Wednesday, June 3Royal Holloway's offical student publication, est. 1986

Film & TV

Steve Jobs Review
Culture & Literature, Film & TV

Steve Jobs Review

Steve Jobs, a man who placed a key role in defining modern technology through products such as the iMac, I pod and the I phone gets his own biopic in Steve Jobs, directed by Danny Boyle, written by Aaron Sorkin and staring Michael Fassbinder in the title role. Ironically the defining feature of this film is that it doesn’t resemblance a biopic at all. Structured in the few moments before three product launches (Apple Mactintosh, NeXT Computer, and the iMac), much of the dialogue although inspired by real conflicts Jobs had with his co-workers Steve Wozniak and John Sculley and his daughter, is invented by Sorkin and weren't spoken in real life. However the script’s wit and intensity makes up for this. Sorkin’s dialogue has a reputation as being difficult to manoeuvre for actors, but Micha...
Ahead of its time: ‘Back to the Future’ turns 30.
Culture & Literature, Film & TV

Ahead of its time: ‘Back to the Future’ turns 30.

October 21st 2015. For any self-respecting cinema fan, this date has a notorious significance. Hurtling forward in time to save the Mcfly family pride, this is the day to which the big screen’s most famous DeLorean is catapulted into the future, amidst a world of hoverboards, flying cars and the eighteenth 'Jaws' sequel. Admittedly, the writers were a bit off. One of the defining films of the eighties – and single-handedly making the science fiction genre cool again – 'Back to the Future' pulled in a staggering $380 million at the box office, as well as cementing itself as one of the most successful movies of all time. With this year marking the close of its thirtieth year, former cast, crew and devoted fans alike are refusing to let this occasion go unnoticed. With special trilogy scre...
Old Dogs, New Tricks: ‘The Intern’ Review.
Culture & Literature, Film & TV

Old Dogs, New Tricks: ‘The Intern’ Review.

There are three types of mainstream Hollywood movie. Toss away these silly ideas of ‘genre’ or ‘style’, or this common misconception that there’s an unlimited variety of films, ranging from romantic comedy through to apocalyptic sci-fi – That’s simply wrong. There’s only a mere trio when it comes to the motion picture industry: the good, the bad and the ugly. Good can be judged by how much money it makes - observe Marvel Studios’ achievement in bagging over a billion bucks in a single blockbuster - or the quality of the script - if you didn’t cry when Simba’s father died, your heart is made of stone. Then there’s the bad, which is fairly self-explanatory: 'Battlefield Earth', 'The Last Airbender' and 'Sex Lives of the Potato Men' can call themselves proud honorary members of this elite ...
Biggest Film of 2015 – Jurassic World
Culture & Literature, Film & TV

Biggest Film of 2015 – Jurassic World

Director: Colin Trevorrow Release date: 11th June 2015 Starring: Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Ty Simpkins, Nick Robinson, Omar Sy, B. D. Wong, Irrfan Khan REVIEW When Steven Spielberg brought Jurassic Park to cinemas way back in 1993, the world fell in love. With 3 Academy Awards under its belt, the classic film changed the way audiences saw visual effects, as this was the first film to really bring dinosaurs to life realistically. Now, 22 years later, the world of dinosaurs is brought back to the audience’s attention. Although there were 2 sequels to the classic, The Lost World: Jurassic Park and Jurassic Park III, they didn’t quite live up to their predecessor. Jurassic World, on the other hand, arguably does. In this film, we see the dream of John Hammond (...
Self/less Film Review
Culture & Literature, Film & TV

Self/less Film Review

A film with a concept that could’ve blown up to become a hit movie – but turned out be yet another box office bomb. Director Tarsem Singh produced a film with incredible concepts and interesting scientific ideas that by the end fizzled out to an action filled movie with a predictable plot. It is an enjoyable film to watch: what someone might call an easy film for a relaxed evening, containing cinematography that is pleasing to the eye and a story that is told decently well. The elegant introductory setting of New York, as usual, doesn’t fail to catch the viewer’s attention. It especially starts off with enormous potential, capturing the viewer’s interest with Ben Kingsley’s character of the rich powerful man and the mysterious scientific procedure that seems almost comic book like. Perhap...
Beasts of No Nation
Culture & Literature, Film & TV

Beasts of No Nation

Rise of streaming service have become a concern for cinema chains in recent years as smarter cinema goers realise they can wait for certain films and TV series to become available on streaming services like Netflix and Amazon Prime rather than giving the film a chance in the cinema, unless it’s a film that warrants to be seen on a big screen like a summer blockbuster. Cinemas have become worried that people will become lazier and less driven to see films in the cinema, if they have the option to watch films at home instead and to an extent they are right. Services like Netflix and amazon prime have become extremely popular particularly with young people and since cinemas chains don’t seem to have any ideas of how to increase interest in going to the cinema other than through selling 3d gla...
An Interview with Writer-Director of Insidious 3, Leigh Whannell
Culture & Literature, Film & TV

An Interview with Writer-Director of Insidious 3, Leigh Whannell

With his fellow collaborator on the Saw franchise and Insidious films James Wan busy directing Fast and Furious 7, Leigh Whannell has taken over the helm with his directorial debut Insidious 3. In the form of a prequel, this impressive next step in the franchise focuses on the demonic interest on a teenage girl after she attempts to connect with her dead mother. By drawing on the world of The Further established in the previous installments and bringing Lin Shaye’s character back into the narrative, Whannell’s first stint at directing is successful in its handling of its source material, but also in developing his own style of filmmaking. With a relatable family driven plot that is likely to connect with its audiences and its subtle handing of slow burning sequences that are designed to su...
A Cultural Summer in the City
Culture & Literature, Film & TV, Theatre & Performance, Visual Arts

A Cultural Summer in the City

Having a cultured summer shouldn't entail breaking the bank. This summer has ample opportunities to get cultured for little to no money, all while still having fun! If you are looking for the perfect outdoor cinema experience this summer, Film4’s Summer Screen returns from the 6th to the 19th of August with an array of cult, classic and contemporary screenings, with new films selected to premiere throughout the event. Situated in the courtyard of Somerset House, London’s largest outdoor screen will begin the fortnight with the opening night premiere of ‘Gemma Bovery’ starring Gemma Arterton and close with the premiere of the Sundance Film Festival’s critical darling ‘Me and Earl and the Dying Girl’. From new releases to classic favourites including ‘The Silence of the Lambs’, ‘The Gradu...
The Revolution Could Be Televised
Culture & Literature, Film & TV

The Revolution Could Be Televised

Amongst the post-election lamentations of lachrymose leftists circulating on social media, I came across a rant masquerading as a blog post by a fellow student. Seizing upon the mass media, that mainstay of Marxist maxims, in this instance television, as a narcotizing agent of the numbskull populus, they decried the level of political discourse that shuffles through our screens as having led us into our current political morass. With the embers of the 2015 BAFTAs cooling, and Auntie’s charter renewal, or lack of, imminent, it feels timely to take a step back and briefly reflect on the state of political television. In the run-up to the general election BBC1 was graced with an adaptation of J. K. Rowling’s The Casual Vacancy. The show’s cast list read more like that of a glossy ITV Ag...
Mad Max: Fury Road Review
Culture & Literature, Film & TV

Mad Max: Fury Road Review

In the midst of a time where the typical action film can’t go a scene without extraordinary amounts of CGI, Mad Max: Fury Road delivers the most exciting film of the summer using practical effects. Directed by George Miller, the film follows Max (Tom Hardy) as he teams up with Charlize Theron’s Imperator Furiosa to steal cargo and escape from villain Immortan Joe. The film plays out as one long chase scene as Max is followed by Immortan Joe and his fleet of maniacal supporters, their conflict growing more explosive by the minute as Max travels through violent sand-storms to darkened swamps. One of the most striking things about the film is the imagination given to world-building. Almost everything is detailed enough to give the audience an understanding of this post-apocalyptic world...