Words by Emily Williams ItÔÇÖs a quiet Friday afternoon as I log onto Zoom to speak to Anchor Lane, who have just begun theirUK headline tour starting in Bradford. It is their first time touring an album after the scheduled tourfor their debut album Casino was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We chatted about influences, image, and intentions for their new album Call This … Continue reading In Conversation With Anchor Lane
Words by Katie Brosnan The Knives Out series on Netflix is extremely popular, and being accessible to all ages, it makes for a great family film. Both Knives Out and Glass Onion have broken online streaming/box office records with their releases, but what makes them so popular? Knives Out is the first instalment in the Knives Out franchise. It follows Marta and the Thrombey family … Continue reading Review: Knives Out VS Glass Onion
By Anushka Kar Romance as a genre provides many individuals ÔÇô the majority of them being women ÔÇô as some sort of fantasy standard of their ideal partner, because, well, reality doesnÔÇÖt always provide this. Within romance comes many different tropes between two lovers, and the one I want to delve into for the sake of February and its all-encompassing ValentineÔÇÖs sentiment, is the friends … Continue reading The Friends to Lovers Trope
Words by Laura Mae After an almost seven year long hiatus, American rock band Pierce The Veil have come stomping backonto the music scene with their new record Jaws of Life. This release is the bandÔÇÖs fifth studio albumsince they made their beginnings in 2006, and the first since their 2016 album Misadventures. Pierce TheVeil are a well known name in the alternative music scene, … Continue reading Album Review: Jaws of Life – Pierce The Veil
Home Cooking podcast words by Lizzi Richards I discovered┬áHome Cooking┬áafter watching┬áSalt, Fat, Acid, Heat┬áon Netflix and absolutely falling in love with Samin Nosrat and her approach to food. The podcast started during lockdown when we all had to stop eating out and had a bit of extra time on our hands to spend in the kitchen. Samin and her co-host, Hrishikesh Hirway (of the wonderful┬áSong … Continue reading Food is Life: Our Favourite Foodie Entertainment
words by Molly Chambers Like many others around the new year, I find myself in conversations about goals and plans. I have become particularly conscious of how many people say, with dread, that they are dieting for January. It is a known fact that one feels more awake and well when eating healthier. Therefore, I believe there is importance in maintaining a healthy and happy … Continue reading Banish New Year Diet Trends and Feel Your Best All Year Round with a Balanced Diet
While the Bechdel Test was only ever meant to be a jokey, tongue-in-cheek way of showing a lack of female representation in the media, it really took off as a measure of female agency in TV and film. However, our contemporary media landscape is wildly different from that of the test’s origin in the 80s, and many criticise the Bechdel test for being over-simplified, minimum requirements for diversity which overlook other problems around underrepresentation in the film industry such as race and sexuality.┬á Continue reading The Importance of The Bechdel Test in Films
Words by Francesca Ionescu How many Pitch Perfect jokes can I fit in an A Cappella show review? Not many, havenÔÇÖt seen the film in years. Since watching it however, the CUAC Winter Showcase was my first interaction with acapella groups, and I went in unsure of what to expect. For the next one, IÔÇÖd know to expect a lot of young talented students, an … Continue reading Review: The A Cappella Society’s Winter Showcase in Y Plas
Words by Emily Williams Up-and-coming Glasgow rock band Anchor Lane released their second album entitled,┬áCall This A Reality? on 27th January 2023.┬áThe album follows their first successful album┬áCasino┬áwhich reached Number 9 on Official UK Rock Albums Chart in its 2020 release.┬áCall This A Reality?┬áembraces indie undertones and showcases heavy guitar work that complements the vocals from Conor Gaffney. The guitar work is really what stands … Continue reading Album Review: Call This A Reality? – Anchor Lane
By Haris Hussnain The primaeval age saw the rise and fall of the dragon empire. Scarlet dragons stood for justice and leadership. They sought to unite the other fighting mortals of the primaeval era with their pacifistic beliefs, peace, and harmony. Other creatures marvelled at the sight of their scarlet scales and the sound of the melodic language they spoke. Dragons lived in a golden … Continue reading Dragonism
Words by Billy Edwards The Act One Society panto has become a mainstay of the run-up to Christmas in Cardiff. Laden with crude jokes and innuendo, itÔÇÖs for adults only, and this year it is entitled ÔÇÿJungle JuiceÔÇÖ, a hint towards itÔÇÖs reworking of the Jungle Book – I was very excited for the pantomime having already enjoyed the Wizard of Oz panto put on … Continue reading Review: Act One’s Jungle Juice at Pulse Nightclub
Words by Rubie Barker ÔÇ£As your token straight friend, itÔÇÖs my duty to remind you that sometimes people are straight.ÔÇØ -Tao Xu (Heartstopper┬áseason 1, available on Netflix) For those for┬áwho┬áthe term is new, ÔÇÿQueerbaitingÔÇÖ, is commonly understood to occur when someone (fictional or real) suggests they are part of the LGBTQ+ community, primarily to attract the LGBTQ+ audience, possibly for financial gain. While the term … Continue reading Taking the Bait
Reading is the ultimate form of escapism – whether it’s fantasy, historical, or travel fiction, we all have places in novels that we like to escape to and would love to visit IRL. Ranging from Hogwarts to 221B Baker Street, our contributors give us their views on the places they’d most like to visit. Ella Collis The magical and mysterious world of Narnia is one … Continue reading ÔÇÿImagine Living ThereÔÇÖ – Imaginary Places in Literature that We Love
Clueless Words By Katie Brosnan Clueless, the 1995 adaption of Jane AustenÔÇÖs Emma stands the test of time as the perfect adaption of a classic novel. Clueless offers a relatable, fun, and modern revision of Jane AustenÔÇÖs beloved novel, allowing for younger audiences to access the message of the original text, forgiving people for their mistakes. Cher, the protagonist, is a 15-year-old, blonde, valley girl … Continue reading Our Favourite Jane Austen Adaptation
By Jasmine Dodd Who was Raymond Briggs? Inspired by his death at 88 years old in August this year, there has been a wave of melancholy when looking at Raymond Briggs’ iconic writings and illustrations. Celebrated for creating the classic, The Snowman (1978), Raymond Briggs was nationally cherished for his classic stories and illustrations which include: The Snowman (1978), When the Wind Blows (1982), Father … Continue reading Remembering Raymond Briggs
Words by Katie Brosnan 2022 has seen the cost-of-living crisis surge to an unprecedented level. Usually, headlines are met by retailers spending millions on their Christmas advertising, particularly John Lewis and Sports Direct. However, this year most retailers have reduced their spending significantly, showing solidarity with those struggling with costs this Christmas. The message in most Christmas adverts this year focus on the importance of family and unity, reflecting that … Continue reading Ad or Advent?
Words By Floss Harrison In 2020, British actress Millie Bobby Brown graced our TV screens with the latest Netflix original, Enola Holmes, directed by Harry Bradbeer. This fun-loving drama starring Milly Bobby Brown as Enola Holmes and Henry Cavill as her famous older brother, Sherlock Holmes, proved to be a box office success, being the most-watched film on Netflix over the first five days of … Continue reading Review: Enola Holmes 2
Words by Jasmine Dodd The history of COP┬á Being originally established to assess progress in addressing climate issues, the Conference of Parties (COP) began in 1995. It has been described byGeographical as having ÔÇÿflashes of brilliance [with] years of disappointmentÔÇÖ. Over the years, COP has been heavily criticised for not producing effective action when addressing climate issues, but merely a pretence of creating change without addressing the root … Continue reading COP27: Everything You Need to Know
Words by Elliot Morgan This year, compared its predecessors, has been remarkably strong in terms of new music releases. Iconic artists in the pop and hip-hop genres released critically acclaimed albums after hiatuses of nearly half a decade. Across the indie scene, new bands rose to prominence and released their debut records, meanwhile, old favourites continued to add to their accomplished discographies. Although difficult select … Continue reading The Best Albums of 2022
‘Tis the season! As the autumn term draws to a close and everyone heads home for the holidays, there’s no better way to unwind and get into the festive spirit than with a seasonal read – preferably in front of an open fire and with a hot chocolate in hand! Here are some our contributors’ favourite reads at this time of year, to give you … Continue reading Christmas Classics: What Our Contributors Are Reading This Season
