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Month: February 2018

Photo: AlloCiné.fr

Review: Darkest Hour

Written by Tom Hunter on . Posted in Film.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3/5

Photo: Steindy @ Wikimedia Commons

Mousa Dembélé – Spurs’ Midfield General

Written by Dane Massey on . Posted in Sport.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Written by Tobias Soar on . Posted in Film.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Lucy Stockdalea

Review: DMA’S – In The Air

Written by Lucy Stockdale on . Posted in Music.

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

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

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

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

Photo: Hana Kelly @ The Mancunion

Live review: The Front Bottoms

Written by Hana Kelly on . Posted in Music.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Drflet @ Flickr

Ludonarrative dissonance: the developer’s paradox

Written by Jeremy Bijl on . Posted in Games.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

photo:EA

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

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

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

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

photo:BagoGames@Flickr

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

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

photo:JeremySoaper@Flickr

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Album Artwork

Album review: MGMT – Little Dark Age

Written by Tara Bharadia on . Posted in Music.

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

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

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

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

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

7/10

Photo: Album Artwork

Album review: First Aid Kit – Ruins

Written by Winona Newman on . Posted in Music.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: soccer.ru @wikimediacommons

A Smalling dive helps Newcastle leap to 13th

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Sport.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo Credit: Vera Wang.com

Fashion player of the week: Vera Wang

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Jodi Tipton

Live review: Jorja Smith

Written by Yasmin Duggal on . Posted in Music.

Thursday 8th February – Invisible Wind Factory, Liverpool

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

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

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

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

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

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

9/10

Live Review: Nightmares on Wax

Written by Yasmin Duggal on . Posted in Music.

George Evelyn returned to Manchester last Wednesday, armed with a brand spanking new album, a wealth of experience and a chilled agenda. After celebrating 25 years in the industry, it’s clear Evelyn — a.k.a. Nightmares On Wax — knew how to take the space for his own, and transform it into not only an event, but an experience.

Sat on sofas for the majority of the set, Evelyn and his ensemble were surrounded by burning incense sticks throughout, creating a cosy, intimate feel to the well-anticipated show. It only emphasised George’s humility and genuine passion for making electronic music. Having recently spoken to The Mancunion about the ever-present existence and strength of the underground scene, the living room set up tinged the set with organic roots.

Standout tracks included ‘Tell My Vision’, ‘Shape The Future’ and ‘You Wish’ which demonstrated his longevity and excited the crowd with freshness and an undercurrent of electricity. In our recent interview, Evelyn commented that it was great to see so many of the new generation fans at his gigs; this show did not disappoint.

Evelyn himself showed off a range of skills; the understated atmosphere was no sign of any subtly regarding the sound. He maintained dynamism by taking the limelight to sing, whilst taking a step back to use the mixer at appropriate intervals.

It was clear influences came from old school soul tones, as the smooth and polished beats leaked from the intimacy and privacy of the living room to the keen ears of fans. Despite the effortlessness of Evelyn’s performance and the relaxed atmosphere which permeated the whole affair, there was still a remarkable amount of tangible energy oozing from each member of the band.

Nightmares On Wax is still producing those unmistakable sounds and apparently now attracting an eager young crowd; there seems to be an ultra-modern trend of tracing Northern underground electronic music back to its foundations. The night in Gorilla was easy and well-received, less of a nightmare and more of an incense-infused dream.

8/10

Wednesday 7th February, Gorilla

Photo: Wikipedia

The 100th anniversary of womens’ suffrage with Baroness Hale

Written by Eva Munoz Picazo on . Posted in Features.

On the 8th of February, the accomplished Baroness Hale of Richmond, President of the Supreme Court, returned to the university that she taught at from 1966 to 1984 to deliver a compelling talk on the achievements of women in the past a hundred years.

Baroness Hale has been a “woman of many firsts”; first woman President of the Supreme Court, first woman Lord of Appeal in Ordinary, first woman to be appointed to the Law Commission, and the first person to make High Court judge as an academic and public servant rather than a practising barrister. On this occasion, she was commemorating 2018 marking the centenary of some women’s right to vote and the right of women to stand in Parliament, as well as the 90th anniversary since all women gained the right to vote.

Baroness Hale told the story of three women that inspired her: Christabel Pankhurst, Margaret Haigh Thomas and Baroness Hale’s own mother. Christabel Pankhurst, honoured in these series of talks, was one of the driving forces of the Suffragette movement, who alongside her mother founded the Women’s Social and Political Union.

Margaret Haigh Thomas, Lady Rhondda, was a leading equalitarian feminist in her day who founded a pressure group called the Six Point Group, a feminist journal, and who went on hunger strike after being imprisoned for committing arson during her work as a militant suffragette. She also fought to obtain her wrongly denied place in the House of Lords appointed to her by her father. Moreover, Baroness Hale’s mother was part of the first generation of women who obtained the right to vote and whose hard work exemplified a generation of women who were moving away from the “expectation of dependence to beginning of independence”.

Baroness Hale then spoke on modern day sexism and the difficulty that women in the work force find between the need for positive discrimination, which attempts to decrease institutional sexism, and our desire to be “appointed on merit not a statistic”.

The talk was incredibly poignant and inspiring, and Baroness Hale is a role model to women whose job as President of the Supreme Court hopefully showcases the beginning of an end to institutional sexism. After this excellent talk, what has become clear is that women still have a long way to go until we reach a much desired equality. Even though the last a hundred years have made a significant change, women still face discrimination in every aspect of their daily lives. As Baroness Hale said: “the women suffrage movement knew we needed equality and we should share that conviction”.

Photo: Album Artwork

Album review: Rae Morris – Someone Out There

Written by Jodie Bryant on . Posted in Music.

It’s been three years since Rae Morris’ debut album, Unguarded. The highly anticipated Someone Out There dropped Friday 2nd February.

Rae Morris is one of those names you will have definitely heard but this album brings her to the forefront. If we look at the record as a whole, you can tell it’s a record that’s been worked on hard and not one song is a throwaway.

Rae describes the album as a ‘step away from the piano’ – a key element of her earlier work. This new style comes across through the variety of songs on the album and we’re left with the electropop magic that is Someone Out There.

The album kicks off with ‘Push Me to My Limit,’ a song which came late in the process of recording the album. String players and all, the song sets the tone of the beautiful album and is atmospheric in setting the scene. Leaving us with a sense of anticipation, the album moves into the energetic, ‘Reborn.’

What stood out particularly throughout Someone Out There was the majesty of a lot of the tracks. Following in the footsteps of the first track are ‘Wait for the Rain’ and ‘Do It’. These perfectly frame the album and, on the whole, the execution of the entire record is very impressive.

The track closest to Rae’s heart is ‘Rose Garden,’ which has a  prominent and meaningful message. The song’s frustration is conveyed in its message of being incapable of helping someone in need, making it a powerful addition to the track list. When aligned with adventurous upbeat songs like ‘Dip My Toe,’ the variety of the tracks and tempo bring the album together.

‘Someone Out There’, the title track, is a stand alone tune. The piano accompanies Rae’s lovely voice to start the track, acting as a bridge between her old and new work. The sense of “out there” is to address the fans. Rae wanted to widen the perceptive of listeners and create outward facing music. This song sets the tone for the relativity of all the tracks on the album.

The record ends with the larger than life, ‘Dancing with Character,’ the song that culminates the album. You can imagine this sounding and looking great live. Rae has said she is looking forward to performing this and incorporating dance moves, already envisioning the album coming to life.

Rae’s tour is hitting Manchester soon! Grab tickets here

If you want to have a listen (you do), click here

7/10

Photo: Allocine.fr

Review: Coco

Written by Lucas Hill-Paul on . Posted in Film.

Disney Pixar’s Coco has arrived in the wake of an uneasy promise from the revolutionary studio, one that threatens an increase in sequels to their pre-existing brands. Though Toy Story 3, for many, was the crowning glory of the franchise, entries like Monsters University, Finding Dory and, especially, Cars 3, failed to capture the magic of their originals, and attempts at new properties, Brave and The Little Dinosaur, missed the mark.

Despite initially feeling sadly more reminiscent of a traditionally Disney fairy tale narrative, Coco joins the ranks of Toy Story 3 and Inside Out as one of Pixar’s more inventive projects, an animated feature that treats its Mexican culture with the same reverence as childhood memories, super-powered role models and environmental anxieties.

Famously pitching the concepts for the first few of their films during one particularly inspiring lunch hour, the post-noughties Pixar team is now planning a sequel to an existing film every other year, and often seem to be lacking creative passion when it comes to their original projects.

New life was breathed by their decision to turn away from their focus to bring imaginary or voiceless realms (bugs, toys, robots, superheroes) to life and towards abstract concepts (emotions) and with Coco, the ingeniously simple idea – straight from Renaissance era Disney – to focus on a culture and its people, music, traditions and aesthetic has culminated in one of the studio’s most sensitive and visually exciting films to date.

At the start of the film we meet Miguel, an aspiring musician who comes from a family with a long held tradition of hating music. Desperate to compete in their town’s talent show, he steals the guitar of his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz which, when played, thrusts him into a heart-warming adventure in the land of the dead. Though some elements of the spirit realm are modernised for humour – most notably its entrance protocols resembling the gates of an airport – the majority of its design draws directly from tradition.

The bejewelled high rises, cobbled streets and sprawling city centres resemble the ofrendas seen at the beginning of the film, stacked high with colour, candles and patterns. Alebrijes prowl the streets and roam the skies, no effort made to tone down how eccentric the spirit animals are coloured and patterned, and the film is all the more visually arresting for it. The presence of Pepita, a gorgeous, green and blue flying tiger should look ridiculous, but the world and culture of the film are so well presented that nothing feels out of place, and he is even a remarkably convincing threat to Miguel when he needs to be.

Vital for any film associated with Mexican culture, this is one of Pixar’s most musical entries, with a consistency of songs that comes close to the traditional Disney pictures. Though most of the film is in English, Coco takes care in ensuring the Spanish language is incorporated, with lyrics flowing naturally between languages in some songs, while others are entirely in one language. When the film is celebrating its heritage, or evoking an emotion, its songwriters utilise as much Spanish as possible, but the English song, “Remember Me” becomes the star by the third act. Evoking surprisingly adult themes of memory, illness and death, the simple guitar tune quickly becomes a sensitive and subtle ballad that is guaranteed to pull heartstrings.

Far from just a visual and lyrical showcase, Coco also contains some of Pixar’s best action since The Incredibles proved that animation could pull off effective set pieces, creatively incorporating music and dance for some breath-taking scenes of character drama and tension. The studio return to the PG rating often missed by animated films, that not only allows for its skeletal character designs and one of the nastiest animated villains for some time, but also a concern with Mexican attitudes towards death that are deftly explored and, alongside Inside Out, make the film essential viewing for any child about to be introduced to concepts that may, at first, seem frightening.

Boasting the first all-Latino cast for a film with a budget in the hundred millions, Coco is a thrilling and touching success that proves cinematic diversity is at its best when treating ethnicities with respect and celebrating cultures, rather than just surrounding a white male lead with supporting minorities.

 

4.5/5

Photo: Allocine.fr

Review: Loveless

Written by James Gill on . Posted in Film.

On the surface, Andrey Zvyagintsev’s Loveless depicts the heart wrenching disappearance of a divorcing couple’s son and their subsequent, fruitless search. As the film delves deeper however it reveals a much broader social commentary, about how the ever-increasing desire for social status and instant gratification paralyses the population and restricts them from ever achieving long term happiness.

When 12 year old Alexey finishes school he doesn’t run off with the other children, nor does he go straight home, instead he goes to the park and wanders around aimlessly. He is an only, lonely child, whose parents Zhenya and Boris venomously row seemingly every time they are confined to the same room.

To escape the bleak and harsh environment of his family he must roam the bleak and harsh Moscow parks and abandoned buildings. One night, when his parents think he is asleep they have a particularly vitriolic dispute, with both sides voicing their utter contempt for each other, yet both in agreement that their son Alexey is holding them back from moving on fully.

Zhenya storms off to use the bathroom but as she leaves the camera lingers. The door swings open, and we track to the left with it to reveal Alexey, who horrifically heard ever word. His facial expression remains in the viewer’s mind throughout the rest of the film.

Not long after, we see Alexey leave the house, run down the apartment buildings steps and into the park. His parents, so caught up in trying to live new lives with their lovers, being as presumptuous as to believe the other will take care of their child, don’t notice his disappearance for two days. Even then Boris treats it as a nuisance; he has no time to care about this, his mind busy elsewhere.

For instance, how can he divorce Zhenya and remarry his impregnated lover quickly enough that his incredibly conservative boss doesn’t notice anything is awry, for being a decent family man is one of the qualifications needed for his company. Zhenya on the other hand is too busy pampering herself to please her new, older, richer lover. Both spend the night having passionate sex, ignorant to the fact that their son is gone.

Cinematographer Mikhail Krichman, who has worked on all Zvyagintsev’s films, uses a wide lens to juxtapose the worn Russian landscape with the emotionless faces of the characters. There is a deep coldness to this style. The characters, although right in front of your eyes, feel miles away.

The impact of this is emphasised by the lack of colour throughout the film, the Moscow landscapes are washed out, any positive emotions long gone. Primary colours exists in just two forms in Loveless; the social media of the Muscovites’ smartphones and the red jackets of the volunteer search and rescue team as they comb the park in a line, looking for a body.

Later in the film Zhenya and Boris, who eventually drop everything to try and find Alexey, get a call. A body of a young boy has been found matching their son, and they are to discern whether it is him. This scene is as devastating as the bathroom scene. When the body bag is unzipped Zhenya screams and Boris collapses in tears, the boy is not theirs, but the fact that it could have been is too much to handle. For just a moment there is genuine love between them.

Throughout the search for Alexey the camera moves away from the face of the characters, to peer out of a frosted window as the scene unfolds, reminiscent of Taxi Driver when Robert de Niro’s character makes a difficult phone call and the camera tracks to look down the corridor instead.

In both cases the movement functions as an escape from the anguish present in the original frame. Zhenya and Boris put up barriers to protect them from their loss and suffering in an attempt to find new happiness with their lovers, but like the buildings in Moscow those walls decay and fall down. They can jump from lover to lover but they will never escape the past, their pain will always catch them.

Photo: NUS

NUS presidential candidates announced

Written by Tristan Parsons on . Posted in News.

The three candidates for the next National President of the National Union of Students (NUS) have been announced as Momin Saqib, President of King’s College London’s Students’ Union, Sahaya James, activist at the National Campaign Against Fees and Cuts, and Shakira Martin, the current NUS President.

Martin’s decision to re-stand comes despite several NUS Officers making allegations of bullying against her, and Hareem Ghani, the NUS Women’s Officer, submitting an official complaint to the NUS. Martin’s candidacy announcement on Twitter reads “It’s time to get real. I’m proud to be re-standing.”

All three candidates, particularly James and Saqib, have visions for reforming the NUS.

Saqib is the only candidate to explicitly include tackling “all forms of discrimination” in the organisation in his manifesto, saying that, “it is shameful that NUS was deemed as a racist organisation by the Internal Race Audit.” In early 2017, the NUS’ then-President Malia Bouattia, was found guilty of anti-Semitic comments.

One of the allegations against Shakira Martin is that she has thrown out policy motions with which she disagrees. In her manifesto, Sahaya James has said, “I will… never abuse my position to overrule policy and prevent democratic discussion from taking place — regardless of my own views.”

She proposes to “radically overhaul” the institution and to “[democratise] our structures in order to become a serious campaigning force.” This would involve “prioritising more accessible conferences with more time to discuss motions, engagement beyond cliques of sabbatical officers, and reversing budget cuts to liberation.”

Martin has also pledged to “develop a new way to develop and debate issues and policy constructively.”

Saqib believes that the NUS has become detached from students and individual Students’ Unions, and would provide “strong leadership” to counter internal turmoil and a weak reputation amongst students.

He would aim to re-franchise Unions that have left the NUS, such as Newcastle and Surrey Students’ Unions, and improve the NUS’ ‘Extra’ discount and App services to strengthen its financial position against competition from UniDays.

All three candidates support abolishing tuition fees.

James states that Higher Education should be “democratic and accessible to all, with no price tag at any level.” She and Martin will be campaigning on the issue of student poverty, with both proposing to campaign for a universal student living income.

James will also organise a “landmark conference” of students, MPs, and sector workers to “develop our vision for a cradle-to-grave National Education Service.”

Saqib has pledged to “stay on top” of the Government’s Tuition Fee Review and has degree value for money at the centre of his campaign.

Additionally, Martin has pleaded to establish a “national student rights framework” and to be “election ready”, claiming that the last UK General Election was timed during University exam and holiday periods to reduce student turnout.

James will “unite with the labour movement to support workers in struggles and to fight inequality and austerity.”

Saqib aims to improve student wellbeing, saying that “it’s time for Universities to put students’ mental health first.”

Voting takes place during the NUS National Conference at the Glasgow SECC between Tuesday the 27th and the Thursday the 29th of March 2018. Full manifestos can be read on the News section of the NUS Connect website.

Photo: Number 10 @Flickr

The problems with the government’s war on encryption

Written by Mohsin Uppal on . Posted in Opinion.

During this year’s World Economic Forum at Davos, Prime Minister Theresa May, during her address, once again attacked the idea of end-to-end encryption in messaging services like Whatsapp, Facebook, and iMessage.

Criticising Theresa May and her government at this point is like kicking a dead horse whilst it’s down. She faces significant opposition in the realms of Brexit, her administration’s austerity measures, and even her ability to control her own back-benches and Cabinet.

But perhaps one of the Conservative Party’s most ill thought policies faces little opposition: the continued efforts to undermine and ban end-to-end encryption.

Labour and the SNP have been passive in opposing bills such as the Snooper’s Charter with only a rump Liberal Democratic Party standing in opposition.

But it must be made clear– banning end-to-end encryption will not curb terrorism, it will only serve to curb our own civil liberties.

Firstly, we must understand what end-to-end encryption actually is and why the government wants to ban it. End-to-end encryption is the encryption of information, like Whatsapp messages, and designed in such a way that only two users can decrypt it: the sender of the message and the receiver of the message.

This means that the service providers, like Facebook and Apple, cannot read the messages themselves. This has lead to high profile politicians, including Home-Secretary Amber Rudd claiming that service providers, specifically Whatsapp, are giving terrorists “a place to hide”.

It is true that terrorists have been to known to use encrypted messaging services. Adrian Ajao, the terrorist behind last March’s Westminster bridge attack, sent messages on Whatsapp only minutes before perpetrating his atrocities.

So surely banning encryption would be the sensible option? Unfortunately, it is not as simple as that.

The government could pass a bill tomorrow giving them access to all previously encrypted messages, however this would do very little to stop terrorists communicating.

Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) could force service providers to install backdoors into their encryption systems, allowing the government to read all messages as they please assuming service providers would comply with this.

But, those who are dead set on hiding their messages behind encryption would have very little trouble with setting up their own encrypted messaging systems and bypassing this. It is not very difficult to set up an encrypted messaging service.

In fact, the so-called ‘Islamic State’ have their own messaging app called Alrawi. For example one of the world’s most prevalent crypto-systems, RSA, is based on mathematics that dates back to Euler and Fermat.

But currently, even the world’s most advanced quantum computers cannot break a system that relies on centuries-old maths via brute force.

So anyone can set up a crypto-system that would be very difficult to crack, even by GCHQ, but the government can still see who is receiving and sending encrypted data, right? Well not if one were to use a VPN located outside of the UK.

By doing so, it becomes very difficult to even track that encrypted data is being sent or received. Currently, the UK government can at least monitor metadata from service providers, which allows them to see things such as when a message was sent even if they can’t view the actual message.

So by ending encryption on popular messaging services and driving suspected terrorists to use underground means, the government loses access to even this metadata.

Practically, the government’s attack on end-to-end encryption reeks of cyber-illiteracy.

But even if all of this won’t stop terrorists from communicating in its entirety, it would make it somewhat more difficult, and that’s worth pursuing, right?

Even if there is evidence to suggest banning end-to-end encryption would make communications between terrorists marginally more difficult, would it be worth the erosion of our civil liberties and privacy?

We are increasingly using encryption to keep not only our messages private, but our personal details, and even our financial details.

If the government were to force backdoors on all end-to-end encryption, there is a significant risk of hackers discovering these backdoors, putting us all at risk to a large scale cyber-attack, such as the one suffered by the NHS last May.

Many of us don’t view cyberspace with the same significance as we view our real life interactions, but would you be okay with the government mandating that all letters delivered by the Royal Mail be done so in transparent envelopes?

Or that every conversation you have throughout the day must be reported to a civil servant? This is exactly the same as allowing backdoors on end-to-end encryption.

The chances a GCHQ worker would be sifting through your iMessage group chats are just as slim as the postman having a cheeky look into the hypothetical see-through envelope, but you still wouldn’t be okay with it because the possibility is there.

If we begin to view our interactions in cyberspace like we do with our interactions in real life, then we start to view the government’s actions as increasingly draconian.

Hopefully, now it is clear that the government’s policies towards encryption will not stop terrorists from communicating, all it will do is put your privacy at risk.

But if that hasn’t convinced you, think of this: would you really want all of your online conversations to become a group chat with Theresa May and Amber Rudd?

UMMTS wins top awards at NODA

Written by Sophie Graci on . Posted in Uncategorised.

On Saturday the 27th of January, the University of Manchester Musical Theatre Society (UMMTS) won five of the top prizes at the National Operatic & Dramatic Association North West District 1 Awards. UMMTS received thirty-four nominations this year, their most successful year yet.

Speaking at the time of the nominations, society chair Iona Purvis said, “I’m so proud of what the society has become. Every year the shows we put on get more and more professional in standard [and] we’re so lucky to have such talented members… we are over the moon with what UMMTS is turning into.”

The wins for the society were as follows:

Best Supporting Actor – Tom Carswell – Paul – A Chorus Line

Best Supporting Actress – Eimear Crealey – Charlotte – A Little Night Music

Terry Chandler Award for Best All Round Performer – Kiera Battersby – Cassie – A Chorus Line

Best Ensemble Piece – The Quintet – A Little Night Music

Best Musical – Avenue Q

This semester UMMTS will be performing Little Women (book by Allan Knee, lyrics by Mindi Dickstein, and music by Jason Howland), directed by Annie Williams, as well as new musical, The Clockmaker’s Tale with a book by Flora Snelson and music and lyrics by third-year University of Manchester student Alastair McNamara, directed by Lucy Scott. The society will also once again be running the Manchester Musical Revue, directed by Chris Pope. More details of the society’s upcoming productions can be found here.

Photo: Brian Fallon

Album review: Brian Fallon – Sleepwalkers

Written by Jack Saddler on . Posted in Music.

Brian Fallon’s second album sees him go further in marking a strong identity as a solo artist, and it showcases the very best of his song writing capabilities. Following The Gaslight Anthem’s hiatus, 2016’s Painkillers showed some truly great glimpses of how well Fallon could suit this role, but understandably with the split from his band happening so soon before, there were elements of an attempt to distance himself from Gaslight’s much criticised last album, Get Hurt (2014).

As a huge fan of all Brian Fallon’s work, I would say we have now entered the ideal world of a superb solo album alongside the recent news of the reformation of The Gaslight Anthem to celebrate their seminal sophomore record The ’59 Sound (2008). It is very much to Fallon’s credit that this record fills me with just as much, if not more, excitement than the latter of these two things.

Sleepwalkers opens with intent using two songs that Fallon released as singles in the build up to the album. ‘If Your Prayers Don’t Get to Heaven’ sounds like it should be played alongside a train journey through the mid-west, and this celebratory American sound continues throughout and is done to the very highest level.

‘Forget Me Not’ sees a common Fallon trait of singing to a girl (Stacey, in this instance, not Maria!), but also showcases one of many undeniable choruses the album has to offer. Moreover, it has the knack of so many of his songs that let you envisage your own interpretation of what he is saying. This also goes hand in hand with the classic American storytelling within song that he manages to achieve, that to this day can only really be rivalled by The Menzingers.

Brian Fallon manages to romanticise elements of the past, in a way that still sounds brilliantly relevant, and not dated in the way that nostalgia often can. In addition to this, Fallon gives tributes to his favourite artists, most notably in a highlight of the album, Etta James, with arguably his strongest vocal performance to date in ode to the late star.

The following track, ‘Her Majesty’s Service’ also sees Fallon seemingly pay homage to Bob Dylan and/or The Rolling Stones by referring to himself as a “rolling stone,” reaffirming his character as someone who is never afraid to cite his influences in his songs. This song in fact lends itself as a tribute to Britain in general, aligning with Fallon’s previously professed love of bands like The Clash and The Smiths.

The album ends fittingly, with Watson encompassing a romantic letter to London and a fear of being alone wrapped by a contagious hook that are omnipresent throughout Sleepwalkers. See You On The Other Side slows down with a tale of the ending of life, putting an end to an album that goes against any possible negative pre-conceptions about former band members going solo.

Sleepwalkers is the best album Brian Fallon has put his name to in some time, and it showcases his established song writing and storytelling, as well as pushing himself to new sounds he may not have been able to experiment with in the realms of The Gaslight Anthem. He brings this album on a touring cycle at the end of this month, and if he translates this form to the stage we can expect one hell of a performance to rival Gaslight’s shows this summer.

8.5/10