11 minute read
SEX EDUCATION
Jack Hawes | Part 2 Politics & International Relations
Photo by: IMDB/Universal Pictures/Dreamworks Pictures.
Two hours, two soldiers, one take.
Sam Mendes’ new First World War epic is an unrelenting gut-punch that keeps you on edge from the first moment you land in the trenches.
Remarkably, Mendes was able to present the film as if it had been filmed in one take. It’s fair to say that camera wizard Roger Deakins deserves a hell of a lot of praise for managing to make the shot transitions appear so seamless. Crucially, this highlights the brutality and the coldness of WW1 and its inescapable touchon everyone’s lives.
Praise has to be given to the leading actors, George MacKay and DeanCharles Chapman, as for a majority of the run time, the film solely focuses on the pair of them. Despite this pressure, these warm characters are found to be both engaging and relatable every moment they are on screen.
Watching them boldly embark on a journey across no man’s land with a message to call off an attack is both thrilling and intense, as it will inevitably end in slaughter. Along the way, they encounter danger after danger, leaving the on-screen actors and us as an audience on the edge of our seats.
The heightened and life-threatening nature of this film equally leaves you hanging on every word, emotion and moment. Undoubtedly, a must-see epic for your 2020 movie bucket lists.
Sex Education is Back: And it’s Better and Dirtier than ever.
Elsie Stuart | Part 2 English Literature & Film
Starting the New Year off with a bang (mind the pun) season two of Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’ hit our small screens on the 17th of January – and it’s even dirtier, cringe worthy, and heart-warming than the first.
On the surface, it’s a school comedy about the hilarity of puberty. Set in a strange American-looking high school, it manages to create a deeply emotive story about struggling teenagers who are deprived of understanding and awareness. Most of all, they are just desperate for the inclusion and acknowledgment that they deserve. way than previously. He sets off the show with a very revealing montage – acting at its finest.
Eric and Maeve return with the same individualism and ferocity, as well as the personal struggles of class and sexuality that continue to trouble them both. Their performances are still so well-rounded and full of life that we can’t help but continue to fall in love with them both.
Several new cast members join the ensemble, with disability representation pushing forward with the inclusion of wheelchair-user Isaac portrayed by George Robinson - who unlike Kevin McHale from ‘Glee’ is actually in a chair!
The characters we know and love from season one are back: Asa Butterfield’s protagonist Otis continues being the same awkward – virginal - pining boy as before, with a little more romantic tension coming his Topics of mental health issues, trauma and asexuality are all addressed and handled with care, furthering the show’s careful and inclusive representation of our generation, and the tribulations which come along with it
within our current climate. Laugh out loud moments occur throughout: with awkward sexual encounters to phallic school musicals, this is not just entertaining and joyous, but relatable and educational.
Plus, Gillian Anderson is back and wearing more pantsuits than ever, what more could you want? February isn’t great. Christmas is behind us, the weathers foul and deadlines make their unwelcome comeback. It sucks.
However, it doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Things will get better but until then, here are a few heart-warming favourites that may be a good method of escape from the second month blues.
James Acaster: Perfect Sound, Whatever
Not only a brilliant comedian, but a fantastic author too. James Acaster not only creates a list of incredible albums, but also details the hard times he went through and how music helped. It’s an always needed reminder that things do get better. Photo by Aleks Dorohovich on Unsplash
Morgan Neville: Won’t You Be My Neighbour
A 2018 documentary that detail the life of Fred Rogers, a children’s TV presenter whose sole goal in life was to spread joy. To him every person is special and deserves to be cared for and loved. Like a hug, the film gives you a warm fuzzy feeling filled with love.
Brian Fallon: You Have Stolen My Heart
The year started with the former Gaslight Anthem lead singer releasing, what only can be described as, an absolute lovely tune. A tale of love that is enhanced by Brian being on his best form, both lyrically and vocally, that lifts the spirits whenever that may be needed.
FEBRURARY 2020
MOVIE OVERVIEW
Photo by: IMDB/Allstar/Columbia Productions
LITTLE WOMEN: DIRECTED BY GRETA GERWIG
Kiran Sian | Part 2 English Literature and German
The well-known American novel, Little Women, has been adapted into a film seven times. What makes Greta Gerwig’s take so special?
A domestic story about the lives of four sisters and their mother in 19th century America and the drama that ensues at different points in their lives. Why should this set-up interest anyone in this day and age? The movie follows the lives of four sisters and their mother in Massachusetts over the course of 7 years. Jo March (Saoirse Ronan), the second of the four sisters, is the centre of the narrative. In flashbacks, you get to understand her different relationships with Meg, Beth and Amy March, and her lively interactions with Laurie. Through the lens of Jo and her sisters, we see the struggles of a poor family attempting to find meaning in their own lives, all the while being cooped up in their modest house while their father is stationed as a soldier. Love, family and gender roles are front and centre, and relatable to this day.
As someone who has both recently and comparatively read Louisa May Alcott’s book and excited to see a movie adaptation, this was the perfect one for me. You forget that it takes place in the 1860s, as the themes running throughout are still relevant today. The most fascinating aspect to this new version was the reimagination of Amy March, the youngest sibling. Many do view her as the bratty, ignorant and cold sister, but Florence Pugh’s portrayal shows Amy’s softer and vulnerable side. Jo is without question the sister
most fans of the book route for in the whole story because she is rebellious, wild and free – very unlike how women were viewed then. Another interesting take on the novel is the timeline jumping back and forth in time. In this case, you understand why the girls make certain choices and why they behave the way they do. From a more technical perspective, the scenery, lighting and costumes were out of this world. You wanted to be invited to the debutant ball, you wanted to dance with Laurie or Amy. These certainly add to the enjoyment of the movie.
Overall, I highly recommend this movie adaptation of this classic novel because aside from the allto familiar faces, the performances onscreen are extraordinary. It’s modern, colourful, fresh and fast-paced. You get to explore each sister’s own story arc, and this is thanks to Greta Gerwig’s new take on the story. If you’re looking for a different interpretation on 19th century literature, this movie is most definitely the one to watch.
MOVIE OVERVIEW
WEATHERING WITH YOU: MAKOTO SHINKAI
Carmen Dupre | Part 2 English Literature
I LOST MY BODY: JÉRÉMY CLAPIN
Photo by: IMDB/Netflix/ Rexo Films/Xilam Animation
Josh Deane | Part 2 English Literature and Film
I Lost My Body, or J’ai perdu mon corps in French, is an dramatic fantasy animation following a tale of love and mysticism.
I Lost My Body is a relatively new film that I’ve found on Netflix, and one that’s been marinating in the ‘My List’ section of my account since it came out. I Lost My Body follows the epic journey of a severed hand throughout the nooks and crannies of Paris in search of its owner - (it sounds weird, I know, but give it a chance) - all the while telling the story of this young man’s life leading up to how he lost it.
The film holds its cards close to its chest in this regard, and that really hooks you in. You want to know how this happened, but the film is going to make you go through every aspect of its story before it tells you. The tale isn’t necessarily anything we haven’t seen before, but it has enough heart to keep you interested. The story of Naoufel, and his emergence into an increasingly turbulent adulthood, is treated with a tenderness that gives the film real warmth. Although saying that, it can at times seem overly sentimental.
Where this film really excels however, is the epic journey of the hand throughout the tremendous Paris streets, where it perfectly utilises the art of animation. I don’t want to give anything away, as the film is best enjoyed knowing as little about the specifics as possible, but the adventures of this lone severed hand are at times thrilling, sometimes affectionate, and at all times wondrously inventive. The Paris streets pose a great threat to Naoufel’s hand, and what would be looked over by Naoufel in the past (a rat or an escalator) is given a new significance and danger.
While the two stories are separate, there is a sense of familiarity in the hand’s exploration of Paris. The hand is still a part of Naoufel: everything is treated with sentimentality as it travels through familiar places. We see the hand scurry past a toy car which becomes the story of Naoufel the delivery boy. A piano being played reminds the hand of pressing the keys itself, and so on. The two stories rely on each other for gravity; while they complement each other, the hand’s story is however the most interesting one by far. At times during the other story, I would’ve rather it just go back to its adventures through the streets of Paris, instead of focusing on the slightly cliché love story.
I would definitely urge you to give this movie a try if you are looking for something different. I Lost My Body is a great example of the freedom of storytelling that animation allows. It has an art style that - while not overly bold - finds its poignancy in simplicity, and has a beautiful musical backdrop perfect for the hand’s mystical Parisian journey. You would be hard-pressed not to find something to like about this movie.
Looking to broaden your Netflix horizons this year?
Expressive art? Check.
A mesmerising score? Check.
A wonderfully creative premise that ties it all together? Definitely.
Photo by IMDB/ Makoto Shinkai/ CoMix Wave Films Story Inc./Toho.
A new film from the imagination of writer and director Makoto Shinkai finally hit UK cinemas in January. Initially released to Japanese audiences in the summer of 2019, the film has already received worldwide critical acclaim and has been nominated for several awards.
Some may recognise Shinkai’s name as the mind behind ‘Your Name’, a gorgeously animated film released back in 2016 following a boy and girl who swap bodies.
Weathering With You is equally stunning in ways that nod to Your Name, only this time the focuses on the details of life in Tokyo. This then contrasts with the film’s fixation on a boy and a girl who can make the sun shine when it rains and who make a business out of it to survive. The animation team’s ability to turn something as simple as the weather into a mesmerizing piece of pure craftsmanship makes this a film to try and catch on the big screen while you can. Shinkai has discussed his desire to represent young people in his films, and cleverly finds ways to combine elements of the supernatural with the social difficulties and realities of young adults and teenagers in Japan; from real loss to the struggle to stay alive and employed. The variety of characters ensures everyone will find someone to adore or identify with, from Hina and her many sacrifices to Nagi, an adorable six year old.
You don’t really need to be a diehard anime fan to love this film. Yes, there are moments for Your Name fans to appreciate, like nods to the film’s main characters - but there are moments for newcomers too. For a start, the soundtrack provided by RADWIMPS is almost impossible not to appreciate. Plot-wise, you’ll think you know where it’s headed and still find yourself blindsided and thrown off your own emotional balance. Importantly, like any great film, everyone will have their own moral struggle on whether they would have made the same decisions as the characters.
