The Edge - Issue 1 (September 2018)

Freshers’ Issue September 2018 Free

PALE WAVES INTERVIEW

Doctor Who The universe is calling

We board the TARDIS for a glimpse of Jodie Whittaker’s first series as The Doctor (and yes, it’s bigger on the inside).

EDITORIAL

Issue One

Editor’s Note

E

The Team EDITOR

ven if summer 2018 was pretty weird - football didn’t come home, we had hardly any rain, and the fact that Love Island was the most exciting thing going on for half of it says more than I ever could – we’ve regenerated, just like our cover star, and we’re ready to pull out all the stops for the sake of (your) entertainment.

Thea Hartman

editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

DEPUTY EDITOR Sophie Jones

deputy-editor@theedgesusu.co.uk

News Editor

If you’re new around here, welcome! You’re in for a fantastic ride! Now allow me to introduce what you’ve just opened: we are University of Southampton’s entertainment magazine, and we’re here to give you a fresh intake of the latest music, TV, film, video games, live music and theatre both in print form and online.

Ellie Brain

news@theedgesusu.co.uk

Records EDITOR Sam Law

records@theedgesusu.co.uk

Film EDITOR

Quite fittingly, this issue is all about new beginnings. As huge Doctor Who fans, we get excited about the journey the first female Doctor and her companions will take us on in Series 11 on page 24. On the same note, on pages 7 and 8 you can find our exclusive interview with Heather Baron-Gracie, the lead singer of Pale Waves – a band who is just starting to take over the indie music scene – as well as an advance review of their debut album, My Mind Makes Noises.

However, the actual stars of this issue are the people embarking on one of the biggest journeys of their lives.

Freshers, I did say you’re in for a fantastic ride at university, but as with all fantastic rides, uni is also full of ups, downs, and loops. In our Freshers’ Survival Guide starting on page 14 you can find some valuable advice from films to help you get this ride started, as well as some suggestions of music and TV shows perfect for a bit of escapism, and on pages 21 and 23 we get real about how live gigs and cinema can get you through the rougher parts of university.

If you find that you too are relying on the almighty power of entertainment during your time here, then why not write about it? Page 3 has all the information you need on how and why to get involved with us. We have a lot of goodness in store for you this year, from the University’s Student Film Festival to a fantastic Media Ball and a lot of entertainment-centred socials. So hop on, and make your ride at university even better – we’d love to have you on board (and yes, we’re also bigger on the inside)!

Thea Hartman Editor 01

Alice O’Hare

film@theedgesusu.co.uk

Culture EDITOR Ellis Murrell

culture@theedgesusu.co.uk

Live EDITOR

Natasha Williamson

live@theedgesusu.co.uk

Public Relations officer Nicole Kalinowska

liverecords-pr@theedgesusu.co.uk

Public Relations officer Pascal Ezeabasili

culturefilm-pr@theedgesusu.co.uk

Publicity Officer

Amber Louise-Large

publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk

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Head of Design

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Events Officer

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Online Manager

Vacant

publicity@theedgesusu.co.uk Vacant

events@theedgesusu.co.uk Vacant

manager@theedgesusu.co.uk

VP Creative Industries Evie Reilly

vpdci@unionsouthampton.org With help from Tom Brewster (Records Executive)

EDITORIAL

Contents 24

wih 07 Interview Pale Waves Edge: 11 On Anticipating First Man

Edge’s Favourite 29 The Gigs in Southampton

Editorial

01 Welcome to Issue One 02 Contents 03 Join The Edge!

News

04 Newsbox 05 Nostalgic News

Records

07 Interview: Heather Baron-Gracie from Pale Waves 08 Album Review: Pale Waves - My Mind Makes Noises 09 Are Playlists Killing Albums?

10 Artist in Focus: Muse

Film 11 13 22 23

On Edge: Anticipating First Man Director in Focus: Damien Chazelle The Timeless Charm of Coming-of-age Films Just Keep Swimming: How can cinema help us with the university journey?

Freshers’ Survival Guide 15 17 19 21

Films To Live By: Surviving University The Edge’s Alternative Freshers’ Soundtrack Freshers’ Binge-watching Guide For the Gigs and Giggles

Culture

24 On Edge: Anticipating Doctor Who Series 11 25 Closer to The Edge: Our Favourite Doctors 27 Lessons We’ve Learnt From: BoJack Horseman

Live

29 The Edge’s Favourite Gigs in Southampton 30 Preview: Pale Waves @ O2 Guildhall Southampton 31 Freaky Friday: Festival Edition 33 Listings

Follow Us! /theedgesusu @theedgesusu @theedgesusu Front cover image courtesy of BBC

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EDITORIAL

A

JOIN US

re you someone who likes both entertainment and writing words, graphic design, photography, or any combination of the three, sprinkled with the chance to attend free gigs and interview famous people? Then The Edge is the society for you!

We are University of Southampton’s entertainment magazine – always here to bring you a fresh dose of pop and indie culture whenever you crave it. We publish content daily on our website, and in seven print issues each academic year, on the latest live theatre, gigs, and music, film, TV, and video game releases. Alongside the chance to get your words published, being on the team can also get you awards at regional and national ceremonies, as well as at the University’s Media Ball.

But the perks of being an ‘Edgeling’ don’t stop at having something really cool on your CV (some of our alumni have gone on to work at MTV, BBC, and NME!). Our writers have interviewed the likes of Bastille, alt-J, and Wolf Alice, attended press conferences with Tom Hiddleston and Alicia Vikander, and gone to some of the biggest film and musical festivals in the country FOR FREE! We also host a variety of our own events throughout the year – from liveblogging the BRITs and The Oscars to marathoning Parks and Recreation and IT Crowd (and many a karaoke night in Stag’s) we can guarantee that you don’t need celebrities to have a good time.

If you’ve made it this far, then what are you waiting for? Join our main hub ‘The Edge Writers 2018-19’ on Facebook, go to www.theedgesusu.co.uk, hit the ‘Register’ button at the bottom of the page, and start writing! With no commitment necessary, you can write as much or as little as you like for as many sections as you want. For more information, just contact editor@ theedgesusu.co.uk or message us on Facebook – we’re always up for a chat!

P.S. We have a few vacancies left on our committee – Head of Design, Online Manager, Events Officer, as well as some executive spots are up for grabs, so get in touch at the above email address if they strike your fancy! We’d love to have you on our team!

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Being part of The Edge has given me some of the best opportunities and friendships of my life, as well as the confidence to write about what I love and interview the people I admire. I don’t know where I’d be without this wonderful magazine and its even more wonderful writers.

Sophie Jones, Deputy Editor Free festival tickets, early album releases, and the opportunity to interview your favourite artists - what’s not to like?

Sam Law, Records Editor Incredible people, fantastic opportunities - if I hadn’t joined The Edge, there’s no way I’d have gotten the confidence to try and make this my job.

Carly-May Kavanagh, Graduate and former Live Editor

Being part of The Edge means exciting new opportunities that let you follow your passions in a more professional capacity, working alongside some fantastic like-minded people.

Tash Williamson, Live Editor

NEWS

THE NEWS

BOX

1

News in Brief

Jack and Dani from Love Island are set to make a guest appearance at Southampton Freshers’ 2018.

2

Student-run cinema Union Films has been shortlisted in the Cinema for All Film Society of the Year Awards 2018 for Best Student Cinema.

3

Aretha Franklin passed away aged 76 this August.

There is an all-star tribute concert planned for her this November.

Stormzy has started a scholarship that will fund two black students to study at Cambridge University.

The Oscars are to add an award for achievement in popular film to its category list.

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WHO WILL BE THE NEXT

?

Since Idris Elba tweeted ‘my name’s Elba, Idris Elba’, speculation has gone wild as to whether this is confirmation that the actor has been cast as the next James Bond.

Elba would be the first non-white actor to play the role.

Although there has been some controversy from this, Bond’s ethnicity would not affect his characterisation.

Whilst Fleming wrote in the novels that Bond was of Scottish origin, the actors that have played him have not always followed this description; there have been English, Irish, and Australian actors taking on the iconic role.

Until Daniel Craig officially quits, the speculation will continue, with bets also being taken on actors including Tom Hardy, James Norton, and Aidan Turner. Despite this, with high odds being given for ‘any female’, we may not end up with a male Bond at all.

THE EDGE’S ENTERTAINMENT PICKS EDITOR - DOCTOR WHO SERIES 11, BBC, RELEASE DATE TBC “The first female Doctor is ready to take us on a regenerated (wink) journey through time and space, and with the Jodie Whittaker – Chris Chibnall dream team at its helm, Series 11 looks too good to be missed!”

RECORDS EDITOR – ALT-J, REDUXER, CANVASBACK MUSIC, 28/09/18 “Alt-J’s RELAXER was one of the triumphs of experimental indie rock last year, so to see it remixed into REDUXER with artists like Pusha T, Danny Brown and Little Simz is a proposition that has me eagerly anticipating a full album of completely bewildering but bewitching tunes.”

FILM EDITOR - VENOM, DIR. BY RUBEN FLEISCHER, 05/10/18 “Thought the Spider-Man universe was a little bit tame? Think again. If the trailer is anything to go by, sci-fi horror Venom looks set to be a thoroughly terrifying, edge-of-your-seat affair.”

CULTURE EDITOR - SPIDER-MAN ON PS4, INSOMNIAC GAMES, 07/09/18 “It’s been a long time since a licensed property looked so good, but Insomniac are a well-tuned machine and we can fully expect greatness from this one.”

LIVE EDITOR – PALE WAVES @ O2 GUILDHALL SOUTHAMPTON, 02/10/18 “Not gonna lie, I’ve been swept up in The Edge’s mania for Pale Waves this month, so you’ll be seeing me at the Guildhall on October 2nd.”

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NEWS

NOSTALGIC NEWS O 10 YEARSesAG was published The Hunger Gam Alice O’ Hare

P

ublished on 14th September 2008, Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games was the start of what many would consider the definitive young adult trilogy of the decade. le The first book is best characterised by its unpredictab onal emoti ing twists, genuine terror, and gut-wrench ss pull, held together by fierce heroine Katni the in nce Lawre er Jennif by yed portra Everdeen, d 2012 film adaptation. The franchise has since grosse ssive impre y alread the to g a hefty $2.9 billion, addin s financial figures inevitably achieved from the book' release in over 51 languages.

Collins' work sparked a phenomenon in young adult and literature, with an abundance of dystopian novels the in ring appea subsequent film and TV adaptations young a find to pting attem those past decade. But for The adult novel with an impact quite as explosive as r.

Hunger Games, may the odds be ever in your favou

20 YEARS AGO

Pokemon Red and Blue wa

Ellis Murrell

s released

O

n 28th September 1998, the West got its first Pokemon games. Released

by Nintendo in Japan two years prior, Pokemon Red & Blue introduced the first 151 Pokemon charac ters.

The games feature a ten -year-old protagonist and his rival, who both set out on a journey to cap ture every single Pokemon and become the champion, a legendary trainer who sta nds above them all. To do so, you must collect Pok emon allies and earn eig ht coveted gym badges by def eating their correspondin g 'leaders' in battles.

The games were astoundin gly successful despite ma ny of Nintendo's corporate s remaining unconvinced by their selling power.

Ultimately, Red & Blue sold upwards of 9 million cop ies in the U.S. alone. Th e global appeal of the franchise became eviden t, spawning a phenomenon which continues to take the world by storm even tod ay.

30 YEARS AGO Matilda was published Ellie Brain

P

ublished on 1st October 1988, Roald Dahl’s Matilda continues to enthrall and inspire audiences of all ages to this day. The novel tells the story of an incredibly gifted 5-year-old girl, Matilda Wormwood, who, after being continually rejected by her family and unappreciated by almost everyone in her life, uses telekinetic powers to outsmart her parents, brother, and headmistress-from-hell, Miss Trunchbull.

When Matilda was first published, it received good but not outstanding reviews - perhaps an unintentional metaphor of how an underestimated girl, or in this case novel, could go on to do some extraordinary things. Since being published, the novel has been turned into a 1996 movie starring, directed, and produced by Danny DeVito. It has also become a huge success on stage, winning Olivier and Tony awards, in the form of an all-singing, all-dancing, Matilda the Musical, with songs by Tim Minchin.

Images courtesy of Lionsgate, The Pokémon Company, and Quentin Blake

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RECORDS

A N

I N T E R V I E W

W I T H

HEATHER BARON-GRACIE Sam Law

I

t’s on the morning of one of those long, dog days that so characterised this summer that Heather BaronGracie of pop-rock quartet Pale Waves picks up the phone. The group – who marry the aesthetics of peak My Chemical Romance with the sound of acts like Fickle Friends – are in the middle of a six-day festival shift that began four days ago in Spain and has so far taken them to Truck Festival and Tramlines. It’s all in a day’s work for a band who came fifth in BBC’s Sound of 2018 list, and whose debut album is now fresh in the charts.

So how are they enjoying it? “Yeah we’re just so busy!”

Heather enthuses. “It’s really cool to be playing all the festivals, because half of them I’ve never been to before, so it’s really nice to go there and see what they’re all about.” Across August the band found themselves at some of their biggest festivals to date, including Lollapalooza and Reading & Leeds. All this, of course, while promoting their debut album and accompanying headline tour. No mean feat, but one they are relishing.

When asked about the tour – which kicked off in Glasgow on September 21st – Heather’s answer is a simple one: “I can’t wait!” It’s a bumper tour, but the dates aren’t the only thing that’s got her going. “The tour’s the first time that we actually get to play new songs off our album, so I’m really really excited,” explains Heather. Even more reason for fans on the south coast to get excited about that October 2nd date in Southampton’s O2 Guildhall, then.

As we speak, the band are putting the finishing touches to that debut album.

While the tour will find Pale Waves at their unrestrained best, My Mind Makes Noises looks to take things in a far more personal direction. “It’s songs that we’ve had for years, and songs that we’ve had for weeks,” Heather explains, summing up the LP’s whirlwind of a track listing: “It’s basically a timeline for our band.”

My Mind Makes Noises sees Pale Waves delivering the kind of super-personal balladry that almost anyone can laugh, cry, and sing along to – backed up of course by the group’s perfect sonic mix of synth pop and indie rock. But fans will also learn a lot about the band as a whole, says Heather. “The album is just a door into my brain, so anyone who listens to it will know everything about me – which is pretty terrifying!”

It’s been a long road to this point. Pale Waves began as the passion project of Baron-Gracie and drummer Ciara Doran, back in their university days at Manchester. “We met up straight away and we got along so well, and our friendship just evolved over listening to music,” describes Heather. Before long, they decided to write their first songs, putting ‘The Tide’ and ‘Heavenly’ up online as demos. “We never wanted to be a two-piece,” says Heather – despite dominating the band with Ciara, they preferred the idea of playing and touring with extra bandmates – so they quickly recruited guitarist Hugo Silvani and bassist Charlie Wood.

From there, the band never looked back, and have no reason to. With the headline tour and debut album hitting fast, the only way is up.

It certainly looks like one thing is for sure: Heather Baron-Gracie and co. are set to make serious (Pale) Waves in the music world for months and years to come.

Image courtesy of Dirty Hit

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RECORDS

ALBUM REVIEW:

PALE WAVES MY MIND MAKES NOISES

Jo Lisney

P

ale Waves have gone from strength to strength each year since they formed in 2014, but really came of age earlier this year with their stellar debut EP All The Things I Never Said. Now, finally, their highly anticipated debut album is available for us all to hear. From the sleek album cover, to their distinct look and sound - everything is there, and you certainly will not be disappointed.

On the first listen, My Mind Makes Noises reminds me of The 1975 - not surprising considering the group helped produce Pale Waves’ earlier tracks and took them on tour when they were just starting out. However, whilst I do worship The 1975, I must say it is refreshing to hear Heather Baron-Gracie’s vocals grace the tracks on this album; it’s lovely to hear the very British accent, which I have only seen captured by the likes of The 1975, Oasis and early Arctic Monkeys - it is distinct.

My Mind Makes Noises is a go-to for hyping up the start of your night during Freshers’ - or any event for that matter! This album has tunes which you can throw down shapes to, but also to sit in a car and have a good cry along with. That’s the bewitching truth about My Mind Makes Noises: there is a song for every mood.

But the track ‘Red’ by far is my favourite on the album. Why, you might ask? Firstly, it feels different to the tracks that come before, with unique guitar riff changes. Likewise, you can

appreciate how Baron-Gracie’s vocals complement the riff, and although you are aware of the build up to the chorus, when it hits, it just makes you feel complete. Quite literally, it sparks excitement within you.

Another gem on this album (well they all are, but these are the extra special ones) is ‘Drive’. This is definitely the epitome of festival/party tune to get you pumped up for going out! It just makes me want to go to a festival. ‘Drive’ is one of those songs that you will hear years later and it will always bring back great memories from festivals or university.

Word of warning: ‘Karl (I Wonder What it’s Like To Die)’ will give you the feels. If you were to end an album and want it to be impactful, this is it.

The rawness of the melody and composition really encapsulates the emotion behind the lyrics so much that I even cried at it! The song itself deals with a loss of a loved one and hints at immortalising them in song - it is a melancholy song but still beautiful nonetheless.

It must be noted that this is Pale Waves’ debut album and an incredible piece that they should be proud of. Whilst they are a relatively new band, there is no doubt that they have a long future ahead of them and, along the way, bless us with their music.

My Mind Makes Noises is available now via Dirty Hit.

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RECORDS

ARTICLE

Are Playlists Killing Albums?

Written by Alice O’Hare • 570 words, 2 hr 33 min PLAY

Filter

T

he way we listen to music is changing. As streaming services provide access to a library of practically every song ever released, the industry appears to be shifting in the favour of the playlist. After all: instead of sitting through tracks you might not like just to get to the ones you do, playlists put the listener in control.

With entire genres at your fingertips, many would argue that there’s no need to ever listen to an album again - you can just make your own.

One click on the Spotify app shows that listening to your favourite tracks, or discovering new ones, is even simpler still. Each tab is filled with an abundance of ready-made, meticulously crafted playlists and all you’ve got to do is press shuffle. From ‘Hot Hits UK’ to ‘The Indie List’, and ‘Alone Again’ to ‘Walk Like a Badass’, there is quite literally a playlist to fill every possible mood or occasion. My point therefore, is that playlists are just so easy; goodbye to that album track you hated, hello to a chosen-to-perfection list of all your favourite tracks - there surely couldn’t be anything better?

But maybe there is, as many listeners don’t actually want the effortless listening experience enabled by a playlist. Take a look at the resurgence of vinyl, for example. Listening to a vinyl record is perhaps the most authentic album-listening experience of all - a physical copy to treasure and add to a collection, no option to skip a track, no shuffling - and it’s made a massive comeback at the exact moment that streaming services and playlists appear to be taking over. Coincidence? I think not.

After all, putting together an album isn’t a random process of making ten or so tracks and chucking

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...

Followers 316 Download

them together ‘cause they all sound nice. Producing an album is a craft whereby hit-singles come together with intricate musical interludes to tell a story or capture a specific moment, and vinyl allows the listener to hear this story exactly as the artist intended it to be heard. In 2017, the sale of vinyl records hit a 25-year high, and these figures continue to rise, with vinyl now commonplace on the shelves of your local supermarket.

Maybe there’s more desire for an authentic record than ever before, as music lovers look to preserve the value of an album as an album, rather than a selection of tracks that would pop in a ‘Big Night Out’ playlist.

Even without vinyl, people are still talking about albums wherever you look. It’s near impossible to have a browse of social media without hearing somebody’s opinion on Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino by the Arctic Monkeys, buzz surrounding Travis Scott’s ASTROWORLD, or excitement for the upcoming third album by The 1975. Much like attending a gig feels totally different to listening to music in your bedroom, playlists and albums offer completely different experiences, and the ability to build anticipation around and extensively discuss the latter cannot be recreated by the former.

We can’t completely disregard the way that playlists are hugely changing our music consumption, but to place the album in the category of dying art disregards why people ever made albums in the first place. If anything, the album is on the rise, and its unique ability to channel the emotions and stories of a particular artist is more valuable than ever in an era of endless streaming.

RECORDS

ARTIST IN FO CUS Muse

O

Jack Nash

ver the past two decades, Muse have risen from a group of three guys from Teignmouth, Devon, to a superpower in the rock genre and a live music phenomenon. The band’s journey began back in 1997 when Matthew Bellamy (vocalist & guitarist), Chris Wolstenholme (bassist) and Dominic Howard (drummer) launched their self-titled debut EP with Dangerous Records. Two years later, following the success of their first big single ‘Muscle Museum’, they released their debut album: Showbiz.

Showbiz brought a new sound that no band had really attempted before, to merge the electronic and rock genres, going straight to platinum in the UK. In 2001, they had an even bigger hit with Origins of Symmetry, showing that Muse were not one-album wonders through classics like ‘Plug-in Baby’.

By this point, Muse were known by music fans up and down the UK, but they still had to make a statement in the US. Their next album, Absolution, did just that, featuring the absolutely thunderous ‘Time Is Running Out’ and ‘Hysteria’.

Black Holes & Revelations came three years later in 2006, containing some of the band’s most recognisable singles, including ‘Supermassive Black Hole’ and ‘Knights of Cydonia’. After releasing Black Holes, Muse toured the world and became notorious live performers, winning awards for the best live act from NME, Q Awards and many more. With this notoriety, they produced their most iconic album to date in The Resistance - releasing their highest-charting single in ‘Uprising’ in the process.

Not content to keep giving us their brand of electronic rock, in 2012’s The 2nd Law the band’s style evolved slightly as they embraced dubstep influences, which are most noticeably present in the album’s title tracks.

However, facing some criticism of the direction the band were going, they came back to heavier rock. The result was 2015 album Drones, which was a political statement as much as an LP, focusing on conflict and war. Fittingly enough, their subsequent world tour was recorded all on drones, and the footage was used to create a feature length film of the shows, which was released in cinemas in 2017.

Later that year, Muse released ‘Dig Down’, the first single from the upcoming Simulation Theory, following it up with ‘Thought Contagion’, ‘Something Human’ and ‘The Dark Side’ earlier this year. All four singles suggest Muse is going back to their electronic roots and moving back away from the heavier attitude of Drones.

So, what have we got to look forward to? Muse have announced their next studio album, Simulation Theory, will be released on November 9th. Judging from how the last few albums have dropped every three years, it was to be expected that it would be released by the end of 2018. From the tracks we have so far, the band seems to be going back to its electronic rock genrebending sound that makes Muse so unique. The release of Simulation Theory would also suggest another tour, which would be immense as they are such good live performers. We will have to wait and see what other treats lie in store for us on album number nine.

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FILM

N Anticipating First Man

D

Sam Law

amien Chazelle. Ryan Gosling. Claire Foy. Those names enough should pique your curiosity for any upcoming film. When that film happens to centre on the ground-breaking Apollo 11 mission in 1969 to land on the Moon for the first time in human history, well, then you have my full attention.

Let’s first look at the director. Chazelle is young, and has only put out two feature films, but that those two films were Whiplash and La La Land tells you his kind of calibre. It’ll be interesting to see him turning his lens onto real life figures such as Neil Armstrong (Gosling) and Buzz Aldrin (Corey Stoll), given his two previous efforts centred on entirely made-up characters, but given Chazelle’s track record, I’d be surprised if we don’t gain surprising and deeply fascinating insights into the men and women behind that historic mission.

Meanwhile, Gosling and Foy bring real acting talent to the table, with two Oscar nominations, two Golden Globe wins, and a slew of further award wins and nominations between them. Foy in particular has displayed remarkable acting range as Queen Elizabeth II in the tremendous Netflix drama The Crown, so I can’t wait to see her take on Neil Armstrong’s then-wife, Janet, shedding new light on a historical figure who is unfortunately far less well-known than her prestigious husband. As for Gosling, well, his reputation speaks for itself: any film he touches turns to gold.

And, my god, just watch that trailer. Whilst trailers can (and often do) overhype their movies, the footage we are teased with still makes me quietly (or not) optimistic as to the rest of the film’s direction. It looks intense, it looks emotional, it looks dramatic, but most of all - and most importantly for what remains one of

the uttermost dangerous missions in human history it looks edge-of-your-pants scary. Not in a Conjuring or Shining kind of way, but more in A Quiet Place kind of way: pure intensity and stress that something, anything, could go wrong and spell disaster. Given Chazelle’s track record and expertise, you can safely expect this underlying feeling of tension to work its way from the trailer to the big screen, and boy does that sound inviting.

So, you have a world-class director, working with world-class acting talent, to tell the story of one of the most perilous yet historic missions humanity has ever undertaken, and you wonder why I’m excited? Quite frankly this film should be on everyone’s radars, not least because it has been chosen to open the prestigious Venice Film Festival, a slot that has hosted such Oscar winners as Birdman, Gravity and Black Swan, signalling that Hollywood, at least, considers this film particularly worthy of your attention. But really, at the end of it all, I’m on edge for First Man because it looks to make real an event which, as Chazelle himself noticed, most people under a certain age now “take for granted.”

“You accept that [the Moon landings] happened,” Chazelle recently told Variety. “But the challenge or the hope with this would be to try to play a little bit of a rewind and put you in a mindset where it hasn’t happened yet, and it’s the most insane thing that a group has ever come together to do.” If he can pull that off - and everything we’ve seen and heard about First Man suggests he will - we are in for a hell of a treat in cinemas this October.

First Man (2018), directed by Damien Chazelle, will be released in the UK on the 12th October.

Image courtesy of Universal Pictures

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FILM

DIRECTOR IN FO CUS Damien Chazelle Alice O’Hare

S

uccess seems to come naturally to Damien Chazelle.

At just 33 years old, the Harvard graduate has burst onto the filmmaking scene in a manner most others could only dream of. Despite having just three featurelength film credits to date (and one to be released shortly), Chazelle has worked with the likes of Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone and J.K Simmons, directed one of the highest-grossing musicals of all time, bagged two Golden Globe Awards, and become the youngest ever winner of the Academy Award for Best Director - it’s safe to say he’s had the dream start to a career in the film industry.

Chazelle certainly didn’t become a big name overnight, yet even his limited release debut feature, Guy and Madeline on a Park Bench, showed early signs of the young director’s potential. Released in 2009, the romantic musical received an overwhelmingly positive critical reception on the festival circuit, demonstrating the artistic flair and thematic intrigue (an obsession with jazz music and the idealism of the Hollywood dream) that would characterise Chazelle’s later work.

It wasn’t until the release of Whiplash in 2014 that Chazelle’s work reached audiences beyond the arthouse, but from this moment onwards he became the director to watch. Originally a short-film that was later funded to become a fully-fledged feature, Whiplash followed the relationship between an aspiring jazz drummer (Miles Teller) and his insufferable, abusive teacher (J.K. Simmons) and again addressed the themes of dedication and sacrifice through its examination of a musician prepared to achieve his artistic dream at any cost. It took home three Oscars, but it could easily have won more, as the

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film has since been viewed by many as one of the very best films of the decade and left its audience in eager anticipation for whatever this man would create next.

And then there was La La Land. Few could’ve predicted just how good of a film it would be, let alone how much of a phenomenon it would become.

Starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, La La Land captured the magic of the Classical Hollywood musical in a manner both fresh and nostalgic. Every musical number meticulously crafted, every long take cut to perfection, it is no overstatement to describe Chazelle’s direction as masterful. The film itself may not have had the classic Hollywood ending, and neither did that year’s Oscars ceremony, but La La Land’s global success placed Chazelle’s career trajectory firmly on the path of Hollywood fantasy.

La La Land also saw the re-ignition of the working relationship between Chazelle and Simmons; granted, Simmons was only cast in a minor, cameo-like role, but the very fact an actor so serious was so willing to rush back and work with the director again is a clear testament to his talent. Another familiar face returns in Chazelle’s latest project, First Man, as Gosling takes on the lead role of Neil Armstrong.

Set for UK release on the 12th October, the Armstrong-biopic will see the world of jazz left firmly behind, although it’s clear to see why Chazelle has chosen this project with its focus on another dedicated individual at the very top of their field. Whilst it remains to be seen if Chazelle will somehow incorporate a jazz soundtrack into an outer-space biopic, his extraordinary direction to date makes it pretty much guaranteed that First Man will be a testament to a modern-day auteur at his prime.

Background image courtesy of kues1

SURVIVAL GUIDE

FILMS TO LIVE BY Surviving University

If you’re about to embark on the weird and wonderful journey that is university, you probably feel like you’ve been thrust into the centre of a coming-of-age drama, wholly unprepared. Have no fear, the next three years or so don’t need to become a disaster movie, as our writers have taken a look at some films that might just be able to help you survive the highs and lows that are an inevitable part of Freshers.

Boyhood dir. by Richard Linklater

Alice O’Hare

Richard Linklater managed to pull off an industry first with Boyhood, using the same cast over a total of 12 years to chronicle the coming-of-age of Mason (Ellar Coltrane), an artistic triumph that itself teaches a handy motto for university - stick at it, it might seem difficult at the beginning, but it will come together at the end. But that’s not the only useful lesson in Boyhood. At the end of the film, Mason leaves home and sets off for college; he gets to his accommodation, dumps his belongings on his bed and sets off on a sunset hike with a group of people he’s never met before.

Mason has only known these people for a matter of hours, but in that time it’s pretty clear that he’s met some true friends, the potential love of his life, and had an experience he’ll remember long after graduation.

So, when you’re settling into university, remember one thing - you’ve got all the time in the world (and plenty hungover mornings) to unpack and pin up your photo collection. Get out, meet your flatmates, and take up every opportunity you’re given - you never know what (or who) might come your way.

Pitch Perfect dir. by Jason Moore Abi Cutler

The Pitch Perfect trilogy is a shining example of the benefits that come with joining a society at university. When Beca (Anna Kendrick) arrives at Barden University, she is certain that she will drop out by the end of her first year. However, after joining the university’s all-female a cappella group, ‘The Barden Bellas’, she soon discovers a group of friends who make her university years the best of her life.

As a member of several societies at Southampton myself, I can say that joining one will be one of the best decisions you could make. Through some of these groups, I have made great friends who share common interests, and doing something outside of your studies provides far more breadth and fulfilment to your overall university experience. I thoroughly recommend following in Beca’s footsteps - whether that be joining an a cappella group or something completely different - and make memories to last a lifetime.

Images courtesy of Universal Pictures

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SURVIVAL GUIDE

Paddington 2, dir. by Paul King Sam Law

Hello. My name’s Paddington - well, it’s not really, but I’m told that no-one understands my real name - and I truly wish you the best of luck as you take your first steps at university! When I first started living away from home, I had travelled all the way across the world from darkest Peru in a lifeboat, and ate marmalade.

Bears like marmalade. I got up to so many adventures and found myself in quite a spot of peril more than a couple of times, but I could always rely on the Browns to help me out.

I feel like living away from home can be like that sometimes. It can be awfully scary, but as long as you find some people you can call your family there’ll never be anything you can’t handle together. Just enjoy the adventures! (And always have a marmalade sandwich to hand. For emergencies.)

School of Rock dir. by Richard Linklater Tash Williamson

Although these kids are way younger than us, and some would say Dewey Finn younger still, as university students we could learn a thing or two from the pupils at Horace Green. When Dewey, a down on his luck guitarist/singer, becomes the unsuitable substitute teacher for a class of talented musicians, he uses them to win the Battle of the Bands. Mind you, he sees the error of his selfish ways, and ultimately shows them that they’re special. He gets them to believe in themselves and to own it, which is a hard thing to do.

So Freshers, you should believe in yourself and your own self-worth, but more importantly, you should listen to other people and see their worth too. Ok, not everyone is going to be your cup of tea at university, but everyone deserves your full attention, and to be heard. It’s easy during Freshers’, with so many people to meet and so much to do, to lose sight of what coming to uni really is. It’s an opportunity to meet new friends, and new partners, so make sure you make time to see what’s unique in them, as well as figuring out what’s unique about yourself.

Starter for 10 dir. by Tom Vaughan Ellis Murrell

The year is 1985. University Challenge is still relevant. And you’re trying to impress a girl by making the team at university.

So goes the premise of Tom Vaughan’s Starter for 10, the adaptation of David Nicholl’s hit coming-of-age novel about a fresher in the 1980s. Comfortingly, the film practically exerts British-ness, from its depictions of class divisions to its true to life stereotype characters - which includes Benedict Cumberbatch playing right up to expectation as a stuck-up snob. Whilst the film heavily focuses on old-style University Challenge, the timeless quirks and awkward encounters experienced by James McAvoy’s Brian Jackson more than make up for the awfully dated parts of the narrative. You’ll find yourself relating to more of the film than you might even be comfortable with, as Vaughan raises a mirror up to the average university fresher, encouraging you not only to put yourself out into the world but to embrace your failures as successes of a different ilk.

Images courtesy of StudioCanal, Paramount Pictures, and Icon Film Distribution

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SURVIVAL GUIDE The three or more years you spend at university are absolutely the most incredible years of your life, and they all start with Freshers’ week: one (or two) weeks of getting to know a new place, meeting new friends, and trying new things. Soundtracking all of this will be some mix of Radio 1 and Capital FM bangers, livening up your big nights out and quiet nights in. Although we do love a good radio-friendly hit when we’re getting ready to go out, university is at its core about learning to love new things. That’s why we’ve compiled our favourite alternative hits to soundtrack your downtime between nights out in Freshers’ week; hopefully you can give them a listen and learn to love a new artist you’d never heard of before.

Billy Joel - ‘Moving Out (Anthony’s Song)’ Tash Williamson

Now, we all know that, degree or not, we will probably work a blue collar job or two at some point during our lives, but the spirit behind this song is perfect for people moving into student accommodation for the first time come September. Although we’re talking about a different era in a different city where people would pride themselves on outward symbols of wealth like a Cadillac while busting a gut to pay for it, I think everyone can identify with the narrator’s decision. Not wanting to follow the working class spiral, his assertive and satisfying declaration “then I’m movin’ out” can only be topped by a Panic! at the Disco cover which leaves you waiting for a good eight seconds before collapsing pleasurably into the song’s titular words. Funnily enough though, us and the narrator alike are leaving behind silly things that Anthony possesses, like job security and a stable income, to boldly venture into the unknown, dreaming of a brighter future.

The Japanese House - ‘Saw You in a Dream’ Thea Hartman ‘Saw You in a Dream’, the title track of The Japanese House’s 2017 EP, draws the listener in effortlessly due to its harmonious mix of guitar and keyboard, interwoven with synths. Amber Bain’s vocals take us on a journey where a dream brings back someone she’s lost. Dream and reality collide and the singer remains stuck between the two, but the song goes on seamlessly – and so do our thoughts.

Along with the rest of the EP, ‘Saw You in a Dream’ is the perfect soundtrack for that late night mood which only requires a dreamy tune for the thoughts to start flowing and scenarios to start unfolding – will you meet those people everyone keeps telling you about tomorrow? The friends for life, or even that special someone who will make your university years the best years of your life? Even if we don’t necessarily talk about this mood, it’s there whenever alcohol or confusion aren’t, and it’s worth diving into with a little help from a good song, whenever alcohol and confusion don’t help you first.

Images courtesy of Columbia and Rough Trade

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SURVIVAL GUIDE The The - ‘This Is The Day’ Tash Williamson This may be one of the less familiar ‘80s tracks, but it’ll still have you dancing round your student room while you’re getting ready for a night out. It’s also a little more bittersweet than some of your other options, but you can thank the subject of the song for the catchy tune of self-delusion. It’s basically about someone who spent their whole life waiting for something, and it never happened.

Because of all this waiting around, all they have are the memories of the past to keep them going. No day is the day that they’re talking about, even though when you’re belting out the chorus it’ll certainly feel like it. The song is calling you out, not to kid yourself or have any regrets, and starting uni is definitely one of those times you might need a kick up the backside. With all these new opportunities on the horizon, you’ve just got to throw yourself into it to make the song’s title come true.

Superorganism - ‘Everybody Wants To Be Famous’ Sam Law Maybe not everybody wants to be famous, but certainly everybody’s excited to start somewhere new, and the chaotic ensemble of Superorganism (featuring nine band members from places as farflung as New Zealand, South Korea, and Burnley) capture this bubble of trepidation and adventure perfectly in their most well-known track. It’s a bit of a weird one, with random samples and synthetic instrumentation all coming together in a complete kaleidoscope of noise, but that tidal wave of sound perfectly reflects the jumble of sights, sounds and people you’ll meet in your first few weeks at university.

In the same way, despite its complete mishmash of instrumentation, ‘Everybody Wants To Be Famous’ somehow pulls it off, becoming one of the more ‘out-there’ tracks you could still potentially get away with on the pre-drinks playlist and something you could really enjoy listening to generally; and Freshers’ week, despite seeming scary and exciting and overwhelming all at once at first glance, will undoubtedly turn out to be one of the best weeks of your life.

Los Campesinos! - We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed Tom Brewster It took me far too long to decide what artist I was going to write about for this section, until I remembered my undying love for the ever-amazing Los Campesinos!, a band that has guided me through much of my adult life with a wink and a smile. After deciding the artist, a possibly even tougher question loomed over me – which Los Campesinos album to recommend? Should I opt for the gloriously twee Hold on Now Youngster, the scrappy noise-infused epic Romance is Boring or the electronic, shimmering No Blues? What about the glowering and moody Hello Sadness, or even their latest effort, Sick Scenes?

Los Campesinos are a band that have one of the most consistently excellent discographies out there – each album a subtle tweak to their sound that makes them a glorious nostalgia trip and an addition to every single playlist I have compiled since the beginning of time. If I had to narrow it down, however, my vote would have to go to the short-but-sweet and unrelentingly excellent We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed – an album that fuses twee pop, noise rock and indie punk into a beautiful mess, held together by Gareth Campesinos’ poetic, honest and youthful lyrics. Those lyrics have a way of sticking in the brain – memorable stings of reality that have a way of staying with you forever, underpinning those sour moments for days you want to forget – to “shout at the world because the world doesn’t love you / lower yourself because you know that you’ll have to”.

Images courtesy of Epic, Domino, and Wichita

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SURVIVAL GUIDE

BINGE-WATCHING GUIDE When you feel like deadlines, laundry, bills (and more but let’s just stop here for now) are getting to you, there is one solution that never fails: binge-watching. It’s never a bad idea to get away from your responsibilities... just for one more episode. Here are a couple of picks to get you started!

The Eric Andre Show Tom Brewster

There’s nothing that puts a strain on those early friendships in Freshers’ like The Eric Andre Show. Let me paint you a picture; your group of misfit quasibuddies has decided to stay in for the evening, to relax with some casual drinks, maybe a pizza or popcorn.

Everyone is comfy, relaxed and settling into the university lifestyle - grateful for some true downtime outside of Jesters or those pesky introductory lectures.

This doesn’t last long. Some poor schmuck directs the question ‘What are we watching, then?’ at you of all people - and with that, their fate is sealed. They don’t know what’s coming. You connect the laptop, beam directly into Adult Swim and press play on 30 minutes that simulate the television Beezlebub himself might play in the deepest depths of hell. Your friends are no longer your friends, everyone is horrified, and your university life is ruined. But don’t worry - Eric is here to comfort you.

The Eric Andre Show is an Adult Swim talk show that has been hailed as the pinnacle of nihilistic, postmodern humour, an odyssey into the brain of its irreparably damaged creator that is uncompromising in its vision - to create the oddest talk show of all time. The bulk of the show is comprised of segments in which Eric talks to his guests (who appear more as hostages), followed by segments in which Eric is let loose onto an unsuspecting public in ‘pranks’ that parody shows like Jackass or Trigger-Happy TV. The former, ‘interview’ sections are some of the most surreal pieces of television one can find, featuring such

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scenes as Eric sawing his desk in half in front of Lauren Conrad, bullying Seth Rogen into a segment called ‘Velcro Time’ or mercilessly beating the aptly named ‘naked intern’ in front of Wiz Khalifa. Eric delights in making his guests uncomfortable - admitting that he goes as far as to heat the room to an unbearably high temperature, or strategically place rotting clams under the chair that guests are expected to sit in. He doesn’t save himself for discomfort either, inviting a real life actual grizzly bear into the studio as a guest or destroying the entire set time and time again, only to have it magically reform around him in each episode’s introduction. The ‘street skits’ sections of the show are surreal in a totally different way, with Eric pounding the pavements in various guises to terrify and weirdout the general population.

Once the initial weirdness barrier has been crossed by the viewer, the show is a joyfully strange romp of surreal vignettes and warped humour. Each episode clocks in at under 30 minutes, with enough variety across seasons (such as the wonderful ‘Hannibal Buress Show’ or ‘Bird Up!’ specials) keeping you trudging on through this TV apocalypse. Whoever you choose to watch The Eric Andre Show with will also be bound to you for good -irreparably damaged by the severity of the experience you have had to endure, but simultaneously delighting in the frankly staggering reference pool that Eric provides. It’s not for everyone - but if it’s for you, it’s unmissable. So take your ranch, bird up and snail down for The Worst Show on TV™.

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Breaking Bad Ellis Murrell If you’re one of the few unlucky ones who are yet to be converted to the cult, nay religion of Breaking Bad then you should count yourselves lucky. You still have all of the excitement to come - the tension, the twists, the emotional barrage that will leave you reeling and broken come the series finale. Needless to say, Vince Gilligan’s crime drama is unlike anything else you’ve seen on TV (except the official prequel show, Better Call Saul, of course), and thanks to the ever-reliable powers of Netflix, available for your viewing/bingeing pleasure at any time.

So, what makes Breaking Bad worth skiving off your lectures for? Well, principally the show’s strength lies in its characters. The show boasts a veritable tour de force in its duo of protagonists, the meek highschool chemistry teacher-turned methamphetamine kingpin, Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and his good-hearted junkie partner, Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). Appropriately, the pair bounce off each other like two opposing atoms in every scene, able to convey a huge range of emotions from a tender, father-son like affection to boiling, murderous rage, and it never comes out of nowhere. Supporting them are such endearing characters as Hank Schrader (Dean Norris), Walter’s masculine brother-in-law who, ironically enough, works as a Drug Enforcement Agent, and Bob Odenkirk’s sardonic, scene-stealing lawyer Saul Goodman. The show often progresses at a carefree pace, sprinkling plot developments sparingly but effectively, and so you never feel short-changed by your time spent with the characters. But, when the proverbial turds hit the fan, you can find yourself clawing for breath, desperately praying for your favourite characters to make it out of there alive. It also helps that the show’s revolving door of villains are so compelling and frightening, ranging from the stone-cold murderer Tuco Salamanca (Raymond Cruz), to the serenely composed drug overlord Gustavo Fring (Giancarlo Esposito).

demonstrated in Season 2, with a wonderful series of flashforwards that foretell disaster for the characters.

However, the way that these abstract images actually play out as the arc builds to its climax is completely unpredictable, rewarding a repeat viewing, as well as eager analysis going forwards, as the motifs and symbolisms continue to reverberate throughout the narrative in later seasons. To say anything more than ‘teddy bear’ would be to deprive you of glorious storytelling that you NEED to experience for yourself.

Investing in Breaking Bad is like putting your money on an up and coming race horse. Seeing the narrative and characters evolve towards devastating and compelling ends is infinitely rewarding, even more so if you are fortunate enough to evade any kind of spoilers. Breaking Bad is the show, nay experience, that you need in your life, and if you haven’t yet had the privilege, go seek it out with extreme prejudice.

But character isn’t the only aspect of the show worthy of praise. Breaking Bad employs some of the most visually arresting cinematography in the business, with inventive use of GoPro, shaky cam and lighting.

Storytelling also benefits from these left-field choices too, with cold opens and flashforwards that keep you on your toes as the story unravels at whatever pace it feels appropriate. One excellent example of the show’s prolonged style of revealing story details is Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Television

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SURVIVAL GUIDE

FOR THE GIGS AND GIGGLES Jed Wareham

S

tarting university is a daunting idea for most newbie students. The hopes of fitting into the crowds you’d like to and making lots of good friends you can share amazing experiences with seem vital to your first year.

Moving into Halls of Residence can be a good start to making new friendships, as well as the Freshers’ activities hosted by our very own Students’ Union; however, sometimes these icebreakers may not be enough alone to help you settle in and be yourself. For many people, like myself, expressing yourself via music and the music you like is rather important and can help build amazing connections with like-minded individuals in and outside of uni.

Going to live shows was pivotal for my first semester at university back in 2016. It helped me relieve a lot of stress I had encountered whilst going through lots of changes around me and it acted almost as a form of therapy - an escape.

Gigs give you the ability to forget any problems in your life for several hours, taking you away to a place where the only thing that matters is the music and having fun while being surrounded by good, like-minded company.

Finding people with the same music taste as mine was never going to be easy, but I soon

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found friends who shared a liking for similar bands. Before I knew it, I had friends to go to gigs with in my first semester (including Nothing But Thieves, Jaws, Wolf Alice etc.), really helping me to not only settle in but also solidify these friendships I had recently made.

There are a good number of venues in and around Southampton such as The Joiners, Engine Rooms and The 1865, as well as the O2 Guildhall and the further afield Bournemouth International Centre. Travelling to and from long distance gigs i.e. London based, can also help alleviate stress levels and help clear your mind by dedicating a day or two to travelling to see your favourite band play your favourite songs live.

If music and its scene is your cup of tea, then I would strongly suggest checking out some great shows on offer during your first semester this year such as Muncie Girls at The Joiners, Knuckle Puck at The 1865, The Story So Far and Citizen at Engine Rooms or Tom Grennan at the Guildhall. Go ahead and give a live show a try - there are amazing bands to be seen! You’ll have a great time, and it may help ease any stress and take your mind off any issues you’re going through. You never know, you might just find yourself a group of friends to see some new favourite bands with too.

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THE TIMELESS CHARM OF THE COMING-OF-AGE FILM Charlotte Colombo

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here’s been a lot of change and experimentation in movie-making over the years, but one thing that has stayed consistent and never ceased is the comingof-age film. From John Hughes to Greta Gerwig, the genre shows no sign of slowing down with titles like Love, Simon, Lady Bird and Call Me By Your Name all proving incredibly popular over the last twelve months. Considering that the genre revolves around aging, why does our interest in it remain ageless?

To me, the answer lies within the definition.

The Collins Dictionary defines coming-ofage as ‘when something reaches an important stage of development’ which, quite simply, is the perfect formula for a movie. For one, it makes an engaging narrative. All stories are hinged on a significant change, and there’s no bigger change than growing up. For example, Richard Linklater’s 2014 film Boyhood is, at first glance, a fragmentary bore of somebody’s life, so what made it so critically acclaimed?

Sure, filming it over 12 years was somewhat pretentious, but the running theme that kept the film’s narrative going was the growth and development of Mason (Ellar Coltrane). We were fascinated by his upbringing because it wasn’t particularly remarkable, but because it was so damn normal - something we all have experienced. By stripping the genre back to basics, Boyhood showed us that this relatable development and growth is all we need for such a film to work.

You could argue that development isn’t limited to adolescence: it’s rare to find a film where the development of the protagonist doesn’t occur and if it doesn’t, it’s arguably a bad film. However, what’s emphasised

in the definition of coming-of-age is how ‘important’ that particular development is – it defines who you are and who you’re going to be moving forward. It’s what made Simon go from closeted to self-accepting, and it’s what made Lady Bird become Christine. By contrast, an adult character developing is just building upon a quality that’s already there.

Meanwhile, young adults are discovering this unique quality for the first time.

So, what can we learn from these timeless films? For a start, we can consider our own coming-of-age experiences. Approaching university, for example, is a key coming-ofage moment in our lives. For many of us, it’s the first time we’ve lived somewhere without our parents, and where we must learn to be self-sufficient and look after ourselves. On top of that, we’re in an unfamiliar city with nobody from the past to grasp on to. You have essentially fallen head-first into a whole new way of life and you need to figure out your ‘new normal’ and the person you want to be. On top of that, you’re at uni in one form or another to chase your dreams and your passions.

University at first can feel a little isolating, so the very fact that you’re watching a comingof-age film is great because its universal themes, feelings and angst can help you feel less alone as you adjust to your new life.

More often than not these characters feel like your friends. Secondly, you can take note of these characters and how they develop and adapt to whatever life throws at them. If Katniss Everdeen can fight to the death twice and overthrow a tyrannical regime, you can make friends and attend your 9am.

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FILM

JUST KEEP

SWIMMING

How can cinema help us with the university journey?

Liam Beazley

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hether you realise it or not, many of you are about to embark on the journey of a lifetime.

University is a head-first dive into the abyss, a blindly taken step into darkness, an alcohol fuelled walk down a staircase toward a grotty basement club. It is in equal parts terrifying, life-affirming and wonderful, and, by the time you reach the other side, you will never be the same again.

That may seem daunting, but, as cinema has proven time and time again, journeys can provide the greatest moments of our lives and shape who we are; allowing us to be a part of something special or discover things about ourselves impossible to find between the cracks of a sofa.

Ranging from the desperate search for hidden paradise, a realm-spanning quest to destroy a ring, or a cosmic trip through the fabric of space and time, film is obsessed with journeys big and small, with the best of them taking the audience with them to the furthest corners of their imagination.

Here are a few of the best that the big screen has to offer which may reflect in some way the dizzying adventure that is university life.

If growing up and moving out is making the world seem like it is spinning a little too fast, look no further than the existential trips of 2001: A Space Odyssey and Russian arthouse gem Stalker.

Arguably Stanley Kubrick’s masterpiece, 2001: A Space Odyssey presents the entire evolutionary journey of humanity from the dawn of man through beyond the infinite. It isn’t light viewing, but (an admittedly long) double bill with Andrei Tarkovsky’s Stalker, a film which depicts the mystical journey to find a room which grants wishes, will provide a mind-blowing exploration of humanity and the meaning of existence guaranteed to make uni feel a little bit less of a big deal.

After that though, you’ll need something lighter.

Danny Boyle’s The Beach, starring a fresh faced and often shirtless Leonardo DiCaprio, is a hugely underrated cult gem following a search for a hidden paradise off the coast of Thailand. Much like uni, it comes with its moments of drama, but hosts a thumping soundtrack, a sense of community and belonging, and an effective criticism of the ignorant pleasures of youth. It may not be a perfect film, but it brilliantly captures a sense of freedom which makes for one of the best escapist experiences a film can offer.

Lighter still, Pixar has provided too many mesmerizing cinematic journeys to discuss them all in detail. With a heavy heart, having to push aside the equally brilliant likes of Coco, The Good Dinosaur, Inside Out and Up, it is Finding Nemo and Toy Story 2 which arguably provide the best viewing for the Mike Wazowskis among us who are excited and scared about our leap into further education. Woody and Buzz’s second outing explores both the feelings of finding out what makes us special and how we are just like everybody else, as well as the importance of finding your place and accepting it. Meanwhile, Finding Nemo forces us to become the small fish in a very big ocean, proving that, although intimidating, the biggest journeys are the best.

It also comes complete with a standout theme about allowing ourselves to grow up but not too quickly, and the perfect mantra for the journey ahead: if things start getting you down, just keep swimming.

Image courtesy of Disney

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Anticipating Doctor Who Series 11 Damian Meaden

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he world’s longest running science-fiction show bursts back onto BBC1 this Autumn after a much-needed regeneration – pun intended – in more ways the one. Gone is the stagnant regime of Steven Moffat, which peaked with Matt Smith’s debut series at the turn of the decade and has frustrated the fanbase on a near-weekly basis since. It always seemed a case of one step forward, then two back – fantastic monsters and standalone stories from the Scot’s imagination were often overshadowed by a myriad of wasted opportunities – the less we say about the lowkey return to Gallifrey, the better. Peter Capaldi enjoyed something of an Indian summer to his tenure as the Doctor, but now the attention shifts to Jodie Whittaker as the first female incarnation of the Time Lord.

Though we’ve yet to see much of the accomplished actress’ portrayal of the legendary Time Lord in trailers or TV spots as the air date continues to remain a vague mystery at the time of writing, a leaked clip from her debut episode shows a quirky, comically sound and charming take on the Gallifreyan, who looks set to be a hit with viewers. New showrunner Chris Chibnall brings with him a CV headlined by the BBC’s hit crime drama Broadchurch, but has previously penned for Who underneath Moffat and predecessor Russell T Davies on four occasions, the highlight being the return of the Silurians in 2010’s ‘The Hungry Earth/Cold Blood’. What should we expect from the first episode? Well, tradition would dictate Whittaker lies in bed for a while coughing up golden energy and then recovers at a convenient time to the plot to save the planet from near-certain doom. But then, nothing about this series

seems to care much for tradition – and that’s what Who needs right now to clear away the lethargy.

When we last left Whittaker, the Time Lord was hurtling towards Earth after falling from a exploding TARDIS – okay, so some things don’t change – with the season opener also set to introduce new regular companions Ryan (Tosin Cole), Yasmin (Mandip Gill) and Graham (ITV’s The Chase host Bradley Walsh). The series run looks to be shorter than recent years, with just ten episodes commissioned and the nowcommonplace Christmas Special confirmed to be in production. Within that, though, fans can expect a refreshing balance between past, present and future settings as Who goes broader than ever before. It’s all change on the musical front, with long-term composer and generally fantastic human being Murray Gold handing over to Segun Akinola after a glorious 13-year stint.

Are we in for another predictable Dalek return, or has the Monsters department also taken a facelift? Good news if, like me, you’re a little bit sick of seeing the deadly pepper pots every three minutes since April 2005 – they’re out. In their place, a new set of villains that Chibnall expects viewers to ‘fall in love with’.

Even the design has had an overhaul, with a brand new TARDIS set, sonic screwdriver and snazzy new logo just the tip of the iceberg – have you seen Whittaker’s fantastic costume yet?

Chibnall’s era could prove make or break for the beloved sci-fi serial, but the ingredients are there to produce an eleventh series that truly is out of this world – again, pun intended.

Image courtesy of BBC

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THE EDGE’S FAVOURITE

DOCTORS

Few TV shows have stayed as influential and as beloved throughout the years as Doctor Who. Its ever-changing nature has brought many generations together in front of the telly, but it has also divided opinions. With Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor soon to arrive on our screens, some of our writers have gathered to pitch in their love for their favourite incarnations.

The Tenth Doctor Tash Williamson

I swore off Doctor Who back in primary school when I heard Christopher Eccleston was leaving, but look at me now. Every fan should have the utmost respect for Eccleston, reviving the series in the way that he did, but Tennant’s job was infinitely harder in a sense: he had to win our hearts.

It helped that he was completely hilarious and pronounced things in a deliciously Rowan Atkinson-esque fashion. What’s more, his Doctor was emotionally vulnerable with a real depth that meant he could easily transition from the goofy lightness he did so well to the dark Time Lord fury that ultimately comes from expecting the best from everyone and being disappointed. Tennant wasn’t afraid to show his Doctor lonely or sad or even a bit superior when the mood was right; an ancient race would have quite a high horse to clamber onto. He just made everything look easy, with catchphrases galore and a great energy and rapport with everyone and anyone he shared the screen with (from Bernard Cribbins to Bannakaffalatta). You got the feeling that he really cared and that everyone in the universe was important to him, which made him so lovable and believable.

The Eleventh Doctor Abi Cutler

I prefer Matt Smith to David Tennant as The Doctor. I know that this statement is a highly unpopular opinion, but there is something about Smith that made me love Doctor Who in a way I never had before. I watched all of Eccleston and Tennant with my family, and once it was announced that Tennant was leaving the show, I thought ‘Who is this Matt Smith and how could he possibly be a better Doctor than David Tennant?’ And yet, from his very first episode, there was something about his quirky personality, his kind face and his famous bow tie that I loved immediately; add in Amy and Rory as - in my opinion - the perfect companions, and I found I was so much more invested in the show. Perhaps it was because I was older, or because the episodes didn’t feel as dark as they sometimes had under Tennant’s Doctor, but I found myself glued to the television every Saturday night (I cannot remember ever watching a cliff-hanger as tense as the ending of ‘The Pandorica Opens’). When the time came for Smith to hand over the Tardis to Peter Capaldi, that final phone call in Capaldi’s first episode was absolutely heart-breaking. Exuberant, wacky and immensely lovable, Matt Smith will always be my Doctor.

Images courtesy of BBC

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The Twelfth Doctor Christian Wise

Following on from a pair of highly popular Doctors cannot be easy, yet Peter Capaldi stepped up to the task with great success. Despite being plagued by weak ratings, Capaldi’s era has proven to be a new Golden Age for the show. The Twelfth Doctor was given a brilliantly compelling character arc, going over the course of three series from a spiky, insecure curmudgeon to a man comfortably certain of his own identity, willing to die a hero for people he barely knows, played by an actor just as comfortable when giving profoundly powerful speeches, as he is when fighting Robin Hood with a spoon.

Meanwhile, the exploration of the relationship between this Doctor and his nemesis, the Master (Michelle Gomez) has been one of the most interesting parts of the era, and has given them some great depth, aided by the phenomenal chemistry between the two actors. Add in some great companions, a darker and more mature tone, and all time classic episodes like ‘Mummy on the Orient Express’, ‘Flatline’, ‘Heaven Sent’, and the spectacular finale to Series 10, and it’s clear why the Twelfth Doctor has earned his spot as my favourite Doctor.

The War Doctor Ellis Murrell

Ever the contrarian, I find myself drawn to perhaps the most fleeting portrayal of them all. John Hurt’s weathered soldier, numerically the ninth but canonically out of sequence entirely, only appeared in a single story, fiftieth anniversary romp ‘The Day of the Doctor’. Nevertheless, his performance stands out from the rest, channelling a world-weary, utilitarian brutality that wouldn’t look out of place in a war movie. He’s been cast out from the pantheon of the Doctor’s incarnations for his bloody extermination of Dalek and Time Lord-alike, and yet, the quirkiness of the character still comes out, as he looks into his literal future in the Tenth and Eleventh doctors, with bemusement and all the disconnection of the average golden oldie. Hurt’s tragic death in 2017 means we won’t get to see the character in live-action again, but through new comics, this fresh and bold incarnation can still enjoy new life.

Images courtesy of BBC

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CULTURE

Lessons We’ve Learnt From: Charlotte Colombo

W

hen you think of role models, a horse-man hybrid with an alcohol addiction and selfdestructive tendencies isn’t exactly the first thing to come to mind. Comparisons are often made between Rick and Morty and BoJack Horseman, but what makes the latter stand out most prominently is (surprisingly) its realism and the dimensionality of its characters.

As with Rick and Morty, it is clear to see that the fictional Hollywood and its inhabitants are hardly squeaky-clean protagonists, but in BoJack Horseman this is used as more than a mere comedic device.

These characters are multi-faceted and damaged, and when they make mistakes we see the real-world consequences of this that can’t always be magically fixed. It’s a sobering, realistic exploration of mental health and its consequences. There isn’t always a happy ending but, as bleak as that sounds, that’s an important lesson for people to learn.

So, what can we learn from our titular character? The troubled BoJack is both abhorrent and sympathetic.

Time after time we have seen BoJack do some awful and sometimes disgusting things, but our insight into his abusive upbringing and self-loathing suggests that one can do bad things but not necessarily be a bad person. Or, in the case of his mother, Beatrice, you can see that they’re a terrible person but at least understand that they aren’t born bad. Perhaps it can teach us to be more sympathetic or more mindful of how we have the potential to damage each other in order to avoid it happening in the first place.

BoJack’s story arcs also present the harsh realities of life to us, which is a bitter but necessary pill that we need to swallow. No matter how remorseful he felt for not standing up for Herb or for sabotaging Todd’s success, that doesn’t undo the damage he did to their lives. He feels entitled to Herb and especially Todd’s forgiveness because he realised his mistakes, but he doesn’t get that and isn’t necessarily owed that, either. Sometimes you need to just forgive yourself and move on. Equally, it shows us that even if you do everything right, that doesn’t mean you’re always going to be successful.

As for the other characters, we can learn both positive and negative lessons about how they see the world. We probably shouldn’t aspire to be like Todd in the sense of living on people’s couches and playing video games, but we can adopt his approach in standing up for himself. Todd, especially in the later seasons, learned to not let others take advantage of his naïve nature and isn’t afraid to draw a line.

Equally, with the storyline exploring his asexuality, we are encouraged to accept ourselves no matter how ‘different’ we may feel ourselves to be.

Overall, we’ve seen these characters go through incredible hardships and lose everything time and time again, but we also see that despite the journey not always being easy, they always eventually come out of the other side. So, if you’re ever going through a rough patch in your life, this peculiar dark dramedy shows us that there can be some light, too.

Image courtesy of Netflix

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LIVE

THE EDGE’S FAVOURITE G I G S

I N

S O U T H A M P T O N

Hyping ourselves up for another year of gigs in Southampton, we take a look back at our favourite live performances in the city, and the venues that hosted them.

Circa Waves Tash Williamson Where?

The 1865, Southampton

When?

February 2017

Why?

I t was my first time at the new venue, and the cosy closed-in gig feeling you get, that you might think would trap in such a festival sound like Circa, just made you feel like you were basking in the energy of their set. It was nice and intimate, but you could still, if you weren’t careful, lose people on the way back from the toilets. They played a mixture of their old stuff and stuff from their very new album Different Creatures, which would come out about a month later as a new lease of life for the band. And of course they played ‘T-Shirt Weather’, and it was magic: every “it’s gonna be ok” was euphoric, the lyrics as simple as they are pleasurable to sing out loud.

Wolf Alice Thea Hartman Where?

O2 Guildhall, Southampton

When?

November 2017

Why?

e foursome delivered a show akin to their music: a combination of ethereal and wild moments, Th interweaving their two albums, My Love is Cool and Visions of A Life, in probably the most surreal 90 minutes of my life. Ellie Rowsell was undoubtedly the crown’s brightest jewel, with a vocal range that could go from soft falsettos to aggravated screams that somehow still sounded good, accompanied by the band’s enrapturing guitars. Their performance of ‘Don’t Delete the Kisses’ was the one that dazzled the senses more than the others. The Guildhall (packed to the brim yet still charming) was bathed in the light of a spinning glitter ball, which took Rowsell’s hypnotising performance of this poem of a song to a whole different level - who on Earth would have thought literally talking into a mic to a couple of guitars could ever sound so good?

The Wombats Alice O’Hare

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Where?

O2 Guildhall, Southampton

When?

March 2018

Why?

sing-a-long affair from start to finish, The Wombats perfectly blended timeless bangers such as A ‘Moving to New York’ with newer hits from latest album, Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life, and boy did the crowd (myself included) belt out each and every one of those lyrics. The real highlight, however, was the total euphoria of hearing my favourite song, ‘Emoticons’, live for the first time.

Given that this old favourite comes from the band’s third album, Glitterbug, you can imagine my total jubilation when its opening riff was played - there aren’t many occasions where I’d be happy to leave with a sore throat, but this was certainly one of them. And that’s all without discussing the encapsulating feeling of the venue itself; with its charming, dirty spoons-style patterned carpet and endlessly high ceilings, the O2 Guildhall was the perfect venue to be immersed in such an inch-perfect indie setlist.

LIVE

GIG PREVIEW:

Pale Waves

@ O2 Guildhall, Southampton

Tash Williamson

T

he release of a debut album, specifically My Mind Makes Noises (see the review on page 7), would be nothing without a complimentary tour. Pale Waves, the indie pop group made up of former Manchester university students Heather Baron-Gracie and Ciara Doran, along with Hugo Silvani and Charlie Wood, has had quite a year or two. From playing support for The 1975 in Europe and North America to selling out their own gigs here and over there, the band look to be continuing this momentum, with an album tour that starts in Europe and hops across the pond to the US by late October.

Lucky for us, this tour includes a stint at the O2 Academy here in Southampton on 2nd October, which means central location and high ceilings, where their dark and dreamy ‘80s inspired tunes will float nicely. The Guildhall is probably the poshest venue we’ve got, so it’ll feel like a right treat. Having played The Joiners just last year at around the same time, we’ve seen how the band has evolved over the course of the year from underground sensation to straight up sensation.

After the success of their EP All The Things I Never Said released in early February, which includes ‘Heavenly’, as well as a steady stream of hit singles ‘There’s a Honey’ and ‘Television Romance’

(co-produced by The 1975’s Matt Healy), here’s hoping they play a mix of the relatively old as well as the new. The accomplishments don’t end there, with the band earning fifth place in the BBC’s Sound of 2018, behind the likes of Sigrid and Rex Orange County. Healy even helped direct the hypnotising music video for ‘Television Romance’ last year.

The band are signed to the Dirty Hit record label, joining the likes of Healy’s four-piece outfit, Wolf Alice, Little Comets and The Japanese House.

Although a little less well established – you know how it is with an up and coming band and the purgatory of endless EPs and singles – the new album and the accompanying tour should cement their status and their sound on the music scene.

One meet cute in a Mancunian off-licence and four years later, the song writing duo in singer/ guitarist Baron-Gracie and drummer Doran has gone from strength to strength, with their new album a manifestation of their strong working relationship. If the last few years have seen the rise of Pale Waves, the end of 2018 and the start of 2019 should see them surfing the crest of the wave. The Edge may have just found its new great love affair.

Image courtesy of Lindsey Blane

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LIVE

FREAKY FRIDAY

Festival Edition An American rapper, a golden oldie and a host of indie sensations graced the stages of three of this summer’s major UK festivals on the best day of the week - Friday!

Tom Hills

6th July 2018

As dusk fell and thoughts of sleep and rest began to permeate the vast crowd, the main attraction finally took his place on centre stage. J. Cole has long-standing ties to both the UK and Wireless, having enjoyed great success and longstanding support from UK fans and having debuted in the UK at Wireless Festival when he had just released his first mixtape, The Warm Up. Appropriately, it did take some time for the North Carolina rapper to settle in, with the crowd reacting with lukewarm pleasure to his first couple of tracks.

However, hype began to grow as Cole delivered two tracks from his new album KOD with a ferocity and assurance which appeared to rapidly snap the crowd from its premature slumber.

Building on this momentum, Cole then proceeded to fly through the middle section of his set, streaming off hits such as ‘Neighbors’ and ‘Motiv8’ before delving into his past and conjuring up two crowd favourites in the form of ‘Work Out’ and ‘Can’t Get Enough’. With

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swathes of the audience now pumped up and in full-on party mood, it was time for the US rapper’s final stretch – a mini-set which included four of his biggest hits.

Kicking off with the corny yet brilliant ‘Wet Dreamz’, which had the crowd singing along instantly, he swiftly moved on to the defiant, ebullient ‘G.O.M.D’ before once more inducing the crowd into a sing-along in the shape of his triumphant R&B collaboration with US crooner Miguel, ‘Power Trip’.

For a brief, forlorn second it appeared as if J. Cole’s set had finished without a rendition of his biggest hit.

Would he really deprive us of ‘No Role Modelz’? The answer, resoundingly, was no. As the first notes of the track hit, pure delirium spread across the crowd and carried on for the entire four minute duration of the day’s finale. With one final thank you from J. Cole, the opening day of Wireless had reached its conclusion.

And what a day it had been.

LIVE

27th July 2018 Sophie Jones Although his crew set up the stage with mugs of tea in place of water or alcohol, Rick Astley seemed anything but old. To counter this notion, he remixed one of his songs into Rihanna’s ‘We Found Love’, and covered George Ezra’s ‘Shotgun’; his pleasure in our enthusiastic singing along was obvious on his face.

But there was something we were all waiting for, and he knew it. “Something’s missing,” he said. “I think we need more… drums.” And then, from out of the darkness behind him, wheeled out on a drum kit: Mary Berry (honestly, I’m not kidding). While the crowd screamed in disbelief, she pattered about on the drums for a bit, and then held the drumsticks over her head as we chanted her name. As she slipped back into the darkness, I wondered how even the song we’d all been waiting for would be able to top this. It seemed that I didn’t have to wait long to find out – the drums crashed in and the crowd went wild.

“It’s not that one!” Astley cried out good-naturedly.

“They all sound the same, it’s not that one!”

Amidst our laughs, and cries from some audience members for him to sing it, he said: “Of course I’m going to sing it! Why do you think I’m here?” but revealed that he’d leave it until last to really “take us to the edge.” When the moment finally came, therefore, it was bittersweet.

His energy and sense of humour (and the appearance of a beloved British baker) had already made this performance one to remember. But the experience of singing ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ a capella with an enormous crowd of people, and Rick Astley himself, gave new meaning to Astley’s belief in the spirituality of performance.

3rd August 2018 Harry Fortuna After the necessary boozing (hydration is key, kids) and layering up of the factor 50, we were ready to once again venture into the throbbing arena that was filled with music. Starting on placid terms we went to see Mt. Wolf at the Big Top, where the band’s mellow tunes and relaxing hymns were the perfect calm before the storm.

Before long we had reached the main stage, directly facing Lulworth Castle, in scorching heat but excited to see the all-female four piece The Big Moon. Despite the heat, the band’s indie tunes and dynamic harmonies were so impulsive and lively that they drew the crowd out from under the shade-providing tree adjacent to the stage. Ripping through an inspired cover of Bonnie Tyler’s ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’, the girls invited us all to see them perform again later in the evening, and based on the first performance we couldn’t wait to do it all over again. Second time around was arguably even better, with The House of Vans stage being significantly more intimate, and also entirely shaded.

After a hugely eventful day, we went back to the Castle Stage to see Mura Masa complete a dance-inducing set that drew the biggest crowd of the festival at this point, with everyone engaged from old to young. Back to the Big Top again for us, this time for Sundara Karma, who had the tent filled to the rafters for their banging indie-fuelled set of upbeat tunes that ensured the crowd not only sang along throughout, but etched the likes of ‘Flame’ and ‘She Said’ into my mind so deeply that they were stuck in my head for the remainder of the weekend. Following on, as we delved right into the night, Django Django entered the festivities with a psychedelic performance that perfectly set up the crowd for a night of raving at the many DJ sets.

Read the full reviews on www.theedgesusu.co.uk!

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EDITORIAL

LISTINGS Freshers’ Week - Union Events

Saturday 22nd September - Welcome Festival with Chris Stark Sunday 23rd September Welcome Festival with Drop Division Monday 24th September - Oceana club takeover Tuesday 25th September Funky Disco House with Judge Jules and Astrofunk Wednesday 26th September - Love Island Glitter Party with Jack and Dani and The Mac Twins Thursday 27th September - Switch Project X takeover Friday 28th September - Ministry of Sound takeover // DJ SKT Saturday 29 and Sunday 30 September - OktoberFest Thursday 4th October- Big Night Out Saturday 6th October - The Greatest Freshers’ Ball

Live Music September 22nd – Oddity Road @ The Joiners September 23rd – Delta Sleep @ The Joiners September 29th – Tempesst @ Heartbreakers September 30th – LAUREL @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth October 2nd – Pale Waves @ O2 Guildhall October 13th – The Story So Far + Citizen @ Engine Rooms October 15th – Tom Grennan @ O2 Guildhall October 16th – Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly @ The Joiners October 19th – Wild Front @ Engine Rooms

Theatre Thursday 6th – Saturday 29th September – Women in Power @ NST City Tuesday 18th September – Experiment @ NST City Studio Wednesday 26th September – Saturday 6th October – The Mountaintop @ NST City Wednesday 3rd October – NT Live: Julie @ NST City Wednesday 3rd – Saturday 27th October – Wicked @ Mayflower Theatre Tuesday 9th – Saturday 13th October – The Unreturning @ NST Campus Thursday 11th – Saturday 13th October – Medusa @ NST City Studio Sunday 14th October – NT Live: King Lear @ NST City Tuesday 16th – Saturday 20th October – FUP: A Modern Fable @ NST Campus

Comedy 27th September – Rich Hall @ NST Campus 28th September – Paul Foot @ Hanger Farm Arts Centre, Southampton 29th September – Daliso Chaponda @ New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth 4th October – Joe Lycett @ Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre 11th October – Dylan Moran @ Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth 14th October – Sara Pascoe @ Nuffield Theatre, Southampton 14th October – Pete Firman @ The Wedgewood Rooms, Portsmouth 18th October – Seann Walsh @ NST City

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