Scene - York Vision Issue 224

Scene Editors: Alysia Judge & Jordan Lloyd

Photo: Oliver Todd

Deputy Nightlife: Oliver Wessely Nightlife Editor: Ben Huckle Deputy Music: Will Barnes & Nina Pullman Music Editors: Niamh Connolly & Eli Court

TV Editors: Morgan Collins & Keruschka Shunmugam

Technology Editors: Dan Cornwell & Kirryn Mountford

Deputy Film: Tom Bonnington & Matija Pisk

Books Editors: Sophie Taylor & Philip Watson Deputy Books: James Carr

Film Editors: Maddy Pelling & Abigail Richards

N O I S I V TELE ? t e g r o f r e v e y ll a e rs Can we r parate our favourite characte

r we can really ever se he et wh at s ok lo er in rd Ga an Si bigger and better. to on e ov m em th t le d an from the actors that play them

T

he lack of distinction made by viewers between the actor and the character they play onscreen is one of the limited (as far as I can see) drawbacks of being the star of a thriving television show. As an actor, it would seem you should be prepared to experience members of the public hurling abuse at you, recoiling in fear or professing their undying love for you as a result of your fictional behaviour. Personally, I would struggle to control the urge to trip up Ben Mitchell of Eastenders if he happened to walk past me, yet, he may be nothing like his maddeningly irritating and fairly creepy onscreen counterpart.

Due to the long-lasting, often emotional and probably over the top investments we make in the characters of our favourite shows, actors seem to experience a variable rate of success at shrugging off their old roles when taking on new parts. Jon Hamm, star of award winning show Mad Men, says people seem to expect him to be ‘This brooding, sad, angry guy’, much like Don Draper.

otherwise- sporting a fetching pair of Baywatch style swimming trunks.

Luckily for them, these regrettable scenes are unlikely to be the first that come to mind when their names are mentioned. Indeed, there are some celebrities who have managed to break away from their less glamorous past: these days you are likely to find Drake rapping that he’s ‘had sex four times this week’, it wasn’t all that long ago that he was known as Aubrey Drake Graham (Yes, seriously- Aubrey), and was a regular in Canadian teen drama Degrassi as high school basketball player Jimmy Brooks.

Yet Drake has succeeded where countless other TV stars have failed.

The cast of Friends are a prime example of the success of one programme becoming an actor’s defining role.

Considering the fact that J e n n i f e r

ular show. Whilst she has had some success playing an older woman with a penchant for toy boys in Cougar Town, it was hard not to think, ‘Why is Monica wearing a lab coat?’ when she appeared in several episodes of Scrubs. Matt Le Blanc may also harbour some resentment for the unshakeable memory of his role as the loveable Joey Tribbiani, although perhaps the reported million dollar pay cheque the cast received per episode may have eased this pain somewhat.

Child stars often fall victim to their own rise to fame. While the likes of Macaulay Culkin and Lindsay Lohan are poster children for the bad effects of early stardom, others such as Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen, as well as Shia LaBeouf, Miley Cyrus and Scarlett Johansson have managed to shake off earlier TV roles and

rs o

Our allconsuming world of technology makes things worse for actors today; while we frantically hide the evidence of our past from our Facebook timeline, celebrities have to put up with the evidence of the pre superhuman existence they’d rather forget being readily available online. In just a few clicks, you can be treated to a young Brad Pitt, apparently suffering from a ‘fever for Pringles!’- though his washboard abs would suggest

Nibblets of the crunchiest TV news this week...

According to rumours, Made In Chelsea star Spencer Matthews may be kicked off the show after snorting cocaine off a DVD in a club in Bath. Maybe Louise and Caggie won't be the only people dumping him.

Sky 1 has confirmed that An Idiot Abroad will return for a 2-part series called An Idiot Abroad: The Short Way Round. This time it will feature Warwick Davis; the duo will be travelling from Italy to China following Marco Polo's route. As they say, opposites attract.

Dannii Minogue is rumoured to be in talks with X-Factor bosses about a return to the show after the revelations of her four-year affair with Simon Cowell were made public in an unauthorised biography about him. The deal follows the end of her relationship with boyfriend Kris Smith.

Jessica Wright has reportedly said that she would love to take over from Olly Murs and Caroline Flack as the host of The Xtra Factor alongside her brother Mark.

"I love acting and I'd like to get into presenting," she told Reveal. "Me and Mark could be the new Ant & Dec, couldn't we?

Jessie J has slammed rumours she is a lesbian after being outed by a 'friend' who claimed The Voice judge had to keep her sexuality quiet by record execs to make her more appealing to fans. Jessie responded with the tweet, "#cantkeepup #noneofitstrue'"

ictim" ften fall v

"Child sta

NEWS BITES!

Aniston’s character became a pop culture phenomenon that it spawned the most famous hairstyle of the 90s, ‘The Rachel’, it's unsurprising that Aniston has struggled to break away from ‘girl next door’ style typecasting. Since the end of Friends, she has made a career out of playing romantically doomed girlygirls; a shame given the versatility she showed in her role as the deadpan store clerk in The Good Girl. Her on and off screen BFF Courtney Cox has arguably also been held back by the infamy of her role in the highly pop-

Keeping Up With The Kardashians has been renewed for three more seasons, with the Kardashian/Jenner family earning a reality show record-breaking $40 million.

find fame through fashion, music and film.

While phrases such as ‘How YOU doin’ and ‘I don't beliiieve it' are destined to haunt some actors for years to come, I can’t help but think this is a small price to pay for the place a defining role has earned them in millions of viewers’ hearts, and of course the millions of pounds in royalties...

Remotes at the ready - our tv picks for the week The show designed to test the strength of celebrities abilites to lie is back with its 6th series. Expect farfetched yet believable tall-tales.

vs!

our fa One of

You? o T e i L I Would

Friday, BBC1, 8.30pm

One To

Keith Lem

Check O

ut!

on's Lem

onAid

Keith Lemon helps members of the public fulfil their dreams and desires in his own unique and zany way.

The Great British Menu is back, and this year the hopefuls battle it out for a chance to host a glittering banquet for our Olympic heroes.

Saturday, ITV1, 6.15pm

Sunday Friday, nu 6.30BBC2, e M pm h s i Brit t a e r G The ic!

A Class

ACademy awards

British Television

The BAFTAs are coming! We at Vision have chosen the four best categories that TV has to offer and have made a prediction about who will take home BAFTA gold.

Leading Actor

Benedict Cumberbatch Sherlock

Leading Actress

Emily Watson Appropriate Adult

Dominic West Appropriate Adult

Nadine Marshall Random

sO Hot c

rones Game of th st keeps This show ju tter and be on getting agons, better - dr the betrayal and r the fo pending war ne.

Iron Thro nes Game of Throng in ro w no do can our eyes!

made in chelse a

Joseph Gilgun This is England '88

John Simm Exile

Vicky McClure This is England '88

Entertainment Performance Alan Carr Alan Carr Chatty Man

Scandal! We are just living for the Spencer, Jamie and Louise love triangle. We can' t wait to see how it pans out - our guess is it'll end badly...

Romola Garai The Crimson Petal and the White

Reality and Constructed Factual

Dara O'Briain Mock The Week

An Idiot Abroad

The Young Apprentice

Desperate housewives The ladies of Wisteria Lane are saying goodbye, and while we may shed a small tear at the fact that it is the last series, it is all set to go out with a bang.

R.I.P

Harry Hill Graham Norton Harry Hill's TV Burp The Graham Norton Show

Made In Chelsea

Don't Tell The Bride

SQUARE EYES

the only way is essex

OMG! Is it just us or are you sick and tired of watching these tanned, tacky wannabes takeover our television screens two times a week?! Outrageous!

VISION LOOKS OVER THE LATEST TELEVISION

The Voice

Saturday, Sunday and Monday 7pm, BBC1

"I

t’s all about the voice."

This is the bold claim put forward by the new BBC talent show, The Voice UK. It would be nice to think that this was solely the case, but as we know, these shows can rarely avoid showing the irksome sob stories often attached to this genre. However, the blind auditions and duet battles did add a refreshing dimension to what could be regarded as a tired formula.

If one criticism could be offered, it is that the Christina Aguilera-like warbling could be used more selectively, but in general the singing has been of an impressive quality. The judges, Tom Jones, Will.i.am, Jessie J and Danny O’Donoghue, also provide

some entertainment as they fight over singers using some rather bitchy tactics. The first live shows, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Reggie Yates, opened with amazing performances from Tom and Will.i.am's teams. The results, shown the following day, forced two of the judges to send home a talent after the public vote. Last weekend came the turn of Jessie J and Danny. With its interesting format and credible talent, The Voice UK looks set to become compulsive viewing.

Rhian McLaughlin

Hidden Talent

I

Tuesday 9pm, C4

have to admit, I was quite excited to watch Hidden Talent. From the promos I was envisioning a Derren Brown-esque show where people were hypnotised to achieve their hidden talents.

I was very, very wrong. While I find the concept of discovering a completely random talent very intriguing, it just didn't live up to the hype.

Maybe I would have been hooked a bit more if we’d actually seen the ‘auditions’ that the 900 people had to go through. With 891 people cut, we were left with the talented nine. The first episode focused around two talents, one rock-climbing and the other lie-detecting. The rock-climbing segment, with all the 'discover your real-self malar-

key', was a tired concept.

But when I found out that lie-detecting was a talent, I immediately did the test, just to prove that I too had a penchant for spotting a liar (I scored an average 3/6).

The talented chosen one, Brenda, spent years watching mothers lie to their daughters in her wedding dress boutique. It seems to have worked out for her, as she is supposedly as good as an FBI trained lie detector. While it seems that this show has potential, it's a shame the first episode was such a letdown.

Britain's Got talent Not even David Walliams can salvage this hot mess.

Britain may have talent, but that doesn't mean we want to see it.

so not Keruschka Shunmugam

tv@yorkvision.co.uk

5 OF THE BEST DYSTOPIAN NOVELS OF THE PAST CENTURY

1984

by George Orwell His genre-defining magnum opus, Orwell's chilling vision of a totalitarian future state has left an indelible imprint upon the English language in the form of Big Brother, Doublethink and the Thought Police.

Brave New World

by Aldous Huxley

Written in 1931, Huxley's shrewd examination of the human condition has proved alarmingly prophetic considering the relatively recent advent of controversial artificial reproduction and gene technology.

APOCALYPSE HENNA ISHAQ investigates the worlwide sensation that is Suzanne Collins' THE HUNGER GAMES and the effect that such post-apocaylptic literature could be having on its considerable young readership.

under the wealthy and decadent Capitol. She voluntarily takes the place of her sister, who was selected at random, to partake in a televised battle between twenty-four teenagers - the eponymous Hunger Games - where ultimately there is only one survivor.

March 2012 saw the cinema release of the adaptation of Suzanne Collin’s 2008 novel, The Hunger Games, sparking widespread controversy over some of the arguably unsuitable images and themes. The debate surrounding the film and, more prominently, the trilogy of novels, serves to answer the question: is The Hunger Games and post-apocalyptic literature suitable for children?

The story is told from the view of sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, a courageous and resourceful teenager who just so happens to be a crack shot with a bow and arrow, as well as being a skilled huntswoman. Katniss lives in a post-apocalyptic world in which twelve destitute 'Districts' live in an oppressive hegemony

Although I think there is very little dispute over how captivating the book is, there seems to be a general consensus that it is not a read to be taken lightly. The high level of violence and graphic detail has hit a nerve in many adult readers, so naturally most of the violent imagery Collins so meticulously creates is likely to leave many of her younger readers in a state of distress, and thus many people would be of the opinion that post-apocalyptic novels such as this are unsuitable for children. Some of these charming scenes include one in which a character is mauled by monstrous dogs, another wherein a contestant, after being beset by a swarm of deadly stinging insects, suffers the grisly demise of having their body bloating into a swollen, blood-covered, pus-oozing carcass, and finally a distressingly detailed account of dissenters having their tongues cut out for disobedience towards the government. Undoubtedly, these images are hardly child-friendly.

The Road

by Cormac McCarthy

Ultimately, as with all literary controversy, the debate will be ongoing as opinion will always be split over whether or not any post-apocalyptic literature is suitable for children. Although I lean more towards the view that it is inappropriate, I am also of the opinion that, ultimately, the responsibility lies with the parents to decide whether or not their child is mature enough to deal with underlying tones of such fiction; it is the parents who need to consider their child's maturity, perception and ability to engage in and cope with the common themes and images that so prevalently appear in post-apocalyptic literature.

A somewhat experimental but unrelentingly and harrowing vision of a world scorched by an undefined natural cataclysm in which, with all food gone, people turn to the only remaining source: each other.

Oryx and Crake

by Margaret Atwood

Defined by the author as 'speculative fiction', Atwood's dark and powerfully-wrought narrative pans seamlessly between a present-day wilderness where none but the 'Snowman' survive, and the morally-bankrupt past which prefigured the extinction of the earth.

I Am Legend

by Richard Matheson

Criminally undervalued but infinitely more powerful than the inaccurate film adaptations, Matheson's bleak 1954 novel trailblazed the way for the 'zombie apocalypse' craze that still rages on unabated today.

Philip Watson

However, before we write the novel off as being ‘inappropriate’ for those who are regarded as children - say under-16s - let us not cast a shadow over the benefits that such post-apocalyptic literature can have on the younger and even adult generation. Post-apocalyptic literature- and not just that aimed solely at children and teenagers, such as Cormac McCarthy's "The Road" and of course, Orwell's "1984", although somewhat distressing, deals with thought-provoking and hard-hitting themes and ideas that can enhance a child’s understanding of literature and the world around them through electrified discussion on topics, such as social inequalities, character motivation, the impact of entertainment, politics, war, morality in the face of adversity, and thematic irony.

SHAKESPEARE GOES GLOBAL LUKE WALTON on Englishness, the Bard and 2012's Global Shakespeare Festival as part of this year's Cultural Olympiad As every nation descends upon England for the London 2012 Olympics, sport will not be the only cultural focus, with the World Shakespeare Festival taking place as part of the Cultural Olympiad. For those who are mystified by this term of quasi-mythical proportions: the Cultural Olympiad is an umbrella label, referring to all of the most prolific artistic events happening during this Olympic year. The Shakespeare Festival, which began on the 23rd April, is a collaboration of different theatre companies from around the world, performing the entire works of the Bard, in new, exciting interpretations, and in many different languages.

From the 26th April, the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon will be showing Romeo and Juliet in Baghdad, which is a radical re-telling of the original, transposed to modern-day Iraq. Instead of Capulets and Montagues, the audience will witness the conflict between Shi-

ite and Sunni groups, and the love and violence which ensues when these clash.

The tragedy of this adaptation, I am sure, will be all the more meaningful in the wake of the Iraqi war, the awful scenes of which once played on our television screens on an almost daily basis. The play will be performed in colloquial Arabic, by the players of the Baghdad Iraqi Theatre Company, proving that Shakespeare's beauty and understanding of the human condition transcends language, and can awaken the hearts and minds of any culture. Other performances include Two Roses for Richard III, which is a Brazilian version of Shakespeare's history plays, featuring circus and aerial skills to create a lively and dynamic experience.

The Globe in London - Shakespeare's old stomping ground - are putting on Pericles in Greek, Antony and Cleopatra in Turkish, and Henry VI Part II in Albanian. The list goes on. Place a pin in a world atlas, and chances are you'll hit a country which is producing, or at least inspiring an adaptation for the Festival.

This is set to be the biggest ever celebration of Shakespeare's plays, and demonstrates that his works are just as

enjoyable and potent today, in this multifarious and ever-changing global village, as they were in Renaissance England.

Shakespeare created something new in the English language, and his writing has the capacity to keep on creating itself, in any new culture and in any language. That is why he was, is, and always will be brilliant.

TIONS

Dr. Jekyll and ... Sweeney Todd?

At first glance, Sweeney Todd and Jekyll and Hyde appear broadly similar. They're both set in nineteenthcentury London, they're both centred around homicidal maniacs and their love interests, whilst being unreal and sensational. In Tim Burton's musical version of Sweeney, the stark contrast between the twisted Mr Todd and his idealistic younger self Benjamin Barker clearly mirrors the polar opposites, good and evil, represented by Dr. Jekyll and his alter-ego Mr Hyde. You might wonder what a feature on two musicals is doing in the 'Books' section. Well, the origins of both tales lie within the vast realms of literature, albeit of very different kinds.

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr Hyde, written as a novella in 1886, was inspired by a disturbing dream suffered by the famed Scottish wordsmith Robert Louis Stevenson. The story is entirely told from the standpoint of Jekyll's close friend John Utterson, with Jekyll's dual identity only revealed through the reading of his will after all the events (and killings) have taken place.

The story was lauded by late Victorian society as an enlightening moral Hood Rats by Gavin Knight Gavin Knight’s Hood Rats cou ldn’t have been published at a more pres cient time.

Chronicling Britain's crim inal underworld, it was released just a mon th before the July Riots. Knight underto ok extensive research so he might present a rare insight into the lives of the youths who have fallen through the system.

Knight writes in an impressioni stic style, presenting a panopoly of cha racters who either exploit or are victims of the system in which they are trapped ; a Somalian child reliving civil war on the streets of London, a Sikh drug addict living in a bin shed and a veteran cop are all players in the story he tells. To his cred it, Knight does not flinch when relating the visceral violence that forms a part of the everyday lives of his characters.

However, the problem with Hoo d Rats is that the people he writes abo ut seem like characters, not like representatio ns of real

The Opium War by Julia Lovell In the introduction to The Opium War, Lovell claims that the purpose of her book is to tell "the story of the war that has been haunting Sino-Western relations for almost two centuries." The Anglo-Chinese opium war, which lasted in inconsistent form for over a century, has had a lasting impact on political relations between the two nations, reaching even into the 21st century. Lovell creates an impressive image of the events surrounding the initial conflict, forming a cast of fascinating characters on both the British and Chinese sides. Crowds of politicians, soldiers, officials and ordinary men and women are brought to life.

Her narrative is fast paced and contemporary, not dusty or dull.

Lovell gives equal treatment to the British and Chinese elements of the tale,

tale, which served as a 'guidebook' to free oneself from the evil influences of the subconscious, and as a piercing condemnation of the hypocrisy demonstrated by those concealing their true inner lusts through the projection of outward respectability.

That Stevenson was considered to be espousing a serious moral message is shown in that priests regularly referred to his work in their sermons.

In contrast, the tale of a homicidal barber emerged as a popular urban legend billed by Victorian melodramas as 'based on fact'. Court records do indicate the existence of Sweeney Todd as a historical figure, executed in January 1802 for an unknown crime, but the later embellishments - a trap-door under the chair, the razor-slit throats of customers, and their incorporation into delicious meat pies -

Dickens. The actual stringing together of a story, under the name The String of Pearls (no pun intended), came in 1846 as an eighteen-part sensationalist cartoon strip in Edward Lloyd's newspaper. The lurid serial was initially envisioned as a cheap thrill for adolescents, but was made into both melodrama and book within five years. Both tales continue to capture and hold the public imagination, portals into a very different and dangerous age, but their beginnings w e r e, evidently, very d i f f e rent.

James Carr

m at e r i alise during the 1830s, doubtless fuelled by tales of 'cannibalistic pastry preparers' in Paris and in the works of Charles people. It feels over-fictionalise d. DC Anders Svensson could be straight out of any sub-par crime novel, and the gan gsters are almost a parody of themselves.

As a result, the reader remains distant from the issues the author is trying to engage them in. It is a profound shame given that his subject matter suffers from a tragic lack of sympathetic representation in mainstream culture.

Gavin Knight had the opportu nity to write a game changer to provoke discussion about one of the most distress ing aspects of modern Britain. Unfortu nately, the novel lacks the emotional pun ch and social context necessary for good political fiction. Hood Rats lies somewh ere between bad crime fiction and biograph y. Its inclusion on the Orwell shortlist is ultimately just a devastating reflection of the state of political writing today, and sadl y, that is all I took from it.

Joanna Barrow

making use of sources that convey the preoccupations and concerns of both, always with historical objectivity. She also treats the events with both the enthusiasm and integrity of the consummate historian. There is no bias in her depiction of the opium war, which makes it a work of powerful insight. Equally, Lovell's method of narrative makes the book accessible to those with little knowledge of the war, or the nature of Anglo-Chinese relations. Her treatment of the legacy of the war and its effect on contemporary political understanding is fascinating and enlightening. In utilising current events, Lovell creates an easily understandable, enjoyable and illuminating vision from a conflicted, and often little understood, period of British and Chinese history.

Sophie Wootton

FIC PRISON

The Prison Fictions and Human Rights Project is organising a series of events by key academics and speakers who engage with issues of imprisonment and rights. The first two events featured a talk given by Lucy Powell – one of the BBC and AHRC’s ten new generation thinkers, who spoke eloquently on how 18th century literature shaped resistance and rebellion, and Dr Robert Mackay giving a fascinating lecture on the idea of the animal, in animal rights discourse.

The third talk will be by writer and Guardian journalist Erwin James; ‘My Truth about Prison’ about his experiences during twenty years in prison after being convicted for murder. It takes place tonight at 6pm in the Berrick Saul Building and is set to be a revealing look at the modern prison system.

These events have been organised by Claire Westall and Michelle Kelly of the English and Related Literature department. A further part of this project is the establishment of the YorkPEN group by current undergraduates. It is part of the EnglishPEN group which promotes the freedom to write and to read and campaigns for prisoners who have been arrested for exercising these freedoms.

The last of the Prison Fictions events will be on the 21st of June, when four guest speakers will speak on a variety of topics that range from popular representations of imprisonment to the idea of freedom in a century of South African prison gangs as a part of the York Festival of Ideas.

BEST OF THE

ORWELL PRIZE 2012 People Who Eat Darkness by Richard Lloyd Parry On July 1st 2000 a British girl, Lucie Blackman, went missing in Tokyo. Nine months later, her dismembered body was unearthed on a beach in Kanagawa and the Japanese police arrested Joji Obara on suspicion of kidnapping and assault. When Blackman’s parents appealed to the public, the case triggered a media frenzy. Richard Parry, writing for The Times, was one of many journalists to discover a darker underside to Japan, far removed from conventional images of Geisha girls and orderly streets. But his book length report, published 11 years after the murder, is remarkable for its objectivity. Parry uses photographs, testimonies and diary entries to construct a sympathetic but unsentimental narrative, focusing on Lucie’s last days as a bar hostess in a club called ‘Casanova’, before moving onto less speculative ground: the Blackman family, the media storm and the murder trials.

Parry’s writing is plain and detailed; he

makes no attempt to sensationalise the account, which hardly needs embellishment. The depth and breadth of his research is evident from the number of footnotes referencing letters, trials and interviews.

It’s not the easiest read and it certainly won’t be mistaken for a crime thriller; there are no action sequences and the focus is on facts, not events. But Parry presents the evidence in a manner which makes for compulsive reading, leaving you constantly uncertain as to what will happen next. People Who Eat Darkness is not so much a crime story as a re-examination of Japanese culture and an exploration of individual responses to grief.

Where previous reporters have shone a damning spotlight on the unsavoury side of Tokyo, Perry looks at the public’s obsession with Lucie’s case and unseats several common assumptions about the nature of grief, loss and psychopathy.

Elizabeth Bingham

books@yorkvision.co.uk

Are casual gamers putting the end in

?

N

ot so long ago, the future was bright for Nintendo.

Having lost to Sony’s PlayStation 2 in the previous generation of consoles, its two key contributions to this age, the Nintendo DS and the Nintendo Wii, have, in terms of units sold, become the clear champions of the handheld and console gaming worlds respectively, with the former even beginning to approach the stellar 154.4 million units sold by Sony’s PS2. In terms of games themselves, the current generation owes a huge debt to Nintendo with their prolific franchises such as the Mario and Zelda series, two of the best-selling franchises of all time.

Pokémon too, though a somewhat passé institution, is seen by many as an important part of their childhood.

With this in mind, it is difficult to imagine that this may be the beginning of the end of this mighty company. However, in this fiscal year, ending in March, Nintendo suffered its first annual loss since it released its first console in 1977.

There are several factors that director Saturo Iwata blames for this downturn:

the Yen is particularly strong, hindering exports by making the units effectively more expensive for countries to import Japanese goods. The 3DS is also to blame, and it is easy to see why – despite high sales in Japan, "the momentum of the Nintendo 3DS overseas has not reached [its] anticipated level, unlike the domestic [Japanese] market," according to Iwata himself. Even a drastic price cut, paired with an emotional letter of apology to hardcore fans who bought the 3DS in its youth, failed to revive the sales of the device.

Then at 2011’s E3 gaming expo, Nintendo unveiled their new console, the Wii U. Despite, or perhaps because of its interesting design it suffered a rather lukewarm reception, especially with investors as the share price dropped to its lowest point since 2006 (though the Wii initially had the same effect). This was worsened by a downgrade of Nintendo’s rating by UBS Securities from ‘buy’ to ‘neutral’. The console, which features controllers with

HD touchscreens, seems to have been misunderstood by many as simply a Wii peripheral as opposed to a completely new system.

However, there are whispers of a new theory as to why Nintendo might be going through tougher times, in that their precious casual gamer demographic may be turning away from Nintendo and towards platforms like iOS and Android.

It’s easy to see why – taking iOS as an example, there are several key advantages that an iPhone or iPad has over the Wii or the 3DS in fighting for casual gamers. Price comes at the fore – with iPhones already in the hands of millions of potential gamers, playing simple games often comes free or at 70p, whereas the 3DS costs £130, a high price to pay, especially for people who may not be particularly into gaming. Portability is also a key factor, and is something that iOS devices have in spades. Finally, user-friendly software distribution is vital to attracting and keeping gamers of all kinds, and there’s just no beating the app store.

One of the greatest technology companies of all time may on its way out. So do your bit – buy a 3DS, i n dulge in some officially licensed merchandise, or even just dig up the old gameboy and get back into Pokémon this weekend.

Three retro gadgets that are still rocking it today

This week in FIVE THINGS: Five films and TV shows with awful science errors.

Technology in popular culture has always been a funny one to think about it. Like the fiction of sound in space and the incredibility of spontaneously exploding cars, here are a few films and TV shows that provide great examples of five common technological and scientific misconceptions in film.

1. CSI – Enhance!

How many times have you seen someone say, ‘Enhance!’ to a CCTV image, and it magically gets many times clearer? Unfortunately for CSI, resolution doesn’t really work that way.

If your camera was that good, your display wouldn’t show you a poor image just to make you correct it by saying a word out loud.

2. Independence Day - Mad Hacking Even Jeff Goldblum couldn’t make the ending of this film plausible. He uploads a virus to an alien spaceship with no prior knowledge of their computer systems. The idea that they would happen to use an operating system with the same language as ours and that it was as easy as it looked had even novice hackers throwing their Wotsits at the screen.

3. Casino Royale – GPS An example of one of the most ubiquitous errors in film and TV, the tiny chip implanted in James Bond’s massive forearm that serves as a GPS locator would simply never work. The degree of accuracy, its size, and the unspoken promise that it would work indoors despite the huge amounts of interference are all wrong.

4. Star Trek – Aliens look like us

THE SLINKY

THE DUSTBUSTER

THE GAMEBOY

Cheap, fun, and nearly indestructible, this classic stocking-filler embodied everything that was perfect about a time before videogames. Also responsible for one of the best quotes from the glorious film Ghostbusters. You'll have to watch it to find out...

Perfect for quickly sucking up trampled crisps, this handy gadget was simple, beautiful and remains in our shared memories today largely because of its kick-ass name.

Despite its ultimately sexist name, this is the one seen by many as the one that started it all. Also scores highly for enduring appeal - brought out in '89, Nintedo continued to make these until the Gameboy advance's release in 2001.

We look the way we do because we have evolved to deal with a very specific set of conditions here on Earth. So when you see various Star Trek aliens that look like us but with different skin and a lumpy forehead, you should question whether it was the costume department, not the science consultant that had the final say in what Aliens might look like.

5. Superman returns – physics in space

technology@yorkvision.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter @yorkvisiontech

Towards the end of the film, Superman pushes a giant rock from Earth into space, doing so with minimal effort. In boring reality, the rock would, at such slow speeds, have quickly returned to Earth, perhaps crushing Metropolis’s rival city Gotham in the process.

Luke Johnson of LostProphets chats to Alysia Judge I

f a ‘prophet’ is defined as a person gifted with heightened powers of expression, then Luke Johnson, drummer for Welsh band LostProphets, should be hailed chief spokesperson for all things rock.

Endearingly unassuming, for the entirety of our interview he is a fountain of anecdotal hilarity delivered with a large dose of Brummie exuberance. The group's latest member, he joins one of Britain’s most popular rock bands that has toured the globe, selling over 3.5 million albums worldwide, an impressive figure set to increase with the release of their fifth studio album in twelve years, Weapons.

Not many would have predicted that way back in 1997, in the small Welsh town of Pontypridd, a group of lads calling themselves “The Bum Mules” would ever make it big. Now re-branded the more cosmopolitan LostProphets, this is a band that has grown alongside its loyal fan base to command commercial success, stacking up over a dozen top 40 singles and six Kerrang! Awards.

With their past success, all eyes were on the Welsh rockers to deliver with Weapons a record that could maintain the same uncompromising sound of previous albums. Yet far removed from the glamour of their current California homes, it was in a small Norfolk village that the group embarked on penning this eagerly anticipated album. “This is the funny thing, right,” comments Johnson, “we decided the best bet for the first writing session would be to put ourselves in a little bit of isolation, in a house where we could all have a bedroom each. We wanted to take our time over the process, I mean we were in there for over a month!”

But worldwide fame and a hardcore fan base have their drawbacks when you’re trying to compose a record slapbang in the middle of a Norfolk high street. “Some local kids found out we were staying in the house and word spread through the village and the schools, so after a week we had forty, fifty kids stood outside the door chanting 'LOSTPROPHETS!' The doorbell kept on going… so we disconnected it. It ended up that we made the most of it; the kids would be knocking on the door and we’d hide in a bush, then jump out and scare them, just for a laugh. It was a real good time and there were definitely some good memories.”

With all the terrorising of local neighbourhood children, you may have thought the band had little time to actually write the album. However, it seems to have inspired them; There’s an energy inherent in every track of Weapons and fans of their previous LP The Betrayed will be pleased to know that the grungy riffs and hooks that permeated those songs have carried through to such fist-pumping melodies as ‘Bring ‘em down’ and ‘Better off dead’.

“We kind of walk that line,” Johnson explains, “we’ve never been held to ransom by radio or record labels.

We’ve always done our own thing. We always make the choice to be like “Do we want to make a real pop song and stand out?” and we’re like “Yes, we do, because we want to. Not because we’re told. Not because we need to.”

However, Lostprophets have constantly struggled to keep the vast extremes of their fan base happy: those who favour their more mainstream, pop-punk tracks and those audience members who want to mosh to a hardcore British rock band. A fan war has erupted on the YouTube video of their featured Weapons track, ‘Bring Em Down’ where one fan complained, “New album is weak and way too dumbed down for a mainstream audience. Bit of a shame.” Despite such negative feedback, Johnson is optimistic.

“We see that a lot. There’s a lot of hardcore fans, who were super into the band on the first and second records that then didn’t like the third or fourth. And that’s the thing, you can’t take that like a punch in the balls. You can’t keep everybody happy. You can’t make an omelette without breaking some eggs and at the end of the day, we just do what we believe in. I would say that general consensus is that 80, 85% of the time people are happy with what we do. There’s always going to be those online haters.”

Clearly, Lostprophets know more than most that the charts can be a tough environment for a rock band.

“Young kids just don’t have any patience and music’s become so disposable.

They want an instant sugar rush and that’s why you get loads of bands making electronic music with a really quick chorus in 30 seconds, but it’s just a complete sugar kick.” Despite having over 450,000 fans on Facebook alone, Johnson maintains that the band have to constantly battle the percentages. “I heard that Urban stuff, your Hip Hop, R+B, Dubstep, whatever, it’s 70% of the music market. So, if you think rock and everything else is 30% it’s insane.”

So when Weapons entered the UK charts in the Top 10 in April, holding its own against the likes of Labrinth and Nicki Minaj, it was a significant victory for the Welsh rockers. For Johnson, the music industry is very much that: an industry in the gritty business sense. As such, he believes it should be approached with a level-head. “Excuse the term but you've got to know your enemies, you know what I mean? And I don’t mean that every other genre of music is our enemy,

We’ve never been held to ransom by radio or record labels.

We’ve always done our own thing. but they are our competition.

If we’re putting a record out on Monday I want to know who’s releasing on that day so I know who we’re releasing against and what the odds are, what the market is.”

This rebellious streak is vividly apparent in many of their recent tracks, from the grungy riffs and hooks of The Betrayed to the recent, disillusioned lyrics of Weapons. For a band that generates such extremes of devotion and dislike, Johnson remains surprisingly realistic.

“My entire opinion of music is that it’s an art, and if you’re an artist whether it’s a painter, a street artist, a sculptor, musician, film etc. you make something – for instance we made Weapons. We were in the studio making that album and it’s ours. They’re our songs. But there’s that moment when that’s expanded. They’re no longer yours any more, that’s taken away, when they're released and they’re

your fans’. It’s out there in the public domain and at the end of the day if you make an album as a product, as a finished piece of art, you’re asking for an opinion.

Sometimes you might not like the opinions you get, but you’ve got to have courage in the convictions of your own art” It’s a very fair and open-minded view, but everyone else’s opinions aside, are the group happy themselves with the art they’ve created? “There’s always room to improve. And I don’t think that any artist that’s worth their salt, whether it’s canvas, celluloid, CD or whatever, sits at the end of their project and goes 'Yes, this is perfect. I’ve done awesome'. You know, we’re very happy with Weapons but there are still things that we think “Ah man, I wish I could have done that!”.

Clearly, Lostprophets know what they want to deliver. With fifteen years of experience, a new record label and Weapons at the ready, this is one rock band that's set to attack those chart percentages and smash their way to the top.

. . .

S N O I T S E U Q 20

h g u o r o b n e t t A id

Dav

1. What is your earliest memory?

Sitting halfway up a flight of stairs, looking out of a window.

2. If your life didn't revolve around the natural world, what would you be doing?

Trying to make my life revolve around the natural world.

3. What's the strangest local delicacy you've sampled on your travels?

Toasted caterpillars.

provide a long stop against extinction.

10. Do you believe technology is man's greatest achievement or greatest threat?

Homosapiens could not exist without technology.

11. What’s your all time favourite fact about nature?

That all life is related.

4. What's the worst illness you've ever contracted abroad?

Malaria, combined with amoebic hepatitis and a broken rib.

12. If someone were to narrate a typical day in the life of you, what would they say?

"Why doesn't he get up and DO something?"

5. What would you never go travelling without?

My front door key.

13. A glass of wine, or a pint of British beer?

Wine.

6. Do you think that one day, many years from now, there will be a documentary made called 'Life: On Other Planets'?

No.

14. You're considered the face and voice of natural history programs, but does the natural world projected in your documentaries ever surprise you?

Of course, it can't be contained in a documentary.

7. Does travel ever lose its appeal?

Airport's do - travel doesn't.

8. On a plannet where the natural world is being slowly eroded away, are you for or against zoos?

For. 9. Why? Because they try to educate, research and

15. You won the title of Greatest Living British Icon, voted for by viewers of BBC Two's The Culture Show, but

With a career spanning six decades, Sir David Attenborough is the face of natural history documentaries. He's been behind some of Britain's most beloved nature programmes including Life, Planet Earth and Frozen Planet. As Controller of BBC2 in the sixties, he gave the go-ahead to Monty Python's Flying Circus and helped oversee the introduction of colour TV to Britain. Essentially, Attenborough is one of the most significant broadcasters and naturalists of the century. who is your hero?

Sir Peter Scott?

16. What's the strangest thing you've ever overheard on your travels?

Spirits talking through entranced girls in Bali.

17. Are there any maxims that inspire you?

"Do as you

would be done by.

18. Which extinct animal would you like to see reintroduced to the world's population?

The dodo.

19. If you could sum up your CV in a sentence, what would it say?

Spent 60 years travelling the natural world with a Natural Science degree, a cameraman and other people's money.

20. What's in store for your next project?

The Galapagos in 3D.

News

ELI COURT REVEALS ALL THE LATEST MUSIC NEWS AND GOSSIP

R.I.P MCA

Chris Mar-tinnitus

ADAM 'MCA' YAUCH tragically passed away on May 4th after a lengthy battle with cancer. The forty-seven year old was one of the founding members of the rap trio The Beastie Boys. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2009 and his ongoing struggle took a turn for the worse last month, leaving him unable to attend the group's induction into the prestigious Hall of Fame where they became only the third rap group to ever receive this honour. Many musicians have paid tribute to the rapper including Eminem. He spoke about the big influence Yauch and the Beastie Boys had on him and his career, saying; "they were trailblazers and pioneers and Adam will be sorely missed." The likes of Justin Timberlake, Travis Barker, Cee Lo Green and Leny Kravitz have all expressed their grief at such a tragic loss and blow to the musical industry. The Beastie Boys were formed in 1979 and have retained the title of 'best-selling rap group' since 1991. A legendary musical icon that will be missed by many.

COLDPLAY'S LEAD SINGER Chris Martin has revealed that he has suffered from the agonising hearing condition tinnitus for the past 10 years.

As well as a persistent ringing in his ears the 35-year-old has endured debilitating headaches and attributes his condition to listening to too much loud music in his younger years. Since his diagnosis he has been vigilant with using methods of protection such as filter ear plugs and in-ear monitors which so far have been successful in ensuring the symptoms don't get worse. The condition usually affects people over the age of 55 but other young musicians including Plan B, Gary Numan and will.i.am also suffer and have been fronting the campaign 'Action On Hearing Loss' along with Martin. The campaign gives advice and information on how to protect your hearing as Tinnitus is incurable and there are preventative measures available.

All Time Low

Becoming a big player in the music industry seems like an almost impossible task, yet new artists are finding ways in, despite Simon Cowell’s domination.

Phoebe Katis, a singer-songwriter from Leeds, has recently been offered a signing with NBT records, having already performed on tour in the US. Originally from Cranbrook in the South East, Phoebe started playing locally and became a part of ‘Paul Dunton’s roster of artists’ playing at the Grey Lady in Tunbridge Wells.

Whilst at The University of Leeds Phoebe became aware of NBT Music and contacted them. NBT listened to Phoebe’s Soundcloud tracks, watched her perform an acoustic set, and then with a band at ‘Undiscovered Leeds’, before offering a signing opportunity.

Phoebe is already experiencing benefits with the prospect of an official

dream on

THE WANTED'S Max George and Coronation Street star Michelle Keegan seemed to be on rocky ground after calling off their wedding last month. Max let slip that the £150,000 ceremony had to be postponed to allow the couple to earn more money first. He was quick to confirm that the pair are still very much together and looking forward to getting married later on in their careers.

Fellow bandmate Jay McGuiness also attributed their decision to their hectic schedules and busy lifestyles. Max reccently said "it's tough, but we're both very happy" and it's not all band news for Max as it was recently announced that The Wanted's newest single 'Chasing the Sun' will be featured on the latest Ice Age movie and tweeted that they feel "incredibly excited" their track was chosen.

Phoebe Katis contract being signed soon: “NBT are getting me gigs at some of the top venues in Leeds which I would never have been able to get to if I were a self-promoted artist.

They are also being vigilant and helpful with my promotion and marketing in terms of website, YouTube videos and general buzz control.”

As a singer-songwriter, Phoebe feels that having the confidence to deliver a performance that lays out all your inner emotions is the hardest part.

“For me, I am very personal with my songs and can draw the majority of the lyrics from my own experiences. So every gig is like having a DMC with a room full of strangers!

It's daunting but you get over that and realise that writing music and sharing it with the world is something that makes you get up every day.”

That is not the only difficulty Phoebe has realised comes with performing: “It hit me pretty hard to realise that just because you are a performer from Britain on tour in America, doesn’t mean people will want to come and see you. You have to work hard for an appreciative audience."

She is now learning to find a balance, when she is putting together her songs, between trying to please her audience

RATED THIS WEEK IS Harry Styles Aiming too high?

keep Trying

ONE DIRECTION member and teenage heart-throb Harry Styles is known for having an eye for cougars after his relationship with 32 year old Caroline Flack recently ended. Since then he has reportedly made a list of older women that he feels are ideal for him including Kim Kardashian, Kate Winslet and Madonna. At 18 he seems to be getting far too big for his boots and should look for love in his own age group.

GEORGINA STRAPP SPEAKS TO PHOEBE ABOUT TURNING HER DREAM CAREER INTO A REALITY Lover' and another track called 'Castaway' all in one academic year, playing them around the house and at school… my family and friends started to comment on them, singing them back to me and actually listening to me play them because they enjoyed them.

That was probably the first time I realised I was actually writing songs and people actually liked them!” and accepting that not everyone will love everything she does.

Whilst Phoebe stresses she feels very lucky to have met NBT at such an early stage, she does not simply put her initial success, or the achievements of any performer, down just to luck. For someone trying to carve a career in one of the most competitive industries there is, luck is “a series of good decisions, good contacts… and sheer determination!”

Whilst it may sound clichéd, it would seem that one of the most important things for artists to feel the motivation and inspiration to perform is the support of friends and family. Phoebe feels if it wasn’t for them she would have never so determinedly picked being a singer-songwriter as the career choice for her when she did six years ago.

"When I wrote 'Invisible', 'Life of a

FESTIVALS

SINGLES

The time to book your festival ticket is here. Whether it's Reading's muddy fields and rowdy atmosphere or Bestival's chilled and magical vibe, we firmly believe that there is a festival for everyone.

Watching your favourite acts perform, as well as artists you have never encountered before, has to be one of the best ways to spend the holiday season. WILL BARNES highlights some of the best festivals this summer.

d ken 00 e e A w t: £2 ke tic

Download Festival

(8th-10th June): If you’re into anthemic, eardrum-busting heavy rock and metal (and you’ve finished those dreaded exams), Download is the festival for you. Headlining this year are the ever-brash The Prodigy who will be looking to incense the crowd from an early stage, the truly awesome Metallica, who have announced they are performing their renowned 'Black Album' in its entirety, and rock legends Black Sabbath. With Sonisphere cancelled, this is without a doubt the best place to hear shredding guitar solos and almighty power chords in the UK this summer.

Isle of Wight Festival

(22-24th June): A festival which caters for more mainstream audiences, the 14th Isle of Wight Festival will take place this year in Seaclose Park. The festival is set to feature the iconic Bruce Springsteen in addition to the famous E Street Band. Scottish rockers Biffo Clyro and Mancunian quintet Elbow are also scheduled to feature in addition to Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds who continue to soar in the charts.

d ken 55 e e A w t: £1 ke tic

(12-15th July): If you would rather escape our pleasant isle and go to a place

where it is less likely to chuck it down halfway through a set, you could jet off to sunny Spain. The “resurrected” Stone Roses are set to be one of the headline acts, less than a month after their scheduled Heaton Park “third coming” at the end of June. Valencia is also to be graced with the presence of the living paragon that is Bob Dylan along with the popular Florence and the Machine and that seemingly ever itinerant elder Gallagher brother and his backing band. Benicassim is also famed for its Mediterranean location and the ease with which you can slip away from the music to enjoy the stunning beaches of the Costa del Azahar.

you fancy a crazy party atmosphere in eastern Europe, Sziget festival would cater well for your needs. Firstly, all the action takes place on a 266 acre island in the middle of the river Danube.

Secondly, it’s only a short hop from the Hungarian capital Budapest: ideal for a short daytime excursion. Thirdly, it’s going to be studded by such stars as the Vaccines, Two Door Cinema Club and LMFAO and also graced by the presence of the aforementioned Mancunian resurrected.

Aw tick eekend et: £200

turing abroad, the huge Reading and Leeds festivals are again taking place on the August Bank Holiday. West Sussex goth rockers The Cure are set to headline after their recent reunion alongside the much loved Kasabian (fresh from their trip 70 million years back in time) and the ever wild Foo Fighters. Such breaking bands as the Maccabees and Enter Shikari are also set to feature prominently. If you’re unfamiliar with the way Reading and Leeds work, all the bands are set to move between the venues over the course of the weekend.

Niamh Connolly gives the low down on all the things you need to remember to pack this summer UMBRELLA Especially if you are planning to camp it up in England this summer, then you have been warned: do not forget your brolly. Our unpredictable weather is something that we pride ourselves upon, however, when living in a muddy field for three days, getting wet is not fun.

BABYWIPES Despite the fact that everyone smells a tad, hygiene should try to be upheld.

Baby wipes are a saviour in preventing mud from dominating your skin and people flinching when you raise your arms.

T

he title track from 17 year-old Nesbitt’s debut album is pleasingly light-hearted with a guitar intro that immediately catches your attention. With a sound comparable to a Paolo Nutini, but softer and female, Nesbitt, who also hails from Scotland, competes with the likes of singer-songwomen Laura Marling, Kate Nash, and Ellie Goulding. 'The Apple Tree' bodes well for future success though; with its intriguingly catchy chorus and smooth-as-silk vocal over a compelling acoustic beat perhaps it will be the one to stand out. After all how many songs do you know about apples? NINA PULLMAN.

T

he second single from arty Scottish quartet Django Django takes the listener on a psychedelic trip through various landscapes. One could be forgiven for thinking of a spaghetti western; Clint Eastwood riding across a desert with jangling guitars and tribal drums as accompaniment. Singer Vincent Neff has a conversation with the storm, before being joined by bassist Jimmy Dixon in the chorus, hallmarked by pounding drums. This single has their trademark experimental quality, but at the same time is as catchy and accessible as the album as a whole. FREDDIE NATHAN.

Florence and The Machine - 'Breath of Life'

A

Reading and Leeds (24th-26th August): If you don’t fancy ven-

ESSENTIALS TO PACK

Nina Nesbitt - 'The Apple Tree'

Django Django - 'Storm'

Festival International de Benicassim

Sziget Festival (6th-13th August): If

d ken 7 e e A w t £19 ke tic

Aw tick eekend et: £148

Vision gives the low down on the singles everyone is talking about...

DRY SHAMPOO To prevent having what we all dread: Greasy hair.

SUNGLASSES A must-have for chilling in the sun, watching your favourite band.

s usual, Florence Welch belts out her incredibly powerful and unique voice, this time accompanied by a backing choir, an orchestra and a resounding drum beat reminiscent of the popular 'Drumming Song', making this track as big and epic as we have come to expect from her. Recently featured in the film Snow White, 'Breath of Life' shows diversity and daring, once again showing that the singer is not afraid to take risks. The risk has definitely paid off here as she showcases her talent and leaves her fans wanting more.

ELI COURT.

The Arctic Monkeys - 'Electricity'

'E

lectricity' is a gritty ballad dedicated to the pursuit of sexual satisfaction. The track does not so much wink 'I bet that you look good on the dance floor', as growl, 'I bet that you look good in my bed'. Whilst some hard-core Monkeys fans may be disappointed with this new and edgy sound, 'Electricity' is a spark of genius. This is the Arctic Monkeys grown into The Arctic Gorillas; gone are the cheeky faux-punk drum fillers of old, instead we are dragged alongside a truly grimy riff you can beat your chest in time to. ALYSIA JUDGE.

REVIEWS...

Norah Jones

marina & the Diamonds Electra Heart

Little Broken Hearts

A

s one would expect from eight-time Grammy award winner Jones delivers her customary bluesy tones with aplomb in new album, Little Broken Hearts. In her soulfully poignant style, Jones calls attention to why the lyrics of 'She’s 22' recall her roots in first album Come Away with Me whilst tracks like 'Take it Back' and 'After the Fall' deliver a melancholia which demonstrates a much more concentrated and instrumental influence to her already polished vocals. With each breathy note fighting for attention in a breezy backdrop, Jones transports the listener away to a calming place of serenity and composure. The soft tones and melodious warblings of Jones are perfectly complimented in the soft piano instrumentals and synths which blend into a harmonious melody guaranteed to leave you warm inside and dying for a nap. It seems safe to consider this offering as instant therapy in a case. This album seems less about mourning a

W broken heart and more about the expression of freedom and independence which bursts out in each track in a quasi-religious experience, which delights and entices the listener into Norah’s world.

Though that is not to say the heartbreak is entirely absent; lyrical sharpness and a dark mood haunt the periphery, adding edge and an exciting new flavour to Jones’s stand out ethereality. One for the CD rack, the iTunes library, heck - blare it from the entire house: as an album, Little Broken Hearts showcases the very best of a talent artist, whilst showing range, flare and an originality which leaves us excitedly begging for more.

JORDAN LLOYD

keane

Strangeland

H

aving not delivered a fulllength album since their 2008, you’d be forgiven for thinking it was all over for the Keane lads. Yet with Strangeland it is clear that these British altrockers will return to the music scene with a bang. Emotive and inspiring, the tracks are enough to captivatethe most ardent critic of their usual ‘piano-pop’ style and are a testimony to their dedication in the recording studio.

According to pianist Tim Rice-Oxley, Strangeland is “an adventure” in which “glorious discoveries” can be achieved. It contains an element of mystery, with each song comprising unique, unseen elements of the Keane ‘soul’.

This originality makes each creative masterpiece truly worth tuning into.

Of particular note within the album is the leadsingle “Silenced by the Night”. With its powerful beat and anthem-like melody, it undoubtedly captures the attention of the audience.

The euphonic rhythms

hen Marina and the Diamonds exploded on to the musical scene in 2010, with her quirky style and fabulously eccentric songs such as 'Mowgli’s Road' and 'Hollywood', she seemed determined to reject every bubblegum pop convention.

Showing her desire to stand out from the crowd and be recognized as a unique individual, Marina uses feisty lyrics like “oh my gosh you look just like Shakira, no no you’re Catherine Zeta, actually my names Marina.”

Yet her latest album shows far more of a pop approach and she worked with writers and producers best known for creating hits for the likes of Katy Perry and Britney Spears. Sadly it seems that somewhere along the way she seems to have lost that fiery spark. Marina acknowledges the radical shift and described it as the “antithesis of everything I’ve done so far.” In fact the change is so profound that Marina explains, bizarrely, that this album features

her

alter-ego named Electra Heart.

The album begins with 'Bubblegum Bitch' which is everything you would expect from a cheesy, unoriginal pop song with annoyingly repetitive lyrics. Many of the songs simply fade into the background and blend together as tracks like 'Fear and Loathing' and 'Starring Role' fail to ever fully grip you or reach a climax.

'Primadonna', the featured single, stands out as the most Marinaesque track, showing glimpses of her old charm and talent and gives fans hope that the old Marina will come back with full force in her next album.

ELI COURT

Jason mraz love is a four letter word

U and melodies are continued in the band’s single “Disconnected”. A textbook Keane ballad, the harmonies in this song are to die for and Chaplin’s voice once again soars through the musical register to great effect. However, the particularly striking element of “Disconnected” has to be its music video. Within this short clip, which possesses the qualities of a feature length film, Spanish directors Bayona and Sánchez present us with elements of darkness and suspense and is arguably the best music video of the 21stCentury.

Judging by this album Keane will undoubtedly join the likes of U2 and Oasis in the annals of rock history.

JOHN DAVIES

pon first hearing, Jason Mraz’s latest offering and fourth studio album is one of those records which would make great background music in a café, or in a film shot panning a summery park-scene with happy couples and families everywhere.

It slips sadly into that category of music which is “OK but just not that remarkable”.

Listening again, I realise initial judgement might have been too harsh as there are actually a few great feel-good tracks in there.

Track one, ‘The Freedom Song’, is one of those; with its quirky percussion accompaniment and up-stroke reggae beat you can imagine it sound-tracking a leisurely summer BBQ. The horn section in the middle of the track adds a bit of a party atmosphere and altogether this is a chirpy, cheerful song which does not bore.

‘93 million miles’ begins as a soulful melody, reminiscent of early David Grey, in which Mraz’s recognisable vocal takes centre stage.

While ‘Living in the Moment’

sounds similar to chart-topper ‘I’m Yours’, which is no bad thing, and has an optimistic and appealing main lyrical message.

Mraz is known for the laid-back and chilled feel to his albums, and this one is no different as although they won’t have you jumping up and down in excitement, slower tracks such as ‘I Won’t Give Up’ are a smoochy mixture of sentimental lyrics and soft vocals.

Overall though, many of the tracks are just too long; at nearly six minutes ‘5/6’ feels like it will never end, and although the music is enjoyable, easy-listening I doubt there is another award-winning single in here.

NINA PULLMAN

MAVERICK SABRE OLIVER TODD CHATS TO MAVERICK SABRE ABOUT 'BROKEN BRITAIN' & HIS UPCOMING FESTIVAL SHOWS Since breaking into the mainstream last year, Michael Stafford, or Maverick Sabre as he’s better known, has drawn critical acclaim, culminating at this year’s Brit Awards where he was runner-up in the ‘Critics Choice’ award for his soul-hip hop fusion, powerful vocals and, most notably, his unique vocals.

His album Lonely Are The Brave hit second spot in the UK charts in January, supplementing two top 20 singles at the end of last year. When I met him on a tour bus outside of Leeds Metropolitan University a couple of months back, he was open and candid about his feelings on the album’s success so far: “To be honest, I didn’t really have any expectations because when I sat down to write the tunes, I wrote them because I wanted to write them. It was out of love. Writing music, for me, is something that I do every day. I don’t really have any expectations.

“I have an expectation for what the track will sound like, I never have an expectation of what people will think of it.

For me, I’m just glad that there’s so much positivity coming back off it.”

It shows, in the midst of a sell-out nationwide tour, and with an academy tour

what influenced me most, the advice and support,” and it shows. Stafford strikes you as someone who is street-wise beyond his 21 years, having toured across Europe and the world. The variety is something he values: “A lot of different shows have different feelings attached to them. There’s certain acoustic sets that I would do, and have done in the past, that have a totally different experience in comparison to doing V Festival in the summer, with 12,000 people in a tent singing one of my songs. They’re two different things; there’s an intimate reaction you can get, and then there’s a euphoric, almost stadium-like euphoria musical reaction, if that makes sense. on the way, he’s relaxed about the way things are going. “The tour’s going great.

We had a big night in Glasgow last night and I managed to miss my own bus! I had to hitch a ride with Miss Dynamite’s (who is supporting him on tour) crew.”

Lonely Are The Brave, Mav’s debut album, has drawn praise for its hard hitting candid lyrics, with subjects ranging from last summer’s London riots to his own experiences of addiction to whiskey (which he says no longer touches his lips, as he sips water before responding to my questions) and run-ins with corrupt policemen.

He speaks passionately about his stance on the ‘Broken Britain’ that we’re currently trapped in, barely taking a breath to sip a glass of water: “I think we’re in a broken world right now, to be honest. I think there’s a lot of similar occurrences happening around the world, with the riots, the unrest within young people and people in general. I feel like people are getting fed up of the fact that the people who are supposed to represent us and keep our world safe and keep us safe, and keep us in jobs, and keep us fed are not doing their job. And I think that’s coming out more and more, and I think that people are going to get louder, more aggressive, and I think music always used to represent a people, a feeling or a time, you know, a message.”

It’s easy to see where he’s coming from, and that determination to spread a message through music spreads to a critique of the likes of Flo Rida and David Guetta’s music; “You know, it seems like when you listen to the charts and take that as a representation of the world, you’d think that everyone is in love, in a club or fucking dancing 24/7 with bottle of champagne.”

“Well we’re not. I don’t wanna be one of them artists who says, “Oh, he’s a bit depressing”, I’m not saying every artist needs to talk about social issues, or needs to talk about 'Broken Britain' or 'Broken World' or 'Broken…' I don’t know, whatever, but I feel like there needs to be something to represent what’s going on because if you don’t give a voice to what’s going on, that will end up turning out another reaction from people.”

On a somewhat lighter note, we move onto discussion of comparisons with other artists. From the late Amy Winehouse to Plan B, likenesses have been drawn to almost any other unique soul artist out there. On Plan B, who he lived with when he first moved back to London, Sabre says in his distinctive Irish twang; “Comparisons are always gonna be made between us. We’re both white, we both sing soul.

When he gets his hair cut short, and I get my hair cut short there’s similarities, but it’s always gonna be an easy comparison.

Ben gave me a lot of advice and that’s

"WHEN YOU LISTEN TO THE CHARTS...YOU'D THINK EVERYONE IS IN LOVE, IN A CLUB OR FUCKING DANCING 24/7 WITH A BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE" “I’ve been touring with Chase & Status last year and that’s a different energy again. I’ve been all around the world with them and just the energy and the feeling you get off that can’t be matched anywhere else. Again, I’m not saying it’s better or worse, it just can’t be matched because it’s so specific and it’s just energy filled.” It all pales into perspective when you consider the progress he’s made in the space of two years.

In terms of what’s still to come, he says, “Just shows. I can’t wait to start the festival season, I fucking love it. So, yeah, festival after festival after festival.

Just bringing my music to any venue, city, county, country, fucking continent that’ll have me. I just wanna push the music out because you don’t know what tomorrow can hold.” His first academy tour begins in September, so perhaps a night at Fibbers is optimistic, but this is unlikely to be the last you’ll hear of Maverick Sabre…

LIVES...

BRETON

28/03/12

CORSICA STUDIOS, LONDON

H

aving formed within the last two years, South London based ‘multimedia collective’ Breton (think a synth-heavy, experimentalist Foals) are already well established within the London music scene, but not far beyond - yet.

Being the stop on their debut headline tour closest to their Kennington base, the band was understandably nervy about playing to an audience who were familiar with their work.

Used to either opening for other artists or playing venues in which the audience is blissfully unaware of the talents of this inscrutable quintet, this was the first occasion in which Breton had to perform under a degree of expectation.

They needn’t have worried. Despite a few technical problems, (nothing a little gaffer tape couldn’t fix)

Breton gave a live performance which fully highlighted their potential.

The set consisted largely of tracks from their debut album Other People’s Problems, released two days earlier.

Crowd pleasers and new singles, ‘Edward the Confessor’ and ‘Interference’ were played successively, midway through the set, to a greatly appreciative crowd, a large part of which, admittedly, seemed to comprise of friends of the band.

Singer Roman Rappak acknowledged the crowds energy; gesturing with an outstretched hand during the opening lyrics of ‘Wood and Plastic’ whilst wailing “the crowd seemed so welcoming”.

Further favour was paid, when during the penultimate song he handed out a bottle of wine the band had been swigging from to a group at the front telling them to pass it round.

The group performed to a backdrop of their home-made films (which in themselves are impressive) giving the already intimate, almost house party-like gig a D.I.Y. feel.

In all, a great gig at the perfect venue.

FINN MCGUIRE

Lostprophets

C

hiddy Bang are famous for having an original, quirky lyrical sound, so I was intrigued to see what they had to offer for their live performance at the O2 Academy in Leeds.

Whilst I enjoyed their hit single 'Opposite of Adults', their recent performance lacked a certain 'je ne sais quoi'.

Undoubtedly, the duo exhibited a fun and very energetic stage presence, but unfortunately they failed to get most of the audience involved as some of their more unfamiliar pieces tried to successfully combine hip hop, indie and soul, but fell slightly wide of the mark.

It goes without saying that the hip hop industry is a difficult one to survive in without constantly providing a new sound which is liked by the masses.

However, it is apparent that Chiddy Bang haven’t quite yet figured out what is the balance between innovation and satisfying the mainstream audience just yet.

Unsurprisingly, the duo’s performance of 'Ray Charles' had nearly every head bopping along; the smooth jazzy sound mixed with hip hop seemed to be a crowd pleaser and was easy listening.

I’d say that their performance of this

song was a highlight of the evening.

Chiddy Bang, for the most part, are certainly bringing a new meaning to the genre of hip hop and their music is certainly out of the box. Although they don’t always get it right, they certainly release stronger singles every time they return to the scene.

Their fresh and upbeat sound can only be described as addictive and if you haven’t already heard of the band I recommend you listen to 'Ray Charles', 'Dream Chasing' and, what I believe to be one of the best hip hop songs of the last few years, 'Opposite of Adults.'

SINE BAKUMENI

05/05/12

Leeds Met. University

A

D

music@yorkvision.co.uk

27/04/12

O2 ACADEMY, LEEDS

Alkaline Trio

02 academy, leeds 21/04/12 espite the crowds starting to get restless in anticipation for the main act to reveal themselves, they were treated to a pleasingly enthusiastic performance from support act Modestep, who bounced along the stage like hyped kangaroos.

Modestep's 'Show Me a Sign' managed to gain the crowd's affection through their interestingly jazzy style and stage persona which involved much head banging and skirting round the stage arms akimbo. Their infectious enthusiasm really got the crowd going, an adrenaline rush was almost touchable as Lostprophets finally took the stage in full Weapons regalia.

Old favourites such as the ever loved 'Town Called Hypocrisy' and '4AM Forever' got the crowd going as lead singer Ian Watkins teased the crowd to sing along with his microphone. However, the pièce de résistance came from the old school anthem 'Last Summer'. The crowd (especially the front row who were streaked with guyliner) drowned out the band as they sang with a ferocity that led to no less than 17 crowd surfer ejections.

The night showcased all of the band's classics, whilst they also played new material from their recently released album Weapons, such 'We Bring

CHIDDY BANG

an Arsenal' and 'Better off Dead'.

Though this did not stop several members of the balcony, who continuously called for the band to sing cult favourite 'Shinobi vs The Dragon', a shout which was gleefully ignored until the closing stages of the show to rapturous applause and cries of "Godzilla".

In combining old favourites with new offerings, the variety of the six piece was evident for all to see, showcasing a hard-line new edge which perfectly contrasted older, more pop-ish tracks.

Watkins' charisma was easy to see throughout, with a cheeky grin as he crooned out; “I got soul but I’m not a soldier” leaving the crowd thoroughly satisfied at its conclusion.

From my perch on the balcony, I was starkly reminded that I was no longer a 15-year-old member of the mosh pit which was occurring below me. However, the Weapons tour offers all that I love about Lostprophets whilst their new tracks kept me excitedly on edge for the future.

JORDAN LLOYD

fter having breached many speed regulations due to our tardy arrival through the bustling city centre of Leeds, we were finally greeted by tour manager Andy and taken to the grimy back room of the Metropolitan University’s gig venue.

Alkaline Trio’s singer and guitarist Dan was the only one polite enough to even acknowledge our presence, and half-heartedly answer our questions, whilst other band members remained preoccupied and demeaning of our purpose. In all fairness, we are not your average Alkaline trio fans, but we remained enthusiastic.

Once entering the small venue we were surrounded by mohawks, ear plugs and a lot of black clothing. The only positive from the evening was the strong vocal performance by lead singer Matt Skiba, though this was let down by the poor generic songs which held no individuality or originality.

His interaction with the crowd was engaging, but in a way that pinpointed individuals and made stereotypical judgements about their appearance, in a way that made it seem he was using his power on stage to perhaps elevate the deflated egos of their former fame.

This became apparent as we were recognised as being perhaps sore thumbs in the crowd but also the interviewers from earlier. He continued to

mock us, for reasons we are unsure of which led to the whole three hundred members of the audience loudly booing and hysterically laughing at us for a considerable period of time.

We realised that this humiliating ordeal was not at all meant lightheartedly and we found it slightly inappropriate and a bit uneasy. After a few monotonous acoustic tracks, the sight of the drummer coming more to the fore came as a relief to the crowd as the ambiance of the evening began to pick up.

Their sustained musical career undoubtedly reflects their determination and passion for music, yet we cannot help but call into question their relevance in today’s ever-changing and widening music industry.

IZZY FARMILOW & ELLE LOCKEY

w o l l i W l a i c e Sp

Fong's Reign

Although we have it on good authority (from the boss himself) that Willow opened pre-WW2, the archives only dated back to 1973, conveniently when King Fong took over. This is what we uncovered of the cult hero's reign over the Willow Restaurant.

14 May 1973: Willow Restaurant announced it was opening under new management.

In addition to the food and disco it also provided afternoon tea each day between 2pm and 5.30pm.

14 June 1973: Food critic describes the restaurant as an ‘unforgettable social and gastronomic experience’ where there are ‘delicacies similar to those served to the Emperors of Ancient China’.

David Tse leaves The Willow Restaurant at some point between 1973 and 1983. 'Fong’s problems arose when his brother suddenly left the business in his hands'.

8 February 1983: "£1440 fines for dirty York café." Tommy Fong, proprietor, admitted 24 offences.

"Dirty & Greasy floors, dirt walls and ceiling in the main kitchen and vegetable store", "waste food behind fridge which also had rusting and moulding door seals."

"Risk of food poisoning evident on raw meat dripping on to cooked duck in the fridge."

"NO ADEQUATE SUPPLY OF SOAP." However, he had put everything right within 48 hours of the officers' inspection and now assumed total responsibility for the restaurant.

Ray Stinchcombe defended the restaurant: "it's been open for 10 years and this is their first complaint."

16 November 1996: Willow described as "fine for a party" by a restaurant critic, the food however was "patchy." "A typical nightclub scene, you may think, except this was a Chinese restaurant." "Please watch out for the waitresses, they're only little and you might knock them over." - Willow DJ.

2002 Inspection: One chef found running his hand through his hair several times whilst working in the kitchen.

24 April 2004: "Infamous for combining a bargain all you can eat Cantonese buffet with a late night cheesy disco."

19 May 2004: "Gunge found in York restaurant... £11500 fine."

"Congealed liquid and grease on the floor, plumbing, cooking equipment and food debris lying on the floor and liquid from raw chicken leaking onto the floor."

"Sludge found close to the fridge."

Defence claimed staff were not sufficiently trained due to language barriers.

The Willow Bar and Restaurant has always been a divisive yet popular part of the York Nightlife. BEN HUCKLE & OLIVER WESSELY donned their investigative hats and delved into the 30 year history of York's finest food serving disco. What they would find would shock, but probably not surprise even the most hardened of Willow veterans...

The big Interview: Tommy Fong How long have you been at Willow for?

What you said, since 1973.

What are your hobbies out of work?

F*** all.

What football team do you support?

Man United.

Favourite Drink?

Boiling water.

What was your relationship with your brother? When did you take over Willow?

David and I didn't have a good working relationship. I took over in '82.

Now why do you always play that song by Rod Stewart - 'We Are Sailing'? <chuckle> Ahhh it is one of my favourites, <with a smile> 'Bridge over Troubled Water' (by Simon and Garfunkel) is also another favourite of mine.

Do people fall down the stairs? (Expecting to hear a PC health and safety answer) Haha all the time!

Do you have a plan for the future in Willow?

I am pretty old. (How old he was eluded us, and one can only presume the age of a man who is a living relic of York) Who is your favourite Willow bouncer? What can Konrad bench press? <With a wry smile> Ohhh they are all the same. You'll have to ask him, he'll be here soon.

Do people still eat in Willow?

Very rarely. (Deputy Nightlife Editor Oliver Wessely has, and is still with us).

So how long have you been a disco?

Just a disco? <conferred with DJ> 4 years.

What is the craziest thing you have seen in Willow?

The police raided us.

What?

Yeah the police thought we were illegal, hiring immigrants, someone squealed on us, but we are not, we are legal!

Konrad now arrives. In reference to an earlier question, Tommy asks Konrad, what can you bench press? Are the rumours true of you leaving?

"Foook off" replies Konrad.

"He doesn’t want to talk" says Tommy. With that, we shook his hand and left.

Memories of Willow...

Well, if you've got any you can remember; send them to nightlife@yorkvision.co.uk and we'll put the best ones in the next issue.

FILM Vision charts the ups and downs of Alyson Hannigan's filmography after the success of American Pie...

H O T How I Met Your Mother (2005 -

2012)

Perhaps her most famous work since American Pie, this is Hannigan at her comic best.

Boys and Girls (2000)

This hangover from the '90s is along the same lines as American Pie, with added romance and the torso of Freddie Prince Jr.

The Knife that Killed Me

When watching a film, we often don’t notice the crucial element that stares us in the face for over 110 minutes: the visual effects. Backed by Universal Pictures, The Knife That Killed Me is being shot entirely on green screen. Documenting the tragic story of a boy's spiral into knife crime, filming has recently begun at the newly refurbished Green Screen Studios just outside York. Vision caught up with the Visual Effects team, Andrew Manns, Ben Louden and Andrew Jones to see how...

What's exactly does 'visual effects' encompass?

AJ: As the movie is shot entirely on green screen and therefore nearly all visual effects, the VFX team are involved massively on set.

We monitor a number of elements in order to make sure our job of removing the green afterwards isn’t harder than it needs to be, making sure there are visibly enough tracking markers for us to recreate the camera movement in our virtual CGI environments.

TKTKM has been four years in pre-production – why such a long time?

BL: The unique approach to filming this project has meant a lot of infrastructure and workflow issues have had to be completely redesigned from scratch. We're throwing out the rulebook on traditional film-making, and in order to be sure we've got it absolutely right it will naturally be a very time consuming process.

Has the world of visual technology for cinema evolved significantly in that time?

AM: Nowadays it's not just the multimillion pound budget features that are working with visual effects. Whether its just a couple of extra buildings added to the background of one shot in a low budget Rom-Com, or an entire world filled with blue people created in a computer with a budget of $300 million.

What's unique about the way were using green screen on The Knife, is we are not looking to shoot the odd scene against green to replace an expensive location shoot, or to add super-real CGI characters. We have developed a whole new way of shooting which puts less emphasis on getting it right in camera, and allows more control in postproduction.

I understand you all graduated with masters from York Uni’s TFTV department – have your experiences here inspired and helped with the creative process?

AM: I think our time at York University will have shaped the creative process of the film more than we could know. I think a lot can be said for the kind of interaction with likeminded people that University encourages.

Creativity isn't necessarily something that can be taught, however often it can be drawn out by the right person. In all, with good direction and careful planning shooting on a green screen helps to eradicate a lot of the problems of a conventional film shoot whilst providing a blank canvas on which to create exactly the film you want to.

Alyson-O-METER

Love, Wedding and Marriage (2011)

C O L D

N EWS

An enjoyable, if cliché US romcom, but seeing Alyson Hannigan overshadowed by Mandy Moore is a sure reminder she belongs in

'90s comedy.

Julia's turn to hide?

Beyond the City Limits (2001) Sexy casino heist movie, Hannigan is one of three women out to protect their takings.

Fun, silly but not quite pulled off.

Dead Man on Campus (1998) Pre - Pie, this college flick is another crude teen movie with an abundance of sex, drugs and rock and roll.

Miljenko Ladislao Konstantin Parserisas Vukovic has recently come out of hiding. Wondering who he is? Only the most faithful and eccentric of Julia Robert's fans.

He rose to fame with all 83 tattoos of the star's face, most of her role in Erin Brockovich, and went into hiding several years ago, following intense media attention. He was recently tracked down by journalists, to whom he answered the door wearing multiple watches on his arms that did little to hide his multiple Roberts tattoos. Being questioned, the fifty-seven year old eccentric fan commented that sadly his modest pension will no longer cover the cost of his unusual passion.

Michael Douglas Comeback Oscar winning actor Michael Douglas looks set to return following his successful battle with cancer. In 2010, Douglas was diagnosed with throat cancer, but following successful treatment, he is set to star in ensemble comedy 'Last-Vegas'. He will play a man in denial of his age with a penchant for younger women. Filming begins this September.

Hitchcock Films to be restored The British Film Institute is planning a three month long screening of 58 of Hitchcock's films in time for the London 2012 Olympics.

BFI's Creative Director, Heather Stewart said that after Hitchcock "film-making could never be the same again".

Showing his most famous works such as Physco, Vertigo and The Birds, the festival will also involve the restoration and first time public viewing of some of Hitchcock's lesser known silent movies.

Dir.: Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg

S

ex, sex and more sex.

Whilst being a convenient, attention grabbing way to open a review, sex is (according to the American Pie franchise) what is always on boys' minds.

So, with a fully matured cast and fresh writers-cum-directors (insert American Pie innuendo here), does American Pie: Reunion live up to the boisterous glory of the first film? Or is it another dubious spin off destined for the growing pile of straight-to-dvd films the series has accumulated thus far?

Now that the boys have fully grown up, apart from the occasional bad habit, it seems like sexual preoccupation has become a thing of the past. After getting married, Jim (Jason Biggs) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan) have fully settled down with jobs and a two year old son. Oz (Chris Klein) is a successful sports TV presenter, Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas) is an architect and Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) resurfaces as a mysterious and well-travelled bohemian.

That leaves only the infamous Stifler (Seann William Scott) still clinging on to the old high school days. When everyone returns home, Stifler is desperate to make the reunion one to remember.

The result is predictable. The plot takes

Safe

The Lucky One

Dir. Boaz Yakin

Dir. Scott Hicks

S

T

tarring Jason Statham, Safe is a predictable affair. The plot centres on Mei, a young Chinese girl, who knows a code to a safe containing $30 million. The Triads, Russians and corrupt police officers frantically try and obtain the code while Statham ensures the safety of his charge.

The formulaic plot is ideal for creating great action scenes. Highlights include Jason Statham beating up seven guys on a train with his bare hands and a gunfight in a casino where I counted 41 deaths in just two and a half minutes. I'm pretty sure he could strangle you with a cordless phone if he wanted to.

The relationship between Statham and Mei, who knew the code, was meant to be the film's heart and the ideal counterpoint to the brutal mass killings taking place elsewhere. However, not only is it not affecting but somewhat creepy.

With barely a female seen elsewhere, the relationship seemed out of place and it is never revealed why Statham feels such deep affection for her.

However, Statham does well as the macho lead, proving baldness can be badass. Safe seems resigned to its place as just another Jason Statham film but it at least knows how to appeal to its target audience.

he Lucky One sees Zac Efron offer himself to fans as Logan Thibault, a marine returning from 3 tours of duty in Iraq to seek a more peaceful way of life. He follows the trail of a girl he's seen only in a photograph, who works in Louisiana dog kennels, to try and escape the horrors of war he left behind and find this woman he credits with his safe return home.

Adapted from a Nicholas Sparks novel, predictably the requisite amount of slushy romance followed which, despite reducing my companion to tears, did little to please my ever growing hunger for the plot to develop. Despite stand out performances from the ever humourous Blythe Danner and Taylor Shilling, who shines as a leading woman, one is left little in doubt that Zac will triumph against all odds to get his girl. Though this might be okay for some, my somewhat cynical viewing eye was left with a bittersweet feeling that not even an entire tub of Ben & Jerry's could quell. If this film achieves in one area, it is the lush Louisiana backdrop which perfectly screams rom-com as well as providing some interest beyond Efron's tortured visage and highly toned torso. Though the largely female audience seemed pleased by the end, all the film left me with was a slight headache from all the ice cream.

TOM BONNINGTON

TOM BONNINGTON

Rory McGregor gives his verdict on the latest in the American Pie franchise...

a conventional route, playing it safe and not treating the audience to many twists and turns. The nods to previous films and the inclusion of some more minor characters in the series is nice, but sometimes it felt as if the writer wanted to include as many characters as possible but wasn’t sure what to do with them.

The result is occasionally characters will appear and disappear with subplots which are never fully explored. "It’s about the humour" I hear indignant American Pie fans screaming. Well fear not, because the humour is like every other American Pie film that has gone before it.

When talking about a movie which unashamedly revels in its own immaturity, it feels a little strange to use the word ‘conservative’.

But,ironically, ‘conservative’ is the best word to sum up Reunion. The film doesn’t depart from the series’ tried and tested gags as it attempts to pay homage to a series which has brought raucous laughter to teenagers and (secretly) Dads everywhere.

Unfortunately though, it doesn’t quite live up to the previous installations. If you’re looking for anything new or any improvement on any of the previous movies, you’ll be disappointed with this film. If, however, you are looking for a good old fashioned bit of crude humour then this one is definitely for you.

The Silent House

hh

What's on at

Dir.s. Chris Kentis, Laura Lau

A

large, antiquated house on a stormy sea front. A young, meek girl. A multitude of candles and oil lamps because electricity is overrated. Thus the scene is set for Chris Kentis and Laura Lau’s American remake of Gustavo Hernández’s La Casa Muda.

Like the original, the key strength of Silent House lies in the expertly choreographed journey of the camera. In a single, 86 minute shot, we follow Sarah (Elizabeth Olsen) as she finds herself locked inside her Father’s house with a malignant presence that seems bent upon torturing the unlucky pair. In real-time, the audience lives through the ordeal with Olsen on screen for its entirety, a gruelling feat that she executes to skittish perfection.

However, despite captivating performances and quirky camera angles, Silent House often feels more of an elaborate shoe advert than a horror thriller. With a large slice of the action taking place as Olsen cowers under a variety of snooker tables, beds and dining sets, a veritable fashion show of footwear is paraded across the screen as the presence stalks past her obvious hiding places. Combined with a predictable plot, this remake lacks the substance of the original, but more than makes up for its failings through its highly original productive techniques.

DELICACY A touch of elegance with Audrey Tautou Screening throughout May

ALYSIA JUDGE

MARLEY Documentary looking at the life of the legend Showing during May

film@yorkvision.co.uk