Kathryn Lewis checks out one of the city’s most popular gastro pubs Positioned in the centre of CardiffÔÇÖs bustling gastronomic hub, The Corner House restaurant faces stiff competition from the plethora of chain restaurants and swanky cocktail bars that frequent Mill Lane. With every eatery you can throw a celebrity chef name on or 2 for 1 voucher at near by, this small name pub … Continue reading Review: The Corner House
I recently suffered the indignity of going to the cinema completely alone on a Saturday night. Buying my tickets and popcorn, I could only grin sheepishly as I repeated ÔÇÿyes just the one adult ticket, thanksÔÇÖ. Not a half hour previously I was at BristolÔÇÖs Thekla enjoying a captivating, intimate performance by Laura Marling ÔÇô who is currently touring her as-yet unreleased LP Short Movie … Continue reading Live: Laura Marling – Thekla – 7/2/15
From one of the broadest genres out there; we delve into what it is that makes a good comedy. As an aspiring journalist, weÔÇÖre taught at times to try and write from an impartial and unprejudiced standpoint. But not here, bias is necessary. I love comedies. To me, there is no other genre that is as complete, broad or as meticulously well-crafted as a comedy. … Continue reading Genre in Review: Comedy
In soft acquiescence with the melancholy, Alvvays soundtrack the adventures of post-teen life as if through an Instagram filter. A boat in Bristol is perhaps the perfect setting for the Canadian five-piece; you have to wonder if itÔÇÖs the water beneath you swaying the crowd or indeed lead-singer Molly RankinÔÇÖs crooning voice that undulates the bodies onboard The Thekla. Alvvays are captivating from the outset. … Continue reading Live: Alvvays – Thekla – 31/1/15
Get in losers, weÔÇÖre going to analyse our generationÔÇÖs obsession with the teen movie. This crowd-funded film debut from film blogger Charlie Lyne is a cine-essay that charts the narrative arc of the American high school movie trope that has dominated pop culture for over 20 years. The documentary style allows Lyne to identify several stages in the development of the protagonist, from their original … Continue reading Beyond Clueless: why the teen movie is still as ‘fetch’ as ever
As Winter draws to a close, we look back over the past year which saw some wonderful commemorative events to mark the centenary of WWI. December 2014 bore witness to artistic and cultural events in West Flanders which commemorated the hundredth anniversary of the Christmas Truce during the First World War and Quench Culture attended┬áto see the events in all their glory. In December … Continue reading Centenary Of The Christmas Truce
Inventive in its production; Richard Linklater’s Boyhood┬ádepicts the growth of a boy through his adolescence, the trials his family face and the hardship that is living life in its mundanity. Surprising in that this film was 12 years in the making; the prolonged shooting period had no repercussions in terms of quality and performance integrity. It’s no surprise this picture has secured nominations at the … Continue reading Review: Boyhood
Continuing Film & TVÔÇÖs exploration into narrative film genres; in this feature we tackle the most explosive of all, Action. It is easy to pin point this genre in the sea of films released: It starts with a grand opening; the panning across the open road or a plane shooting off into the distance that then cuts to the explosion of a title sequence. This … Continue reading Genre in Review: Action
Based on the best selling book by Cheryl Strayed; Wild┬átells the biographical tale of Strayed’s 1100 mile hike in repentance and reflection after the death of her mother and subsequent turmoil in which she fell. From director Jean-Marc Vall├®e (who directed Matthew┬áMcConaughey┬áand Jared Leto to Oscars in last year’s dramatic hit Dallas Buyers Cowboys) the imagery crafted here is powerful, thought provoking and on the … Continue reading Review: Wild
The Midlands unusual answer to a concoction of psychedelic, indie and grunge take to the stage of┬áone of BristolÔÇÖs most legendary small music venues, The Fleece. Prior to the release of PeaceÔÇÖs upcoming record, Happy People, the indie quartet are at the beginning of their fifth tour of the UK. The four walls of this intimate setting have countless stories to tell about the up … Continue reading Live: Peace – The Fleece – 23/1/15
After checking out some of the best places to have coffee around Cardiff, we realised that Cardiff is a hub of small cafes and eateries that all offer different dining experiences. So with that being said, we decided to check out what we could get in the way of brunch. Perfect for the later risers amongst us, brunch is basically a coined term for those … Continue reading Brunch in Cardiff
With the wealth of information available regarding our health, we have developed an increasing consciousness of nutrition and the kinds of food we put into our bodies. Along with this comes a deluge of suggestions on what to eat and how to eat it, resulting in the rise of several fad diets, popular diets that are assumed to be ÔÇÿgood for youÔÇÖ. But are … Continue reading Diet De-Busting
Nothing lasts forever. Throughout the calendar year, we see countless shows that fall under the axe of TV networks. If, like me, the debris of multiple mid-season finales over the last few months are still causing you to squeal and throw your fists in a sea of raging tantrums, then this can only be seen as a good thing for your favourite shows; it at … Continue reading Shows Cancelled Before Their Time
This was the last move in a great master plan: to dominate the box office, capture audienceÔÇÖs hearts and bring a mythical world to life. All three have been done, the former tenfold considering the end of 2014 grossing┬áfigures for the latest instalment into this epic middle-earth saga. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (here on in referred to as Five Armies) was … Continue reading Review: The Hobbit – The Battle of the Five Armies
After recently receiving six nominations at this yearÔÇÖs┬áAcademy Awards; including┬áBest Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, American Sniper had already established a high calibre prior to its release. The film is a┬ábiographical┬áwar┬ádrama film┬ádirected by┬áClint Eastwood┬áand written by┬áJason Hall, which centres on the awe-inspiring and melancholic tale of navy SEAL Chris Kyle, a sniper who was accredited officially with 160 kills; the deadliest marksman in US military … Continue reading Review: American Sniper
Another issue means another Quench Food Evening and it would appear this monthly expedition is turning into an exploration of continental cuisines. Kicking off with Italian, then moving onto quintessentially British, this time around Quench Food is heading to the heat of North Africa and the Middle East (or City Road to those unfamiliar with the use of creative metaphor). Boasting an extensive menu of … Continue reading Quench Food Evening: Mezza Luna
ItÔÇÖs toe curlingly cold outside, the nights are still long and dark, and post-Christmas break weÔÇÖre all missing the comfort of home-cooked food. So why not warm the house this Sunday, round up the house mates, and get together to cook up a truly nostalgic taste of home. We all love a good pie, and this recipe is failsafe for even the most novice of … Continue reading Make your own Chicken Pie
ItÔÇÖs no secret that the giant cinema chains are expensive. Even so, it may shock you to find out that if you fancy buying a small bag of popcorn at Cineworld you will be paying 15 times the price it is actually worth. We happily sit through tons of adverts and put up with that one annoying viewer who insists on talking throughout only to … Continue reading The Next Chapter for Independent Cinema?
This film has a lot to live up to as the biopic of Stephen Hawking, one of the most remarkable physicists of all time, released in the wake of other well-anticipated films such as Interstellar and The Imitation Game. ┬áBased on the book, Travelling to Infinity; My life with Stephen written by Jane Wilde, HawkingÔÇÖs ex-wife, The Theory of Everything┬áis centred on the relationship between … Continue reading Film Review: The Theory of Everything
Brooding. Sparse. Disturbing. Foxcatcher makes for enthralling cinema with its unanimously strong performances, excellent cinematography and harrowing story. ┬áA story of sibling rivalry, isolation, class and mental illness, Foxcatcher is multifaceted and narratively rich for those who seek its rewards. Much like Bennett MillerÔÇÖs other films it manages to be about much more than its central subject would suggest. It is a wrestling film that … Continue reading Film Review: Foxcatcher
