protest sky-high university accommodation costs.

As part of the UCL Cut the Rent Campaign more than 150 students living in university accommodation are withholding their payments until they achieve their goal of a 40 per cent rent cut.

Since 2009, according to the campaigners, rent costs at the university have risen by about 56 per cent, with Ramsey Hall’s 473 rooms ranging between £158.97 and £262.43 a week.

In an interview with The Mancunion, Pearl Ahrens, an 18-year old first year student in Politics and Eastern European Studies and one of the UCL Cut the Rent campaigners, said: “We think that the rent is too high and that students can’t afford to stay in them and to have a fulfilling university experience at this cost.”

According to Ahrens, if you are a student within the high income bracket you will receive a student loan worth £5,205. The most you will receive as a student in the lowest income bracket is £6,313. Commenting on these figures, Ahrens asserted: “The current yearly rent at Max Rayne, which is a hall that is striking, is £5,433 which falls in between those. With a cut of 40 per cent that would make it £3,260 so that everyone can afford to live in Max Rayne and even more expensive ones.”

London School of Economics is currently working on the Cost of Living Petition also aimed at developing an affordable rent strategy for university accommodation. Although UCL does not have contacts to any other London universities at the moment, Ahrens was not opposed to the idea of seeking co-operation with other student campaigns aimed at tackling London’s “extortionate” rent cost as this would ensure a “more co-ordinated campaign.”

The Cut the Rent Campaign first made headlines last autumn when 238 former residents of UCL student accommodation were compensated with £1,200 each as a result of a student strike which aimed to tackle hazardous living conditions. Students complained of rat-infested housing and their lack of sleep as a consequence of continued construction work outside their halls.

While this strike is seen as a success in the eyes of the campaigners, Ahrens indicated that this next wave of strikes serves to tackle the issue of rent costs on a larger scale. She commented on the strikes last autumn, saying that “even though their conditions were bad, everyone’s rent is high. No matter what the conditions are, even if they were perfect it still wouldn’t be worth the amount of money that we are paying. It’s extortionate. I’m paying £175 a week and my conditions are okay but if you can’t afford £175 then you can’t go to university. It’s pushing people out of access to education.”

Ahrens expresses her disappointment at the university’s inadequate response. Other than withholding more than a quarter of a million of pounds in rent payments, the campaign has also conducted several demonstrations in the autumn term, had a bloc in the education march, and handed in a petition with over 1,000 signatures. Despite these efforts, UCL has not yet conceded to their demands. “So the strike is our last resort,” said Ahrens, “and we are willing to do it again, and we hope that it will win because it won last time.”

She is confident that the strike will be a success and the same can be said for Angus O’Brien. O’Brien, 20, is a second year student in Social and Political Studies and the UCL union halls accommodation representative as well as one of the founders of the Cut the Rent campaign. In his statement to The Mancunion on how confident he feels about the future of the strike, he said: “It is the only way to actually get UCL management to engage with us on this issue and we are expecting them to contact us properly.

“At the very least we’ll have a dialogue with them about how unaffordable it is and how it’s sort of crushing the future of our university that is cutting off people from accessing education here. I always say it’s like an unofficial entry requirement that you have to have a lot more money to actually come.”

In Tuesday’s campaign meeting at UCL’s Students’ Union, current negotiations and future plans for collective action were discussed. Major developments were outlined by David Dahlborn, a 22-year-old Politics and Jewish Studies student and one of the founders of the campaign.

Just several hours before the meeting UCL management had contacted the campaigners asking for a meeting with them. Dahlborn suspected that the campaign had “embarrassed [UCL management] to the point where they cannot defend their position.” Furthermore, he announced that more of UCL’s student halls such as Ramsay and Schafer are potentially interested in pledging to join the strike.

When asked how many strikers have currently joined the campaign in withdrawing their rent payments, O’Brien claimed that “we don’t know the exact figures at the moment, we know it’s over 150. It all got quite confusing because another hall spontaneously did it without us really interfering so we don’t know the numbers from them yet, it could be around 30 – 40.”

In light of this growing campaign throughout UCL’s student campus, Ahrens expressed no doubt that collective action will continue until demands are met by the university. “We’re striking the second term and depending on how it goes possibly a strike in the third term as well.” Furthermore, during the meeting it was announced that the UCL Cut the Rent Campaign will be taking part in the large demo on Saturday the 30th of January against the government’s proposed Housing Bill.

In a concluding statement to The Mancunion, Ahrens emphasised that this campaign highlights the larger issue of housing in London and the difficulty for low income families to access higher education at these costs: “It’s a human catastrophe. Students shouldn’t have to worry about money. It is not fair to make profit off education when some people can’t even afford to be here. It’s a societal problem which is preventing many people from accessing education.”

Out with the old and in with the stylish

With 2016 being a prosperous year in business, who says that it can’t be a prosperous year in fashion as well? With trends from previous years contributing to our sense of style, how do we know what to keep and how to evolve our fashion ways? Here are our stylish top tips for 2016 and how you might just surprise yourself.

It has been said that shoes can make an outfit, and we are advocates of that, so, for you to feel fabulous this year, your footwear has to be on point. Doing a shoes clean-out is one of the most liberating things you can do this year, and it’s all about elegance. Get rid of shoes that you haven’t worn in two years! Even if you think they have a chance, they probably don’t. This year, invest in a pair of day heels. Heels don’t necessarily have to mean discomfort—a good pair of heeled boots or sandals can add the glam to your day look, and what better way to grab a pair than during sale season?!

TRY: Black Woven Peeptoe Block Heel Sandals. New Look £34.99.

Photo: Mango

Now that your footwear is sorted, we can move onto the jackets. The problem that people had in 2015 was that investments were made into fast trends. They were in and out of fashion in no time! Use 2016 to look for a statement jacket which is in season every year. When sorting through your jackets, evaluate what jackets you think give you the look you want. You need a casual jacket, an evening coat, and a day coat. This threesome will ensure you are covered for all occasions, and you won’t need to faff around with what’s in fashion; it’s all about you feeling great.

TRY: Wide Lapel wool-blend coat. Mango £59.99.

Photo: Zara

When it comes to tops, it’s time to ditch the big prints that have been in your wardrobe since high school. Whatever sentiment you have attached to them, disconnect from them and invest in some plain block colours. With these tops, you get to make a canvas on those days when you have no idea what to wear. Teamed with great accessories, you could make the same top look different every time you wear it.

TRY: Long Sleeve Shirt. Zara. £29.99.

Photo: Harvey Nichols

With all this talk about clothes, we can’t forget about the make up! Make sure to throw away all of the out of date products that you have in your vanity case. 2016 won’t be a good year if you get conjunctivitis. This year is all about less is more, so put down your contouring brush and keep it simple with a good bronzer to achieve a similar effect. A light eye shadow with a fabulous volumizing mascara can beat a heavily made over face any day. It’s all about keeping it simple, yet effective. Try a new makeup product or technique, and see how you get along with it.

TRY: Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage. £26.50. Harvey Nichols.

With all these top tips for the New Year, always remember to add your own spin to what you wear. Experiment with different styles and don’t be scared to try something new. You never know, your stylish new technique might be your new go-to. Happy New Year!

Work it

The thought of leaving the student nest for the corporate world is a dark one. Life will be ‘actionable’ and filled with ‘blue sky thinking’; hangovers will be out and Chai Lattes will be in. The sad reality is that faux pas are imminent. The most painless way of transitioning will be to have sartorial confidence: All jobs are different, but the best method is probably to start basic and learn your workplace’s dress vibe over time.

The most problematic of office rabbit holes will involve footwear: graduate roles are at the bottom of the food chain, and the ‘running’ jobs will most likely be slung towards the newbie. Happily, there seems to have been a general acceptance of the merits of flats. Christina Binkley, from The Wall Street Journal, wrote: ‘Long stuck in the purgatory of casual wear, flats are suddenly being promoted for polished occasions.’ The very best are the heeled ballerinas from Zara. A trick of the intern industry is also to wear impressive heels and carry flats in your bag.

Photo: Zara

Turtlenecks speak: Take, for example, Love Actually. Find your turtleneck niche and flaunt it, and if in doubt, opt for black and look like a successful career panther. Tucking in looks great and will help you feel as though you have your life together: invest in blouses to feed to midi skirts and trousers, either black or tailored. Your bag is your new life and will begin as your only friend; smart rucksacks and citybags will be there for you.

Photo: Whistles

For men, the trend is for attention to detail: London city wear dictates that point collars are out and spread collars are in, and added extras like pinstripe socks and coloured pocket square will give you slick credibility.

Consistently good places to shop for workwear are Whistles, Zara, Mango, and H&M, and aiming to dress like Olivia Palermo is not a bad idea. An alternative to this teething method would be to dazzle your work cohort by becoming a walking statement: in this scenario, make like the queen and hit the co-ords. Wear contrasting prints and don’t apologise.

HOME Pick of the Week: The Assassin

The winner of last year’s Best Director award at Cannes, Hou Hsiao-hsien’s The Assassin is unmistakably an art-house lover’s wuxia movie. Fans of the more action-packed variety of Chinese martial arts films such as Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and Zhang Yimou’s Hero might feel let down by Hsiao-hsien’s deliberate and slow-burning approach to the narrative. Nonetheless, what the Taiwanese auteur delivers is, on its own terms, a masterful piece of cinema that stands as one of the finest achievements in visual poetry of the decade so far.

Set in 8th century China, the movie tells the story of the titular warrior (Shu Qi), who has been raised to be a deadly killer. We can see from the beginning that she is a master of the sword, second to none in martial prowess. But after an unwanted display of mercy, she is sent on a mission to kill the military governor of Weibo: A man whom she had been intended to marry, long ago.

No overstatement could possibly be made about the intense beauty of The Assassin. With both the black-and-white and colour cinematography at work in different stages of the film, every viewer is treated to a lavish and masterful exercise in visual storytelling. From the relatively still dialogue scenes to the flurries of violence throughout the picture, Hsiao-hsien delivers an awe-inspiring feat of cinema. Every frame is layered with meaning, drawing us in to a spectacle that is executed with a level of precision and skill to match our Assassin.

Many viewers might be put off the movie by what will undoubtedly be perceived as its agonisingly slow narrative and sparse scattering of action, but it is precisely this deliberate pace that makes The Assassin work so well. Hsiao-hsien hypnotises us with an understated story that finds exactly the right levels of intensity and heightened reality that the narrative demands. The director taps into the mind of our protagonist in her every movement and subtle emotion, and we cannot help but be captives to her tale. Unlike an alarmingly large number of filmmakers today, Hsiao-hsien appreciates the value of subtlety.

Repeated viewing will be essential to fully appreciate a film so nuanced and finely-wrought as The Assassin. The work of a true auteur, Hsiao-hsien succeeds in taking the familiar sights and sounds of the wuxia genre and crafting a martial arts picture worthy of the label of a masterpiece. No true lover of cinema should miss it.

5/5

Top 5: Bowie songs in film

5) Zoolander – ‘Fashion’

Bowie makes one of his many charismatic acting appearances in this hilarious send-up of the fashion industry, appearing in a brief cameo as himself. The song only appears momentarily as he unexpectedly appears to judge a walk-off between Zoolander and his modelling rival-Hansel. It’s short and sweet but Bowie’s cameo oozes class and makes for a truly memorable and entertaining scene.

 

4) Guardians of the Galaxy – ‘Moonage Daydream’

This offbeat space-set superhero caper has a completely killer soundtrack and the use of ‘Moonage Daydream’ from 1972’s Ziggy Stardust is a real highlight. The track featuring lyrics about an alien saving the world from annihilation is perfectly fitting and manages to nail the film’s surreal tone. Who else but Bowie could capture the otherworldliness of the unknown as the ragtag bunch of aliens drift through the galaxy?

 

3) Frances Ha – ‘Modern Love’

The use of ‘Modern Love’ as Frances gleefully dances her way through New York makes for a gorgeously joyous sequence and the bittersweet lyrics juxtapose her joyous innocence to great effect. Wonderful.

 

2) Inglourious Basterds – ‘Cat People’

It’s a real testament to Bowie, the master of reinvention, that his music can be used to accompany pretty much anything and can completely elevate it; this is certainly true of Inglourious Basterds. The WWII romp’s soundtrack features the least contemporary pop music of any of Tarantino’s films. But the use of 1982’s ‘Cat People’ as our hero, Shoshanna applies her makeup before blowing up a cinema full on Nazis still somehow manages to completely work and helps gives the pivotal scene an extra dose of glam.

 

1) The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou – ‘Queen Bitch’

Wes Anderson’s Jacques Cousteau-inspired deep-sea adventure is a real love letter to the Starman and there are plenty of his songs to pick from here (though most of which are covers performed in Portuguese by Seu Jorge). But here, Bowie is put to best use here over the films final shots as Anderson brings together the irresistibly cool union of ‘Queen Bitch’, Bill Murray and one of his signature slow motion walking shots.

How To: Clear Out Your Wardrobe

Every year, my dad proudly tells friends and family how 13 years ago he made a New Year’s resolution and has since never broken it. The same sceptical but congratulatory mutterings begin (prior knowledge of his sense of humour allows all to predict there’s definitely some catch in this comment) and he’ll then explain this is because he chose never to make a resolution again.

In an attempt to find a suitable, and better, annual alternative to my father’s own witty resolution, I’ve tried various approaches: take up the gym (can’t afford the fees), take up running (can’t afford the emotional trauma), give up chocolate (managed it once but never again to ensure sanity), give up Instagram (that lasted all of 20 minutes).

As a result, I keep my sights in the area of my life I can happily spend multiple hours and excessive instalments of my student loan in developing: My wardrobe.

Everyone’s approach may vary, with the most significant difference between the clutter hoarders and the ruthless eBay sellers. I fall somewhere in the middle—too lazy to flog my clothes but too ashamed to stay in possession of that jumper, which then normally goes to my least favourite relative.

However a few methods prove effective in de-cluttering your wardrobe and realistically demonstrating it’s time to let go:

1.    Turn your clothes hangers backwards

This makes a lot more sense than it sounds. Many recent articles are providing the same brilliant advice: By turning your clothes hangers backwards, when you replace the item forwards it soon becomes obvious which of your clothes you do and don’t wear.

2.    Ignore the likes of Vogue, Elle and Grazia

I’m never normally an advocate of ignoring the Greats, but sometimes their content is best avoided. Instructing us to buy this, wear that, dress this way or follow that trend can confuse the withering fashion follower. Whilst an entertaining read, not only is it unfeasible but also impersonal. Stick to what you love wearing and what you know looks good.

3.    Co-ordinate

Whilst I personally disprove of advice to “pick a colour scheme” or categorically “synchronise all items” in your cupboard, it’s always worth shopping with your wardrobe in mind. When deliberating a new purchase, mentally skim through at least your basic items to see what you could wear it with. If nothing comes up, then ask yourself whether you’re willing to invest further in this one item.

4.    Haul in some extra help

Grab your nearest and dearest, a bottle of bubbly (or, you know, Sainsbury’s half price Pinot Grigio), some snacks and your self-confidence—this could get brutal. But that’s what your friends are for. Honesty is the best policy and if they won’t tell you, nobody will. Think Carrie, Charlotte, Miranda and Samantha.

5.    Don’t be afraid to let go

If the stilettos from your nineteenth birthday are still sitting in the corner of your room, somehow caked in mud and half a size too small, take a minute, say your goodbyes and pluck up the courage to put them in the bin. Realistically, will you ever wear them again?

6.    Donate

What could be better than not only having a clear wardrobe, just waiting to be revamped, but also doing a small bit for charity? Having said that, if you have the patience for eBay or Depop, I applaud you and shall advise no further. However for those less patiently inclined, another could love the item much more and the proceeds would also go to a worthwhile cause.

So tidy wardrobe, tidy mind and the perfect resolution you can easily keep for years to come.

Post-exam beauty hacks

Whether you’ve completed all of your deadlines and exams or you’ve still got a few to go, stress can get the better of everyone. When you get stressed, so does your skin, and long hours sat at the computer drinking coffee and eating biscuits can take their toll, leaving it dry, oily, spotty, or just plain old dull. So which ever concern is currently affecting your skin, we’ve got a routine for you.

Cleansing

First things first, put down that foaming cleanser. It’s not doing you any good. Whatever skin type you have, foaming cleansers strip your skin of all their natural moisture, making dry skin drier, oily skin oilier, and spotty skin spottier. Instead, go for a milk such as the Avene Gentle Milk Cleanser, a balm like Clinique’s Take The Day Off Balm, or an oil like Una Brennan’s Vitamin C Cleansing Oil. Showing your skin a little bit of extra love with a really good cleanse will do it wonders.

Photo: Feelunique Photo: Superfacialist

Exfoliating

Stay well away from any type of exfoliator with little beads in it! Although they’re super cheap and it feels like you’re doing a really good job at getting your skin nice and clean, the reality is that you’re probably causing it even more damage. Instead, try an acid exfoliator. They sound a little scary but it’s nothing more than a jazzed up toner. Try using Pixi Glow Tonic or Nip and Fab Glycolic Fix Pads twice a day for glowing skin in no time.

Photo: Liberty Photo: Superdrug

Serums/Oils

Whether you’ve got oily skin or dry skin, oils are a must for repairing damaged skin. One of my favourite oils is the Clarins Face Treatment Oil as they do different versions of the oil depending on what skin type you have. Lotus is suitable for oily and combination skin whereas Blue Orchid is more suited for dry and dehydrated skin. However, if you’re more sensible with your loan, a budget friendly option would be the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Overnight Serum in Oil, which is suitable for most skin types. Oils are great for getting that glow back into your skin that staying up till 4am staring at your essay took away from you.

Photo: John Lewis Photo: The Body Shop

Moisturisers

A step that’s often quite easy to skip when you’re busy, but one that is as crucial as brushing your teeth. French brands like La Roche Posay and Avene have a great selection of moisturisers available for all skin types and are great basic products for getting your skin back on track. For oily skin try the Effaclar range and for dry skin try the Hydraphase range, both from La Roche Posay.

Photo: Boots

Extras

Spots getting you down? Try using a spot gel like the Origins Super Spot Remover on the affected areas overnight. Not only does this help reduce the blemish, it also helps reduce redness and any potential scarring that it may have caused. You’ll be left with blemish free skin and no reminders that you ever had one in the first place. Don’t neglect your lips either; with the cold weather well and truly here, lips can be left chapped, dry, and flaky. Giving them a good scrub with something like Lush Lip Scrub provides a great base for a really nourishing balm and helps take your lips back to their usual post-cold self.

Photo: John Lewis Photo: Lush

There you have it! Some tips to get your skin back in tip top condition just as uni rolls round again.

Review: The Girls

The Girls, a new musical inspired by Calendar Girls, held its world première at The Lowry this week. Having seen the West End production a fair few years ago, I was intrigued to see how a new take on the same story would be unleashed. I was pleasantly surprised. The music added a new dimension to the tale; it allowed the characters to express their thoughts and feelings in a deeper sense than words alone could convey. It encapsulated the humour and sadness the story managed to conquer, holding and carrying it through the music.

Being a Yorkshire girl across the roses border, The Girls made me feel very patriotic towards my county—the introductory number “Yorkshire” shouting proudly of the dales and fells I call home. It shows the relationship people have with their home, the pride to be a part of the community, and the desire to belong. It is, after all, community spirit alone that triumphs in this story, the daring to stand together, and it’s surprising just what can come of it.

There were the expected sad, delicate numbers that deal with loss, grief and sometimes the denial of death, beautifully written and projected to the audience. Yet alongside great sadness comes great joy. The humour brought by Claire Moor as Chris, whipping her bra off on the fell, and the humiliation by our parents that every teenager goes through is conveyed expertly by the young actors playing Danny, Tommo and Jenny.

The calendar shoot is played brilliantly by all of ‘The Girls’—it was done in elegance, amusement and humour. Yet best of all, I felt the audience were laughing with the nervous characters on stage, impressed and amazed by the bravery the actors put on show. It was tasteful, it was funny, and it entertained the whole audience.

Everything from the stage set, the music, to the actors was brilliant; it deepened my current understanding of The Calendar Girls story, and proves the bravery and determination of one group of ruthless WI girls. It’s an incredible true story, which only heightens the pressure and exposure of the show, a musical that brings more to life then music and words, a story to be shared.

The Girls deserved its standing ovation; make sure to catch this show while you still can. The Girls will also be playing at the Phoenix Theatre early 2017.

Each time I come back

You know those sour sweets, or wasabi peas—at first you’re all like “woah, no, no,” and then, as the flavour cools or the heat subsides, your taste buds adjust and you simmer down and think: “Actually, maybe I like this. This feels good. I’ll take another one.”

Earth café is the wasabi pea of NQ eateries. Green and innocent on the outside, and on the inside, a delve into an unknown dimension.

However, that’s where the metaphor ends. Earth café is not filled with mouth-burning horseradish spice—though it retains the element of the unexpected—but a canteen-style self-service counter, for which you require a member of staff to serve you from.

The element of surprise comes from the variation in feature dishes, as well as the manner in which they are served. With a smile, or a look or irritation? It is over the number of fingers on my hand that I have visited the food cave that sits so volcanically under the enlightened space of the Buddhist centre. Part of my so copious attendance is to observe, or hope for, any change in this whimsical mood.

At first I sought to pass off the less than pleased attitude as to a ‘bad day’ or ‘nothing personal’. But, after many a visit, I must conclude that to avoid the disheartening feeling of as though you’re getting in the way, one must act in an unwaveringly friendly and upbeat manner to rouse the staff from their desire to be elsewhere. A remedy can be to strike up conversation, to ask what the best dish on the menu is, but do run the risk of a look of disappointment if you don’t already know how the four item system works. Seven times in, I’m still not entirely sure, but best not to ask.

Though the solution is as simple as a smile, I must add that this does not apply to all of the staff, and reactions change from day to day.

Once the capricious task of deciphering the mood is over, one can enjoy the homely vegan and vegetarian hotpots and stews that are on offer, all served with a rotating range of quinoa, brown rice, roasted parsnips, braised cabbage and optional salad. The food here is what keeps me coming back: Healthy, wholesome and filling; it’s food you don’t have to think about.

There are vegan, gluten-free, sugar-free and generally planet-friendly cakes and brownies available, which are said to be delicious. Though, round one over, it’s really the dining experience that cools the tongue, washes the spirit in a pool of calm, brings the chakras up from the kundalini.

It’s an underground, wooden space with beams and perfectly dim lighting. Little vases of fresh yellow flowers and modestly simple salt and pepper shakers, school canteen style. You help yourself to water, take your plate off your tray, gaze out of the window and breathe in the energy of ancient wisdom that circulates, seeping in from above.

The electric shock of wasabi has dissipated from the air and the slate of your mind is wiped cleaner than before. You leave, opening your eyes to face the bustle of Manchester city centre with a new sense of self, belonging, and realisation. You are one with the earth and its café.

Food: 3.5/5
Value: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 4/5
Service: 3/5

Review: The Girl Who Broke The Rules

If you, like me, spend a large majority of your time watching crime dramas on television, then this is definitely a book for you. I was unsure when I first read the premise—I may have clocked up many hours watching stories like this one acted out, but I’ve never read a crime novel before. I was pleased to discover that I enjoy this genre just as much on paper.

It’s a classic modern crime storyline; the two main characters are a hardy Scandinavian policeman, van den Bergen, and a beautiful young Ph.D. student, George. These characters are dynamic and likable, but they also feel familiar. This makes the book feel a bit formulaic. There’s even a successful doctor-turned-murderer who resides in a mental hospital, flirting with George, the heroine, holding back important clues and generally being very creepy. At one point a suspect is accused of being a Satanist, when suspicious books on the devil and witchcraft are found in his room. At times clichés like this can feel unnecessary, however this isn’t to say that it isn’t enjoyable. Some of them provide a bit of comedy. “Uncle Giuseppe” (real name Derek, who runs the strip club where George works as a cleaner) has a run-in with some real life Mafia. Characters like these pop up so often because they make stories exciting, and it’s not less enjoyable because of this. If you are familiar with the framework, it is actually very satisfying spotting key sentences and sorting the clues from the red herrings. There is something very comforting about solving part of the mystery before the fictional police, although I doubt I would be able to do the same in real life.

The supporting cast of characters are more varied and fun, my favourites being George’s Auntie Sharon, and Derek (as well as running the club, he is also Sharon’s ex). I would have loved to hear more about the story of their relationship. Van den Bergen’s inferiors are depicted like his three rather difficult children. They convince each other to break the rules, then predictably scurry home to tell on each other. A small piece of advice—this isn’t a book to read while you’re eating. There is a small amount of gore, but it’s only surgical. However there is frequent mentions of stomach problems, and quite a lot of vomiting.

You have to concentrate as you start the book as there’s quite a few characters, and the timeline jumps around. Once you are used to it however, the storyline is engaging and easy to follow. The chapters flow into each other, often the first sentence of one harks back to the last of the one before. One of the storylines I enjoyed in particular was the description of a girl living with her very rich but uncaring father and her abusive mother. It contrasts against the rest of the present day action, and makes you keen to find out how she fits into the case.

Amsterdam is one of the main locations, but if you’re hoping for descriptions of beautiful canals and ancient houses, you might be disappointed. As a whole city it doesn’t feature widely. The action mostly takes place in the police station and the red light district. However, this isn’t surprising; George’s area of study is the porn industry. Using the same locations makes the action easier to follow. The subject of refugees is featured, touching on the lengths people have to go to escape horrible situations they find themselves in. Especially topical and relevant at the moment, Riches does a good job of showing how vulnerable people can be after arriving in a country they may not know anything about.

The characters of George and van den Bergen are, despite their familiarity, very sympathetic. They are two people just trying to work out what their relationship is, while at the same time doing their jobs, studying and keeping their families at bay. Van den Bergen is constantly haunted by the memory of his dying father, and George is just recovering from an ordeal she encountered last time she visited Amsterdam. Their genuine care for each other is very touching. Some might find their tiptoeing around and not actually doing much about how they feel about each other frustrating. Nothing much seems to happen, despite them seemingly being in love with each other. The ending is a little too open for my liking. It isn’t happy, which is the right choice, but you are left with quite a few questions as the story closes.

All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable puzzle, with all the hallmarks of a good crime novel, as well as being genuinely thought-provoking. By the end of the book, the varied timeline, and all the entwined characters start to make sense. It turns out that person really knows that person, and was having a relationship with that person, and different characters appear in the background of other perspectives. Like Love Actually, but with murder. And prostitutes.

NOTFORONLINE Mancunion choice: Most anticipated games of 2016

Welcome back to the new year. To kick off the first issue of 2016, we in the Games section have decided to inform you all of what games we are looking forward to in this new year. These games span multiple consoles and are of multiple genres but all of them are looking to be awesome games that we definitely think you should play.

The Legend of Zelda U

By Josh Goldie

For every main line, console, or Zelda title, Nintendo always tries to go out of their way to make sure everything is filled with the polish and content you should expect from any AAA title. So when Eiji Aonuma announced last year that the Wii U’s big upcoming Zelda title will be delayed until 2016 I was not surprised. What is surprising is the complete lack of information we have about this game. We do not even have a proper title yet! Being left in the dark like this has left some people uneasy but I see it as a good sign. Nintendo are aiming to make a huge ‘open-world’ Zelda game with this, much like the original game on the NES which was massive for its time. The theme of that game was exploration and discovering everything for yourself and I believe the same will come about from this hotly anticipated title. So going in blind is fully recommended and I am sure that is why Nintendo is so tight-lipped on the title. With the NX looming on the horizon there is no way Nintendo can delay this Wii U title for much longer so look forward to playing Link’s new adventure by the end of this year. That is what I am doing.

Honorable Mentions

Fire Emblem Fates

Genei Ibun Roku ♯FE

 

Mass Effect Andromeda

By Robert Parris

Bioware really raised the stakes with the Mass Effect trilogy, delivering arguably the most epic and unique experience of the previous console generation. Part of my anticipation comes from how they could possibly top the older games considering the shocking and haunting finale the series left on. Little is known about Andromeda so far, other than it will be set long after the events of the original trilogy, and it is powered by the godfather of game engines: Frostbite 3. The under-appreciated multiplayer from Mass Effect 3 will also make a return in some form, and perhaps the biggest revelation of them all; the infamous 6 wheeled Mako will be making a return. Seriously Bioware, please let us use it in multiplayer this time. That would be amazing!

Runners Up:

No Man’s Sky

Crackdown 3

 

XCOM 2

By Saboor Quereshi

XCOM 2 is the big one for me in the near future. The original stole vast amounts of time out of my life and I can’t wait for the sequel. I’m going on holiday this month and most of it will be spent playing this game. Also day 1 mods! The aliens won’t know what hit them.

Runners up:

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

Ratchet and Clank

 

Unravel

By Connor McBride

If anyone was watching E3 last year, this was the game during the EA presentation with that adorably awkward developer brandishing the doll.
Unravel is a physics based puzzle platformer that oozes charm. You play as a yarn doll that has to use string to navigate his way through the world. When I played it at Gamescom 2015 it was a beautiful game with great controls that made me incredibly excited for the finished product. In that theatre of corporate fat cats pedaling Guitar Hero games, it was an incredibly refreshing reprieve. It also has the accolade of being the only EA game I have been legitimately interested in for a while.

Honourable mentions

Firewatch

Slime Rancher

 

Final Fantasy XV

by Stephen Lewis

It’s been seven years since we’ve had a brand new final fantasy game that is not a direct sequel and not an MMO. Final Fantasy XV looks to revitalise the series yet again as has already been seen through the demo of Episode Duscae, with a fresh combat system and incredible graphics. Square Enix has spent years on this game, originally titled Final Fantasy Verses-XIII when it was hinted at years ago, and the results should be nothing short of impressive.

Honourable mentions

Dark Souls 3

Deus Ex: Mankind Divided

 

Nights of Azure

by Jasmin Tiyur

As one the biggest fans of RPG’s, I am most looking forward to this game (even more so than Final Fantasy Explorers, believe it or not!) because it is so similar to many of our most beloved, typical MMORPGs. That’s not to say that the game itself will be typical, but it’s always fun to take the stress of “online life” out of gaming and just hack your way through as a single-player with all the worlds, features and battles that we love so much about the online experience!

Honorable Mentions
Final Fantasy Explorers
Assassins Creed Chronicles India

 

Various

By Deven Kara

2016 looks to be a good year for video games so I had a really hard time just narrowing down one game I look forward to. In the end I gave up and I know this is cheating but instead I thought I would mention a handful of games from the upcoming year.

Ubisoft has a lot of great games coming up from a new Far Cry game set in the stone age (Far Cry Primal) to the next Tom Clancy game: The Division. Assassin’s Creed Chronicles is also getting its next two part set in India and Russia. There is still no sign of a mainstream Assassin’s Creed game for next year so these will do well to tide me over. Finally, we got a new South Park game announced last year called South Park – The Fractured But Whole. If it is anywhere near as good as the last one then wee are in for a treat.

Moving away from Ubisoft there are various other sequels like Naughty Dogs Uncharted 4 – A Thief’s End and Mirrors Edge Catalyst that have shown a lot of promise and have kept fans waiting for a very long time. Gears 4 is another hotly anticipated sequel that we have not seen a lot of so far. The release is set for next year so hopefully it does not get a delay cause I want it as soon as possible! The final two games is the indie title No Man’s Sky and Sony’s new IP from Guerrila Games: Horizon Zero Dawn. Both of these games look fantastic from the never-ending universe in the former to an exciting action-RPG that looks to pit man against machines. Whatever your opinion is on these games, 2016 is still looking to be a very exciting year and I just cannot wait.

We only just scratched the surface of the great games that will be releasing this year. As a gamer there is plenty to be excited about in 2016 and I hope you all look forward to what this year is going to hold.

Charlie Hebdo’s cartoon is not what you think

Take it from a Frenchman, the Charlie Hebdo cartoon is not what you think.

It is quite rare to hear about something happening in your home country in the news of your host country. It is even rarer for it to happen when the same story is not in the news back home. Yet on Monday I experienced just that in relation to Charlie Hebdo‘s cartoon.

“Have they not learnt their lesson since last year?” and, “would you still condone this kind of freedom of speech?” began the voices of hostility towards the publication.

No, they have not learnt to change their ethos. But yes, I would still condone their right to expression. The new cartoon by Charlie Hebdo is shocking, and thank God it is.

As a French citizen who lives in the UK, I can understand why everyone is shocked by this cartoon. In France we are used to shocking (and funny) art such as this. Satire and caricature is something deeply rooted within our culture. That said, it can be quite disturbing if you are not used to this particular way of thinking about and interpreting what you see.

I am happy to see Charlie Hebdo still being the “bad kids” of journalism because, after what happened a year ago, I was afraid the publication would stop being so impertinent. And yet this cartoon is the proof that Charlie Hebdo is still Charlie Hebdo.

Now, with regards to the cartoon in itself, if you interpret its content as being racist and cruel, appearing to suggest that a child like Aylan Kurdi would have become a sexual harasser because all migrants are like this, then I have bad news for you.

I would argue that the cartoon depicts the famous picture of Aylan to symbolise the brief moment of European unity and solidarity that we shared in grieving over this scene and the crisis it represented, yet also the way this feeling has quickly faded away. It is a nod to the speed with which this unity has been replaced by what made the news lately, the Cologne’s attacks.

Secondly, the connection between this child and those attackers is only made because they are both symbols. Aylan is the symbol of those people who try to escape the war and end up dying at the gates of Europe. Those attackers are becoming a symbol justifying the fear and Islamophobia in Germany and in Europe. The connection made between the two is designed to shock, but mainly to force a reader to think.

The intention is to show how the media are able to shift the perception of the refugees for some people and how some people tend to mix those two visions without too much trouble.

This is not a funny (nor racist) cartoon. It is a cartoon that denounces the situation. Why is it that the cartoon is more shocking and causes more debate than the events themselves? That is the main intent behind the best satirical cartoons.

A good cartoon should hit you like a punch in the face. That is what this cartoon is. When you look at this you are supposed to laugh (if you laugh at all) with a nervous caution.  It should be a nervous laugh because your perceptions are being challenged, and you are being forced to think about how the migrant crisis is reported in the media.

The cartoon does not mock the migrants, but it does mock our society for its racism and hypocritically fickle sensibility. It asks why we are able to generate sadness following a photograph, yet a few months later be able to accuse “the migrants” for the Cologne attacks.

Charlie Hebdo always was a shocking journal and is read by people who are tired of the mainstream media. You do not have to read it. Freedom of expression means that you are free to read and listen to what you want, and accept that people have different sensibilities to those you have.

So if you are a new reader of Charlie Hebdo, I understand why you are shocked. Without the context of the French language article alongside it it does become more complex. I hope that I have been able to shed some light on what Charlie Hebdo‘s type of satirical work tries to achieve, and what the people who work for it aim to incite.

To finish with a quote from Charlie Hebdo cartoonist Hank, “never forget that your eyes are connected to your brain.”

Review: The Revenant

At a time when films appear to increasingly rely on CGI and meaningless dialogue to mask otherwise shallow plots, Alejandro González Iñárritu’s
 The Revenant is an experimental masterpiece proving that you don’t need either to captivate an audience. It is a very real and brutal depiction of a classic revenge plot, executed in a way where many directors would have lacked the creative ability to commit to—even when it caused rows, schedule push backs and massively over-anticipated costs.

Based on the true story of mountain man Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), we follow him on his quest to seek vengeance after being left for dead in the cold, unforgiving—yet seemingly serene and beautiful North American landscape. It must be emphasised as to just how important Iñárritu’s distinctive style of cinematography is to the telling of Glass’s story. The chronologically-shot, one-take, panning effect resurrected from Iñárritu’s previous success in Birdman almost takes you from your position as audience member to a participant in the unfolding events onscreen. The best example of this, is in the film’s opening sequence, where during a high-intensity battle, the camera travels from character to character, adding a layer of empathy—whilst still having the overall gripping action happening at the same time.

As well as this, the stark contrast between the brutal savagery in the various tense fight scenes, amidst the backdrop of such a tranquil, snowy horizon makes for a simply stunning juxtaposition. Such scenes were filmed during just a short two-hour window each day, in natural light so that the audience could have a truly sensory experience of cinematic involvement. Iñárritu’s diligence (despite the frustration this caused the shivering crew and cast) paid off—the arduous nature of the filming is clear and spectacular.

It is testament to both the meticulous direction and high-calibre acting for a film with such strikingly minimal dialogue to succeed at generating such a profound cinematic effect. DiCaprio, though the protagonist, has the least of dialogue in the whole film. Yet through a focus on heavy breathing, desperate grunts and controlled body language, we feel every sense of his frustration, sadness, anger and  determination. Describing the role as his “most challenging yet,” the Oscar nominee went to extreme lengths of method acting to convey the true depth of Glass’s test of endurance—he learnt how to speak various Native American languages; how to shoot a gun; build a fire; and succumbed to eating real raw bison liver in the name of acting—despite having an artificial one made by the crew.

Arguably more central to the story of revenge is complex character, John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy)—the man who leaves Glass for dead. His role seems to almost give the film’s plot a biblical element, and it would not be fair to discuss the triumph of this film without noting Hardy’s persistent faculty to often portray tormented characters with real depth. Combined, the twosome create truly tense fight scenes and a genuine ability for the audience to want Glass to survive, find him and get his revenge.

It would be impossible to discuss The Revenant without referencing to its critical acclaim—it won three Golden Globes last week, and is impressively nominated for 12 Oscars. Iñárritu’s unique style has been a hit with the critics and box office alike, and rightly so. But perhaps more importantly, this film stands the best chance of giving Leonardo DiCaprio the Best Actor accolade that many—including myself—feel the five-time nominee has long deserved. Having been pipped to the post in 2014 for his career-defining role in The Wolf of Wall Street by Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club, there is buzz around tinseltown suggesting that this will finally be his year. And as previous winners have shown where high acting standard is a given, success may lie in the personal challenges that the actor is willing to overcome. McConaughey lost an impressive 38 pounds to fulfil his triumphant role, so if DiCaprio cannot sway the Academy Awards of his worthiness by eating raw fish and bison liver, who knows what will.

Overall, The Revenant is an arthouse and meticulously crafted sensory experience that highlights the complexity of human spirit and determination, whilst also proving there is still scope for filmmaking that is both real and non-pandering to the generic prosaic structures prevalent today.

4/5 

KCL investigate violent disruption of Israel event

A student event hosted by the Kings College London & LSE Israeli societies had to be stopped and police called after protestors allegedly smashed windows, threw chairs and set off fire alarms.

The emergency services were called after 5pm on Tuesday the 19th of January. Ami Ayalon, former head of the Shin Bet, the Israeli secret service, had been invited to KCL as a guest speaker at an event that over 100 came along to despite the room’s capacity of 56.

According to a Facebook post by co-organiser Esther Endfield, “Protests by KCL action Palestine at this event was inevitable but it was never inevitable that it would turn violent, not to the point that I have just reported being assaulted to the police [sic].”

Other reports by students also confirm that the protest turned violent—windows were smashed and the event had to be evacuated. Two police cars and two vans arrived, along with at least 15 officers to deal with the disturbance.

In a video posted to Facebook (see here), Ayalon struggles to be heard over the ringing fire alarm, as well as banging on the walls and windows and chanting from outside the room. “Attendees inside felt the walls and windows shake as they were struggling to hear the talk, looking genuinely scared for their security. Indeed they had reason to,” commented the student who posted it.

KCL have also been forced to launch an “urgent investigation” after this disruption.

In a statement they said: “Universities create environments in which debate from all sides on issues of political, scientific, moral, ethical and religious significance is possible, and Kings is no exception. The safety of our students, staff and the general public is paramount to us and we are committed to acting as a responsible organisation.

“Professor Ed Byrne, President & Principal, has appointed Ian Creagh, Head of Administration and College Secretary, to conduct an urgent investigation of the events around last night’s talk to establish what happened and what action might need to be taken as a consequence.

“Professor Byrne will also be writing to students to remind them that violent protest is totally unacceptable and that we expect them to be tolerant and respectful of others’ views and opinions.”

A police spokesperson said: “Officers from Westminster are investigating an allegation of assault and criminal damage at a protest.

“Officers attended and found that a small number of those protesting had gained access to the building where they continued their protest. The demonstration concluded at approximately 6.45pm.”

In her post, Endfield asks “What if I hadn’t arranged the 3 campus security guards plus 3 Safe Space Offers [sic] (plus 7 other staff—included KCL and KCLSU staff), what if all the protesters had got into the building, what if they had managed to get into the room and started throwing the chairs at the people inside… what if KCL Action Palestine would have come to event with questions and challenged the speaker in a respectful and peaceful manner…”