50s Gowns in Paradise

Words by Amy Wild The psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling has had its fair share of controversy since it came out in late September last year, from rumours of drama between its star-studded cast to only getting two stars on rotten tomatoes. The film  was directed by Olivia Wilde, who also directed Booksmart and starred in Don’t Worry Darling as Bunny. It follows Alice (Florence … Continue reading 50s Gowns in Paradise

The Friends to Lovers Trope

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

Album Review: Jaws of Life – Pierce The Veil

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

Food is Life: Our Favourite Foodie Entertainment

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

Banish New Year Diet Trends and Feel Your Best All Year Round with a Balanced Diet

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

The Importance of The Bechdel Test in Films

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

Review: The A Cappella Society’s Winter Showcase in Y Plas

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

Album Review: Call This A Reality? – Anchor Lane

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

Dragonism

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

Review: Act One’s Jungle Juice at Pulse Nightclub

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

Taking the Bait

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

Review: The Verdict at the New Theatre

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending Middle Ground Theatre CompanyÔÇÖs The Verdict at The New Theatre. For the opening night of its UK tour, the theatre filled the theatre to see how this interpretation of Barry ReedÔÇÖs courtroom drama would come to life. The audience was of an older demographic – nostalgic of the 1982 film adaptation starring Paul Newman, no doubt. The … Continue reading Review: The Verdict at the New Theatre

The Early Days of Coronavirus, As Told Through My Teenage Diary Entries

Samuel Pepys, Che Guevara, Leonardo da Vinci, myself – what do all these people have in common? TheyÔÇÖre all diarists. Admittedly, my diaries fall more on the Adrian Mole side of things rather than the Virginia Woolf end, but since any good historian knows the value in a range of sources IÔÇÖll be bold on this one and put mine forward as an artefact of … Continue reading The Early Days of Coronavirus, As Told Through My Teenage Diary Entries

ÔÇÿImagine Living ThereÔÇÖ – Imaginary Places in Literature that We Love

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

Review: The 1975 @ CIA 16/01/23

Words by Charlotte Harris, photos by Alexa Price Kicking off their two-night stint in WalesÔÇÖ capital at Cardiff International Arena on Monday night, The 1975 treated us with the most recent performance of their tour, titled┬áThe 1975 At Their Very Best. A tour already spewing with media attention and internet interest, we were primed for a legendary evening. Would there be a guest star? Would … Continue reading Review: The 1975 @ CIA 16/01/23

Self Improvement Away From the Self: What Does it Mean to be Kind?

HereÔÇÖs something of a confession for you all: I love saying horrible things about the people in my life.  I love sitting down with friends to dissect everything we hate about our other friends. I love playing armchair psychologist and listing every questionable thing anyoneÔÇÖs ever done.┬á I love the drama of it, the gossip, and the pat on the back we give ourselves for … Continue reading Self Improvement Away From the Self: What Does it Mean to be Kind?

TripAdvisor Top Travel Destinations 2022

words by Megha Roy Ever since the pandemic came over the globe in 2020, travelling halted for millions of people for over a year. People seemed to have been caged in their homes, but in 2022, the scenario has seen a change. The world is recovering now and that has given the travel lovers the time and freedom to plan holidays. Trip Advisor, one of the leading travel websites, unveiled ÔÇÿThe Best of the … Continue reading TripAdvisor Top Travel Destinations 2022

Our Favourite Jane Austen Adaptation

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

Remembering Raymond Briggs

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