Vol. XXIII - Issue 5 - OTwo by The University Observer

OTwo Volume XXIII, Issue 5

The Motions Issue

OTwo//

contents Regulars

Travel

Food

games

6 creative Writing

Film&Tv

letter from the editOrs

14 Photo: MartIn healy

centre

music

Fashion

arts&lit

Fatal Fourway aperture

OTwo Credits editor Roisin Guyett-Nicholson deputy editor Martin Healy oTwo Co-editors Seán Hayes David Monaghan Staff Writers Shane Cullen Adam Lawler Siobhan Mearon Lucy Mortell

Art & design editor Louise Flanagan Chief of Photography Camille Lombard Food & drink editor Rachel Gaffney Fashion editor oTwo Contributors Ause Abdelhaq Laura Addie Darragh Ambrose Laura Brohan Hazel Byrne

Katie Devlin Music editor Luke Sharkey Games editor Aaron Poole Film & TV editor Owen Steinberger

Arts & Literature editor Ezra Maloney Creative Writing editor Chiamaka Amadi online oTwo editor Melissa Ridge

Elaine Cullen Marrissa Dinar Adam Donnelly Daniel Flynn Alice Kelly Mittens the Mystic

Siofra Ni Shluaghadhain Niamh O’Regan Jack Shannon Tadhg Treacy Daniel Whelan

FOR many people, January marks the beginning of something new: a fresh start, a do-over, and a chance to leave all the negative things in one’s life behind them. They are often filled with optimism and ambition for the year ahead, full of plans for success and self-improvement. What these people fail to understand, however, is that the earth doesn’t realise that it has suddenly started over and begun anew. The world is unaffected by the social constructs of date, time and the calendar. The world is simply in constant motion. So as OTwo helps you through this sudden realisation and subsequent existential crisis, it seems rather apt that we should tackle the issue of motion for our first issue of 2017. We are always in constant motion, and we hope that we are always going in the right direction – whether that is in a broader, philosophical sense, or just simply hoping that we’re going in the right direction towards a new classroom on the other side of campus. Granted, many of us will go in the wrong direction this week, towards harcourt Street, and execute some very questionable motions on the dance-floor. Never fear, though, this shocking behaviour can be redeemed, with a little help from some of Ireland’s brightest movers-andshakers, who we have on offer for this issue. Our centre interview boasts the talents of Alex Murphy and Chris Walley, of recent The Young Offenders success, where they sit down and discuss their unprecedented rise from ordinary students to starring on the big screen. Music takes a look at the film soundtrack as not just accompanying a film, but as a respected stand-alone piece of music, while also sitting down with Irish talent David Kitt and local band himalaya. Arts and Literature presents reviews of the latest plays currently on show across Dublin, while also interviewing the founding member of First Fortnight Festival, Ireland’s first mental health arts festival. Film & TV takes a look back on the past year, and highlights the very best moments of the golden and silver screens, while also reviewing what’s running in cinemas right now. Our fashion shoot presents the latest, upcoming trends for 2017 while also examining the hottest looks on this award season’s red carpet. Games, meanwhile, reviews the newest games to hit the shelves while Food investigates the origins of Dry January, a notion widely spoke of, but rarely observed within the student community. So even if you do find your resolutions begin to slip already, hopefully the content we have on offer this issue can encourage you to keep going, keep working, keep dancing and in motion.

Happy new Year! david + Sean

OTwo//

Soapbox: Driving Tests

MYSTIC MITTENS ARIES

LIBRA

Mittens would have set some resolutions for this New Year, but Mittens is already purr-fect. Mittens is going to keep doing what Mittens always does – predicting dank horoscopes for all you dope readers.

You wisely decide not to have a resolution so that you don’t disappoint yourself when you ultimately fail. You will still disappoint yourself and the people around you.

TAURUS

You were single for Christmas, and you didn’t have a kiss for New Years either. Mittens can foresee that this will remain much the same for Valentine’s Day.

Your goal for 2017 is to accomplish the goals of 2016, which you should have done in 2015 because you promised them in 2014 and planned them in 2013.

GEMINI Let old acquaintances be forgot, unless, of course, those tests come back positive.

CANCER You will quickly learn that telling people your New Years resolutions so that you have to stick to them is a useful way of finding out that nobody cares.

LEO In an effort to begin eating healthily, you decide to eat all the junk food in your house so that it doesn’t tempt you. Unfortunately, you live in Babylon most nights of the week, and they’re not running out of curry-cheese chips any time soon.

VIRGO

Your plan to leave most modules until the second semester so that you could pursue your life-long dream of becoming Grand Master Sesh-Moth of Harcourt Street last semester doesn’t seem like the best idea now.

SCORPIO

SAGITTARIUS It’s true, 2016 was a terrible year for most of the world, but don’t worry, 2017 is going to be even worse for you.

CAPRICORN If you haven’t made a list of resolutions yet, don’t worry, it’s not too late, just make a list of everything you did this weekend and write “Stop” before it.

AqUARIUS You plan to start this semester with a golden week. Unfortunately, your colour-blindness will cause you to have a black week instead.

PISCES As you enter into this second semester with unrealistic hopes and ambitions, you would do well to take on Mariah Carey’s mantra after her New Years performance: “I’m trying to be a good sport here. It just don’t get any better.”

“DID you die though?” That’s the question I keep asking them. The eternal inquiry as it were. “Did you die though!?” Alas, the tank top wearing scoundrel won’t give me the satisfaction. He simply resumes his work without so much as a whimper. This unfulfilling exchange marks the sixth time I’ve failed my driving test. Most people at this stage would assume what appears to be the obvious, that when it comes to getting behind the wheel I’ve been afflicted with a crippling case of SpongeBob syndrome. It seems that roadkill enjoys a better relationship with cars than I do. Luckily, I know better. There is a national conspiracy at play, one which seems determined to keep me imprisoned here on Provisional License Island. My first suspicions were aroused when I was asked to take my test with a literal robot in the passenger seat, an unfeeling android programmed to spew out vague directions for half an hour and then tell me I suck in the aftermath. Also, enough with the patronising “stop at the stop sign” nonsense. I sure as heck didn’t throw away six years of my life toiling over Sraith Pictiurs so I could then spend the rest of it pondering the implications of a red octagon with the word STOP printed on it in all capitals. And don’t get me started on that theory test malarkey. It’s all common sense – “what colour comes after green on a traffic light, when should you park on the edge of a volcano” (fucking never, by the way) – until they unload their revolver with such delights as “what is the standard tyre tread depth of a lorry in wet conditions?” Also, having studied Geography all my life, I have never once cared to consider where the windscreen washer fluid is until the day my robot instructor overlord willed it. Very little feels based on skill, knowledge and the appropriate execution of the vehicle’s functions. It seems more like an utter crapshoot, a mad scramble to hopefully guess what the instructor’s thinking whilst also praying they’re in a good enough mood to direct some charity at you. Seriously, why do these guys always look like they’ve seen more horrors of the human race than they care to admit? Is the standard of driving really that poor? I wagered a guess that there must be some prejudice involved, that a confident young man such as myself boasting a pinch of rascally, boyish charm is a cause for concern for any instructor stepping into a car with me. But not even making a good, sweater-vested first impression seems to be able to cut the mustard. I’m not even angry at this stage. I’m beginning to dissolve into a lumpy state of apathy towards the whole situation. I live in hope, mind you, that seven really is a lucky number, and that on my next attempt I will correctly come to the conclusion that I was supposed to deliver the instructor’s child while negotiating a roundabout. Until then I will grumble in top gear. In all my driving experience, I have made only two mistakes: one old lady and a cat. And let’s get real, that cat has at least five more lives.

Words: Adam Donnelly Illustration: Joanna O’Malley

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A r t s a n d C u lt u r e – News and Events Humans of Dublin: Dublin One has teamed up with photographer Peter Varga of Humans of Dublin to create an exhibition featuring individuals from the Dublin One area. Varga spent an entire day capturing the lives of the people living and working in what Dublin One has on offer. The photography exhibition, ‘Humans of Dublin One’ is free to the public and is currently displayed on the first floor of Jervis Shopping Centre. Dublin One is on the city’s North side and spans from the streets of O’Connell Street, west to Capel Street and on to the end of Liffey Street. Varga was working in a Dublin café when he decided to follow his passion and dedicate himself to photography. He began the social media phenomenon that is Humans of Dublin, whose Facebook page has over 100,000 followers. For more information, visit Dublin-One.ie and humansofdublin.ie.

Beyond Caravaggio Exhibition: As part of a collaboration between National Gallery, London, the National Gallery of Ireland and the National Galleries of Scotland, this highly anticipated exhibition, Beyond Caravaggio, opens in the National Gallery of Ireland on February 11th. It brings together over 40 major works, including four master paintings by Caravaggio, complemented by other significant masterpieces by his followers: ‘the Caravaggisti’. Many of the works in the show are on loan from private collections, and regional galleries, and this will be a rare opportunity for visitors to see works not easily available to the public. The gallery has also organised a wide-ranging public programme to accompany the exhibition, including free talks, event lectures with Caravaggio specialists and art workshops. Ticket booking for the exhibition is now open (admission €15/ concession €10). For more information see www.nationalgallery.ie

Takin the Mic: The Irish Writers Centre begins the new year with their monthly Takin the Mic event, which welcomes poets, prose writers, songwriters, musicians and comedians of all levels and profession to come together on stage and take part in their monthly open mic night. Taking place in the centre on Parnell Square on January 27th at 7pm, the event will be hosted and MC’d by writer, actor and comedian Paul Tylak. Performers have five minutes on stage, and are advised to sign up for free via Eventbrite. The event is BYOB, and a great opportunity to both hone your skills as a writer and performer, and meet other, like-minded, experienced and interesting people.

Audi Dublin International Film Festival: The Irish Film Institute (IFI) is set to once again partner with the Audi Dublin International Film Festival to present four films at its Temple Bar venue this February. The screenings include premieres of Paddy Cahill’s Amanda Coogan: Long Now and Jamie Thraves’s Pickups. Also screening are two new documentaries from the Arts Council’s Reel Art scheme, Ken Wardrop’s The Piano Lesson, and John Murphy and Traolach Ó Murchú’s Photo City. This influential scheme is designed to provide artists with a unique opportunity to make highly creative, imaginative, and experimental documentaries. Screening times at the IFI are as follows: Amanda Coogan: Long Now – Saturday, February 18th at 12.00; Pickups – Saturday, February 18th at 20.15; The Piano Lesson – Monday, February 20th at 18.30; Photo City – Tuesday, February 21st at 18.00.

What’s Hot & What’s Not HOT:

NOT:

Fake News:

Sherlock:

Despite the all-conquering rise of fake news, OTwo will remain determined to bring you only the very best (and very true) going-ons in pop culture. Just like an old person determined not to use a mobile phone, or an obnoxious teenager saying they were “born in the wrong decade, man” OTwo will strive to live in the past where ‘real news’ was funky, groovy, and fresh. Keep it retro, that’s what we say. Now get off our lawn, stupid kids.

OTwo is offering a very healthy bounty to anyone who can explain what happened in the new series of Sherlock. The show, even in its prime, was always a bit daft, but sure, it was still terrific. We think the series finale went something like this: a lady was like “hey, I’m your sister” and there was a massive explosion and then they were like were “yeah that’s grand” and then there was a boat nicked at some point and then some glass that wasn’t real and there was a dead guy making train noises and also there was a girl in a plane, and then it was like “hey maybe another twist” and then she wasn’t. Just chill out for like a second, Steven Moffat.

The Young Pope: As eagerly awaited as the first mild breeze of spring, the world waits in anticipation for the first meme of the new year. Wait, what’s this? There’s a TV show where Jude Law plays a thirsty, smoking Pope? He’s the Pope… but young? It’s called The Young Pope?!? 2016 may have been a slow moving car crash, but 2017 is already off to a flyer.

Ryan Gosling’s Face: While the Hubble Space Telescope was invented so we could peer into the deepest depths of space, there’s a phenomenon much closer to Earth that needs inspection. We need to examine, at an incredibly minute level, why His face is just so lovely. Even when his character in La La Land is a cranky mansplainer who won’t stop droning on about jazz, you still can’t resist the glare of Him. Don’t Google “Ryan Gosling’s lovely face” with SafeSearch turned off, unless you want your face to melt off like at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark.

The Death of Vine: Not since the cruel, cruel death of Bebo (OTwo still has some Flash Boxes hidden on a hard drive – try and stop us Zuckerburg) has the internet mourned such a titan of absolute nonsense. Yeah sure it was mostly full of absolute shite, but there was beautiful art hidden amongst the dredge. We laughed, we cried, a guy threw a watermelon across a Wal-Mart for some reason. Stand and be counted, for you are all heroes.

Ticketmaster: If Pressie Trump is indeed the devil with a “bad toupée and spray tan,” the suits at Ticketmaster are his minions. Some of their fun “service charges” might have gone away, but we all have a Ticketmaster horror story to tell. Up since the crack of dawn, furiously smashing F5 only to end up empty-handed? And then suddenly the various ticket touting websites have hundreds of tickets at triple the price. Some people are right bastards. The Earth shook at the very core due to the rage of Yer Da shouting about not getting U2 tickets. It’s a scam, so it is.

OTwo//Travel

L i s b o n : Queen of the Sea To help beat the January blues, Roisin Guyett-Nicholson suggests a possibility for your summer trip. photo Credit: Roisin guyett-nicholson

Avoid the bland coffee machine in

but does have the same blend of

your hotel room and opt for the much

architecture.

better options in any of the cafés

adventurous you could take a day trip

you can’t cross Lisbon without seeing

to Nazaré or Óbidos. Both places are

a café.

about an hour away from the city and

Most of them will also stay open

“To get the best view across all seven hills visit Castelo de São Jorge.”

View of the city from Castelo de São Jorge

trips. Nazaré is a small seaside town

the city’s main thoroughfare, Avenida

but it’s high cliffs over a fantastic view

da Liberdade. Based on the Champs-

of the Atlantic ocean. You can walk

Élysées, the Lisbon alternative is much

up the cliffs if you feel particularly

calmer and more relaxed. Take a seat in

energetic. There’s also a cable car for

one of the many café’s along the tree-

those of us less determined.

lined avenue and you’ll feel like you’re in a Hollywood version of Paris. It opens onto the Eduardo VII park,

today. Visiting is like stepping back through time, as all the buildings

At the top of the park the largest

have the same aesthetic. For the best

Portuguese flag in the country is

experience, you can walk around

normally flown.

the walls and see the area for miles

offers up close views in the heart of

Lisbon boasts a beach in the heart

opt for Amsterdam, Paris or Berlin.

the city. However, to get the best view

of the city. However, it is small and

However, if you’re thinking of trying

across all seven hills visit Castelo de

being by the main square it tends to

somewhere a little bit different this

São Jorge. The old settlement contains

be busy on hot days so for a quieter

summer, give Lisbon a try. Tucked

the ruins of a castle and wide open

atmosphere you would be better to

away in the corner of the Iberian

courtyards, with their own population

travel outside the city for a breeze.

Peninsula, this relaxed city is definitely

of peacocks. Concession tickets are

worth a visit.

offered to students and there’s also a

minutes away by train and has a

On the bank of the large river Tagus,

The town of Cascais is only 30

restaurant within the grounds, so you

fantastic beach, as well as similar feel

capitals, Lisbon is definitely the most

can eat your dinner while enjoying the

to Lisbon. A bit on the quieter side,

relaxed. Settled by the Roman and

breeze.

the town is mainly a holiday resort

close to the sea there’s a huge choice

been discovered in the last 30 years.

of fish, which is usually barbequed and unbelievably tasty. For desserts too,

part of town is Chiado. Right beside

there are cafés with pastries on offer,

the river, the area has the most

but for the best choices visit Pastelaria

museums and cafés, though is a

Casa Brasileira in the old town or

magnet for tourists. This is where you

Pasteis de Belém in the nearby seaside

will find the beautiful winding streets

town of Belém.

This area is also home to the world’s

Here you can sample the local Paistéis de Nata, a small custard tart. They’re perfect for breakfast or a small

oldest operational bookshop. The

snack during the day, especially with

Bertand bookshop, now a chain across

coffee.

Portugal, opened in Lisbon in 1732. The

“Take a seat in one of the many café’s along the treelined avenue and you’ll feel like you’re in a Hollywood version of Paris.” photo Credit: Roisin guyett-nicholson

city and surprisingly cheap. Being so

buildings. A lot of these have only

will have their tables outside.

around.

The food is delicious all over the

archaeological sites, hidden beneath

and in the summer, all the restaurants

only 3,000 people still living there

locals on weekends and in the summer.

whistle-stop tour of Europe often

The oldest and most picturesque

Óbidos is an old Roman fortified city, on a hilltop. The town is tiny, with

a long and uphill area, popular with

to the Elevador de Santa Justa, which

Muslim empires, the city has numerous

most tour companies will combine the

late into the night, including along

MOST students embarking on a

An old city like most European

If you were to a bit more

across the city. Like pubs in Dublin,

If you like your caffeine hit, you can’t

store has only moved once, following

go wrong with the coffee in Portugal.

an earthquake in 1755. To fulfil all

Espressos are served in every café and

your Harry Potter fantasies, you really

you won’t get anything like it here.

should visit. The shop only has a small collection of English language books, but it does offer a selection of works by Portugese writers translated to English if you want to soak up some of the local culture. Within the city, there are countless panoramic views. Most tourists flock

“If you like your caffeine hit, you can’t go wrong with the coffee in Portugal” Torre de Belém

OTwo//Food

The Food Trends of 2016 Laura Brohan looks at the food trends that came to define Irish cuisine in 2016. 2016 was a year of extremes, and food trends were no exception. On the one hand, there was a massive growth in wellness-focused foods, yet our healthy food obsession has not led us to entirely forget about sweet treats. However, instead of being satisfied with traditional sweet treats, consumers are leaning towards gourmet delicacies including doughnuts and freakshakes. Food trends are dictated not solely by taste but also appearance and there have been a number of foods that have consistently popped up on social media throughout the year. Ireland’s growing love of fitness has catapulted health and wellness food brands from hipster outliers to mainstream fixtures. Dublin has seen the expansion of much-loved salad chains Chopped and Sprout. Leading Ireland’s healthy food obsession are the Flynn twins of the Happy Pear in Greystones who are redefining what people associate with plant-based food. The two brothers have expertly used social media to promote what they refer to as “veg power”, in other words, a plant-based diet. There has been a massive growth in plant-based food as people are moving away from the traditional “meat and two veg” meal to healthier plant-based meals such as Buddha bowls. Sugar usurped fat as the villain of the food world last year. Consumers shunned highly processed sugary foods and instead turned to healthy fats. Our scramble to include more fats in our diets has led to a surge in all kinds of nut butters on the market. Health food stores and even local supermarkets now carry a broad range of nut

butter including almond butter, crunchy peanut butter and cashew butter. One of the best selections of nut butters in the city can be found in Bodyfirst nutrition, home to the wall of nut butters. Nut butters aren’t the only food fuelling our desire to eat more healthy fats. Avocados reigned supreme as the best source of healthy fats. Its creamy texture coupled with the health benefits it offers means it has become a firm favourite. However, our avocado obsession has a darker side. The rapid rise of avocado has led to an increase in avocado farming in regions such as Mexico. The danger of abandoning other crops to grow avocados is that if consumer tastes change, farmers are at risk of losing their livelihoods. The massive leap in demand has also led to a danger of a global avocado shortage, which will inevitably raise prices. For now, however, it remains a staple food on brunch menus and in kitchens across the country. There has also been a shift in the snack food market from traditional chocolate bars to “fitness” snack products such as protein bars. Protein bars have moved from sports nutrition shops to a prominent position front and centre on supermarket shelves and petrol station shops. The growing obsession with protein-based products often drove people to turn to protein bars with high sugar contents accidentally. One

“There has been a massive growth in plant-based food as people are moving away from the traditional ‘meat and two veg’ meal to healthier plant-based meals such as Buddha bowls.” 6

fantastic Irish product that saw huge success in 2016 was Fulfil bars, a protein bar, which boasts a lower sugar content than other popular brands and added vitamins. Wellness teas have been prominent for some years. 2016 marked the meteoric rise of matcha tea. Matcha tea differs from a typical brewed tea because rather than steeping tea leaves in water, matcha tea consists of ground tea leaves mixed with water. The use of powered tea leaves creates matcha’s distinctive leafy green colour. The health benefits of matcha tea are greater because tea leaves are consumed. If you drink a cup of matcha tea, you ingest more antioxidants than you would sipping on a cup of brewed tea. It is an acquired taste, however the naturally occurring caffeine makes it an ideal drink for

people looking for a healthier alternative to coffee. Matcha lattés are the perfect drink to help you power through an essay. For the best matcha lattés in Dublin, head to the Kaph on Drury Street. Food trends did not ignore junk food entirely. One sweet treat stood out among the rest, and that was gourmet doughnuts. Dublin is home to a growing number of speciality doughnut shops including Aungier Danger and Offbeat Donut Company. Offering every conceivable sweet flavour from red velvet to salted caramel, doughnuts were a delicacy worth the hype it received in 2016. With Offbeat open up a second branch on the quays, hopefully this is a delicious trend that will last.

“Food trends are dictated not solely by taste but also appearance and there have been a number of foods that have consistently popped up on social media throughout the year.”

OTwo//Food

The Best of the Brunch

Ause Abdelhaq chomps down to determine the best brunch of the bunch in San Lorenzo’s. promotion of the meal and also because of its continued exaltations on countless Dublin food blogs. Upon arriving, after much deliberation, I decided to go for the Coco Pops crunchy French toast, while my friend ordered the Breakfast of Champions. The French toast was expectedly delicious; served with salt caramelised bananas and gorgeous Belgian chocolate sauce, it proved to be every sweet tooth’s dream. The Breakfast of Champions was a little less exciting; although the baked beans were wonderful and the eggs done well, the sausages were undercooked and the rashers were more fat than meat. I’d heard a lot about the New York Nutella cheesecake, so I had to try dessert – the portion was on the small size however. To give credit where credit is due, the dish was absolutely divine; I had expected to be disappointed, what with all the hype, but there’s no arguing with quality. It was truly scrumptious, to the point where I would almost recommend visiting the restaurant for the cheesecake alone. Ultimately, the food at San Lorenzo’s is of a really high quality – bar the pork in

the breakfast, everything was perfect. Plus, there are other upsides to the restaurant; the service was personal and excellent, and the décor was extremely chilled out and relaxed. A minor concern might be the price of each meal, with most coming in at around the €15 mark, but the price is worth paying for the high quality. Generally speaking, whenever you go to a place which has been lauded as one of the best in the city (for anything), you can expect it to

perform a little under par. The downside of fame is that people’s expectations of grandeur are implicit in their custom. That said, it would be wrong to say that San Lorenzo’s doesn’t deliver an incredible brunch as far as brunches go. The price is reasonable, the food is of good quality and, although they could do with making the portions a little bigger, dishes like the French toast and the cheesecake mean that they more than earn their spot amongst Dublin’s best brunches.

Photo credit: San lorenzo’s facebook

ONE undeniable thing about Dublin is that when it catches on to a new food craze, it really commits to it. For most trends, like pulled pork or burritos, their life expectancy is a year if they’re lucky. Mark my words, in two years, everyone will be reminiscing about the time the capital went donut-crazy with a fond smile and a shake of the head. However, one trend which doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere is brunch. Popularised during the mid-2000s, brunch in Dublin has become such a mainstay of city life that at this point, you’re unusual if you haven’t tried it. There are plenty of candidates for the best brunch of the bunch – San Lorenzo’s is one such candidate with their infamous #brunchofchampions, a campaign which proved to be so successful that the restaurant is now synonymous with the meal. To get a table at San Lorenzo’s, I had to book five weeks in advance. Trying to walk in and get served is simply impossible, which explains the strict 75-minute capping rule they have in place. Knowing this, when I finally got to try their brunch, my expectations were quite high; both because of their

San Lorenzo’s Coco Pop French Toast

Adventures in Sobriety Looking at the recent phenomenon that is Dry January, Niamh O Regan questions whether it’s worth it and provides some non-alcoholic alternatives. THE most common resolutions never change, drinking less being one of them, often starting with a “Dry January”, 31 days of no alcohol consumption. It apparently started in 2011 when one woman decided she wanted to run a marathon, and gave up drinking to make her training easier. Terming this period as “Dry January” stems

from this, and the term was trademarked by Alcohol Concern in 2014. It is now an official partnered campaign with Public Health England, inspiring people to give up alcohol to save money, reduce their waistlines, sleep better and be healthier. The Irish Heart Foundation run their annual campaign for Dry January called “On the Dry” in the hope to raise awareness of how excessive alcohol consumption can negatively affect the heart. Some people, students especially, undertake a dry January, not because they want to fundraise, but in part because of how much they have spent over Christmas and how much they have had to drink. There’s also an element of “New Year, New Me”; alcoholic beverages are often very high in calories, and don’t help with the resolutions to lose weight and generally be healthier. January might be one of the easier months

for students to commit to as well because of how late many universities start back. Less opportunity to go out and drink means one is less likely to crack. This raises the question however, of what Dry January actually achieves. One of the rewards people give themselves for enduring the month long alcohol sabbatical is a drink, or several drinks and the several drinks continues throughout the rest of the year until the next January comes around. Does it raise awareness and influence someone to only drink within their unit guidelines? Or do people hope that their tolerance will drop slightly so that they won’t have to spend as much on a night out? Results, of course, are mixed, but it does have a positive impact on some people. The aim is not to stop alcohol consumption, but to encourage a safer consumption. Not drinking shouldn’t be a sacrifice however, it shouldn’t be a daily thought or craving, and in this way Dry January can be a very good thing. It can highlight the necessity to change certain drinking practices quite early on. The sooner practices are changed,

the easier it is to maintain them. The entire existence of Dry January raises an issue of our relationship with alcohol and everything we associate it with. There’s an active knowledge of how alcohol negatively impacts our health and yet people must force themselves to give it up. Stranger still is the reaction to a Dry January. Many people are surprised that someone is undertaking it, saying that they themselves wouldn’t be up for it, or wouldn’t be able for it. It’s recommended if you are undertaking one that you tell people about it, so that they’re aware and can support you through it. Many places have copped on to the trend for Dry January, providing recipes for non alcoholic cocktails and carefully crafted cordials so that going to a party doesn’t result in the option of only drinking water for the evening or rotting your teeth by drinking something chemically sugared. Bottle Green make a ginger and lemongrass cordial which dilutes very well with sparkling water and provides a substantial enough kick that if some lime is added, it tastes quite like a Moscow Mule, but more hydrating and hangover free.

OTwo//Games

Review: Steep Aaron Poole

Platforms: PC; PS4; Xbox One Developer: Ubisoft Annecy Publisher: Ubisoft Release date: December 2nd, 2016 IN the world of sports games, a niche corner exists to accommodate the likes of skateboarding, snowboarding, driving, cycling etc. This sub-genre reached its peak in the early 2000s, resulting in the likes of Tony Hawk’s

Pro Skater, SSX and the original Need for Speed in the home of almost every console owner. Since then, its popularity has dwindled, with many of the original titles receiving horribly made reboots to try re-invigorate modern gamers. Steep, a new title from Ubisoft, dares to tackle this genre from a new angle, as it attempts to inject a dose of freshness into the world of interactive extreme sports. Let me start by stating that Steep is differ-

ent, and unlike any game that has preceded it in this genre. The unique experience that Ubisoft has created leaves the player to their own devices; there is no story, no narrative to follow. In a massive, open-world winter landscape set in the Alps, you’re given the freedom to have pure, unadulterated fun. To encourage this, the player is granted access to an abundance of equipment (a set of skis, a snowboard, a paraglider and wingsuit) from the outset. You’ll find yourself spending ages zipping down the beautifully designed slopes of the massive mountain ranges before even tackling the game’s objectives. As far as gameplay is concerned, the core objectives follow a series of challenges that correspond to each of the forms of snow sports. These accompany the player’s equipment; skiing and snowboarding challenges will task the player with a race of sorts against either NPCs or real players. While gliding with your wingsuit and paraglider you’ll be challenged with travelling through set routes as fast as possible, with your end time securing you a bronze, silver or gold medal. These experiences are kept fresh by the vast variety of slopes, tracks,

“There’s a true suspension of disbelief created” and ranges included, aided by dynamically changing surroundings as a result of changing weather conditions. While it might be a bit of a cliché to say Steep is a breath of fresh air, there’s no denying that it offers a new and welcome experience that has injected interest into a floundering genre. There’s a true suspension of disbelief created as you create your own challenges in skating down the side of a mountain, all the while taking in the beautiful, bright vistas of the snow-capped Alps. In a world dominated by games that contain emotional and gripping storylines, it offers a break away from the usual, inviting you to unplug yourself from reality and have fun in a unique and enjoyable way.

Review: Sid Meier’s Civilization VI Tadhg Treacy RENEWING its claim to the throne of a genre of its own creation, the latest instalment to Firaxis’ Civilization series has once again rocked the world of turn-based strategy games. While its predecessor was arguably the quintessential strategic gaming challenge of this decade (boasting some of the largest user statistics for a game on Steam) Civilization VI brings the series into a brave new world, where both tactics and artistry collide. What’s immediately striking is the overhaul of the game’s traditional look. Civilization VI abandons the raw, gritty style of its predecessor, where each hexagonal tile is a strategic plot of land or sea, for a more cartoonish approach, featuring bright hues dominating the screen. Does this simplified look hint towards ease of access, especially for younger or new players? Yes, without a doubt. But does it detract from the game in any way? Not at all. In fact, there’s something strangely serene about watching waves crash and lap against the shore of a wind stroked beach as armies descend upon your cities. However, few have ever played the Civilization games to gaze lovingly upon the screen. Civilization is, and has always been, a game of

“Backstab a friend, and the world will know of your betrayal” war, thought, and conquest. This latest addition to the series does not disappoint. The player will discover all too soon that the learning curve for this entry is unlike anything seen before in the series, where even seasoned veterans will struggle to get to grips with new concepts and controls that have been introduced. The ‘intelligent’ AI, for example, bring a whole new dimension of diplomacy to the game, with each leader having both predetermined and random agendas in each game; juggling friend and foe now has more user control than ever before. Try as you may to make friends, the Romans won’t respect you and your tiny empire. Backstab a friend, and the world will know of your betrayal.

On initial inspection, there is very little to criticise, but no game is without its faults. This edition introduces the new mechanic of unstacked cities, where cities are divided into districts for individual purposes. While this seems useful and intuitive, it counts for very little in-game. Also, espionage and city-states do seem to be lacking in complexity and usefulness, offering petty rewards for minimal user input, and most importantly, we will be waiting at least a year for the game to be

Platforms: PC; Mac Developer: Firaxis Games Publisher: 2K Games Release date: October 21st, 2016 released in its entirety. Despite this, Firaxis’ initial offering is enough to pique interest. We look forward to see what Firaxis has in store for the future of Civilization.

OTwo//Games

New Generation: the Nintendo Switch Should you switch to the Switch? Aaron Poole examines Nintendo’s new console. IT’S arguable that there has never been as little interest behind a new console as there has been at the announcement of the Nintendo Switch. For a company that’s managed to dominate a large portion of our childhood gaming experiences, there’s a general feeling that, over the last decade, we’ve been overexposed to new, and arguably failing, ideas thought up by the company to make itself relevant again. Despite this, the company will inevitably draw in big numbers whenever a new console is released, largely due to the fact that it owns most of its software properties including the Zelda, Mario and Pokémon franchises which are all scheduled to have new games debut exclusively on this new console. With that in mind, let’s look at the Switch and see if it’s worth investing in from the get-go. First, let’s look at the hardware itself. While subconsciously rooting for this new console before it was revealed, perhaps in the hopes that they’d finally find their footing again, it was surprising to discover the direction that they were taking with this new console. Nintendo’s new system has a “play anywhere” device, offering the ability to undock your system from the TV and continue playing through the console’s built-in screen. While the portability of the system might seem like a gimmick, it was one that could be seen as a potential bridge between the gaps of mobile and console gaming. But recent demonstrations have held back on pushing this as the selling point, instead favouring, yet again, motion control technology as a prime feature. This is leading awaiting fans to believe we’re not being delivered an all-new system, but a repackaging of what brought Nintendo financial success (as seen with the Wii) albeit with better graphics, though nothing on par with what would be expected from console hardware in 2017. The cost of the system has become a subject of debate and discussion. Launching in March of this year, the base hardware comes in at

$300, or about €330 around these parts. While this might seem low for a console at launch, it’s worth noting that this takes the definition of ‘base hardware’ quite literally, meaning you get the system boxed in with a single pair of motion controllers without any extras or games. As multiplayer gaming is a being advertised as a key point by Nintendo, you’ll need to add the cost of extra peripherals that you’ll be using to improve your experience with the console. The motion controllers come in at about €80 for an extra pair, while the ‘pro’ controller cost just slightly below that, meaning you’ll be forking out an extravagant amount if you plan on using the system with friends or family (as Nintendo have advertised). On top of this, it’s worth noting that the console comes with only a meagre 32GB of storage, meaning you’ll more than likely end up forking out for a high capacity SD card at some point down the line. Factor in all these costs and you’re looking at spending quite a lot of money to get the system running at the level Nintendo is marketing it at, and that’s without the mandatory costs that come with playing games online. Speaking of which, let’s talk about the Switch’s planned online service. Nintendo announced recently that the Switch’s online functionality would follow a paid subscription model, similar to the ways by which Xbox Live Gold and PlayStation Plus operate on their respective consoles. With these aforementioned

services, online play functionality is offered, accompanied by added incentives to justify the subscription costs which include monthly discounts to the console’s online stores and, more enticingly, free games which at times are new releases. Despite this, Nintendo are offering a much more inferior model, charging for basic online access while offering a month’s trial of a classic Nintendo game from its SNES/NES library. When accompanied by the decision to not include a game packaged in with the console, this is a massive misfire for the company, leaving adopters to have to pay full price for both games (of which there aren’t many scheduled to be released at launch) and online functionality should they choose to. It’s clear from the above factors that the Switch hasn’t got a lot of positive points going for it heading into its launch window, but that’s

“This is a massive misfire for the company, leaving adopters to have to pay full price for both games and online functionality.”

“Nintendo are forcing the hand of loyal fans.” not to say it’s not worth buying. The issue here is that Nintendo are forcing the hand of loyal fans by ceasing production of Wii U games and closing existing game servers over the next 5 months, which means the migration will be necessary to stay up to date with the brand. But it’s certainly not a system worth buying on launch day. The initial line-up of games are not worth buying the system outright for, with the launch Legend of Zelda title also being released on the Wii U. However for Nintendo fans, the Switch is going to become absolutely worth owning in the near future, with Mario Kart coming out in April and, more importantly, Splatoon 2 coming out in summer and Super Mario Odyssey planned for a Christmas release. For now though, with a high price threshold, poor launch line-up and questionable choices in accessing online content, the system is lacking. Hold off from making the switch until the dust has settled.

“We’re not being delivered an all-new system, but a repackaging of what brought Nintendo financial success.” 9

OTwo//Film&TV

The 2016 Film Recap E x tr a v a g a n z a Owen Steinberger, with Elaine Cullen, Hazel Byrne and David Monaghan, discuss the films released this past year and attempt to divine some sort of meaning from the madness. NOTHING ever changes, some say. In media this is often the case—new ideas are merely old ones dredged up from the past, carted out with a new coat of paint. Below lies a festering pit of crusted, outdated ideals from out of which are born the same tired golems, shambling towards middling reviews and minor box office success. But sometimes, through some stroke of luck, the dial for artistic progress is pushed forward a millimeter or two. 2016 saw film and television tug lightly at the boundaries of “what’s acceptable” in many encouraging ways. While race and gender issues remain damning flaws in both Hollywood and prime-time programming, the mainstream has embraced their expression like never before. And when the recycling of old material begins again, there is a new breed of self-awareness among today’s artists that sometimes elevates the resulting creation to new heights. Blockbuster flicks have gotten worse than ever, while the “golden age” of new media remains a myth at best. Yet towering above the

refuse are individual peaks of progress. The best of 2016 must be set against the worst to show us that yes, progress can and shall be made.

“While race and gender issues remain damning flaws in both Hollywood and primetime programming, the mainstream has embraced their expression like never before.”

“Jenkins’ Moonlight is beautifully shot and edited with bold color and a taste for film technique.”

Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight deserves first attention for its open defiance of Hollywood convention, as well as for the subtlety of its message. Black stories are often sidelined, deemed unpalatable for mass audiences or shelved in a distinct “urban” section separate from other genres. The same holds true for queer narratives, and especially queer love stories. Moonlight is daring in its unflinching embrace of both of these neglected perspectives. The film follows Chiron, a young gay black man, through slices of his early childhood, his formative teenage years, and his adult life, a coming-of-age narrative that has drawn comparisons to 2014’s Boyhood. However, unlike Linklater’s twelve-year passion project, Jenkins’ Moonlight is beautifully shot and edited with bold color and a taste for film technique. The realities of black life in America are displayed with such intensity as to seem larger than life, and yet the film’s tenderness and intimacy is its strongest suit. Pushers and addicts are portrayed with sym-

pathy to the harsh realities of their lifestyles and with recognition of the deadly risks they take to survive in their own neighborhoods. Moonlight is at its best as an implicit critique of institutional racism and homophobia in modernity, fearlessly bringing traditionally maligned intersectional roles into the light. As a love story it may lack some punch, but stylistically the film is a triumph, and a heartwarming one at that.

Almost as if in response, Kenneth Logerman’s Manchester by the Sea submerges itself in cold waters, making for a frigid and unwelcoming film, and yet its characters are just as fragile, vulnerable, and human as those in Moonlight. Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) is summoned to his hometown after the death of his brother, only to find that Patrick (Lucas Hedges), his nephew, has been entrusted to his care. Lee’s deeply troubled past and continued strained relationship with his family make for a painful reunion. Flawless performances, editing, and a strong script mean Manchester deserves the universal critical acclaim it has received. Beneath its icy exterior, a dry wit and sense of humor keep the film from becoming another textbook melodrama. However, its overbearing score and generic “dying coastal New England town” setting make it feel like a film out of time, one whose narrative lacks universal appeal. There are moments in Manchester that will hit any audience member with the emotional intensity of a fist to the gut. But there is also a sense that we have been here before, on this dreary coastline, perhaps one too many times. Even some of the best 2016 had to offer still failed to reach past the tried and true. Surprisingly, however, some of Hollywood’s largest studios embraced new models of inclusivity, albeit through the use of traditional formulas.

OTwo//Film&TV “Beneath its icy exterior, a dry wit and sense of humor keep the film from becoming another textbook melodrama.”

“Surprisingly, the newest Star Wars prequel Rogue One made a strong stand for racial representation.”

shifting in this direction. Despite rocking the boat, however, it seems like the superhero genre, bloated and rotting though it might be, is set to trundle along for another decade at least before its inevitable demise.

“Hopefully Deadpool signals a shift towards superhero flicks where viewers are allowed to laugh and have fun again.”

Speaking of death, the horror genre has a history with the subject, not only in its grim and grisly nature, but in the simple fact that popular horror has been at death’s door since its inception. It is rare enough to have one quality horror flick garner critical acclaim in a given year; in this sense 2016 exceeded expectations. 10 Cloverfield Lane and The VVitch were both standouts—the former an unrestrained serpent of a film, twisting and turning until its very last moments, and the latter a stunning take on New England folk tradition, horror played straight and brutal. Both are well worth your time, but OTwo recommends Green Room highest of them all. Even for those of us who are not fervent viewers of horror cinema, Green Room seems particularly prescient: a punk rock group is accosted to perform to a group of neo-nazis, much to their disdain. They play a cover of The Dead Kennedys’ anti-fascist song ‘Nazi Punks Fuck Off’ and things quickly go awry. The group finds itself battling skinheads wielding machetes, knives, and handguns. It’s a bloody awful mess. With a premise like that it would be easy to dismiss the film as another paint-by-the-numbers horror-thriller, but what helps it transcend the genre’s limitations lies in its clever script. Although there is gore (and plenty of it), the film’s twists and turns keep viewers engaged Adding insult to injury, the runaway superhero throughout. The film stars Patrick Stewart as Darcy Banker, success of the year was Deadpool, an R-rated passion project spearheaded by Ryan Reynolds. the leader of the fascist “true believers.” His Undermined by Marvel Studios before release, performance is chilling: he retains the formal Reynolds opted to self-fund its production at a civility of his former roles, adding an apparent low budget. That such a film crushed DC’s litany rationality and level-mindedness to an ideology of new releases with both audiences and critics, that is inherently untrue and highly prejudiced. while being charming and witty at the same The late Anton Yelchin delivers, by comparison, time, puts shame to the focus group writing an anxious, jittery performance, as his character is pushed to the brink and forced to enact great methods such massive studios often employ. Hopefully Deadpool signals a shift towards horror upon his Nazi captives. Green Room is gory, and it is this heightened superhero flicks where viewers are allowed to laugh and have fun again, and DC looks to be ultra-violence that may have ultimately dis-

“Suicide Squad may be the most disappointing superhero movie ever made.”

suaded mainstream audiences. Characters suffer violent cuts from a machete, dog bites, and bullet wounds, all to serve a point: their captors are not the innocuous threats they had initially expected them to be. And with the rise of fascist ideologies across Europe and America, such a message could not have come at a more poignant point in our world’s history.

“Although there is gore (and plenty of it), the film’s twists and turns keep viewers engaged throughout.” Together these films and others show 2016 for what it was—just another year cluttered with cash-grabs and utter nonsense. However there were some encouraging outliers, films that spoke truth to power and that pushed hard enough against the mainstream to bring fresh ideas to the surface once more. Perhaps, through a mess of disappointments and a few key victories, we may have learned something this year.

2016

It’s hard to connect with a film that doesn’t connect with you. Representation matters because everybody needs a voice, a place in society, somewhere to belong; as a mirror to society, cinema should be the place for it. This year, Moonlight notably aside, few films featured minority actors in leading roles, an issue of increasing prominence in popular discourse. One of our writers, Elaine Cullen, counted eighteen films she had watched this past year in which a heterosexual Caucasian male saved the day, whereas only three featured a black lead. Zootropolis, she found, helped to illuminate the vastness of these issues of representation in Hollywood, as well as in contemporary society. On the surface, Zootropolis stars a cartoon rabbit named Judy Hopps who follows her dreams of becoming a police officer in the big city, one populated with all sorts of species, predator and prey. Look closer and the film soon reveals itself to be directly concerned with discrimination in the modern urban sprawl. The film’s simplistic animated style allows its underlying metaphors to show through with ease. Surprisingly, the newest Star Wars prequel Rogue One made a strong stand for racial representation, launching as the most diverse blockbuster film to hit theatres. Felicity Jones stars as the young Rebel heroine Jyn Erso, while Donnie Yen of Hong Kong and Jian Wen of China both occupy major roles. Riz Ahmed, born to Pakistani parents in Britain, plays Bodhi Rook and Diego Luna plays Rebel Alliance Captain Cassian Andor, maintaining his Mexican accent for the role. Perhaps more stories like Diego’s, whose performance has inspired audience members, proving that a hero in a blockbuster movie could speak with an accent free of whitewashing or modification, will lead to further positive change in Hollywood. Cinema has become synonymous with the “white male hero” over its storied history; soon, perhaps, this era will draw itself to an end.

Such optimism may seem futile, however, when we stir the vicious current that is the superhero cinematic universe. While Marvel has managed to stay afloat and to milk its intellectual property for undue millions, DC is floundering, their profits slowly but surely sinking after scores of negative reviews for their latest offerings. 2016 was the year of the ensemble superhero movie. Gone are the days where a single name could get an audience into cinema seats. Two films in particular, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad, attempted to bolster their numbers for profit. They found little success. Batman v Superman’s problems stem mainly from the fact we have seen it all before. Christopher Nolan’s Batman film trilogy, which ended only five years ago, stripped away DC’s flights of fancy for dark realism, which makes it hard for audiences to return to something less grounded. Instead of a cunning master criminal our heroes quickly join forces to fight… a giant monster and a beam of light from the sky. Dull and uninspired and more than a bit perplexing; this could describe either DC film released in 2016. Suicide Squad may even be the most disappointing superhero movie ever made. Despite pulling out all the stops with a loaded cast and plenty of memorable villains, the film manages to reduce these characters to mere shells of their former selves. David Ayers’ direction is so poor, the film’s editing so bizarre and lopsided, the action sequences so awkward in execution, that the film’s only highlight is its soundtrack, which is loaded with pop tunes that rarely suit their assigned scenes. Even star power from actors like Margot Robbie and Will Smith fail to save Suicide Squad from its own self-destructive tendencies.

OTwo//Film&TV

Review: T2 Trainspotting Jack Shannon

A sequel to a much-loved film released long after the original often inspires both anticipation and apprehension. T2 Trainspotting is no exception, coming twenty-one years after the original cult hit, which still has an enduring popularity today. On board are the original cast and crew, who have gone on to have great careers, and have matured considerably since 1996. However the question remains: does this sequel do the first film justice? Danny Boyle’s direction, for one, is commendable. It’s evident that Boyle had a clear vision for

the Edinburgh we see in the film is not the one that Renton, Sick Boy and Spud fit into, and creates a distinction between T2 and its predecessor. The tension created between the characters and the changed landscape around them is largely down to Boyle’s filmmaking skill. A couple of the performances communicate this theme very well too, particularly that of Robert Carlyle, who makes Begbie as psychopathic as ever, but also shows his vulnerability to the passage of time, and what his mistakes over the years have cost him. Ewen Bremner’s Spud is still an oddly lovable character, played with just the right amount of childlike innocence. “T2 trades on nostalgia far too Jonny Lee Miller also impresses in his return as Simon ‘Sick Boy’ Williamson, captivating in his often. Sometimes these referlack of morals and now much more organised ences encourage us to consider criminal tendencies. Overall the acting is solid, the growth these familiar charand along with Boyle’s direction, T2 has a strong acters have gone through, but foundation. If there is one element of the film that fails just as often they fall flat.” to build upon this foundation, however, it’s the script. The dialogue is inconsistent; often spot-on, this film, themes of aging and adjustment to yet sometimes clunky. What results is a lack of modernity, this vision comes across beautifully depth, and the feeling that some scenes were in vibrant colour palettes, dynamic cinematog- rushed and merely thrown together. raphy, and fresh urban landscapes. It’s clear that But even beyond these flaws, T2 trades on

nostalgia far too often. Sometimes these ref- In A Nutshell: Entertaining? Very. Iconic as the erences encourage us to consider the growth original? No. these familiar characters have gone through, but just as often they fall flat, feeling cheap, better Directed by: Danny Boyle left on the cutting-room floor. T2 provides insight into where the characters Starring: Ewan McGregor, Jonny are today, while maintaining the same irreverLee Miller, Robert Carlyle, ent humour as its predecessor. It’s not the icon Ewen Bremner that the first was, but is definitely worth it for Release Date: January 27th the laughs alone. One could sum it up in a quote Runtime: 117 minutes from the original: “so we get old, we can’t hack it anymore, and that’s it?”

Review: Prevenge

Marissa Dinar

Directed by: Alice Lowe Starring: Alice Lowe, Della Moon Synnott, Gemma Whelan, Tom Davis, Mike Wozniak Release Date: February 10th Runtime: 88 minutes

ALICE was definitely not in Wonderland when she wrote Prevenge. This directorial debut shuns all things whimsical and fancy as she takes on a twisted, dark tone for this slasher flick. Alice Lowe directs and stars as Ruth, a heavily pregnant mother to a baby girl. Ruth undergoes frequent hallucinations, during which she hears the voice of her unborn daughter, who

commands her to commit murder. What follows is a manic killing spree, the targets chosen seemingly at random – a slimy DJ, a young sports fan, a high ranking businesswoman, and the list goes on. Eventually a motive for Ruth’s compliance murder is revealed as the film shifts towards her inward battle against the dark thoughts polluting her mind. Prevenge is a smart satire of the perils of pregnancy. When a mother is bound to her baby physiologically, emotionally, and mentally, she subjects herself in totality to her baby’s needs. The old adage “baby knows best” is spoofed here, as Ruth attempts to persuade herself that the murders she has been committing are excused simply because it was what her baby girl wanted. Cleverly timed punchlines and a dark sense of humour play nicely against the dark tone of the subject matter. The baby’s lines, spoken by Della Moon

“Prevenge is a smart satire of the perils of pregnancy.”

“Cleverly timed punchlines and a dark sense of humour play nicely against the dark tone of the subject matter.” Synnott with free vulgarity, offers a complete contrast to her mother’s implacable sweetness. This clash shows just how much rage and anger Ruth is literally holding inside of her. And it’s clear that it’s bound to boil over soon. Visually, Lowe does a great job provoking reactions from the audience. Murder sequences fill the majority of the film’s runtime and are suitably gruesome, enough so to have audiences wincing in discomfort. To top it all off, there’s a scene which concerns a sliced penis, and boy, it delivers. In A Nutshell: Alice Lowe successfully navigates her directorial debut, a black comedy that makes the crowd laugh one second, and cover their eyes the next.

OTwo//Film&TV

Eyes on the Horizon: Film and TV upcoming in 2017 Adam Donnelly casts his eyes forwards to see what’s coming up this year—the good and the bad…

Type “movies in 2017” into Google—doing so reveals that the year will be jam-packed with blockbuster releases. Unfortunately, “blockbuster” here roughly translates to “safe sequels and reboots” these days. There’s nothing wrong with giving beloved stories and characters a little more limelight, but blimey if there’s not a lot of them coming. As fans anticipate The Incredibles 2 in some distant future, Pixar has instead announced Cars 3 will be arriving this summer. The bizarre franchise, wherein vehicles are sentient beings— prompting many little children to ask their mortified parents “how do they make the baby cars?”—makes for questionable trilogy material at best.

“One can imagine that Michael Bay is tethered to some form of feeding tube in the basement of Fox Studios, slowly being drained of his inspiration and will to live.”

Speaking of film series about living machines that really ought to go away, Transformers returns with yet another sequel this year. One can imagine that Michael Bay is tethered to some form of feeding tube in the basement of Fox Studios, slowly being drained of his inspiration and will to live. The mention of Bay reminds us that a Baywatch movie will be somehow materialising this year, an ancient television series revival likely suitable for the morbidly curious and few else. Rewinding a little bit, Cars won’t be the only series to be emblazoned with the number 3 in 2017, as Pitch Perfect, Despicable Me and The Smurfs (shudder) are all poised to become trilogies by the time the year is out. Sequels are slated to be unrelenting regardless of their number, however. Movie-going buzz is bound to reach fever pitch as highly anticipated releases like War for the Planet of the Apes, Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Trainspotting 2, Saw: Legacy, Insidious: Chapter 4 and, over in the camp of awkwardly-titled films, World War Z 2 and Fate of the Furious will be piledriving cinemas in the coming months. Top all this off with the arrival of Star Wars Episode VIII in December, which has fans excited after following the contradictory Rogue One, a Star Wars prequel movie that was actually good. Then must come the reboots. It’s impossible to talk about upcoming movies without mentioning what contrived crossover Marvel is concocting. Beyond Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, which is bound to please, and another Thor movie (god help us), this year’s big dumb superhero CGI kickabout is undoubtedly Spider-Man Homecoming. Homecoming is the first time that a Spider-

Man picture is in the hands of Marvel Studios itself, something that has fans excited but something the average movie viewer probably didn’t know or care about. It’s certainly looking to be a great web-flinging romp, and yet, as the third reboot of the franchise in just over a decade, it may be lacking in new ground to tread. Meanwhile, X-Men fans can expect to revisit Hugh Jackman’s grizzled, gruff, and side-burned Freddy Kruger in the eponymous Logan. On the other end of the overblown superhero spectrum, DC, after haphazardly introducing its stable of edgy protagonists through confusing cameos in Batman vs Superman, looks to properly kick-start its universe with the arrival of Justice League, joined by Wonder Woman. What a world we live in, where the honest-to-god most enticing looking DC film on the horizon is The Lego Batman Movie. Elsewhere, in the realm of hard reboots, repurposing their titles exactly, we can look forward to Power Rangers, Jumanji and The Mummy. Aliens: Covenant marks a cautiously optimistic return to sci-fi horror franchise. Topping this off are films too ridiculous to exist yet somehow soon will— 2017 will bring about the dawn of both the Captain Underpants movie and The Emoji Movie. Of course the Poo emoji will be front and centre, voiced by the illustrious Patrick Stewart and sporting a cultured accent. Television looks to be as stuffed to the gills as usual, with plenty of quality content across all devices and channels. All the heavy hitters such as Game of Thrones will be back on form, continuing its off-script run, while the critical darlings of the digital platforms like Jessica Jones and Luke

“What a world we live in, where the honestto-god most enticing looking DC film property on the horizon is The Lego Batman Movie.” Cage will be limbering up for another go. If you’re a regular viewer of such programmes then you hardly need to be notified of their imminent return, but do keep an eye out for the new kids in town. Netflix has just released an adaptation of Lemony Snicket’s darky comical books A Series of Unfortunate Events. It’s slick and superb with Neil Patrick Harris channelling his inner Jim Carrey to great effect as lead villain Count Olaf. Later on, Iron Fist will follow in the footsteps of Arrow, featuring a superhero not popular enough to get their own film, but with high enough production values that will make the series better than it had any right to be. Finally, a new Star Trek series, entitled Star Trek: Discovery, will be blasting off boldly where no showrunner has gone before as filming gets underway next week. Whatever your tastes, 2017 looks to be an action-packed year. Be it on the big screen or small, there’s plenty on offer for your viewing pleasure… or displeasure. Keep your wary eyes peeled.

OTwo//Creative Writing

Untitled THE old man heard the phone in the hallway but he didn’t move. He wore his glasses around his neck and the newspaper on his lap like a thin blanket. The phone continued to ring, it cut through the silence in the house. In the hall, the late afternoon sun came through the stained glass of the front door, giving orange-tinted life to the dust. The old man got up. He reached the phone as the last ring sounded out, faded and died on the carpet. He looked down. There was a note on the table, beside the phone. Conor’s birthday Saturday. Tomorrow. His grandson. He thought about his family. Two years since he’d stayed with them for Christmas. They all ate dinner, watched Disney movies. Everybody packed together on the couch, on the floor, strangely comfortable. Warm. The memory glowed. He tilted his head back, now, and smelt Christmas ham. He spent last Christmas sitting alone at a dinner in the community centre for people with nowhere else to go. Later that day, his son text him with the details for Conor’s birthday. A new Chinese spot in town. Dinner with the whole family. The old man went to look at himself in the bathroom mirror and noticed room for improvement. He grabbed his coat and went to get what was left of his hair cut before the barbers closed. It didn’t take long. When he got back he read the paper, watched the news and fell asleep, in his chair, to a programme on the 1970 Brazilian World Cup team. Saturday afternoon. He ran his knotted hands through his newly coiffed hair and smiled. He left the house with the sun dripping slowly from behind the clouds and walked to the end of road, to the bus stop. Real time information stood tall above, although he couldn’t really make out the numbers. He turned to a girl, his only company at the stop. “Can you read that, love? When’s the next one?” The girl didn’t notice the man. Headphones on and in her own world. 15 minutes passed before a bus struggled around the corner. It stopped where he stood with the girl. She moved past him, produced colourful plastic, received a beep of confirmation and sat at the back. The old man stepped on after her. He nodded to the driver, who grunted, nodded back. The old man showed his pass. The driver didn’t care. He stepped on the ac-

By darragh Ambrose

celerator and wrenched the bus away from the kerb. The old man did the balancing act to the second back row of seats, the raised ones, and bundled himself in beside the window. They headed into town. The air inside the doubledecker had weight and experience, you could nearly taste it. The heaviness and the sway of the double decker leant itself to upright seated sleep. Unfortunately for the old man, there were no kids blaring tunes at the back or talking loud rings around each other. The bus took a steady left turn and he slid into sleep. They drove on and the few passengers that were aboard departed silently back into breathable air. The bus navigated a speed bump without grace and the old man opened his eyes. He looked out the window. The sea and confusion. Then he realised what he’d done. He pressed the button to stop the bus, thanked the driver and stepped out into a salt-touched breeze. He remembered drinking cans at the beach as a kid. Almost drowned thinking he could swim from Sandymount to Dun Laoghaire. He looked out at the water now, where the cotton wool sky met the sea, and wondered how far he’d get. He turned away from the water, crossed the road and stood at the bus stop going back into town. No mystic time-pole at this

one. The bus came. Into town and the old man stayed awake, disembarked at the correct stop without incident. It took him 2 minutes to reach the restaurant where his family were waiting. He looked at his watch before going in - over an hour late. Having to tell his grandkids it was because he couldn’t stay awake on the bus. Grimaced. He walked into the dark restaurant and the maître d emerged from behind a mansized plant. No, he had no reservation himself but his family were here, somewhere. It was his grandson’s birthday. “Please, sir, if you’d like to follow me.” An adjoining room, a table where a young boy was adorned with a colourful birthday badge. But it wasn’t the old man’s grandson. He informed the maître d and was told that there were no other birthdays in the restaurant today. The old man rubbished this and began to walk between the tables, in search of his family. The maître d followed, holding the man on an invisible leash, all the while insisting that there were no other birthdays in the restaurant today. After 2 desperate laps, the old man gave up and allowed himself to be guided back out onto the street. Day was becoming night and the light from the pubs and restaurants was pooling together

with the glow of the street lamps. The old man got his third bus of the day. It swayed, lulled but he stayed wide awake. Pain prevents sleep. He walked slowly from the stop to his house. Dark. And his keys echoed strangely in the door. He walked into the kitchen, darker still, and sat down at the table. Sadness grabbed him under the arms and held him up. Caught his breath. After a while his eyes adjusted to the darkness and he saw the outline of his phone, his small Nokia, on the table. He picked it up. There was a text from earlier that day: Hi Dad. Conor was up all night getting sick. We cancelled with the restaurant. Talk during the week. The old man put the phone back down. He stayed in the dark, at the table. Eventually he got up, drank a glass of water at the sink and went to bed. The tap dripped in the kitchen. Outside, a fox walked under the window ledge and hopped a wall into the next garden.

IllustratIon : Meadhbh sherIdan

Poetry

OTwo//Creative Writing

Trumped

Mirror

Prayer

Apparent Magnitude

We all hold a role in this rebirth of hateAn old black spot in out species soul Which sat unknown in content morass, So oft forgotten, yet makes us whole. Obscured by shame and the hearts blind eye And what kinder thoughts would deign deny.

Irish pale and winter worn She stands at the mirror Nightly Dimpled skin sags on either side The full moon belly hangs expectantly Stretch marks like the cracks in the ceiling

Mea Culpa Mea maxima culpa We are not forgiven We will not be granted a rosary Or five minutes of thoughtless prayer (By the pervert behind the partition)

We threw out the new born blue of the day For the incandescent oil of night, Blessed by some gypsy knave, cool as a king, Foreign tongue wrapped us in a coil of light.

She has become like the mirror A reflection of her mother Those same eyes Narrowed to the scowl Etched permanently in her brow

Gabriel has not graced us The fruit of our womb Has betrayed us Make wine with it Taste our bitter grapes

For the greatest sorrow is this truth: That hate forms a part of what is ‘me’. That is to say- my worst self eternally

Daniel Flynn

She is a replacement Like her daughter will be The death of one is the birth of another Like heads of the hydra On and on the cycle goes

Ezra Maloney

There is silence in the house of god When those in the east call for peace We have slaughtered the lamb You praise us for our glory We alone are the holy ones We alone are the most high Bearers of white skin and sin Prejudice in the name of god And all that is holy Amen.

Ezra Maloney

Venerable lyric around each ear, To touch the essence of a thing undone, By cold structure, expectation and fear Of what you had not, and what you have done. These threads of light come from a solemn place, Darker in the past than it is tonight, Cold cycle of love, of friendship and pain, Poisoned relics of an old addict’s life. But throw out too their harm’s horrible reach, Release affected things from the past’s core, List to the words creating their own light, Let love, let love, let love and nothing more. Heart and soul echo slow rivers of gold, Within a chrysalis these two bodies form Into this emblem of the lover’s reach, Like the lazy sun of the seventh morn.

Daniel Whelan

Illustration : Meadhbh Sheridan

A Fine Pair of Lads: An Interview with Alex Murphy and Chris Walley

Following its recent release on video on demand, OTwo sits down with Alex Murphy and Chris Walley of The Young Offenders, the highest-grossing Irish-made film of 2016. 16

OTwo//The Young Offenders The Young Offenders debuted last year to attentive audiences at home and abroad. It was the highest-grossing Irish-made film of 2016, picking up three awards at the LA Comedy Festival in November for ‘Best Feature Direction,’ ‘Best Feature Screenplay’ and ‘Best Feature Film.’ This is thanks in no short part to the lead performances by Alex Murphy and Chris Walley, who play two teenagers in Cork who endeavour to find an untouched bale of cocaine worth seven million euro. Their performances were doing it with clothes on and I was just like ‘will praised by critics and fans for their ability to I just take off my underwear? Does that make couple their comedic sensibilities with genuine it easier?’ And they were like ‘yeah, that’s way emotion. easier.’ We did that and it was fine. It actually Speaking to the pair it becomes apparent looked like sex was happening. And now I’m that the duo brought a lot of their own humour everywhere nearly naked so I just have to kind to the film, and that recent success has not of get used to that.” hampered their down-to-earth personalities The bulk of the film was made around and genuine charisma. In one scene in the film Alex Murphy’s character, Conor, shoves a Choc Walley’s college schedule and Murphy’s school hours: “I was doing it through my Leaving Cert, Ice down his trousers: “Yeah it was originally so I got to miss a good bit of school which was a Loop the Loop,” he says. “So it was Loop the alright.” Loop all over my crotch, but we got a call from Although the pair exhibit a genuine chemHB saying ‘we don’t want you doing that.” istry on screen, they had not actually met prior “‘We don’t want you rubbing up against our Loop the Loops,’” responds Chris Walley, imitat- to the making of the film, as Murphy explains: “Yeah, we didn’t know each other. I met him ing the heads at HB. in the second round of the auditions in the “Yeah so we just got a generic looking Choc audition room and, man, actors are awful. [I Ice-looking ice cream and I put that down my thought] ‘I can’t be talking to him in the audipants […] It’s not pleasant. [We had to shoot it] four or five times. And actually, it just hurt. tion room, because he’s the competition. You have to make him feel as awkward as you can.’” It was just a rapid change in temperature down “It was so awkward, man,” Walley responds. below.” The director of the film, Peter Foott, had not “I went and had to go to the toilet just to escape the awkwardness. It later transpired that he’d made a feature until this point, having worked exclusively on television shows like The Repub- told his mum [not] to talk to [me] because [I’m] the competition.” lic of Telly and The Clinic, and as for Murphy and In the film Murphy and Walley play two Walley this was also their first experience of Cork-based teenagers who perform a very tramaking a feature film, “It was a great process because it was eve- ditional double-act: writing for the Irish Times, Donald Clarke favourably compares them to ryone’s first time, bar the camera man and the Laurel and Hardy. The dominant Jock leads sound guy,” says Murphy. “Everyone was very Conor into comical situations in the search for much in it together. We all were on the same a huge amount of cocaine. boat all the way through. Peter was very free “We all know someone like Conor and Jock,” with the script, he’d shoot what was on the page and once he’d got that he’d say ‘right lads, Murphy suggests. “I’m friends with people like them. They’re not just made up characters. just do what you want, improvise the scene That’s a fashionable thing in inner-city Cork: the again, hit the same points.’ [And] the only haircut and the slit. We didn’t just pull it out of drama was the onscreen drama. We [once] had nowhere, a lot of people have them!” a big fight. That’s about the height of it. Other Walley adds: “I grew up with people just like than that it was hugs and kisses and love all this, I know a lot of people like this, friends like round. ” this and other people, and you just know them. “We didn’t [expect] that once we’d finished I didn’t base it on one person in particular, but shooting,” responds Walley, “[when] our hair [there are] definitely influences from a lot of grew back, [that] we’d have to get it cut again different places.” for the posters.” In one of the film’s most memorable scenes, Murphy continues: “We did like three days a the pair tie up a farmer and watch television week because we were working around other with him all night. “That actually was one of my people’s schedule, who were doing other stuff favourite scenes in the film,” says Walley. “Pasup in Belfast and whatever.” cal [Scott, the farmer] is a legend. He’s so cool.” Did he find any of it a challenge? “There “We pretty much beat him up for 10 minutes” was a scene where I’m jumping out of bed admits Murphy. “[We] weren’t even rolling, naked. Originally we were trying to negotiate

“It was a great process because it was everyone’s first time, bar the camera man and the sound guy”

OTwo//The Young Offenders

“I was doing it through my Leaving Cert, so I got to miss a good bit of school which was alright.” “I didn’t base it on one person in particular, but [there are] definitely influences from a lot of different places.” “We were listening to a rapper from Cork called Bony and we had to write out his interviews phonetically.”

Chris Walley and Alex Murphy in The Young Offenders

but we were just pushing him to the floor for work. I start college next week in The Lir [a 10 minutes, and he’s not exactly a young man. performing arts theatre in Dublin], and that We were like ‘Pascal, are you alright, we’ll would mostly [be] theatre training” take a break?’ And he was like ‘No, no. I’m fine. “Similar to myself,” says Walley. “I’m trainGo again.’ He’s got such a good laugh as well. ing for another year at RADA [The Royal AcadWhen he was tied to the chair.” emy of Dramatic Art in London] so I’ll [do] two In order to prepare for the role, both Mur- more years if I could. Doubt there’s a lot of phy and Walley had to perfect the distinc- theatre there. Having done the film I’d love to tive Cork accent. “We went in with what we do more film and TV, and I love theatre just as thought was the right accent and then Peter much, so ideally if I could do both [I would]. made it stronger,” states Murphy. “We were We’re both in college now. “ listening to a rapper from Cork called Bony The pair’s education continued post-filming. and we had to write out his interviews pho- “[Alex] is going in to first year and I’ve done a netically. I know people [from Cork], though year. That was the plan. I was going over to my mum’s from Donegal and my dad’s from college in London. It definitely was a bit of a Cork, so my accent isn’t quite there. I wouldn’t comedown [when we finished filming].” have much of a Cork accent.” Murphy agrees: “We were all [at a loss], “It was a lot of listening and imitating it,” adds and certainly I was still heavily involved [afWalley. “And we know people who speak like terwards]. We were mostly all around Cork that as well. We’re from there or near enough. and so Peter would call and say ‘do you want Once you’re in it you don’t really slip out of it.” come down and watch me do some editing,’ Although the pair had never made a feature and sure I’m the narrator in it as well so I was film prior to making The Young Offenders, Mur- coming in doing the narrations once we finphy and Walley had appeared in a student film ished filming. He was showing me the editing and a Lidl commercial respectively. “I was ad- suite and things. And there’s always stuff like vertising Valentine’s Day roses,” says Walley. this [interview] coming up. Yesterday was the “I was only in it for a snippet.” premiere so we haven’t be lacking each other The Young Offenders has, alongside win- too much.” ning the accolades described above, taken The film’s success follows a multitude the ‘Best Irish Feature Film’ award at the Gal- of accomplishments for Irish talent. In 2016, way Film Fleadh, and both the ‘Ros Hubbard Lenny Abrahamnson’s Room and John CrowAward for Acting’ and ‘Súil Eile Award’ at the ley’s Brooklyn were nominated in the ‘Best Irish Film Festival London. Such success will no Picture’ category at the Academy Awards, doubt carve a path for the two young actors while Irish actors Saoirse Roonan and Michael to find more work in and outside the world of Fassbender got ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best Actor’ film. Instead, they will focus their efforts on nods, respectively. Irish-Ethiopan actress Ruth theatre training. Negga has also enjoyed success recently by Murphy states: “I still quite like theatre securing a role in the blockbuster Warcraft and the much-praised historical drama Loving. There appears to be a renewed interest in indigenous talent, so are Murphy and Walley inspired by their peers? “I’d have to say Mr. Cillian Murphy,” responds Murphy. “He’s from Douglas, I’m from Douglas. To see him go off and do big films and independent films and then come back to Cork and do plays… I just think he’s doing well for himself. I was growing up and looking up to him.” “I’d be inclined to agree with you,” says Walley. “I love Cillian Murphy, massive fan, but in order to give a different answer I’ll say Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy. I love James McAvoy, big fan. I want to be his friend.” In keeping with his character, during the interview Murphy becomes easily distracted by a woman who appears to eat a cucumber like a banana. “Sorry that woman out there was just eating a cucumber straight! She’s just munching on it.” “I’ve done that actually,” laughs Walley, changing the subject of conversation dramati-

OTwo//The Young Offenders

cally towards eating habits. “When I’ve had Leroy is in a car in disguise. This guy played a lack of anything in my fridge. I’ve eaten a by Dominic McHale is telling me a plan to steal tomato like an apple […] Like a pepper. Peo- from Tony Leroy. Little does he know, I’m Tony ple think it’s really weird, but like it tastes the Leroy. A twist! So when he tells me this plan same. If I’m hungry and I want a pepper I’ll just to rob me or kill me I take off my glasses and bite in to it and eat it like it’s an apple. Why run away.” would I cut it up? It takes a long time and you Murphy and Wall are fortunate enough to have to take the seeds out - just eat it straight. experience success early in life, while many I’ve done it with tomatoes, peppers, and stuff. actors struggle to become established until People think it’s really weird. I ate a lot of much later on. What has led to their success? squid over the summer [too]. And I’ve actually “I don’t feel we’re in a position to give much eaten kidneys actually, I ate kidneys.” advice,” laughs Murphy. “We’re very lucky to In order to regain a semblance of order to get it, but I’d say if you enjoy it then keep doproceedings, the interview turns to the subject ing it. The minute it becomes a chore, stop.” of onset antics. “We filmed this miniseries we “And keep auditioning,” Walley chimes in. made up called Tony Leroy, Debt Collector,” “You know I did a lot of auditions growing up says Murphy. “And I was Tony Leroy, we filmed and I didn’t get anything. Then suddenly I got it on an iPhone. It was just the story of Tony this and then I knew everything happens for a going to people’s houses and collecting debts reason. I auditioned for drama school the first […] the first episode ends on a cliff-hanger be- year I finished secondary and I didn’t get in. cause my phone ran out of battery.” Then I got in the film and if I had gotten in to “I was the cinematographer and had a cam- drama school I wouldn’t have been able to do eo in the second episode,” laughs Walley. “I’m the film. Then I got in to drama school after an assassin in it. I’m Scottish.” doing the film. So I’m over in London now. It Murphy continues: “In episode two, Tony all worked out well.”

“We’re very lucky to get it, but I’d say if you enjoy it then keep doing it. The minute it becomes a chore, stop.” Interview Photos by Kevin Quinlan

OTwo//Music

the SoUNdtracKS that MaKe the MoVie Siobhan Mearon looks at the popularity of movie soundtracks and how they are not just a by-product of the films they were created for. MUSIC and movies have always worked well together. The perfect song choice can emphasise the tone of a scene and can retrospectively remind you of how you felt while watching it. A well-timed chorus can inspire in the audience the exact emotions and understanding of the themes the director intended. Conversely, a clever music choice can juxtapose the entire scene and bring new meaning to both the film and a classic song. Soundtracks today sell big and climb the charts, but they are still tied to the success of the film they were created for. While the purpose of a soundtrack is to complement the essential moments of a film, they also serve as a unique listening experience, away from the film. Movie musicals create a world where people bursting into perfectly executed dance routines in the streets are an everyday part of life. This year’s La La Land has taken cues from the musicals of the ‘20s to make a movie musical for the modern day. The score, by Justin Hurwitz, incorporates jazz and musical theatre to emulate the Fred Astaire musicals of the 1920s. This creates a

“They also serve as a unique listening experience, away from the film.”

beautifully classic result, but it is the innovation and range of influences that give the La La Land soundtrack a modern touch. Struggling performers in Los Angeles romanticise that old cliché of jumping on a bus and trying to make it big in Hollywood in the soundtrack’s first song ‘Another Day of Sun,’ which is immediately reminiscent of bigproduction numbers like ‘Singin’ in the Rain’. John Legend’s ‘Start a Fire’ sounds like it could be a single from the artist’s own album and ‘City of Stars’ is already instantly recognisable from the trailer. After winning Best Original Score and Best Original Song at the Golden Globes recently, the soundtrack is nearing the top of the Billboard Chart. Listening to the soundtrack away from the film can be difficult as the story and sounds are mutually co-dependent, but the La La Land soundtrack captures the liveliness of each routine and the movie itself in its score. Sing Street strikes the balance between movie musical and compiled soundtrack. The film follows the formation of the eponymous band as they find their own inspiration in the music of the 80s. The soundtrack jumps from Duran Duran to The Cure to Hall & Oates as Conor and his bandmates try and develop their sound. In a normal album, there would be a tonal similarity throughout, but the Sing Street soundtrack works by shifting in tone, as it exactly replicates the progression of the film and of Sing Street the band, finding their place in music.

Mixed in with the classics are Sing Street’s own take on 80s poppy synth and rock and roll. Beginning with their first track, ‘The Riddle of the Model’ shows a spark of talent as they find their feet. The standout track, with over three million views on YouTube, ‘Drive It Like You Stole It’ takes cues from Hall & Oates’ ‘Maneater’ to create a song that sounds both completely modern and as if it could be a contemporary of the 1980s bands that Sing Street are emulating. Trainspotting’s quintessentially 90s soundtrack is the soundtrack in its original form, a sort of mixtape. The opening bars of Iggy Pop’s ‘Lust for Life’ will forever be linked to the image of Renton telling us to choose life as he runs down the streets of Edinburgh. Trainspotting stuck to alternative rock from the likes of Blur, New Order and Pulp to soundtrack the lives of heroin addicts in 1990s Scotland. The soundtrack helped create many of Trainspotting’s most iconic scenes, from the opening scene, to the film’s ominous ending using Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy.NUXX.’ Each song is chosen to bring another level of interest to the scene. Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’ used in its entirety to soundtrack a gloomy day in Edinburgh and Renton’s overdose. Few words are used in the whole scene, but the song is enough to make it one of the most memorable moments in Trainspotting. The Trainspotting soundtrack, while it works perfectly within the film, works just as well as a standalone album, with each song complementing the last, like the perfect 90s playlist. The trailer for T2: Trainspotting of course

“Trainspotting’s quintessentially 90s soundtrack is the soundtrack in its original form, a sort of mixtape.” opens with the familiar strains of ‘Born Slippy’, easing the audience into seeing the same characters 20 years later. The trailer transitions into Wolf Alice’s ‘Silk’, bringing us up to modernity. ‘Silk’ fits in nicely to the tone director Danny Boyle had already established in the first film, and the recently released track list shows a mix of alternative classics, from Blondie and The Clash, and recent outputs from modern Indie bands like Wolf Alice, Fat White Family and Scottish hip-hop trio Young Fathers, who contribute three tracks to the album. Underworld and Iggy Pop have been remixed for the new soundtrack, mixing the old with the new. The soundtrack itself already represents the changes in the last 20 years that will no doubt affect the characters in T2. Soundtracks to movies can be the music that follows the story of the film, and takes you on that journey again each time you listen. Or they can be mixtapes, made up of song choices that fit nicely with the films’ themes. Either way, a good soundtrack works in the same way an album does, and a great one can be listened to as an album in its own right.

OTwo//Music

T alki n g t o Y o us Irish veteran musician and multi-instrumentalist, David Kitt, sits down with Luke Sharkey to discuss his upcoming album and the financial difficulties of a career in music.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited to play a record.”

“We badly need someone on the airwaves who helps promote, there’s so much amazing stuff out there right now, it really is a golden age.” THERE are few Irish musicians around that have the chops David Kitt has. You could say he’s been working on it for some time. Kitt’s career spans nearly twenty years and includes six album releases, all of superb quality. His name has been built around a knack for writing a cracking tune and his intimate live performances throughout the country. His 2002 album The Big Romance is widely considered to be one of the greatest Irish releases of all-time and 2009’s The Night Saver was heralded as a shoe-in for the Meteor Music prize. Unfortunately, The Night Saver proved to be a commercial failure and the past 7 years has seen Kitt remain largely quiet as a solo artist. In the meantime, he’s been releasing electronic dance music under the moniker of New Jackson and has spent some time touring worldwide as part of David Gray’s band. However, in the last third of 2016, Kitt announced the release of Yous, his seventh album, and a series of gigs around the country to promote it. I sat down with Kitt to find out how he was feeling about the project and life as a musician in Ireland. “I’m feeling great. We already had the first show in the Sugar Club and it went brilliantly. I don’t think I’ve ever been as excited to play a record.” It’s the day after he’s played a sold-out gig at the Sugar Club, by all accounts a stand out affair.

The musicians who join him on stage are long time collaborators: Ritchie Eagan (Jape) and Michele Stodart (The Magic Numbers). Speaking specifically on Eagan, Kitt says “It’s beyond camaraderie with the two of us, we’re kind of brothers. I feel very lucky to have grown up with the generation of musicians that I grew up with, all of these people I’m still collaborating with”. What of the current state of Irish music? “There’s a good scene again, especially with electronic music.” He keeps a cool head when talking about it, speaking from experience he knows that, “the most amazing thing that has ever happened to Irish music could be happening right now. You never know what’s happening in some house in some suburb.” The impression is clear that he and Irish music are only just back on speaking terms, so to say. Kitt has certainly undergone some rough patches throughout his career, as have a lot of his friends. “I feel like a lot of people have left the country, the classic brain drain. I find it very hard to make a living from music, even with the bright start that I had with my career.” It must be difficult to reconcile the financial difficulties with the passion to create. In the past Kitt’s “numbers have gone down and down and you kind of feel like the well is drying up in terms of the audience.” It’s both surprising and disheartening to hear. One would assume someone of Kitt’s talent and notoriety wouldn’t have any is-

sues making rent. I grew up listening to his music and had assumed it was his steady income. “I’m optimistic about this record, but I’m certain that at some stage on the tour I’ll be playing to a crowd of twenty people and be thinking ‘oh god here we go again.’” So why has it become so difficult to make ends meet as a musician in Ireland? “The big difference is that maybe there was more underground music on the radio back fifteen or sixteen years ago. You had the likes of Donal Dineen playing really good new stuff on mainstream spaces. If there was a buzz about what you were doing you’d have 50,000 people around the country listening it.” Anyone who has read the recent reports on how much time the major stations just play select Irish music would agree that “we badly need someone on the airwaves who helps promote, there’s so much amazing stuff out there right now, it really is a golden age.” With all of this in mind, I ask Kitt why he decided to leave the security of session work and put out a new album? Like so much of his career, it relates to playing live shows. “People were coming to the shows and listening to these 6 or 7 songs and singing along. My mind-set was just make music; pick the 10 strongest songs you have.” His approach with the new record was to “do it a more fun, loose, no pressure way.” The album sees a departure from the synth

“The most amazing thing that has ever happened to Irish music could be happening right now. You never know what’s happening in some house in some suburb.” heavy production of The Night Saver and a return to the more acoustic elements of his sound. “I wanted to strip it back a bit. It’s definitely got a bit of a more home spun feel to it”. We chat about what his plans are for the future and the New Year. “It all depends, I don’t know what’s going to happen. I’ve very low expectations, and that’s just what happens when you’ve the sort of run that I’ve had.” I came away from the interview feeling disenfranchised with my country for its inability to support its premier talent. However, news soon reached me that Yous has been picked up by a big label and it’s release postponed until September 2017. Could this be the start of a fantastic artist getting the recognition and financial support he deserves? I certainly hope so, it’s people like David Kitt that have helped make Ireland’s reputation for producing fantastic art.

OTwo//Music

R A D A R : H i mala y a

Dublin Gig Guide OTwo gives you the rundown of what’s going down around the city over the next few weeks..

Fresh off an album release in November, Conor O’Boyle chats to the members of Himalaya about their sound and upcoming plans. 2016 has become regarded as one of the strongest years for new Irish music with a huge number of impressive releases making their way onto airwaves and dance-floors. One of these, which you may have missed, is Dublin-based Himalaya’s debut album, Mad Clock. An album with a unique jazz-grunge sound, it’s quite unlike anything you’ll find on the current scene. As the New Year began, we caught up with Himalaya’s John, Adam, Vlad, and Richard to talk avoiding

“When the album was really starting to take shape, we became increasingly more concerned with how we could transition between different tempos, keys and textures.” the rush, smooth transitions and the closest point between heaven and Earth. Mad Clock was released digitally last November, but in a scene saturated with singles and EPs, as well as the financial challenges involved, what was the attraction of recording a full album? “Once we’d started writing the songs, we realized that we had some strong themes and motifs. We felt that we needed more space… to fully develop those themes. We have a wonderful producer in the band who recorded the album for us over in Sligo. That allowed us to avoid the rush and I think that comes through in the vibes of the album.” You can really feel the benefits of the additional space on the record, primarily, the free-flowing and almost hypnotizing effect of the transitions between tracks. Did this free-flowing nature prove to be much

“Quite a lot of our lyrical content focuses on the relationship between earth and space.” of a challenge on the songwriting front? “In the early days of writing, before we even had the idea of doing an album, we had a couple of songs that flowed nicely into one other. When the album was really starting to take shape, we became increasingly more concerned with how we could transition between different tempos, keys and textures. When it came to mixing the album, I experimented with more little ways that we could tie the songs together, a favourite of mine is probably the radio noise heard at the end of ‘Galvani Frog’, which morphs into the opening of ‘from A to B.” On the topic of transitions, where does it all go from here? “Believe it or not, we’re writing songs for a new album at the moment! Aside from that, we’ve got a couple of other things lined up. A few gigs, the physical release of Mad Clock, and another appearance at The Cavern, if they’ll have us of course.” With a busy schedule ahead, it’s time I let the band go, however we have to ask, where did the name Himalaya come from? “Well, you may have noticed that quite a lot of our lyrical content focuses on the relationship between earth and space. Seeing as the Himalayas are the closest point on earth to space, we felt the name was appropriate. Either that, or it’s because we’re high all the time.”

Catch Himalaya at The Wiley Fox on February 23rd.

The Wonder Years – January 28th – The Workman’s Club The Wonder Years return to Dublin after the release of their critically acclaimed album, No Closer To Heaven, in 2015. They’ll be playing The Workman’s Club on January 28th. The Wonder Years are a pop punk band from Pennsylvania that have been around since 2005 and in those twelve years have released five albums, with a sixth due later this year according to their recent Hot Press mention. Their recent album was described as pop punk and alternative, which is an image they’ve kept right from the beginning. Fangclub – February 4th – Whelan’s Dublin based punk rockers Fangclub take to the hallowed grounds of Whelan’s to celebrate the release of their latest EP, ‘Dreamcatcher’. The band, who were interviewed in OTwo last issue, have quickly and deservedly built a reputation for being an exhilarating live band, working in tandem with the already upbeat and punchy nature of their studio releases. Considering how fast the band’s popularity has grown over the last year it’s a safe bet to assume that this may be one of the last times you could catch the group in such intimate settings. At a mere €13 a ticket this gig should be a must see for those who like some dirt in their catchy choruses. Bonus points awarded because you know there’ll be a great disco upstairs after the gig with free-in for ticket holders. Frightened Rabbit – February 5th – The Academy

Maybe your ears are still ringing from Fangclub the night before or maybe you like your tunes a little more relaxed in general, but head on over to catch Frightened Rabbit in the Academy. The Scottish folk group are touring the release of their latest album, Painting of a Panic Attack, and considering the quality interwoven throughout the entirety of that release, this gig should be high on your priorities list. Higher than buying the core texts for your new modules anyway. Tickets are priced at €26.50, which may seem like a leap for a band you may not have heard of but trust us on this one. With nearly 14 years of touring and recording experience Frightened Rabbit are a group at the peak of their creative prowess and come with a high recommendation from OTwo. You can thank us later for it.

OTwo//Music

A lb u m reviews Run The Jewels 3 I See You Run The Jewels

The xx

4 Your Eyez Only J. Cole

What Are You

Listening To?

The wonderful editors of the University Observer share their current favourite tracks with OTwo.

EVERY Run The Jewels album since the explosive assault of their 2013 original comes with a seal of quality. With El-P and Killer Mike, you already know that the beats will be hard, you know the rhymes will be clever, you know it will make you want to sprint around the block. It’s the extra sprinkling of innovation that determines whether it’s simply a good RTJ album or something more, and this album delivers with more reflection and political relevance than ever. On a production level RTJ3 continues where “Angel Duster” left off, every beat a next-level concoction by mad scientist El-P, elevated by consummate touches – the sax on “Thursday In The Danger Room”, the mellow guitar on “2100”. “Panther Like A Panther” detonates like a Michael Bay film, while opener “Down” opens the album on a suitably cinematic note. The lyrics are in turns acidic, prescient, and ridiculous – for every reference to kidnapping moms from jazzercise, there’s a line like “I just wanna live, I don’t wanna ever have to load a clip / Only hunt bliss.” This album in particular captures the national mood in ways even the supergroup couldn’t have predicted, from Mike’s reference to a devil with “a bad toupée and a spray tan”, to the scarily prophetic in “Stay Gold”. The guests reflect this tonal split: Boots and Tunde Adebimpe evoke a wearily sage presence, while Zach De La Rocha and Danny Brown (a perfect fit) amp up the hype meter to dangerous levels, but it’s the enduring chemistry between the two ringmasters that knits these two sides together to form a seamless whole. While RTJ and RTJ2 were albums to hit the gym to, RTJ3 is a soundtrack for changing the world. Vital listening.

IT’S been almost five years since The xx released their second record Coexist, 2012’s follow up to their self-titled debut back in 2009. During their hiatus, Jamie xx took a leap into solo project territory, releasing his Grammy-nominated solo work, In Colour, in 2015. Bandmates Romy Madley-Croft and Oliver Sim have admitted that Jamie’s solo gigs were the kick-start for the trio to reunite. I See You is the confident yet ever so intimate result. Opening with synthesised horns before leading into an infectious drum beat, “Dangerous” is a statement of intent and a guaranteed live favourite: “I won’t shy away, should it all fall down.” Sim and Madley-Croft sing in unison, exhilaratingly energetic. On “Performance” and, especially, “Brave for You”, a song penned for her late parents, Madley-Croft’s fragility takes centre-stage and shines through. Sim shares his personal struggles on “A Violent Noise” over a crescendo of synths where Madley-Croft offers a hand of support: “I hope you silence the noise.” The Alessi Brothers-sampling “Say Something Loving” features their most open-throated vocal yet. Hearing this initially as a stand-alone track seemed quite a peculiar choice of single, but its position on the album, just after “Dangerous”, rolls perfectly. Similarly, “On Hold” was a brave choice of single that positively soars in the context of the album. The standout track on this album is “I Dare You”, a slowed-down indie rock which is a revived nod to their first album style that fills your earphones with euphoria: “a different kind of high” as Madley-Croft’s lyrics aptly put it. I See You ends on an ambient laid-back note on “Test Me” which ties together the emotional strands of the album perfectly together. It has a vibe perfect for that 4am after-party playlist.

IF the now-former POTUS name drops your last album as one of his favourites of the year, do you crack under the pressure of your next release? Does chart topping success, universal acclaim and your own tip of the hat from A Tribe Called Quest make you slip up? Apparently not, if you’re J. Cole. For Your Eyez Only is J. Cole’s fourth studio release and the highly anticipated follow up to 2014 Forest Hills Drive. There’s a do or die air about the entire project. After all, one great album could be considered a fluke by those of a cynical nature. Cole puts the cynics to bed straight off the bat with ‘Immortal’, which instrumentally is a flashback to Cole’s early mixtapes but lyrically displays a skill and maturity rarely glimpsed thus far in his discography. The song and much of the album is set from the perspective of a drug dealer trapped in the cycle of poverty. It sets the tone for much of the lyrical content to come, dealing with issues of mortality, race, and paternity. There aren’t many songs in the way of singles on the record. A pervasive sense of melancholy runs throughout and many of the catchy hooks on the record are contrasted with introspective verses. A possible exception is album highlight ‘Change’, one of the most impressive tracks I’ve heard in years. Cole adopts a Q-Tip-esque flow atop a funky loop and the entire fiveminute length of the track is packed full of lyrical gold. Even here Cole is pensive: “my intuition is telling me there’ll be better days”; perhaps he’s aware that the current American social climate demands more than club bangers from one of its most prominent social commentators.

In A Nutshell: Raucous, fun and poignant listening, this album is a jackhammer that goes hard and deep at once to thrilling effect.

In A Nutshell: Get ready to add this to your vinyl collection. I See You is the ray of sunshine on a Spring day.

In A Nutshell: Fire.

Adam Lawler

Shane Cullen

Luke Sharkey

“Heaven Is A Place On Earth” Belinda Carlisle David Monaghan, Co-OTwo Editor

“Corneria” Lucky Charmz

Seán Hayes, CoOTwo Editor

“Second Hand News” Fleetwood Mac Roisin GuyettNicholson, Editor

“Elevators (Me & You)” OutKast Martin Healy, Deputy Editor

“Breathless” Waxahatchee

Louise Flanagan, Art & Design Editor

OTwo//Fashion

Summer Swell Key trends for the upcoming summer season

OTwo//Fashion

Baby pink strapless jumpsuit Peach Peter Pan blouse & white culottes

Supplier: Fran and Jane

Floral dress Blue oversized T-shirt

Supplier: Costume

Stylist: Ailbhe Keenan Model: Debbie Oshaks Photographer: Nikhil Wali

OTwo//Fashion

Maybe He’s born With it As Maybelline become the latest brand to employ a male beauty ambassador, Katie Devlin examines the increasing profile of men in fashion. JuST over a year since male singer, actor

Manny Gutierrez as the face of their new

footsteps of teenager James Charles,

and celebrity spawn Jaden Smith was

mascara.

who became the first ever male CoverGirl

attribute nor is it perceived as such. As the focus shifts again from men’s

appointed the face of Louis Vuitton’s

Instagram superstar Guiterrez is the

womenswear collection and donned

first male ambassador for the cosmetics

Long-time Chanel patriot Pharrell

products, it is hard to ignore the fact

a selection of skirts in the campaign

giant and joins a growing list of men

Williams, who last month walked in the

that men have as much of a place in

shots, Maybelline have named male

fronting campaigns for traditionally

brand’s Métiers d’Art runway show in

the fashion sphere as women do. Let’s

beauty vlogger and make-up artist

female products. He follows in the

a tweed jacket complete with brooch

last year.

and pearl necklaces, has been tapped to lead their new handbag campaign. This announcement further moves the attention from men’s female inspired clothes to accessories, and highlights the distinct change to the way the fashion industry is thinking about and creating

attire to male cosmetics and beauty

“It’s hard to ignore the fact that men have as much of a place in the fashion sphere as women do.”

for men. The fashion industry, being one of

keep in mind that this is not Maybelline

the only industries that operates mostly

mascara ‘for men’; Guiterrez stars in the

by and for women, is also one which is

campaign alongside female beauty guru

constantly plagued with accusations of

Shayla, removing any sort of ‘male make-

superficiality. As the month of fashion

up’ market niche or novelty angle.

shows dedicated to menswear draws

Instafamous: Guiterrez takes on the role of beauty ambassodor

It’s more than time to take the

to a close, the process of division in an

exclusivity and frivolity out of fashion, and

industry so focused on appearance and

having men actively partake and engage

the physical construction of self is proving

with the business of style could in actual

more and more redundant each year.

fact help to lift that trivial taboo while

Vanity is not a trait reserved for women.

giving a more realistic reflection of the

In fact, style is no longer a feminine

people who value it.

THE FAUX-FUR PAS Laura Addie debates the ethics and implications of both faux and real fur, and the problem with false advertising. HIGH street favourites Debenhams

brands and suppliers. One Debenhams

However, the use of real fur in clothing

and Forever 21 have faced outcry from

spokesperson ensured consumers the

production in countries such as China

animal rights campaigners following

store was taking “immediate action”

is extremely common and often more

their sale of real fur products that had

in correlation with its “No Fur” policy,

cost effective than the manufacture of

been labelled as fake. The issue was

further stating “we are investigating

faux fur.

highlighted in an investigation by ITV’s

with the brand how this item entered

Good Morning Britain after a tip off from

the brand’s supply chain.”

campaigners. One ITV reporter went undercover as

The products have since been removed from shelves and their website.

The issue surrounding faux fur products is ongoing. PETA members are consistently in dispute over faux fur, with some claiming it sends out the

Meanwhile, customers are horrified at

wrong message, as it could be seen to

workers about the authenticity of the

the idea that their high street purchases

encourage consumers that fur is fash-

fur. After assurance from staff that it

may contain real fur. Not only is it

ionable. This one case highlights a large

was faux fur, the reporter sent the prod-

viewed as unethical to deceive buyers

problem with the faux fur phenomenon.

ucts away for expert testing. Worryingly,

under these circumstances, but all fur

the items tested positive for real animal

products are required to be labelled as

whether or not fur is real or fake, includ-

fur, which the expert believed to have

real or fake.

ing slightly burning the fur or inspecting

a potential customer, questioning store

been sourced from Angora rabbits and

The issue at hand not only stirs

There are a number of methods to tell

the base. However, none of these tests

strong opinions from animal rights ac-

are adequate in combatting the false

tivists, but also regular consumers who

advertisement and sale of fur that may

Debenhams black handbag included a

feel uncomfortable with the purchase of

compromise the morals of both the

pom-pom detail that was made entirely

real fur – particularly in the case of An-

buyer and supplier.

from rabbit fur. The investigation also

gora rabbits, whose fur is plucked from

uncovered independent store Westside

their skin whilst still alive. This practice

one, but the primary concern is that

in London selling a fur parka including

was publicly opposed by Debenhams

stores correctly inform their buyers on

dog fur.

in 2014.

the product’s content so that the choice

raccoon dogs. One product in particular, a £40

The stores have denied any prior

Consumers are often under the

awareness of the issue, with both com-

impression that the low price tag of

panies blaming the mistake on external

the product rules out real animal fur.

“It could be seen to encourage consumers that fur is fashionable.”

The debate on faux fur is a diﬃcult

lies completely with the customer.

“Consumers are often under the impression that the low price tag of the product rules out real animal fur.”

OTwo//Fashion

HOnOurAble MentiOn Following Victoria Beckham’s inclusion on the Queen’s New Year’s honours List, Lucy Mortell charts her career in fashion. TELL me what you want, what you

lebrity status detracts from her abilities

success of her pop career and never

really, really want – a bit of recognition.

and influence in the world of design. Her

work again, but she didn’t. Instead, we

On December 28th, 2016 it was revealed

fashion career has blossomed in front of

have watched her transform from pop

to the world that Victoria Beckham had

our very eyes.

princess to catwalk queen.

been awarded an OBE in the Queen of

It’s been nothing but hard work for

England’s Honours List for her contri-

Beckham since 2006 when she first col-

bution to the fashion industry. This, to no one’s surprise, was met with social media uproar as a combination of fashion lovers and idle trolls reached for their keyboards to suggest much more deserving candidates who had been overlooked. One of the aforementioned enraged

“It’s unfair and incorrect to suggest Beckham’s celebrity status detracts from her abilities and influence in the world of design.”

public. Later that year, Beckham broke away from the brand to start her own denim line. Two years later she launched her own eponymous brand, which has gone from strength to strength and is now available in more than 500 stores in over 60 countries. The collection combines her own

happened to be Daily Mail columnist Sarah Vine, who described the decision as

laborated with denim label Rock and Re-

True, Beckham isn’t a formally

personal style with the desires and

“perverse”. While Vine reassured us that

trained designer – but neither is Diane

demands of women across the world.

she has “nothing against Mrs Beckham”,

von Furstenberg or Ralph Lauren. If

Eight years later, with numerous awards

she then offered no less than seventeen

anything, Beckham has had to work

for her and her team, the brand contin-

paragraphs undermining and belittling

twice as hard to be taken seriously as a

ues to grow and grow.

Beckham’s career and deservedness of

fashion designer, particularly as her time

the honour. The article generated over

as one of the Spice Girls involved fashion

ers and creators who are yet to receive

defined by fake tan and hot pants.

much deserved recognition, but that

1,100 comments; the majority of which agreed with Vine.

Since arriving on the scene as Posh

Yes, there are countless other design-

does not mean that this designer’s ac-

Spice in 1994 and then marrying one

complishments should be undermined

Beckham’s contribution to the British

of the world’s most successful football

or discredited. Instead, we should

fashion industry is undeniable, both as

players in 1999, she has rarely been out

celebrate Beckham’s recognition as a

an entrepreneur and creator. It’s unfair

of the public eye. It would have been

designer and as another successful busi-

and incorrect to suggest Beckham’s ce-

very easy for Beckham to rest on the

nesswoman, entrepreneur, and mother.

There are, however, many who do not.

Popstar turned designer, Victoria Beckham

“It would have been very easy for Beckham to rest on the success of her pop career and never work again, but she didn’t.”

Red Carpet Rundown

Shane Cullen takes a look at the breakout style stars emerging in 2017 and the designers we should get excited for. their individual stamp on the fashion

the red carpet. Irish actor Ruth Negga

and The Queens tearing up the gender

stakes. Hollywood favourite Emma

was among the head-turning high

conformity rulebook.

Stone alongside upcoming stars Ruth

points of the night, wowing fashion

Negga, Lily Collins and Sasha Lane are

critics in an elegant custom made Louis

a new line-up of fresh faced design-

all being hailed for their red-carpet out-

Vuitton sequin gown that took 120

ers about to emerge. Richard Quinn,

fit selections.

hours to make.

2017’s winner of the H&M Design

Meanwhile, there is also a new batch

the edge of breakthrough success,

eight international finalists. Ann-Sofie

Design Award Winner Richard Quinn,

coming from a small role on Love/Hate

Johansson, Creative Director for H&M

whose name will become familiar by

back in 2010 to now gracing the cover

said Quinn had “a real wow factor” in

the end of this year after winning the

of January’s American Vogue.

his collection. Quinn will debut his col-

The first major event of awards sea-

WE may only be in the first month of the calendar, but 2017 looks set to be an exciting year for fashion yet again, as stars and designers alike are already making waves and putting

Award, fought off competition from

of designers on the rise including H&M

judges’ votes for his floral collection.

Ruth Negga at the 2017 Golden Globes

The Loving star is undoubtedly on

Behind the red-carpet debuts lie

Another star on the rise we should be taking note of in 2017 is American

lection with H&M this Autumn. Northern Ireland native J.W. Ander-

son – the Golden Globes – took place

actor Sasha Lane. The 21-year-old burst

son recently launched his Autumn/

earlier this month, with all eyes on both

onto cinema screens late last year for

Winter 2017 collection at London Men’s

the established and breakout stars on

her acclaimed role in American Honey

Fashion Week, where oversized bold

alongside Shia LaBeouf.

knit pieces and beautifully crochet-

“ruth negga was among the head-turning high points of the night, wowing fashion critics in an elegant custom made Louis Vuitton sequin gown.”

On the red carpet, Lane showcases

crafted scarves were at the forefront

her personality and original style away

of the show. While Anderson has been

from the screen, attending the Toronto

established since 2008, he shows no

Film Festival in a Dolce & Gabbana

fear of conquering new horizons.

floral pantsuit while wearing dreadlocks

Overall the red-carpet looks pre-

to complete the look. The so-called

miered at the Golden Globes provided

“menswear-inspired” pantsuit look is

a fresh and vibrant start to the fashion

making a bold comeback, especially

year, with numerous new designers

with the likes of music act Christine

making a name for themselves.

OTwo//Arts&Lit

Breaking the stigma:

First Fortnight Festival Ezra Maloney speaks to the co-founder, Steve Cummins, about the First Fortnight festival, Ireland’s first mental health festival, and the role that the arts plays in stopping stigma. AFTER the excesses of the festive season, it’s common for many of us to experience an anticlimactic or low feeling. January is, for many, the most depressing month of the year – New Year’s resolutions are made and broken, money is in short supply, and selection boxes are empty. In 2016, January 16th was given the unfavourable title of ‘Most Depressing Day of the Year’. Yet for many, depression lasts beyond January but the stigma and prejudice surrounding those with mental health issues prevents them from speaking openly about their issues and seeking help. Statistics have confirmed that Ireland is in the throes of a mental health crisis as it currently ranks 4th in the world for suicide rates among young men between the ages of 18 and 24. It was with a view towards eliminating this stigma through the medium of the creative arts that Steve Cummins, JP Swayne, and David Keegan, three graduates of UCD, founded the First Fortnight festival in January 2009. The festival was originally the brainchild of former UCDSU Welfare Officer, JP Swayne, who held the first event in lieu of a 30th birthday party. “It was after the first event that JP asked me to come on board, I was working as a music journalist for RTÉ, initially I came on board to organise the musical area. It was very much a grassroots organisation, we all knew

each other from college” says Cummins. The first two-week festival was held in 2012 after a series of popular one-off events with Cummins saying: “we picked January because it’s after Christmas and people feel more vulnerable to mental health issues. Finance was never a goal, we just want to get our message across and we believed the arts was the best medium to start a conversation about mental health.” The popularity of the festival, held annually since 2012 has seen enormous growth in the five years since its conception. It has even become a mental health service provider in 2013 with the formation of the First Fortnight Centre for Creative Therapies which provides art-therapy for those experiencing homelessness and mental illnesses in Dublin. Cummins believes that attitudes to mental health issues in Ireland are slowly improving with the help of media coverage and those who speak out about their own mental health, a subject which was once taboo in Irish society. “There was a lot of negative language around mental health in the Ireland I grew up in, people just didn’t talk about things. Even in 2009, there was no mental health coverage in the media, we felt that First Fortnight gave the media a reason to talk about and normalise mental health issues. Attitudes are changing and people are more understanding. Recovery begins by talking about things.” Using the arts as a platform to dismantle

stigma towards mental illness has proved incredibly effective for the First Fortnight team who believe that art is therapeutic for those suffering from mental health issues. Art can break down barriers between people and make them feel at ease with discussing their problems, more so than a more direct method of challenging the stigma around mental health in Ireland. Cummins certainly feels this way: “There is no question that the arts are therapeutic – people love certain songwriters because although their music is sad you can relate to it and you say: ‘Jesus, someone else feels what I’m feeling, I don’t feel so alone.’” However, although the outlook toward mental health is changing, Cummins found that much of the general public still experience intense stigma and do not feel the freedom to openly discuss personal issues yet. He explained: “we did a survey last year on public attitude to mental health and we learned that 50% of people would not discuss their mental health issues with others. The stigma still exists around mental health.” Cummins believes that public opinion on mental health issues can be drastically altered by those who choose to speak out on the matter, praising Irish musician Bressie who revealed his struggle with mental illness in 2013. In recent years other celebrities such as Lady GaGa, Cara Delevinge, Miley Cyrus and many others have spoken out about their own mental health issues, no doubt something

“There was a lot of negative language around mental health in the Ireland I grew up in, people just didn’t talk about things.” which has begun a much-needed conversation about mental health. In regards to choosing performers for the festival itself, Cummins prefers to choose those who have openly discussed mental health issues in their work: “we always programme music based on artists in the past who have openly discussed mental health issues such as Heathers, Girlband, and Verse Chorus Verse. Good art is about being honest and honest expression of your feelings and your place in the world. Mental health is a universally relatable issue and when it is expressed through art we are drawn to it because we can see ourselves in the work.” In the five short years since its beginning, there is no doubt that the First Fortnight festival has changed many attitudes towards mental health through entertainment and discussion. The festival only continues to grow and next year will host the world’s first mental health festival in Dublin, inviting performers from around the globe to discuss mental health issues through poetry, music, film and art. “Our goal is to eradicate mental health stigma and prejudice and affect some societal change. We want others to accept mental health issues as normal. Irish society is changing but there is more work to be done,” says Cummins. The work of this festival is crucial to changing our relationship with mental health in Ireland and the arts are an excellent way to begin and recognise change.

“Mental health is a universally relatable issue and when it is expressed through art we are drawn to it because we can see ourselves in the work.” Launch of the 2017 First Fortnight Festival, which took place late last year

OTwo//Arts&Lit

From Page to Screen After recent statistics have estimated that a third of all films have been adapted from novels Alice Kelly takes a look at the relationship between the two mediums.

WORKS of literature have been adapted for the silver screen since the dawn of the film industry as the crossover between these mediums serves to benefit both forms. Just as a cinematic adaptation of a bestseller brings avid readers to the movie theatre, an impressive film can encourage fans to return to its source. Adaptations are also an experiment in form: filmmakers are faced with the unique challenge of translating a literary world to the screen. However, it is popular opinion that film adaptations never live up to the expectations of readers, as anyone of the Twilight generation will know all too well. Readers often leave the cinema with their tongues churning out the usual phrases “but that didn’t happen in the book” or “they left out the part where…” Thus, while film adaptations do generate

“The problem of faithfulness lies at the heart of the debate as to whether great books can make great films.”

more readership for the author, book-to-film cinema is most often an arena for disappointed readers. Filmmakers adapting a novel don’t have the luxury of inventing their imagined world on the big screen as readers come to the movie with expectations formed by their own imaginations. While production companies are attracted by the financial benefit of a ready-made fan base, the onus falls on scriptwriters and directors to take on the impossible task of fully satisfying an audience that has often created their own vision before the opening credits begin. There are also constraints faced by filmmakers that authors don’t struggle with. Practicalities such as budget, location, and casting may cause a shift away from the original details of a book. Time constraints force films to move faster as they lack the space a book has to be richer and more detailed. This often causes films to fit more rigidly into a single genre structure that a book might transcend. The action of a novel is presented on screen in the absence of the complex emotion that drives this plot. An obvious example of this is the 2012 phenomenon The Hunger Games. The film hit all the expected action plot points of Suzanne Collins’ novel, which itself was presented almost like a cinematic blueprint, but only

barely touches on Katniss’ complex relationships and thoughts. This omission stems from film’s inability to fully convey the internal monologue of a book. Filmmakers have experimented with a variety of ways to bring these nuances across, from Edward Norton’s voice over in Fight Club to the “things left unsaid” style of Gone Girl. Internal monologue is almost impossible to accurately convey on-screen but its exclusion often causes the downfall for a book-to-film adaptation. The problem of faithfulness lies at the heart of the debate as to whether great books can make great films. Generally speaking the more the film remains devoted to the book, the more satisfied the readers will be. However, does this strip filmmakers of their creative integrity? Faithful adaptation compromises imagination as filmmakers seek only to please the original readership rather than reaching any form of creative expression. A thoroughly faithful adaptation must also succeed in operating without the element of surprise, in conveying all the familiar plotlines with no unexpected additions. Filmmakers often risk offering nothing new to those familiar with the plot. Of course, the element of surprise is not always welcome in adaptations as many books are glossed over with a familiar Hollywood sheen when content deemed not commercial is pigeonholed to appeal to a broader audience. Audrey Hepburn and George Peppard’s happily-ever-after kiss at the end of Breakfast At Tiffany’s is a far cry from the ambiguous and thought-provoking ending

“Daniel Handler has said, ‘telling an author their book would make a great movie remains the highest form of cultural currency.”

to Truman Capote’s novella, as popular films often forbid the audience from leaving the theatre feeling anything but sheer joy. Filmmakers must grapple with the emotional investment of readers in order to satisfy their expectations whilst creating a film that stands alone as its own art piece. There is much dispute as to what films, if any, have achieved this. Martin Scorsese’s expert handling of Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence is a prime example of a near perfect adaptation, both faithful and expressive. Scorsese’s signature brutal tribalism is unmistakable within Wharton’s passionate narrative. Despite the many film versions of young adult dystopian fiction, a more recent “go-to” example of successful adaptation comes in the form of the 2007 film of Ian McEwan’s Atonement. Joe Wright achieved the impossible act of a cinematic reinterpretation of a novel that is primarily dedicated to page-spanning paragraphs and swooning internal monologue. The same emotions are presented through snappy editing and evocative music proving literary devices can have corresponding cinematic ones. Scorsese and Wright pull off the muchattempted book to film adaptation by neither committing themselves entirely to the book nor disregarding it completely. Instead, they expertly choose what they want to emphasize from the book and what new content they want to put forward and, most significantly, how these two elements intertwine, all while remaining faithful to the spirit of the book. The best adaptations should be viewed as separate art forms, relatives rather than two halves of the same whole. Just as the filmmaker must accept the opinions of the reader, readers must attempt to understand the choices of the filmmaker in order for the adaptation to work. If nothing else, the crossover of these two art forms at least allows for an experiment in form and interesting critical debate. Undeniably, the two mediums benefit each other, as A Series of Unfortunate Events author Daniel Handler has said; “telling an author their book would make a great movie remains the highest form of cultural currency.”

Gone Girl: One of the many recent films adapted from a book

OTwo//Arts&Lit

Anna Karenina: Review Síofra Ní Shluaghadháin reviews Marina Carr’s adaptation of the classic Russian novel at the Abbey Theatre. BRINGING a novel of any scope to the stage comes with its perils and challenges, and it could be argued that adapting Leo Tolstoy’s epic love story could be one of the most difficult. Running at the impressive length of three hours and twenty minutes, this production gives new life to Tolstoy’s one hundred and forty-year-old work. It bends the perspective of the narrative to present the audience with something that is strikingly relevant to the world today. Marina Carr, one of Ireland’s pre-eminent playwrights, along with director Wayne Jordan and a stellar cast, come together to present

“The harsh, empty spaces of a Russian winter are evoked again and again.”

something that is a leap forward for the Abbey. This comes after a largely staid year focused around the 1916 ‘Waking the Nation’ commemoration. This version of Anna Karenina is one that fits neatly into the flow of Carr’s work to date. Anna (played powerfully and convincingly by Lisa Dwan) is a female character who takes control of her own life, to her own detriment. This, however, is not simply a tragic love story. Peppered with references to “the woman question”, and issues of women’s agency, modern politics and history are woven together seamlessly. This is the story of a woman in a society on the brink of collapse. This is a narrative, not of Anna Karenina driven mad by the consequences of her subversive love affair, but of the ostracising of a woman who dared to challenge the rigid structures that were designed to run her life. This is a version that is, measure for measure, both faithless and most faithful to its source. Marina Carr also brings to this production a personal aesthetic of sparseness. Both visually and in the soundscape, the harsh, empty

spaces of a Russian winter are evoked again and again. In regards to set and lighting design, Sarah Bacon and Sinéad Wallace prove that less is certainly more in a production such as this. Functionality is the key to the stage, and there is a beautifully realised counterpoint between the bare vulnerability of the production and the lavishness both of Tolstoy’s original, and the social context in which it was set. Importantly, this production shows a change in direction for the Abbey. This play,

with its strong female-led cast and production team, along with a female playwright, show that perhaps the furore which surrounded ‘Waking the Nation’, followed by the reactionary ‘Waking the Feminists’, may have set the wheels in motion for some muchneeded change.

Anna Karenina runs from December 7th – January 28th 2017 at the Abbey Theatre.

Lear: Review John Scott’s revival of the 400-year old play at the Samuel Beckett Theatre is both unusual and enjoyable, explains Síofra Ní Shluaghadháin. THIS production of Lear, brought to us by John Scott’s Irish Modern Dance Theatre, is not your bog standard adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear, which some might remember without much fondness from the Leaving Cert. This is certainly no bad thing. Starring the inimitable Valda Setterfield, this production deconstructs the tragedy of

photo Credit: Patrick moore

one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. Using the base script as a mere prop, Setterfield, along with three superb dancers from the company, exposes the bare bones of the drama, by choosing to focus on the loneliness and isolation of Lear’s madness, as the world in her beloved kingdom disintegrates. It is important to note the stylistic choice

in the title. Although this production has been referred to as “a streamlined version of Shakespeare’s play”, it could be argued that Lear has the capacity and the originality to stand on its own merit. With the focus shifted from the verbal to the physical aspects of the play, this piece allows the four performers to examine aspects of the great tragedy, without the need to act it out. Setterfield, in her role as the titular Lear, allows her physical presence to counterpoint beautifully with the fragile mental state of the character she portrays. Similarly, the other dancers, in their roles as Goneril, Regan and Cordelia, use gender as a means of counterpoint, using the male physique as a manner of critiquing their characters’ parts in the action. All in all, this production is one of a kind, a unique interaction between one of the stalwarts of the world of dance and physical theatre by one of the freshest and most innovative dance companies in Ireland today. It is fitting, in many ways, that this expression is done in homage to the Bard, the stark modernity of the form bringing to life what universally lies at the heart of human tragedy.

“It could be argued that Lear has the capacity and the originality to stand on its own merit.”

“This piece allows the four performers to examine aspects of the great tragedy, without the need to act it out.”

FATAL FOURWAY Worst New Year’s Resolution

Roisin Guyett-Nicholoson Sweets NEW Year’s resolutions are a bad idea. You think you need to improve yourself, that this is the time to start being the person you always wanted to be, with none of the silly hang-ups or flaws you had last year. You’ve finished gorging yourself on turkey, mince pies and that third tin of biscuits that Aunty Mary brought around. Now you’re ready to throw all those temptations away. It started out so well for me. New Year, new me and all that crap. I decided that I was going to purge my body of bad toxins and save my teeth in the process. I was renouncing sweets and chocolate. It was going to be great. I could tell everybody, from my classmates to my actual friends, that I was a new person. I was ‘detoxing’ and cutting out unnatural sugar and all that jazz. I would be a wonderful new person. Except I forgot one key detail. Chocolate and jellies are not, and never could be a bad thing. Sure I might regret it when my skin keeps breaking out and my metabolism slows down. But when you’re trying to pull an all-nighter to finish that essay or feeling viciously hungover, sweets are never not what you should be having. In fact, life in general is fairly traumatic, what with the impending collapse of the EU and the election of a giant Cheeto in the USA. So we all deserve whatever happiness we can get, and sweets always makes people happy. Denying yourself, that would just add to the sadness. Or at least that was the conclusion I came to at 12.35am on the first of January.

Niamh O’Regan Finishing a TV Series IT’S the worst resolution because it’s a resolution that shouldn’t have to be made. Find a TV show you enjoy, get into it, finish it, where exactly does the struggle come in? I have succeeded before; Buffy, The West Wing, The Newsroom and Firefly, I finished all of those, the first series of Versailles too. I’m reasonably certain I’ve seen every episode of Friends but definitely not in the correct order, and there could well be an episode or two missing. It’s not a resolution that’s looked upon too favourably either. New Year’s resolutions tend to be about personal betterment; New Year, new me. Drink less, eat better, exercise more, in the case of a friend of mine, reply to Snapchats (I suppose it could be taken as communicate better). Watch more TV is not something normally on people’s lists. The greatest self-improvement part is being able to understand the more obscure occasional pop culture references. This year I need to finish Mad Men, The Tudors, Peaky Blinders and The Good Wife, as a start for what I didn’t finish last year. I still haven’t watched Breaking Bad or Orange is the New Black (and now I realise, may lose many friends as a result of revealing these horrors). It’s not that I don’t enjoy series, quite often I do, I just seem to run out of time for them when exams or essays or a five week long sporting event appear, and just don’t get back to them. This year I’m not doing too badly, I’ve started on A Series of Unfortunate Events, and have restarted How I Met Your Mother, to make sure I catch every episode this time. Whether I will succeed at my desperately simple resolution is yet to be seen.

Seán Hayes New Year’s Resolutions ONE could be forgiven for thinking that writing a piece on the worst New Year’s resolution would be an easy task. I mean, after all, every single resolution I’ve ever made has ended in complete disaster. Yet this is the very problem: the sheer volume and onslaught of failed resolutions that I have amassed in my twenty-one years makes it very difficult for me to choose just one. Do I choose the time that I decided to start going to the gym, only to break my big toe from a dropped dumbbell? Do I choose the time that I decided to be more charitable, but accidentally gave change to someone who wasn’t homeless, but just bent over to tie their shoe-lace? Or do I choose the time that I turned vegetarian, only to find the remnants of a Big Mac on my face when I woke up after New Year’s celebrations last year. This year, I find myself asking why make a resolution when I know it’s going to be broken. Telling myself that I can’t have, eat or buy something only makes me want it more. Why do I want to start every year with such a sense of complete uselessness and imminent failure? That is why, this year, I have decided not to make a resolution. Some might say, though, that a resolution not to make a resolution is still a resolution. Indeed it is. It is a resolution where I have accepted my ineptness with indifferent totality and retreated wholly into cynicism, refusing to improve or better myself, which I guess it the most pathetic, worst resolution there could be.

David Monaghan Alcohol TRYING to commit to New Year’s resolutions reminds me of my mother: you start off with such good intentions but when you realise you’re not up to the challenge, you abandon the project you birthed altogether (sorry Ma, I’m just being a comedian). And much like my mother, alcohol became the centre of my world one New Year’s. I arrived at my friend’s house in Castleknock to celebrate her triumphant return from abroad, and to relax and have fun with the friends I’ve made over the last few years. The intention was to have a good time with these people as they have changed my life in numerous positive ways, and so I brought two bottles of wine to share between me and my close confidantes. Instead I woke up hours later in her bathtub covered in my own sick, with a massive queue forming at the door filled with people with bladders ready to burst. An impatient knock had brought me back into reality, as if the smell wasn’t enough. I staggered out of the tub, slipped and whacked my head off the sink. Eventually I managed to unlock the door and face the unruly crowd that had formed, which by this point was compiled mainly of people who were not angry, but rather expressed faces of disappointment. Embarrassed and stinking of yesterday’s chips, I staggered downstairs and curled up on my friend’s couch. As soon as dawn broke I was on the first bus home to grab a shower and contemplate my life choices. And it was at this point in my life that I decided to give up alcohol.

A PERTURE //motion//

Alex Floss-Jones “Blur”

Annabelle Nguyen “Louvre”

Louise Flanagan “Swoosh”

Annabelle Nguyen “Natália“

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