The Act of Writing

Queen . The rock band that appealed to everyone, that belonged to everyone. The band that revolutionised Pop music, notably making a 6 minute song a hit single that got to number 1 in the charts, twice over. Freddie Mercury. The legendary front man of the band. He had charisma, an incredible vocal range, unforgettable stage outfits, an irrepressible personality, scandalous headlines in tabloids and a tragic death, far too early. Bohemian Rhapsody tells their incredible story, and whilst it's certainly not the best biopic ever to grace our screens, it does have a lot of very good points and is incredibly entertaining, which I think is the most important thing to come out of a film about entertainers. First and foremost, I have to discuss Rami Malek, of Night at the Museum and Mr Robot fame, and his performance as Freddie Mercury. It's been said in almost every critical review I can find, but it bears repeating: Malek's Mercury is a joy to behold. He brings such...

I'm going to do something a little different with this post, just because it's a rather more sensitive topic than anything I've posted previously. The other day I saw The Hate U Give film in cinemas and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since. I'd love to review it properly but, honestly I don't think I could do a review any real justice with this film, because I don't think I can talk objectively about its subject matter. Therefore this will be a discussion post, or rather a stream of consciousness if you prefer, just so that I can discuss this film and get my thoughts in a sensible order. The Hate U Give stars Amandla Stenberg, of The Hunger Games and Darkest Minds fame, as Starr, the film's protagonist, a black girl from a poor area who goes to school with rich, white kids in the next town over. I've been captivated by Stenberg since her appearance in The Hunger Games, being of a similar age to her, and resolved then and there to...

Bad Times at the El Royale - Movie Poster Bad Times at the El Royale is the all new, completely original thriller film from the mind of Drew Goddard, famed for his writing episodes of  Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Daredevil. Goddard made his directorial debut with The Cabin in the Woods  in 2012, which at the very least immediately shows his incredible versatility. First off the bat, it has to be said, that the aesthetic of this film is simply beautiful. The music choices, the colour palette, the set design, the character design... every little detail of this film is perfectly coordinated in order to provide the audience with an experience that is uniquely beautiful. On top of that, the direction is marvellous. Every scene is handcrafted to hold as much information as possible, without ever feeling overwhelming. Yet at the same time, every scene still felt completely vital to the story. This is NOT a film you can just 'stick on in the background,' which, is so...

That sick feeling in your stomach. The cloying nausea that sets into motion the swoops and swirls of molten lava in the pit of your belly. It claws its way upwards, setting up shop in the cavity of your chest, no longer does your heart reside there, no that's shrunken in fear, all that is left is the vague pain. It sends tremors down your arms, your fingers shaking uncontrollably. That feeling of dread. It makes you want to be physically sick. You know its coming. Lying in wait, somewhere just out of sight, out of your control. There is nothing you can do, and doesn't that just make it worse? The dread lies heavy in your gut, icy cold and you're always, always aware of it. It spreads, the ice, down into your legs, making you creak, one second away from cracking. Your shrunken heart beats frantically, almost hard enough to break your ribs and burst free of its cage of splintered bone. There isn't much time left. the wristwatch your father left to you, that...

Against The Current: Past Lives - Streaming Now It's coming up on three weeks since Against the Current released their second studio album, 'Past Lives,' and in those three weeks, it is rare that there's a moment in which I don't have one of the songs from it stuck in my head. This album is infectiously good. I would consider this album a labour of love, considering the amount of work that went into its creation, with reportedly forty songs having been written for it. (However, it should be observed that this figure has come from Chrissy Costanza's twitter and may have been a joke/exaggeration.) The eleven track album has a markedly different sound and style to its predecessor 'In Our Bones,' which is more of a "dark pop" album that "pointed the finger [of blame]," whereas, 'Past Lives' is "introspective," and the emotion behind the lyrics really shows this change. Opening with the song 'Strangers Ag...

This blog's purpose is to be a Portfolio. I desperately want to go into the Publishing industry. My first two years at University have only strengthened this desire, and now that I'm in my third and final year, I've realised that I need to present a much more professional image of myself, on the (miraculous) chance that an employer would want to hire me after I finish my degree. That's where this blog comes in. I've messed around with blogging before, on an account that's not much more than a jumbled amalgamation of my thoughts, feelings and occasionally the odd review piece. As much as I enjoyed writing that blog, I believe that creating my brand would be better done on this (nearly) blank canvas. It looks a little more professional, right? Therefore, as I gain more confidence in my writing abilities, this is what should be appearing on this site: - Film reviews (I own a Limitless card) - TV reviews, both episodic pieces and entire series as a whol...