Archive for May 2014

Home Archive for May 2014

First published on The Oxford Student, see original here.

Maleficent is Disney’s latest attempt at a live action reboot, retelling the tale of the 1969 classic, Sleeping Beauty. This adaption focuses on the story’s antagonist, Maleficent, portraying her as the misunderstood villain. We are first introduced to her as a beautiful and sweet little faerie, but Maleficent grows up to be betrayed by Stefan, the man she loves, who, blinded by his greed, cuts off her wings in order to be named as the King’s successor. Heartbroken and consumed by hate, Maleficent turns to a life of revenge, placing an irrevocable curse upon Stefan’s new born daughter to prick her finger on a spindle the night before her sixteenth birthday, sending her into a deep death-like slumber that only true love’s kiss can awaken her from.

Maleficent seems unsure of what it is trying to be. Is it a tale for children or older audiences? Is it a dark tale or a comedy? Is it the story of revenge or redemption? This film didn’t even have itself figured out so what hope did I, as the viewer, have? Of course, there’s nothing wrong with the mixing of genres but there’s little integration here, just the slightly painful clashing of genres. Thus, whilst there are some very good parts to the film, there are also many not-so-good parts, which means that overall this film leaves you with the bitter taste of unfulfilled potential. There was even what seemed to be a revival of Angelina Jolie as Catwoman in her iconic black spandex one piece towards the end. Very confusing.

This lack of direction becomes especially apparent at the end of the film when the plot nosedives to altogether predictable and unimaginative finale. The film had established itself as what seemed to be a unique take on an old classic, but then it suddenly veered back towards the typical trite scenes that you’d expect from the modern Disney film. The minute that the attention is diverted away from Jolie’s Maleficent and towards Fanning’s Aurora, the film starts its slow and painful descent to a clichéd ending. This is not a reflection of Elle Fanning’s acting, but rather an unoriginal and bland script throughout the entire middle section of the film in which we basically just watch Maleficent follow Aurora around through the woods.

The film’s visual effects are rather impressive with some stunning scenery, beautiful, magical creatures and fiery action sequences. However, it is Angelina Jolie’s performance as Maleficent that is undoubtedly this film’s saving grace. She holds this film together and it is a shame that the way in which the plot develops means that she cannot continue to showcase her abilities. Maleficent is a complex character and the viewer feels an inexplicable sense of attachment to her, rather than the film itself, which is all down to Jolie.

All in all, I must admit that this film is considerably better than critics would have you believe, but that’s not to say that there aren’t some serious flaws in it too. This film wavers between really good and really bad and if it weren’t for the numerous juxtapositions in tone and genre, then this film would have been great. I suspect that kids will love this film whilst the unfortunate adults accompanying them will most likely forget that Disney ever tried to remake Sleeping Beauty.

I've recently become more and more interested in watching documentaries (and by that I mean, finding more and more ways to procrastinate) so I've turned to Netflix and am slowly making my way through everything they've got on here.

Food, Inc. is about how your food is made and how it makes it onto the supermarket shelves and then into your meals. The way we eat has changed more in the last 50 years than it has in the last 10,000. This is due to the rise of genetically modified crops and numerous other scientific discoveries that have led to the easy mass-production of food. In America, only a handful of companies control the food system and Food, Inc. reveals just how much power these corporations have and how they exert their power over the American consumer.

I've heard of and watched a few videos on what really happens in the food industry in terms of animal cruelty etc. but Food, Inc shows you how the food industry in America is closely tied to the government which seems to care little about the what its citizens are putting in their bodies. With problems such as obesity and diabetes on the rise in numerous countries, not just the US, it is time to make a change and watching Food, Inc. is a step in the right direction. That said, there are also some pretty shocking clips about how the animals are treated that are likely to be found distressing by many. At numerous times during this documentary, I found myself with my mouth agape in horror as I watched the treatment of some animals.

Food, Inc is brilliantly narrated and gives the viewer a detailed insight into the food industry without overloading you with boring facts and statistics. Of course, there are lots of statistics included, most of which are utterly shocking; however, this documentary seems to be an appeal to human nature rather than a report. This documentary subtly urges you to think about what it is that you're eating everyday whilst also promoting healthy eating. They use a wide variety of case studies to demonstrate what's going on and numerous products are discussed, though quite a lot of this documentary is focussed on the meat industry in particular. There are interviews with real life farmers and consumers who have had to deal with the rise of the massive corporations that currently dominate the American food industry.

All in all, Food Inc. is a shocking look at the reality of the American food industry and if you're currently living in America then you need to see this to understand what is really going on around you. Humans eat, on average, three meals a day, so that's three times a day you're filling your body with food, and yet I'm willing to bet that the majority of you don't know where your food really comes from. Food, Inc. will help you to understand the disastrous effects that this corrupt industry could have on both the environment and the health of those that consume it. The poor ethics of the transnational companies governing the US food industry are revealed and this documentary has definitely made a big impact on me and the way I will view food in the future. This is a rare gem that has probably changed my life for the better. It is informative and moving and I would urge everyone, particularly US citizens, to watch this as soon as possible.

Title: Metropolis Pictorial: Stepping into the Yards of Japan

Author: Tan Qi Rong

Genre: Photography, Travel

Publisher: CreateSpace

Publication Date: 25th April 2012

Goodreads Summary: This picture book serve as an appetizer to Tokyo, one of the best places to visit! It shows some of my personal favorites with stops in two unique bars. Relive the place through this pictorial buffet . . . intended to wet your appetite for more. Incredibly satisfying experience awaits you so... Take time off and start embarking on a journey to enjoy the beauty of nature in Japan!

{ Review }

I'm still going through books that I've discovered at the back of bookshelf and Metropolis Pictorial is one of them. I won this book back in 2012 from the Goodreads First Reads programme and I'd completely forgotten about it until now.

Metropolis Pictorial is a photography and travel book that consists of full page photos of some of Tokyo's top sites. Each photo is labelled with some including short, but detailed, information about what makes each place special, how to get there, how to book tickets (if needed) and when the best time to visit is.

I guess what's so good about this short book is its simplicity. This is essentially a picture book with little captions here and there telling you what to look out for in Tokyo. All of the photos were taken on an iPhone 4S, nothing fancy, but I guess that's part of the appeal. This book is designed to give people a look at the real Toyko, what the sights look like to the average visitor and not what they look like in the fancy brochure or the website. Expect to see photos of market stalls as well as beautiful temples, there's a wide range of photos so you can see what Tokyo at its best is really like.

When I think of Tokyo, I think of a busy city where you'll see the latest and most high-tech gadgets in the world and a lot of sushi shops. Yes, that is based on a stereotype but without having ever been to Japan, I doubt many people would be able to give a better description than that. What's brilliant about this little book is that it in probably just 5 or 10 minutes of your time you can get a quick glimpse at what Japan is like from the eyes of someone Japanese. Many of the places to see are tourist destinations, but the photographer has pointed out the best bits of them and how to really take advantage of them. As he is a native Japanese man, I trust his opinions far more than those on travel websites.

I must admit that the photo quality does vary quite a lot and sometimes you're presented with a stunning photo that reinstalls your faith in Apple's over-priced products, but at other times you'll find yourself looking at a slightly grainy photo of something seemingly insignificant. I guess the photo quality reflects what the book is trying to get across - the reality of Tokyo and not some sort of perfect facade that has been painted by a tourism company.

What is a little disappointing is that the grammar of the captions and info/tips at the bottom of each photo is often incorrect. It's obvious what the author means but it's also obvious that he is not a native British person. This is something that would be quite easy to correct so I'm not sure why the author didn't get someone with better English to check his work over. This didn't really detract from my reading experience as it's not as if this is a work of prose but it is an unnecessary fault that didn't need to be there.

This book is currently priced at £13.38 on Amazon and whilst I would highly recommend it to anyone curious about seeing the 'real' Japan or future travellers to the East, I definitely wouldn't pay that price for it. This book is interesting and informative for tourists in Japan but it's something that I'd flick through for ideas and not something I'd rely on. This book appears to be self-published which would explain the high price but unfortunately I don't think this book is worth the money.

All in all, Metropolis Pictorial is a fantastic look at Japan from the eyes of a native Japanese person and is a real eye opener for the Western tourist. It is helpful in picking out a few key spots to visit in Japan that are perhaps unknown and it gives you the necessary information to find out more and book tickets. That said, it is a very pricey book for what it gives you. At the end of the day it is nothing more than a few pictures with interesting captions so as long as this book remains as expensive as it is now, I wouldn't recommend buying it.

This review was first published on The Oxford Student, Oxford University's student newspaper. See the original here.

Divergent, arguably one of the biggest young adult film releases of 2014, hit cinema screens last Friday with hordes of teenage girls storming cinemas all over the world. The mixed reviews from critics didn’t deter audiences as five times as many Divergent tickets were sold on Fandango in comparison to Twilight (the ultimate fangirl franchise), which was released six years ago. Divergent is the sort of film that critics love to hate, so all reviews must be taken with a pinch of salt as there are just as many good things as there are bad with this film.

Divergent follows the structure of a young adult film to a T. Essentially, a strong-minded teenage girl living in a dystopian world finds out she’s different from the rest of society but this is a secret she must keep or she will be killed. Throw in some action scenes, and a man with the most impressive jawline you’ve ever seen with a penchant for taking his top off, and you’ve got a major blockbuster in the works.

Somewhat unusual for a film aimed at teenage girls, but the acting in this film is actually pretty darmn good. It is the two protagonists, Shailene Woodley (The Sweet Life of the American Teenager) and Theo James (Underworld: Awakening) that keep most audiences captivated, not the plot and certainly not the repetitive and unimaginative action sequences. The strong female heroine is losing its novel status and fast becoming a pre-requisite for young adult novels but Shailene Woodley brings Tris Prior to life in a way that few other actresses would be able to. Alongside her is Theo James who is undoubtedly the perfect man to play Tobias Eaton (aka Four). Although over ten years older than his on screen counterpart, there’s something about him that is both powerful and gentle at the same time which perfectly captures Tobias Eaton.

Fans of the book are likely to be disappointed as this film diverges (excuse the pun) from Roth’s plot line by a fair amount. Whilst numerous readers have stated that they believe the film to be even better than the book, I would have to disagree on this point. There are so many details in the book that are not translated onto screen, and whilst this is understandable, it doesn’t make it acceptable. Numerous scenes in the film are rushed and unexplained and without the background information learnt from reading the books one would be left constantly fighting to catch up with the plot, just like the clueless Dauntless transfers running for their first train.

Having read the book myself, I know that there was so much potential for this film to be brilliant but unfortunately it falls short. The general plot and the relationships between characters remain largely undeveloped and the characters often seem rather flat because of the uninspiring script. That said, there are still many positive aspects to this film. Firstly, the acting, as mentioned above; secondly the score, put together by Hans Zimmer, the man behind the scores of Inception and The Dark Knight; and thirdly the graphics, which had to be pretty impressive given that this is an action-packed dystopian film.

No matter what the critics say, it is clear that this new series is going to be getting a lot of attention and making a lot of money. The sequels, Insurgent and Allegiant, were put into work before the first film was even released which suggests there are high hopes for this series. I guess producers know that no critic will stand between a teenage fangirl and Tobias Eaton.

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FILM REVIEW: Maleficent

FILM REVIEW: Food, Inc.

APP REVIEW: Tunnelbear - A unique VPN service

BOOK REVIEW: Metropolis Pictorial: Stepping into the Yards of Japan

FILM REVIEW: Divergent