Byline Issue 12 by University Express

LOOK INSIDE CCW WITH PROMOTER LEE CAHALANE

What’s Inside...

Headlines of Byline: FILM & TV “Phillip Hayden reviews the latest hit musical Sing Street, Sean Hannon talks Batfleck & the shortcomings in Zach Snyder’s latest DCU effort and Xander Cosgrave discusses grimdark & the place of realism in pop culture”

MUSIC “Resident old fogie Stephen Spillane discusses the changes in the Eurovision voting system & previews some of our favourites to win, Cailean Coffey reviews Kendrick Lamar’s latest, and much more...”

Still Think it Should’ve Been Called Pulp. Full disclosure, I wanted Verge to be renamed Pulp

However for many of you it is simply the beginning

this year, not Byline, because I thought it sounded

of summer, and you are all going to be going off

cool and I wanted to make a load of popular 90’s

doing things, like sitting around annoying your

britpop band references to appeal to the common

parents with your lack of motivation, or going to

people. However, under the logic of, ‘anything

America to ‘Work’ before coming back to college

Xander says that sounds like a good idea is probably

next year with a tan, a weird accent, and probably

still a bad idea’ Pulp was not the name chosen. This

the Clap. Hey it’s an experience though. Overall,

is probably fair, but I will bring it up now when

the bitter nihilism really doesn’t start to seep in

it doesn’t matter anymore. (Designer Note: Even

till November of final year, so you’ve got a ways to

though Rob came up with both new names)

go till you get jaded and fueled only by coffee and disdain.

This is also, of course, the last issue of

Byline for the year, and with that it comes to the

Well this is it then, the last issue of Byline, 2015/16.

time of year where many of us are in the process

I’d like to thank Brian and Rob for putting up with

of floating off into the ether and going to join

my, well, uniqueness all year, and having to share

RealworldTM or alternatively do a masters degree

an office with me. Shoutout to Chris for organising

and stumble onto some campus in September a

#SackZander and I’d also like to thank my team of

withered and bitter husk, as young nubile freshers

trained attack editors, Austin, Aoife, Lauren, Holly,

surround you with their energy and spotty faces. In

Olivia and Colm, for going out and actually finding

either case, the future is bleak, on the one hand, you

things for me to edit, so I only had to write a few

have almost certainly no reasonable job prospects

articles this year. Big props to everyone who has

and will have a 2:1 in Art History hanging on

contributed to these things, because there literally

your wall while you work at Starbucks, or if you’re

would just be pages and pages of photos of me

unlucky, Insomnia. On the other hand, you are

otherwise. Finally I’d like to thank all 4 members of

going to end up being mistaken for a Lecturer or

our readership (tweet @TheRascalCook if you read

mature student, realise that you prefer the quiet bar

this) for making my year long exercise in vanity

in town, and occasionally read a Sunday paper, all

at least partially successful, and I hope you stick

while you dig yourself into a gaping pit of debt. The

around and keep reading. Adios.

world is, as they say, your oyster, it’s just probably going to give you food poisoning.

Also, always remember that the Prime Minister of England has put his dick in a pigs head.

Sorry, I realised I had to do something after May that doesn’t mean I can go to the campus pub when it opens, and I’m quite distraught about this.

#ThanksZander

ARTS & LIT “Colm Furlong reviews the critically-praised book from Erin Morgenstein, Rob O’Sullivan discusses the concept of art itself & Colm previews some upcoming events in Cork”

GAMING “Jonathan Soltan considers the step between console generations, editor Aoife Gleeson talks the next step in the Mass Effect franchise, Kieran Collins talks about a ‘bunny genocide simulator’ & Aoife previews the biggest games of the summer”

HUMOUR “Lauren Mulvihill tells us the truth about life & that whole grass is greener thing, a man who doesn’t want people to fuss about his suddenly missing leg and also the trends from 2016 so far she just doesn’t understand”

INTERVIEW “BYLINE interviews PWG star & International Wrestling hero ‘The Kentucky Gentleman’ Chuck Taylor, and takes a look inside local indie promotion Celtic Championship Wrestling with promoter Lee Cahalane”

BYLINE EDITORIAL STAFF Editor: Xander Cosgrave Designer: Robert O’Sullivan Film & TV Editor: Olivia Brown Music Editor: Holly Cooney

Arts & Lit Editor: Colm Furlong Gaming Editor: Aoife Gleeson Fiction Editor: Austin Dowling Humour Editor: Lauren Mulvihill

FICTION

EDITOR - AUSTIN DOWLING

How the Race Began

by Austin Dowling

The truth was, Shona hated her boyfriend. She hated how graduation was still months in the distance and how their companionship-ofconvenience would remain indispensable until that date. She hated how his bony fingers clutched her thigh beneath the desks at council. She hated how he watched her while they maintained separate conversations at the social which followed, ensuring she didn’t suddenly recede into herself and lose him a vote.

a message preview, or a name at the very least. If it were anything to do with his campaign, he would make her life hell if she failed to let him know.

‘Haha, works for me. I’ll doctor it somehow lol’ read the message preview. The name attached was male, but unfamiliar to her. Shona scrolled back for Smith’s previous message; a photo taken of her while she slept, with the covers drawn off to expose as much of her figure They returned to his house at half-one and he wasted no time shutting as possible. This smelled of sabotage. Whatever Smith was up to, she his eyes for sleep. He would wake at seven, for his run, and return to was sure this would become a weapon, a photo to shame her should curse her out of it until she found her way out of bed and over to the she ever unsteady his chances or sully his name. With no way to gym before college began. Shona elbowed her pillow and stared at reclaim it from the receiver, Shona returned his phone to the bedside Smith’s mouth which was parted gently, freeing deep breaths from locker and took a seat on the edge of the bed. Smith’s crooked legs the stony fortification of his sleeping head. She hated every word she pushed against her back as he savoured the last moments of sleep. had ever heard spoken from his twisted lips, but Shona needed Smith. Though mere minutes, for Shona the time dragged between reading Even strangers said it, Shona and Smith were just more interesting the message and waiting for Smith to rise for his morning run. together than they were apart. When at last he swept the sleep from his eyes, he spotted his shivering Earlier that evening, council had peaked with a social where, with girlfriend staring at the bedroom wall. The spirited yet easily led Shona’s help, Smith had cornered the votes of at least half the class woman he knew was gone; her place taken by a crumbled creature. delegates in advance of the imminent union elections. Her shrill He knew then that this morning she would need no motivation, as laugh and lax attitude, for a student, towards buying other students he saw it, to reach the gym. The confidence which propelled her drinks had really sold them to the science crowd as a solid pair; a towards their companionship had collapsed onto her nerves with bankable brand. For Shona, there was next year to think about, a seat a thunderous thud. Whatever snooping had spurred her to this to run for unopposed if she played her cards right and ran Smith’s disposition, she would never put on such a show unless she wanted campaign with adequate exposure for them both. him to know about it. In that conclusion and that conclusion only, Smith was correct. Shona and Smith had learned to rely on one another as they endured the endless pomp and circumstance of University formals. They kept Without exchanging words or anything more lingering than a pitiful one another from the threshold of inebriation at everything from glare, Smith fled the house for his run. Shona’s theatrical mood had society socials to union meals. Others thought them interesting, this freed the bedroom of his presence, as she hoped. He had left her with solid yet alarmingly sexless unit in the midst of all these hopeless no choice but to retaliate. If he really saw her as a threat, then she was student singletons and undeclared lonely hearts. happy to live up to the assumption. She fished amongst the sheets for her own phone, opened up the group chat she had with her class and At eleven minutes past six, owing to a crying stomach, Shona rose started to type: earlier than Smith and soothed her hunger with a glass of water. Should he see an unplanned inch on her waist he was likely to be “In order to split the vote and thereby increase his chances, Smith has overwhelmed by an irrational suspicion, so she thought it better to suggested I run against him for President. Or maybe he just wants to abstain from an early break-fast. Smith always assumed the worst. As see me resign LOL in the unlikely event I get more votes ;) So I’m gonna she was returning to bed, Smith’s phone lit up at the unsettling ding do it guys, I’ll be running and I’ll need all of you behind me if I’m gonna of a new message. It made no difference to his sleeping self, which pull this off. Love Shona x” had trained itself since adolescence to awaken only to the chime of a more calculable bodily-clock. Shona glanced over for a glimpse of

HUMOUR HEADLINES 1916: Anniversary of ‘Easter Egg Hunt gone awry’ celebrated in Dublin

Science: Scientists measure stretch in the evenings, confirm as being “grand” Culture: Questionable claims of ancestors being in the ‘Ra at an all-time high Education: Secondary school teachers just about holding it together at this stage Health: “You’re going to die anyway, have some cake” say nutritionists

Irish Man with Leg Cut Off “Doesn’t Want to Bother Anyone” by Lauren Mulvihill

An Irish man who had his leg severed in a freak accident has declined any offers of help or sympathy, on the basis that he “[doesn’t] want to put anyone out”. “Ah, sure, I’ll be grand,” John Maher, 46, claimed in a statement made to local media outlets while trapped beneath a fallen industrial machine. “As my mother used to say, ‘I’ll be better before I’m married’. Unfortunately, I’m already married, heh heh!” Mr. Maher was eventually freed by fellow workers and bystanders, who managed to pull the machine off him despite his protestations. It is believed that he then offered to wait on the ground while his rescuers had a cup of tea for themselves. At the time, Mr. Maher’s severed leg lay on the ground approximately a metre away from his body. “I’d complain to the manager, but I haven’t got a leg to stand on, heh heh!” the Corkonian joked with tears in his eyes. [Editor’s note: readers are assured that several witnesses attempted to convince Mr. Maher to file a formal complaint. However, he made a joke about going to the pub and getting “legless, heh heh”, and asserted that this would alleviate any pain or bitterness he experienced.] “We got a call from a co-worker to come down and

bring John to hospital,” Karen O’Donoghue, an ambulance driver, told the press, “but when we got here, he told us we were great for coming, but he didn’t want to put anyone out. In fact, he said he was sure that his wife, Martha, would be able to find a plaster for the wound, and that we should go and have a cup of tea for ourselves.” Mr. Maher’s protests continued as he was attended to by ambulance workers. Despite literally being on the verge of death, he repeatedly said he would be “grand”, and that he didn’t need to be fussed over at all, at all. According to a co-worker, John is alleged to have said “sure what do I have to be upset about? Don’t I have another leg?” before passing out. According to reports from CUH, John is believed to have physically dragged himself to the reception desk following a successful operation in order to discharge himself and “keep from taking up a bed that someone else might be in more need of ”.

Grass On Other Side of the Fence ‘More of a Brown-y Colour’ According to Public by Lauren Mulvihill

Contrary to popular belief, members of the public have recently confirmed that the grass on the other side of the fence is looking a bit brown-y these days.

Crime: Tragic student (20) left faceless after smug look is wiped off Music: Politeness of public continues to enable small white children to rap

TV LISTINGS RTÉ One, Sunday @ 8PM: Showcase of traditional Irish music that any other year would be used as filler on TG4

The grass, which has traditionally been described as greener than average, has apparently become increasingly less attractive in recent years as more and more people have begun to trample all over it. “It looked a lot better over there once upon a time,” according to Margaret McGee, whose middle-class housing estate is situated close to the fence in question. “But then the social medias and all them people arrived and started walking all over it. They were saying all sorts of things about the grass – that it was fake, that it was planted there by criminals, all this stuff.” The grass on the other side of the fence has faced an increasing amount of backlash since its popularity began to rise. According to polls, previous generations have held consistently favourable opinions of the grass, often describing it as ‘better looked after’ and ‘deserving of its reputation’. The rise of social media, however, has led to significant dissention among the public. “It’s time people knew the truth about the grass on the other side of the fence,” claims Paul Connolly, a prominent left-field politician and fence abolitionist.

“The only reason it was so green for so long is because it was stealing the nutrients from the soil on our side of the fence. 1% of the land of Ireland is hoarding over a third of those nutrients, and we can’t let this continue. By trampling on the soil, I aim to show people that underneath it all, that grass is as vulnerable as any other grass. It just got lucky. It’s no better than ours.” Paul’s movement, Grassroots, has been highly successful in turning public opinion against the idea of the grass being greener on the other side of the fence. Many Irish citizens have conceded that their own side of the grass ought to be on equal ground. However, activists still have a way to go. “I’m still on the fence, if truth be told,” says one local, who prefers to remain anonymous. “And it’s letting me observe things on both sides. I mean, sure they’ve muddied the surface of the grass [on the other side], but underneath it all, the soil still has a lot of resources and fertility. I know we should have equal ground, but I’d still quite like to live on a good foundation like that.”

EDITOR - LAUREN MULVIHILL

HUMOUR

The Top Ten Trends of 2016 So Far That I Don’t Understand

by Lauren Mulvihill

There are a lot of things in life that confuse me. Marmite confuses me; roundabouts confuse me - the list goes on and on. But one thing especially that I’ve never fully understood is pop culture. I don’t understand trends. Where do they come from? Who decides what we ought to trend? 2016 so far has already had its fair share of weird trends that deserve a special analysis, in my opinion.

1. The Comic Sans Renaissance

7. “Ride Wit Me” by Nelly

Now, maybe this is just me. Maybe I’m the only one who bothers taking any notice of typeface fashion. But damn it, why have we started using Comic Sans again? Did this not go out of style back in 2008? Comic Sans is the Uncanny Valley of the font world, and I don’t understand why we’re torturing ourselves with it in the Year of Our Lord 2016. The only reasonable explanation is that Irish designers are masochists.

Or, more specifically, why people continue to pretend that they know the lyrics to that shouty part in the middle of the chorus. I’ve been in nightclubs many a time where this song will play and the entire room – myself included – will scream some variation of “EYYY, unskmdsbnu-nu-NAYYY” (the actual lyrics, which I Googled, are “hey, must be the money”) when it comes to that part. Why are we doing this? Do we want to look cool? Additionally, why don’t we know the lyrics to this song yet? It came out in 2000.

2. Highlighting

8. Illegal Downloading

I mean, I like it. I like this trend. I think any beauty product that makes the wearer look as celestial as possible is definitely worth trying out. But where did it come from? It seemed like we had just gotten our heads around contouring when we were being told to add another layer of complexity onto the making-up process. We went from ‘matte-tastic’ to ‘glow-worm’ overnight. What’s the deal?

When I say I don’t understand this trend, I’m not saying that I don’t understand why people are breaking the law to stream films and whatnot. No, what I’m saying is that I literally don’t understand how you do it without getting a souldestroying virus on your computer. You all look like you’re having such a nice time with your unlawful activity and your television programmes. I’m jealous.

3. Dating Apps Now, I know what you’re thinking: “dating apps aren’t a new phenomenon”. The thing is, I didn’t believe any of you when you tried to convince me that this was a ‘thing’ back in 2014. Apparently, people are actually finding ‘dates’ using these Tinder or Grindr or Rockefeller or what-have-you apps. What even is a ‘date’? When did we start going on ‘dates’ in this country? It all sounds a bit airy-fairy to me.

4. The Rising Cost of College Fees This isn’t even a joke. What’s the story?

5. #Hameron This isn’t a trend in 2016. I just don’t understand why it isn’t. Remember that time David Cameron had sex with a pig? Well, you should.

6. The “Tag Yourself” Meme I love this meme. I love it. So far, my tags include Pádraig Pearse, Karl Marx, some manner of colourful blob named Veronica, and a pink crayon named Glub Glub. I thought this practice was lost to the world back in 2009. I have no idea who brought it back, and I don’t understand why, but in this case, I don’t want to question it. Tag me in everything.

9. Quinoa To paraphrase John Lennon: all we are saying, is “when did Ireland become so middle class”? I bought crisps made from quinoa the other day. I have no idea what quinoa even is. It sounds like an exotic name for a venereal disease. What is it, a vegetable? A type of carrot? They sell this stuff in Tesco now – it’s beside the hummus. Just you try and convince me that gentrification isn’t real.

10. My Declining Ability to Control My Own Fate Ah yes, the most confusing trend of all. Where am I going in my life? Who knows? Who cares? A constant state of nihilistic bliss and a self-deprecating sense of humour is sure to be enough to see me through.

GAMING Overgrowth Preview Kieran Collins lets you know if you should try to ‘Bunny Genocide Simulator’ If you’re a frequent watcher of gaming content on YouTube, chances are you’ve already heard of Overgrowth. Video titles provide typically descriptions along the lines of something like “Bunny Genocide Simulator.” Although still in alpha this is, admittedly, a fairly apt description of what this game is all about. Created by Wolfire Games, a San-Francisco based indie studio comprised of only four people, Overgrowth takes place in a postapocalyptic world where humanity has become extinct and humanoid rabbits, wolves, dogs & cats roam the earth. Being an early access game on Steam at the moment it has no story as-of-yet; it’s just a really slick and realistic combat simulator with Mirror’s Edge-style parkour. I’m not exaggerating when I say that the mechanics are the best I’ve ever seen in any game. The combat is fast paced and brutal. Hand-to-hand

combat is always all about timing your hits and block so that you can get the upper hand over your opponent. The damage system is all based on your player-character’s exoskeleton; hits to the head or neck are much more effective than hits to, for example, the arms or legs, just like real life. Also like real life, swords and spears are insta-kills and daggers are equally lethal if you slice your enemy enough times in the correct places. If you have a problem with gratuitous blood, this is not the game for you. In fact the violence is so bloody and realistic that the makers intentionally made the characters animals instead of humans. If you’re only interested in that part of the game you’ll love the arena mode, but you’d be remiss to not try out the game’s fluid parkour system. The main character of Overgrowth is Tucker, whose most identifiable

physical trait is the clear fact that he is a humanoid rabbit. With this being the case Tucker can jump farther and run faster than any human, and can also wall-run & climb with greater speed and distance than the 2008 free-running game. The graphics are phenomenal, especially if you have the PC power to run them at max. In a game populated only by animals things like fur physics are immensely important and the game really delivers. I’m a big believer in only buying an early access game if you feel it is worth the price tag in its current state. The controversial program, launched by Steam in 2013, often contains games made by developers who end up giving up on their projects, leaving you with an unfinished shell of a game. For a single player game Overgrowth is still missing a very crucial element: a story. Wolfire have released a

fantastic in-universe free web comic on their website but it feels doubtful at this stage that Overgrowth will ever be truly finished. It’s been in development & available to the public for 8 years now but recent events have me more optimistic. The four person team, who for years only released an update once every couple of months, have started and continue to expand their team with help in all different sections of game development. Wolfire Games now releases updates every two weeks and post videos outlining what exactly each update adds. For €30 the game is, for me, worth it in its current state, but without any plot or story yet it may not be worth it for you.

What We Know About Mass Effect: Andromeda By Aoife Gleeson Mass Effect 3 came out in 2012, ending the muchloved trilogy on an extremely controversial note. The Mass Effect 3 ending is basically the How I Met Your Mother ending of games, in that it’ll make fans throw up their arms and make a huffing noise, preferring to talk about the rest of the series lest they get really angry. After many discussions, petulant petitions and furious ranting, the series eventually faded into the background, remembered as a great trilogy with a black mark of an ending. Now, four years later, a sequel of sorts has been announced (at E3 2015) with scant details being peppered out ever since.

Even the announcement trailer itself was obtuse and vague. It was basically a few space themed screen savers followed by a guy in Mass Effect armour getting shot at and then looking at a spaceship taking off. Pretty generic space game stuff right there. It also features a new Mako which, ugh, why would you bring that clumsy, bouncing monstrosity back. Hopefully this one handles better than a jack in the box on inflatable wheels. The tagline was the most telling: “Discover a New Galaxy”. This seems to be corroborated by a leaked marketing survey from EA, which says Andromeda “takes players to the Andromeda

galaxy, far beyond the Milky Way, where players will lead the fight for a new home in hostile territory - where WE are the aliens - opposed by a deadly indigenous race bent on stopping us.” Now, that really sounds like we’re the bad guys. Just like us to go to a new galaxy and try to steal everyone’s land, not cool. Does that also mean new alien species? But I like my Turiens, Asari, Salarians, Quarians… Not Rachni though, never Rachni. Honestly, Andromeda is probably a case of a game being announced way too early. The game has been pushed from Holiday 2016 to Q1 2017 and it’s likely to get pushed further. Here’s hoping it turns out great, and we’re not sick of the hype train when it finally comes out.

EDITOR - AOIFE GLEESON

GAMING

Generation 8.5 Jonathan Soltan considers the rumours of updated consoles Usually when you buy a games console, you can be reasonably sure of what to expect. You buy a box to play games on and you stick it near your T.V. for the next 5+ years until the newer box comes out. Things are changing: we’re moving from discs to digital, updates are constant and it looks like the new boxes might be coming out sooner than we all expected. At a recent Microsoft press event the head of the Xbox team, Phil Spencer, made some interesting remarks regarding the future of the Xbox One. He cited the two year cycle of phones as an inspiration and said that we would see Microsoft come out with new hardware within a console generation. This sounds less like the next Xbox and more like a beefier version of the current Xbox. In similar news, there are several

substantiated rumours that Sony might be working on something being referred to currently as the “PS4k”. According to developers it will have a more powerful GPU to possibly allow games to be rendered in 4k resolution. Although others have mentioned that this

may not be possible, even with more the powerful hardware of this new model. All of this is concerning to me for one main reason: I don’t trust Microsoft or Sony to not screw people who bought the original consoles. If the result of this is

simply that a new game runs well on my original PS4 but runs at a higher resolution or framerate on the PS4k, then that’s absolutely fine. What I feel will happen though is that new games will run well on the PS4k and then run

badly on the original PS4. Companies already have a history of doing this kind of thing. Just look at the recent 3DS release of Hyrule Warriors. On the New 3DS it runs okay, but on the original model it’s basically a slideshow. There was also an issue with some later Xbox 360 games that would run abysmally on older systems that had no internal hard-drive.

Although we’re not still even certain if these consoles will even happen, I just feel like we never get the best case scenario with this type of thing. In fact Microsoft have already screwed people this generation who bought the Xbox One that came bundled with Kinect: having been told that the system needed the Kinect to work, a new bundle without Kinect comes out only a few months later, costing €100 less. It’s cool that Microsoft and Sony want their systems to be somewhat competitive with PCs, but the 60+ million people who already own PS4s and Xbox Ones probably won’t be too happy if their games start running worse than they already do unless they shell out €400 for a slightly different box.

Summer’s Big Games By Aoife Gleeson What, there are games actually coming out during the summer? Well no, not really. Of games with confirmed release dates there are a grand total of three confirmed for July and August. So yeah, you’re probably going to spend a chunk of the summer going through your back catalogue or doing things outside. Yet there’s still a few winners coming out in April, May and June. Here’s a selection of a few of the heavy hitters to come:

Quantum Break (Xbox One, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End Mirror’s Edge: Catalyst (PS4, No Man’s Sky (PS4, PC: PC: April 5) (PS4: May 10) Xbox One, PC: May 24th) June 22) Quantum Break is an interesting manifestation of Microsoft’s early emphasis on TV at the launch of the Xbox One. You play as Jack Joyce, a man with the ability the manipulate time as it stutters. Chapters of the game are bookended by digital episodes of a TV show from the point of view of the antagonists. You can make choices at the beginning of the episodes that will affect the game. Whether this is a gimmick, with the episodes being glorified live action cutscenes, or an interesting innovation remains to be seen.

Uncharted 4 was also in our spring preview – at the time it was scheduled to be released in March. Before that, it was to come out in 2015 but some internal problems put a spanner in the works. Despite its numerous delays, it’s almost here and, if Naughty Dog’s previous games and the previews are any indication, the treasure hunter’s final outing should meet expectations.

The dystopian future, freerunning parkour game Mirror’s Edge came out all the way back in 2007. Since then there’s been a fervent little corner of the internet begging for a sequel. The original had its problems (first person parkour can be difficult to manage, the combat was clumsy and the levels were overly linear) but its originality shone through. Now the long rumoured sequel/ reboot has arrived, sending Faith back out to overthrow a shady corporation by breaking into their buildings, stealing things and running away.

No Man’s Sky needs to be seen to be believed: a supposedly endlessly generating galaxy of unique planets and lifeforms to explore – it’s an explorer’s dream and a completionist’s nightmare. The game was announced back in 2013 – it takes time to craft something this ambitious. Hopefully it lives up to the hype.

Other honorable mentions include Overwatch, Dark Souls III and Homefront: The Revolution. You won’t be starved for things to play quite yet.

ARTS & LITERATURE Where Does Art End?

Designer Rob O’Sullivan examines the concept of Art itself

Avoiding the cliché of opening with a definition I’m going to have to add it here. Art is defined as “the expression or application of human creative skill and imagination.” When people talk about art, however, there’s generally a few more quantifiers that are brought up. The first one is quality. Is something that’s bad art? Something objectively bad? Is ‘The Room,’ a serious dramatic film starring, directed, written & edited by Tommy Wiseau, really a piece of art, even discounting its unintentional comedic quality? The second aspect by which things are often judged ‘art’ or ‘not-art’ is palatability. For example, Joshua Hoffine is a photographer whose photos depict childhood fears. They are disgusting, and really disturbing (Pictured here). Some would say that these disturbing images make an even better case for being art, but would they say the same for something like ‘A Serbian Film’ or ‘Cannibal Holocaust?’ Moving away from disturbing qualities (for the most part), is pornography art? By that I mean plain pornography, no story, nothing, just the clashing of bodies in an erotic way. Would you call that art? The third aspect is the commercial appeal of the product. Generally speaking, the more commercial something is, the less artistically it’s viewed. Take, for example, the Hoffine photo I mentioned before: that is completely uncommercial due to its graphic content. If, upon first look, it’s clear that it has no commercial value, that it clearly won’t make money, then surely it must have been made for art? At the complete other end of the spectrum is ‘Real Rob,’ Rob Schneider’s new show that is a soulless, cash-grab mix of FX’s Louie, Channel 4’s Extras & HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. It is so bad that it’s a Netflix Original that is devoid of any Netflix branding. It is the embodiment of commercialism, so it surely can’t be art, can it be?

The fourth aspect is medium. If you hang a painting on a wall of a gallery,

pretty much everyone will contend that it is art. Go to a theatre to catch a play? Art. Seeing a film? For the most part, art. Playing a round of Battlefield or Fifa? ...less so. Video games, out of all mediums, seems to be hit the most by bias against certain types of entertainment, mainly because it’s seen as that: entertainment, something to be consumed en-masse. The question of videogames as art leads into the fifth (and final) aspect I’m going to talk about: intention.

“Go to a theatre to catch a play? Art. Seeing a film? For the most part, art. Playing a round of Battlefield or Fifa? ...less so” Intent can have a huge effect on the quality of the output. However, someone intending to make something artistic doesn’t necessarily mean they will make art. An easy example of this, using videogames, is Indigo Prophecy. The director, David Cage, has regularly criticised the video game industry, claiming that he doesn’t make games for people’s enjoyment, but for art. While Mr.Cage’s later games faired slightly better on the artistic scale, Indigo Prophecy did not do well, being full of shots lifted directly from Stanley Kubrick films, plotlines grabbed from an independent comic in the 90s and several things left unexplained. This game doesn’t seem to be art, as much as it seems to be a game anyway.

Does the intention of the creator have an impact on whether something is art? By the aforementioned definition no, none of these points have anything to do with it; everything created is considered art, essentially. Yet routinely we find people claiming one thing is art while stepping on something else, denying it entry to this exclusive club, without giving much of a reason. Who is the gatekeeper of ‘art?’ Surely, as I opened this article, art has no end; there is no gatekeeper. And that may be for the best.

ART

Art is never-ending; art is the constant in life, from the drawing on cave walls that predate history to the latest One Direction single (#1YearWithoutZayn), art is all around. Art. Looking at the title of this article and then reading this opening paragraph you may be confused, or think that this is an extremely short article. When I ask the question: “where does art end?” I don’t mean when does this art lark stop, when does it finish, when will Zayn return to One Direction; I mean what are the limits of art? Many things are given the tag of art when... maybe they shouldn’t, and some things are denied this status even though they should have it.

EDITOR - COLM FURLONG

ARTS & LIT

Book Recommendation: The Night Circus The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern is, without question, one of the most beautiful books I have ever had the pleasure of reading. This 2011 novel was originally written for the annual NANOWRIMO writing competition which challenges writers to pen a 50000 word novel in thirty days. It went on to become a masterpiece of fantasy fiction. Taking the appearance of a fairy tale like story set in an alternate historical setting- primarily around London, The Night Circus follows the performers of Le Cirque des Réves- The Circus of Dreams- as well as the lives of people whose lives the circus touches at various points. The novel plays with time throughout, jumping back and forward, to and from the circus’ inception, to its heyday, to various other points throughout its weird and wonderful career. We see the performers as children and as adults, we see the circus grow throughout the years as new attractions replace and join the old, and we witness the weird and wonderful magic that brings this tale to life throughout.

While the overarching plot of the novel is very hard to pin down, it can be best summarised thus: Two old magicians pit their brand new apprentices against one another in a magical contest that will last decades- the stage of which is to be the circus. The lives of everyone in the circus, and everyone the circus comes into contact with become part of this epic battle. The circus is the board, the people and the attractions the pawns and pieces. Overall, I highly recommend anyone who has not read The Night Circus picks up a copy right away. It is an astoundingly beautiful read, and although the plot moves slowly, the imagery and writing itself more than makes up for it.

Upcoming Events in Cork Colm Furlong looks at some of the upcoming literary events in Cork

An Evening with John Connolly An Evening with John Connolly discussing his latest book, A Time of Torment, in Waterstones on April 6th at 6pm. Connolly is the renowned author of the Charlie Parker Mystery novels. Connolly’s events are always entertaining; even for those not a fan of his particular genre. He brings a significant amount of humour to his discussions, and this evening is sure to be a great event for all.

Darren Shan Book Signing Darren Shan, acclaimed Irish horror author will be in Waterstones signing copies of the latest book in his hit Zom-B series, Zom-B Goddess on April 16th at 2.30pm. Shan’s signings are always a lot of fun- I attended one at Listowel Writers’ Week a while back, and had a blast. He entertains each and every person, and the secret messages he has for each of his books are quirky and brilliant. Fans of Shan will not want to miss this amazing opportunity to meet the man himself, and should make the effort to head on down there.

1916 Anniversary Lectures Waterstones makes the list again here with their series of lectures on the 1916 Rising. Tuesday April 12th at 6pm sees Dr. John Borgonovo Speaking on “The Rising and the First World War Experience in Ireland”. Wednesday April 20th at 7pm sees Frank Shouldice speaking on “Grandpa, The Sniper”. Finally, Monday April 25th at 7pm sees Gerry White speaking on “Order, Counter-order and Disorder: Cork and the 1916 Rising. For any Irish history buffs out there, this is the event for you.

Cork World Book Fest As part of Cork World Book Fest, on Saturday 23rd April at 8pm there will be an evening celebrating new books at the Triskel Arts Centre. Launching their new short story collections will be William Wall- Seeing Things; and Mary Morrissy- Prosperity Drive. Both talented writers, this launch is sure to be an entertaining and fascinating event for fans of Irish writing and Irish writers.

INTERVIEW

with...Lee Cahalane

Wrestlemania has come & gone and we’re right in the middle of the busiest time of year for wrestling fans. Inside the mainstream wrestling scene some great things are happening: Shinsuke Nakamura is working for WWE (to great effect so far), Finn Balor has renamed his finisher after the 1916 Rising, world-renowned stars like Kota Ibushi & Zack Sabre Jr. are working in WWE’s Cruiserweight Tournament and Michael Hayes was inducted into the Hall of Fame without any major racial incident...this time... but magical things are happening outside the mainstream, in independent wrestling; places like PROGRESS Wrestling in England, EVOLVE in Philadelphia, Insane Championship Wrestling (It’s Yersel) in Scotland and Pro-Wrestling Guerrilla in California. The indie scene is forever evolving, and one of the fastest growing independant promotions in Europe is Celtic Championship Wrestling based out of Cork. I interviewed promoter & professional wrestler Lee Cahalane to take a look inside the workings of CCW.

BYLINE: CCW has been going for roughly 4 years now & had been incredibly successful: What’s been the biggest obstacle to its success, do you think? LEE: Exposure. It takes time to get the name out there and build a solid infrastructure to attract a consistent following. We started with just simply a promotion but now we have a training academy that has roughly 20 full time trainee wrestlers from all age groups. We have used all advertising resources at our disposal, even appearing twice on SKY TV in 2015. Red FM, 96 FM and The Evening Echo have also been very helpful and have shown great interest and support for us over the years which is a huge help. Finally we have brought over a few notable names who have wrestled internationally. Chuck Taylor of PWG fame, Juice Robinson of NJPW to name a few. Our latest acquisition is former TNA Star Doug Williams who will compete at our 4th annual Revolution event on Sunday May 1st. It all brings positive attention to our product. BYLINE: Walking around Cork you can’t not see CCW posters around, you have your own weekly radio show, regularly updated social media; what’s your favourite aspect of the promotions hustle? LEE: My favourite aspect is seeing the results of a successful promotions campaign when we see a full crowd at our shows. And most importantly when you know that everyone has gone home satisfied and entertained. BYLINE: CCW has started to make a name for itself on the international scene, attracting International stars like Dru Onyx, Fergal Devitt and most recently Chuck Taylor. How crucial is this international flavour for the success of CCW?

LEE: As I briefly delved into earlier bringing in well known stars helps to show the quality of our company. It shows that we are a top player in the Irish Wrestling scene. And we have been fortunate enough to work with some of the best wrestlers from around the world. BYLINE: In addition to promoting shows CCW also operates its own school. Who does the majority of the training, and how important is it to train your own talent? LEE: Our Head Coach at the moment is current CCW Heavyweight Champion Ricky Combat. But we regularly bring in guest trainers. In fact

in the near future we will be learning from WWE Hall of Famer Scott Hall. We are very fortunate to be able to do a seminar with such an icon in the Pro Wrestling business. Developing our own talent is very important as it helps with the growth of the company and gives us our own identity. There are promotions out there who just simply bring in imported talent each show but we want to build a legacy and contribute to the overall success of the Irish Wrestling Scene and hopefully create some of the future stars of the business. BYLINE: As I mentioned a bit there, you had Fergal Devitt, now WWE NXT Champion Finn Balor, in to do a training seminar shortly before he left for NXT. How beneficial was he to your trainees? LEE: When you get the opportunity to learn from a 15 year veteran its always going to be extremely beneficial. If we learned one thing from Fergal it was how dedicated you have to be to be successful in Pro Wrestling. BYLINE: Who are some of the stars of CCW we should keep an eye out for in the near future? LEE: We have so much talent in the CCW Pro Wrestling Academy right now. Look out for CCW Heavyweight Champion Ricky Combat. Waterford’s Xavier Burns, Omega, Conor ‘’The Body’’ Charisma. I could keep listing names. There’s a lot of hard workers there. BYLINE: You’ve ran shows in places like the Kino, the Savoy & GAA clubs. What’s your favourite venue that CCW works in (and why) and what venues would you like CCW to run that you haven’t already? LEE: I really liked the visual of The Savoy. But honestly more than the venue itself it’s all about the crowd and we have the most vocal fans in Ireland. I think the dream is to run Neptune Stadium eventually. BYLINE: What do you think of the success of Irish stars around the world like Devitt, Sheamus, Becky Lynch, Big Damo (of Insane Championship Wrestling)? Do you think their success will benefit the Irish wrestling scene in the long run? LEE: 100%. They set the standard and pave the way for the future Irish Stars to follow.

INTERVIEW BYLINE: Speaking of ICW, they have established a cult following in Scotland. Do you see CCW gaining the same sort of notoriety as ICW in the future? LEE: It’s a work in progress and is something we are currently working towards. We have our loyal fans, but we aspire to increase numbers with each show that we do. BYLINE: You’re an accomplished wrestler yourself, recently winning a title in Switzerland. What’s next for Lee Cahalane the wrestler, and what’s the ultimate goal? LEE: The fact that I am able to do what I really love is a dream come true in itself. I always wanted to be a Pro Wrestler when I was younger but unfortunately I had no training facility available to me. I did attempt to travel up the country to train but it wasn’t financially feasible on a regular basis. I set up a school in Cork in 2013, brought in some trainers and finally had the resources at my disposal to learn the art of Pro Wrestling. I started quiet late but I’m doing my best to make up for lost time. I am very realistic when it comes to my goals. I know I may never main event Wrestlemania and I’m OK with that. But I will continue to learn as much as possible and train as much as possible to make myself the most well rounded performer I can be.

BYLINE: What’s next for CCW in the immediate future? LEE: Our 4th annual Revolution Event comes to The Glen Rovers Hurling Club Sun the 1st of May. It will feature 3 huge title matches including Ricky Combat v Lycan for the CCW Heavyweight Championship. Jack Vice and I will defend our Tag Team Titles in a 3 Team Tables Match against The Woods Bros & The sidekicks. Xavier Burns defends his All Star Title and Former TNA Star Doug Williams will face Internationally travelled Jordan Devlin. For more up to date match information Like Celtic Championship Wrestling on Facebook, follow on Twitter @CCWrestling1 or go to our official website www.ccwofficial.com. BYLINE: If people want to train with CCW, how would they go about it? (plug the school, all the deets) LEE: If you are passionate about wrestling check out The CCW Pro Wrestling Academy on Facebook. We are based at Celtic Fitness Centre, Dalton’s Avenue, Off Cornmarket Street, Cork City Centre. Classes are as follows: Tuesday 8-10pm, Thursday 8-10pm and Saturday 3-7pm.

INTERVIEW: CHUCK TAYLOR BYLINE: Some people call you Chuckie T, some call you Big Dust, others call you the Kentucky Gentleman. What would call yourself?

professional wrestling business, and are there any other of your former students we should watch out for?

CHUCK TAYLOR: I don’t even know what to call myself any more. It’s all a blur.

CT: He’s the most gifted high flyer ever. But he also works very hard. I’m super proud of all his success. We have many young students at The Wrestle Factory with bright futures.

BY: First of all, what do you think of Cork & Ireland so far? CT: Unfortunately I only spent about 16 hours in Ireland and most of it was spent trying (unsuccessfully) to sleep in the back of a car. What I saw was beautiful though!

BY: You’re currently on an extended retirement tour, with some claiming you’re going for Terry Funk’s record for ‘Most Times Retired in a Single Career;’ how long can we expect the #DustinChecksOut tour to last? Is there an end-goal in sight or is more of a “we’ll see how it goes” thing?

BY: What was the cause of this European tour?

CT: The show in Cork was my final show. It was fun while it lasted!

CT: A man in England contacted me asking if I was interested in coming over. I said of course. He took care of basically everything in terms of booking shows for me. I would find out I was booked somewhere when the company would tweet me. It was fun.

BY: The blurb on your ProWrestlingTees Store (prowrestlingtees.com/ chucktaylor) mentions a flight with the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase; is there any story behind this?

BY: You regularly work in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, a promotion renowned worldwide for its raucous crowd, amazing atmosphere & incredible workrate. What is it, do you think, that makes PWG so special? Do you think any other company has the same sort of vibe?

CT: Not really. I made that bio the day I was on the same flight as Mr. Dibiase. I thought it was funny. We didn’t talk. He’s very large. BY: How frustrating is it for your name to be immediately identifiable with a pair of shoes?

CT: It’s hard to say what makes PWG so special. I think it has a lot to do with the gentleman that run it. They are all wrestlers who love wrestling. There’s no politics or outside forces at play. There are no egos. It’s a bunch of guys and gals who want to make wrestling awesome. Many promotions have tried to recreate that but something is always missing. PWG is special.

CT: I thought it was super cool when I was 15 when I picked the name. Now it’s just embarrassing.

BY: You sometimes do commentary in PWG to great reviews. Do you see commentary as a potential career path after stepping out of the squared circle for the last time?

BY: Thanks for the time. Is there anything you want to plug?

CT: I hope so. I like doing it and it would be nice to have something after my body eventually quits on me. BY: You also train professional wrestlers, most famously PWG & Lucha Underground star Ricochet. What do you think of his success in the

BY: What’s next for the Kentucky Gentleman? CT: Alcoholism. Binge eating. Video games.

CT: Check out my Twitter and Instagram @SexyChuckieT, go to my website www.chucktaylorwrestling.com. Love each other

MUSIC Come Together for Eurovision 2016 Despite the influence of modern music there’s one golden oldie that refuses to be dismissed. Stephen Spillane takes a look at the controversial song competition and weighs up the options for Eurovision 2016. Love it or hate it Eurovision, though viewed as cheesy and outdated by many, is still the most beloved song contest in the world; its influence has been extremely important for Ireland, both culturally and musically. From May 10th Europe’s (and Australia’s) eyes will turn to Stockholm where the 61st Eurovision Song Contest takes place following Måns Zelmerlöw’s surprise win last year. Hosting the competition for the sixth time, 43 countries will compete for the glory of a Eurovision win in Stockholm. Sweden’s SVT will be hoping for a home win which would allow them to draw level with Ireland’s astonishing record of seven wins. The Eurovision Song Contest is split into three main events: Semi-Final 1 takes place on May 10th, Semi-Final 2 on May 12th and the Grand Final held on May 14th. The theme ‘Come Together’ will have special significance this year following the recent divisions in Europe. Martin Österdahl, Executive Producer of the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest, explained that the message of unity was one of the reasons behind the choice this year: “We believe that the idea of unity is as important today as it was in the 1950s when the Eurovision Song Contest started. The Eurovision Song Contest is never about borders, politics or ideologies. It is about reaching across all the boundaries that separates us human beings from each other”. With big changes in the voting announcements this year the Grand Final will be full of surprises: this year the combined telly-vote of all the countries won’t be announced until the end of the voting sequence and after the results of the National Professional Juries, who vote based on the dress rehearsal the night before. This year will also see the ‘Big 5’- France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, and the hosts performing during the SemiFinals, overcoming the perceived disadvantage of automatic qualification to the Grand Final. They will perform in the same Semi-Final that they are voting in. France, Spain and Sweden will vote and perform during Semi Final 1, while Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom will do the same during Semi Final 2.

Irish hopes lie on Nicky Byrne who performs in Semi-Final 2 with ‘Sunlight.’ Thankfully we will have the United Kingdom voting in that Semi-Final, giving us some hope of getting points and a possible qualification for the final... though if previous years are anything to go by, hopes are low for Ireland. Australia returns to the contest following its special debut last year, while Bosnia & Herzegovina return following a three years absence. Bulgaria and Macedonia are back from a two year break and the Ukraine return after skipping last years’ contest. Surprisingly Portugal have withdrawn from this years’ contest following a string of bad results. It is certainly going to be a great contest in Stockholm, though it will be a hard ask for Ireland to win. By the looks of things we could be returning to Sweden next year, or maybe RTE will partner with SBS if Australia win and host the contest in Ireland, though from a financial side it’s quite unlikely. Either way we have 43 songs to entertain us in May!

Our Top Picks for Eurovision 2016 Ira Losco - Walk on Water (Malta) – Sergey Lazarev - You Are The Only Dami Im - Sound Of Silence (Australia) Odds: 16/1 One (Russia) – Odds: 7/4 – Odds: 10/1 A fast paced catchy song that we will more than likely be dancing to in Chambers whether they win or lose.

The favourites for this year and for good reason. This polished pop song will be the one to beat this year.

Watch the Eurovision Songcontest on May 10th on RTÉ2. For a playlist of all entries see the QR to the right

Poli Genova - If Love Was A Crime Frans - If I Were Sorry (Sweden) – (Bulgaria) – Odds: 25/1 Odds: 6/1 An interesting song matched with a great singer. A winning combination.

Sweden are really going for two in a row with this song. A very catchy tune from Sweden which has already tipped the charts and has charted on Spotify viral charts across Europe.

With the novelty factor gone this year Australia have entered one of their biggest pop stars Dami Im which will hopefully pay off. They have done their research on and have entered a modern pop ballad which have been all too popular in recent years.

EDITOR - HOLLY COONEY

MUSIC

The Changing Face of Music Tadhg Coakley examines the changing face of music and the possibilities we have to listen to music in the digital age. You might want to continue being “authentic”, having your twenty something year old self cart boxes of records around to use for your DJ set in Crane Lane, but there’s no denying the capabilities of modern music has gone beyond anything we could have ever imagined. I was listening to Janis Ian last night and I was surprised at how similar she sounded to Adele and I thought, wow, how little music has changed over the last 50 years. However HOW we listen to music – well that has been revolutionised. I was listening to Janis Ian on Spotify, using my smartphone, connected to wifi, via a Bluetooth speaker and she was being streamed over the web. Now if you played Ed Sheeran or Sam Smith to somebody in 1966 they’d be impressed but they wouldn’t be freaked out; but if you told them how we listen to music these days, they’d think you were mad. And if we think we can predict how we’ll be listening to music in 50 years then we’re mad too. In the ‘60s you could listen to music in cars, on the radio and in clubs, but if you wanted to pick exactly what music to hear it was only possible on your record player. Audio cassettes were still in their infancy and vinyl was top dog. Despite the romantic nostalgia we have for vinyl it only allowed us to listen to albums, a format which presented the songs that studios wanted to you to hear in the order they wanted you to hear it in. As well as that you had to flip the record half way through which to modern ears is far too much effort. The concept of listening to music in any place, at any time and choosing exactly

what you want to listen to was way beyond thinkable. It’s not just the availability and instantaneousness of music that blows my mind these days: it’s the choice, It’s anything you can possibly want, right now, in any order or combination. Playlists are king and not just the mixes of genres or moods (Forever Alone), but for activities (Workout, Dinner), days of the week (Sunday Morning), you name it. We even have the most obscure playlists for those who want to Walk like a Badass or beat PMT. “If you liked Tvärvägen, you’ll love Brothers of End”; “Because you listened to Helios, try Jonsi & Alex”. The music industry is certainly changing but the choice and variety in incomparable, sites like Spotify and Tidal know what you like even before you do. Despite its critics I’m a fan as now I get to hear so much that I otherwise could never have even imagined. Maybe it’s not great for the musicians. Prince complains that nobody is getting rich from digital, but he’s rich enough. I hope John Hopkins is not being ripped off as I listen to and love him, but at least I’m listening to him. If he plays gigs in Ireland I’ll go see him. And the more we listen to great music, the more we live, and the more meaning musicians have. And that’s got to be good, no?

Kendrick Lamar- Untitled, Unmastered, Unstoppable Cailean Coffey reviews the surprise release of Kendrick Lamar’s new EP “Untitled, Unmastered” to see if his success is warranted or just a fluke. Kendrick Lamar is currently the undisputed king of Hip-Hop. With two groundbreaking albums under his belt already, it would be fair to assume that he’d bide his time to release anything else in an attempt to maintain his legacy. Luckily for us that’s not the case, as on the 4th of March Top Dag Entertainment surprised the whole world by releasing ‘Untitled, Unmastered’, a series of songs that Kendrick recorded during the sessions that birthed the Grammy winning “To Pimp A Butterfly”. These songs are only throwaways, a way for the record company to profit on the enigma and rising star we have in Lamar. For most artists that would be the case but, as usual, Kendrick Lamar is the exception, as these are songs that any artist would be insanely proud of. This EP pulls no punches, with the eight songs dealing with topics like religion, poverty, the black community and gang life in Lamar’s hometown of Compton. Of course, being ‘album rejects’ there is a clear link between the instrumentation here and on ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ and there is a sense of disjointedness and complexity within the melodies. However it’s Lamar’s lyrics that really pull him through the project, and the repetitive nature of certain phrases between the songs here add a sense of cohesion. ‘Untitled, Unmastered’ shows the raw grit and determination of Lamar, not only to escape the poverty cycle himself but to act as spokesperson for the black and impoverished communities of America that he himself is so familiar with.

For an album of outtakes it’s incredible to think that these were just going to be abandoned and never heard before this project came to fruition. Does it flow seamlessly between tracks like Lamar’s previous project? No, but if these songs came from the likes of Jay-z or Dr. Dre we would be praising it as a second coming. Kendrick Lamar is at the top of his game and if this EP’s anything to go by there’s no sign of stopping him.

FILM & TELEVISION Review: Sing Street, or ‘All Aboard the Nostalgia Train’ by Phillip Hayden Over the past few years Irish cinema has gotten a reputation for being unforgivingly depressing (a diagnosis which is justly deserved) so it’s actually quite refreshing to get a light, happygo-lucky flick for a change. Sing Street, directed by John Carney, the man who made Once and Begin Again, tells the story of Conor Lalor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), a fifteen year-old Dubliner transferred from his private school to the local Christian Brothers public school. While there he encounters the mysterious Raphina (Lucy Boynton) and attempts to win her affections by asking her to appear in his non-existent band’s next music video, prompting him to get a band together.

“...it’s kind of novel to see a film get so passionate about a period of music that makes people cringe when they hear it” Although I wouldn’t be personally huge into eighties Top of the Pops music I can certainly appreciate it for what it is here. In fact it’s kind of novel to see a film get so passionate about a period of music that makes people cringe when they hear it. However, the film still can’t help itself from including a big speech about how rock and roll “is a risk” which just feels ludicrous when you’re listening to songs like Spandau Ballet’s Gold in the background.

“...full of smoking fifteen year-olds, ugly uniforms and bad haircuts –it’s so tragically accurate” Sing Street starts off brilliantly; a joyous cavalcade of Irish-isms and eighties-isms all to the soundtrack of golden oldies. We see Conor’s new school, full of smoking fifteen year-olds, ugly uniforms and bad haircuts –it’s so tragically accurate. We watch as Conor’s clothes change from ‘crime against fashion’ to ‘crime against fashion’, as he makes his way through his brother’s

record collection: the Cure, Duran Duran & the Jam all make an appearance. Although the film is originally very funny, somewhere around the halfway mark this romantic-comedy starts to get pretty light on the comedy & bizarrely heavy on the drama. This is Sing Street’s biggest problem. Its tone is hugely inconsistent. The film goes out of its way to graphically depict both clerical and domestic abuse yet refuses to explore these issues. There’s one particular scene which is so raw and brutal that it actually reminded me of the torture scene in Lawrence of Arabia, but the film ploughs on, completely ignoring these scenes as it continues on its feel-good tomfoolery. Why bring these themes up if you’re not going to discuss them? The gritty realism that this film sports in the first half of the film, which made it so genuine and funny, starts to come unstuck. For a film that sells itself as an authentic portrayal of 1980s Dublin, it’s kind of hard to immerse yourself in it when stuff like Conor being inexplicably able to afford petrol and maintenance for his Grandfather’s boat starts happening.

“...it goes against the feel of the film, when his character suddenly goes from spouting brilliant one-liners to crying about his abusive childhood” It must be said that the on-screen chemistry between Conor (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) and Raphina (Lucy Boynton) is utterly convincing, and both actors should be commended for their performances. Brendan (Jack Reynor), Conor’s brother and musical mentor, steals the show whenever he’s on screen. However again it goes against the feel of the film, when his character suddenly goes from spouting brilliant one-liners like “No woman can ever really love a man who listens to Phil Collins” to crying about his abusive childhood. There’s no problem having complex characters or themes in a film, but why this film? Why put them in a film that’s supposed to be a feel-good movie?

“Once again the realism this film establishes is contradicted and is to no great effect” It didn’t particularly bother me that Conor, who originally seems to have little talent or interest in music, suddenly becoming a master songwriter –that’s to be expected in any rom-com or indeed

any music-film; what bothered me was the squeaky clean recording-studio quality of the music they played. Not just because it would have been charming to hear the laughable quality of 1980s tapedecks, but also because there was no need for it. The fact that each song was recorded in a studio and the actors are simply miming just pulls you further out of the experience. Once again the realism this film establishes is contradicted and is to no great effect.

“You can tell the filmmakers really cared about the film they were making” Sing Street is a film that means well but unfortunately has some major flaws. You can tell the filmmakers really cared about the film they were making, and really wanted to depict & celebrate Dublin and the music of the eighties. However, the execution is shaky and the film can’t seem to decide whether it’s a fun-for-allthe-family romp or an unblinking warts-and-all examination of 1980s Dublin. You can’t have it all: you can’t lead the audience to believe that they’re about to engage in a load of fun and at the same time expect them to put that fun on hold while you fleetingly mention serious societal issues like clerical & domestic abuse. Sing Street has its moments, and if anything it’s a pity they couldn’t have kept the fun and the energy of the first half of the film going until the very end.

EDITOR - OLIVIA BROWN

FILM & TV

Review: Batman vs Superman - Dawn of Justice By Sean Hannon Arguably the year’s most anticipated blockbuster has arrived: ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ is Zack Snyder’s gratuitous contribution to this year’s surge of superhero films. Taking place after the events of ‘Man of Steel’ where General Zod’s and Kal-El/Superman’s (Henry Cavill) feud has turned Metropolis into a colossal war zone devastated by severe collateral damage. Metropolis has become a city divided, some worshiping Superman as a god-like hero who defended their city while others censure him, regarding him a destructive alien tyrant; luckily for us Bruce Wayne/Batman sides with the latter. Spurred on by the destruction of his Metropolis-based skyscraper which collapsed to rubble during the onslaught, leading to the deaths of many of his employees, Wayne suits up to face Superman finding him to blame for the city’s devastation. Meanwhile our villain Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) gets up to no good as he gets his hands on Kryptonite & a crash-landed Kryptonian ship.

films you will come to realise that most of the effort is focused on the action, with plenty of explosions, fight scenes, aliens, monsters and tonnes of CGI effects. The writing and development of the plot & characters often become subordinate. Jon Favreau, director of Iron Man, admitted that for his Marvel film so much of the budget and time was spent on the CG visual effects that they had very little money left for the script; this meant he and leading actor Robert Downey Jr had to improvise for a lot of the scenes, their improvisation working to make for a highly entertaining romp. This seems an approach most superhero films have in common, and of course Batman v Superman is no exception: visually, the film is an overbearing CGI-saturated mess, but this one area where superhero films lean was a failure in this instance.

If you watch enough superhero

There have been very few times

where I have supported a hero less. Despite being some of the most iconic characters in modern literature, Clark Kent/Superman and Bruce Wayne/Batman are done little justice in this latest portrayal. Here they are depicted as nearsoulless, one dimensional, and severely underdeveloped characters whom one would find it difficult to root for. The casting of the iconic character does not help either. Social media was in uproar when it was announced that Ben Affleck was to play the Dark Knight. At first I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt, but found myself rolling my eyes as I realised the internet was right. While there was very little from the script to work with, Ben Affleck for the most part gave a wooden, deadpan performance bringing little life to the character. In contrast, Jesse Eisenberg’s performance admittedly put a creepy spin on the Lex Luthor character, and he came across as

completely over the top. Eisenberg’s manic and psychotic performance was cartoonish, becoming tedious & irritating very quickly. For the most part I find superhero films fun and enjoyable despite their tendencies to mimic each other, to be formulaic with a more than predictable outcome. However whenever a rushed, slapdash attempt at the superhero genre like ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’ comes along, it’s hard not to be cynical of the genre as a whole. The film is a reminder of the studio’s priorities and Zack Snyder’s film only comes across as a quick cash grab. For the comic book fanatic the film offers a few surprises & hopes for DC Comics’ future in film. It’s a movie with an overly convoluted plot that is told very poorly, making for incoherent disarray throughout. While it provides light, escapist entertainment in parts it is an Avengers wannabe that is an overall soulless, humourless and fruitless romp.

Let’s Talk About ‘Realism’ in Pop Culture By Xander Cosgrave - Byline Editor GrimDark is a term used to describe something that has the settings and theme of everything being bleak and awful, and everyone there being kind of awful too; think the US using drones to blow up terrorists at a wedding sort of awful. With that much moral grey area, this is also the sort of thing people see as the gritty realism they need in TV shows. For lots of things it’s fine; there are lots of books, games and TV shows where it works, because it’s absolutely right to have a certain amount of grit in things if you think they need that. However ‘pop culture’, specifically Film, has gone a bit too far a bit too often, with a degree or trite heavy handedness that really speaks about: A) the competence of many writers and directors these days, and B) how thick they think their audience is, so that they need to make their moral issues as blatant as possible.

“In the tradition of corporate media somebody saw that it was successful and asked for more of it, so we got two Transformers movies” GrimDark can work, I’m not saying we need to avoid it at all, because some shows are able to do

it excellently; looking at things like Homeland or even Jessica Jones we can see actual noncaricaturist evil & hate and actual real moral dilemmas. It is nuanced, and these shows have been rightly successful & lauded because of it. In the tradition of corporate media somebody saw that it was successful and asked for more of it, so we got two Transformers movies that actually tried to incorporate a real ethical debate about, uh, something, Into a franchise that is about robots punching robots in the face.

“Frankly, Transformers isn’t the worst of it; the original cartoon had genocide and dystopian themes, so I can even buy into some of that rolling over” Frankly, Transformers isn’t the worst of it; the original cartoon had genocide and dystopian themes, so I can even buy into some of that rolling over, even if they did a piss poor, heavy handed job of it. It’s the point where you have a character like Superman, who is literally meant to be the greatest example of what a good person can be, break some dudes neck very dramatically; that’s when we have a clear example of people not

getting something, and then using ‘RealismTM’ to make up for it. Grit, GrimDark, whatever you call it, is a useful tool that people need to stop abusing to make up for their own inability to write/direct/produce and make more movies where good guys are good for good reasons, bad guys are bad for actual reasons, and someone is probably just in it for the money. What I’m saying is, everyone should just make more Star Wars films rather than try and ruin our viewing experience with a ‘GrittyTM’ reboot of Jen and the Holograms. Oh, wait, they already did that.

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