Omni a

LITERATURE

TELEVISION

O
MUSIC YOUTUBE FILM

CONTENTS
Alex Turners EP Submarine The Animen The Undertones

MUSIC

The Ocean at the End of the Lane Frankenstein

LITERATURE
Submarine Fassbender and Indie Film Catching Fire Nancy Netherwood (NN) Daisy Minto (DM)
Charlotte Tidmas Evie Netherwood Aleksandra R Annabel Mahoney

TELEVISION
Hannibal The Almighty Johnsons

FILM
Editors:

YOUTUBE
Slomozovo

Contributors:

Submarine is one great film. Lets look at it mathematically. Richard Ayoade as director, Alex Turner doing the soundtrack, Craig Roberts in the main role of Oliver Tate AND two rather nice duffle coats. It is a recipe for success if ever Ive seen one. Submarine is Ayoades very first film, you might know him from The IT Crowd, and his quirkiness and endearing awkwardness comes through in his script, making the film really his. The film follows Oliver Tate as he tries to loose his virginity and save his parents marriage from the mystic who lives over the road. Its funny without trying to be and perfect in all other aspects of the script. Not to mention how beautifully shot it is, every frame is a treat. And dont get me started on the cast! Craig Roberts is one of the most talented young British actors around at the moment, and he really came to the front in this film and showed just how good he is. Yasmin Paige, who you might know from Ballet Shoes or The Sarah Jane Adventures, plays pyromaniac girlfriend of Oliver Tate and also gives a superb performance; be sure to look out for her, we reckon shes on the up. So toround up, Submarine is a wonderfully charming, quirky film that I would recommend to everyone. DM

CRAIG ROBERTS

If you were a CBBC kid you might remember Craig Roberts from The Story of Tracy Beaker or perhaps Young Dracula but most recently he has been in Red Lights, Submarine and Being Human. Suffice to say he has been acting, and doing a bloody good job of it, for quite a while but it is most recently that he has come to the forefront. The Welshman, who seems to have stopped ageing at sixteen, has a real presence on screen, he catches your attention and you just cant get him to let go of it. Saying that it is no surprise that he has been working with some of the industries greats, such as Cillian Murphy and De Niro in Red Lights, and is definitely only at the start of his career. And acting isnt his only talent, oh no, he has been writing his first feature and in contact with Channel 4 about writing a series. Roberts is really making his mark on the film and television industries, heralding the era of new young talent. Keep it up Craig, we want to see more of you. DM

@CraigRoberts11

Alex Turners EP Submarine

You will know Alex Turner as the Manc at the heart of the Artic Monkeys, but his first EP entitled Submarine breaks away from the brain buzz Arctics sound, for softer, lyrical acoustics. Turners abilities as a lyricist I have never once doubted; his lyrics are witty, entertaining and strained with a mancunian accent. Where they might be lost amongst the Arctics brainstorm sound, they play forward in Submarine. They are much more poetic and evocative than any of his I have had the pleasure of hearing before, and they have a sort of adolescent charm to them. The EP is also the soundtrack to Richard Ayoades film Submarine and although the tones of both are different they compliment each other perfectly. I cant give this EP enough praise, it really is just beautiful. DM

We recommend: Hiding Tonight Stuck on the Puzzle Piledriver Waltz

@TheAnimen

Can you name a Swiss band? Im betting you cant but neither could I till I heard The Animen so youre forgiven. The Animen are a five piece vintage rock n roll band from Geneva, Switzerland. After releasing two EPs their first album Hi! came out in January of this year and it is such a treat. From bluesy ballads to hard hitting rock n roll tunes there is not one song at fault on this album. Their sound although vintage is inherently modern, coming across as a cocktail of The Sonics, Otis Redding, The Strokes and The Libertines (believe me its possible). There are some great tracks to dance to, like Shake (On the Tabletops) and Down in Oslo, to sing to, like Harder than Stone, and of course rock out to. One of my favourite things about The Animen is their sneaky inclusion of little french phrases in their songs so listen out for bonne fait a tous in The Road Taken. Live they do not disappoint, dancing, jumping about and having a fantastic time themselves, each member dresses in a mod come teddy boy get up and the lead singer Theo Wyser not only sounds fantastic but plays a ukelel and whats not to love about ukeleles. DM

Hi! The Animen

We Recommend: A 16 Smoking Gun The Road Taken The French Letter

O C E A N AT T H E E N D OF THE LANE
The Ocean at the End of the Lane, the new book by master storyteller and much loved scruffy gentleman Neil Gaiman, tells the story of a young boy not unlike our favourite nest-haired writer. The nameless narrator, now a middle-aged man, finds himself in the neighbourhood of his childhood after his fathers funeral, and then at the farmhouse of his long forgotten friend, Lettie. Sitting by the houses duck pond, he begins to remember a strange sequence of events that occurred just after his seventh birthday, and Letties assertion that the pond was, in fact, not a pond at all, but an ocean The remembered story is a strange one, one that begins with a dead man in the back of a car, then leads us through a twisted tale of evil spirits and childhood struggles. Its at times scary, at others frustrating, at others heart-warming - just like growing up, and vividly imaginative yet searingly real. Its fairytale quality is juxtaposed with uncomfortable truths that we all face Arent we all irrationally angry with our parents sometimes? Dont we all have those strange memories, which creep up on us unexpectedly, those childhood thoughts and fears that, buried and forgotten beneath the weight of adulthood, suddenly rise up? The book has hints of Gaimans other work the sinister mother figure and inescapable house of Coraline; the mythological undercurrents of American Gods; the clash between reality and the fantastical of Neverwhere and yet it is such a different beast, a possessive, inspiring tale that is about magic and friendship and evil, and yet its not about these things at all. Despite the compelling fantasy plotline, its really about childhood and growing up and the nature of memory, about what frightens us and the way we choose to live our lives. I want to give this book to teenagers who have just begun to let their childhoods go, and to old people who scarcely remember theirs anymore; to parents who are watching their children grow up, and to people my age, preparing to become adults. I want everyone to read and love this book. I want them to remember the importance of stories and that its ok to be scared. I want them to internalise the books last image a man who feels that his life is going nowhere, but is really, he realises, not going too badly, because he is living it. I want everyone to feel the way that I did, to want to place this story amongst your most treasured childhood memories, as though it was you who experienced it. And then maybe, when youre older, youll suddenly remember this book and open it again, and its fond memories will come flooding back to you, like the water of a duck pond which is actually an ocean. NN

THE

 Michael Fassbender is slowly but surely becoming the new Benedict Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston on our screens. However, instead of being a posh English boy, hes half German, half Irish, and a lot grittier. Fassbender began his career on the stage in 1994 and then quietly progressed to television in 2001. He only began to be recognised seven years b y later upon receiving a nomination for a small award as a supporting actor. In 2007 he broke into the medium of film with a role in 300, and has since not spent a year without making appearances on the big screen. It would seem that there is not much to set him apart from the other breakout British male actors of his generation. However, Fassbender is well known for his work with director Steve McQueen, a Turner prize and BAFTA award winning director from London. What sets them apart is the fact that together, they make indie films that tackle extremely taboo subjects. For example in Shame, Fassbender plays a man with sex-addiction. In Hunger, he plays Bobby Sands- a member of the IRA participating in a hunger strike while in prison. Fassbender works hard to humanise his characters and while filming Hunger, he in fact starved himself to allow himself to visually look on the verge of death. The result is shocking. When seeing Michael Fassbender on the screen, most expect a man ripped with muscles, towering over everyone else. However, in Hunger, you see a man with skin hanging slack over bones painfully prominent. He looks near-dead. His commitment to the role and the character he is playing is striking. While Fassbender does indeed work in mainstream cinema- most notably appearing in Inglorious Basterds and X-Men: First Class, he strives to maintain his indie work. An example of this is his 2011 short-film Pitch Black Heist, which is a black and white indie shot by John Maclean. The film is fifteen minutes in length and incredibly low-budget. Bearing in mind that he shot both X-Men: First Class and Jane Eyre in the same year, as well as A Dangerous Method and Shame, all of which he won awards for, it is difficult to argue against his commitment to indie films. The question is: why is he so important? The answer being: he remains committed to creating indie films. Indie film is an incredibly diverse genre and is composed of an extreme contrast of ideals to that of mainstream film. The difference is predominantly the budget- indies having much less funding- though also the style. While many directors and producers in the mainstream circuit like to play it safe, indie films aim to experiment with constructs and expectations, which can result in films that could only be described as art. Should you desire an example of this, do watch Shame; it acts as an example of the vital importance of the indie.

Fassbender and Indie Film

C h a r l o t t e T i d m a s

Indie means independently funded.

4 Great Indie

Films

SLOMOZOVO
Bing. No, not the search engine, the Youtuber. With ducky jumpers, tea and an offbeat sense of humour, Bing is making a mark on the youtube community. Hes got fingers in a whole hoard of pies, from vlogging, directing and acting to debating, presenting and singing. There are no limits to his capabilities and neither to his creativity. This shows in just how vast and varied his catalogue of work is. However its one thing to have made a lot of things, but its quality over quantity right? Nope. With Bing it is quality in quantity.
Bing has a talent for short comedy sketches. Hes always coming up with something new and side splittingly funny, like nature being POISON or interrogating a dog. Each sketch, although only bite size, feels as though it has been filmed for cinema release - the scripts are of the highest quality, the cinematography is glorious and everything else besides is up to industry standards.

Christopher Bingham

We Recommend: The Bothering Routine Nature (is Dangerous)

Watch Bings sketches on his channel SLOMOZOVO We Recommend: Summertopia Hair Science 10 Things not to say on a first date
Low key but high calibre, Bings vlogs are slick, well thought out, entertaining and intelligent. Having vlogged every other day for two years, during his Past Bing Future Bing (PBFB) series, Bing has fine-tuned his vlogging skills making him, in my humble opinion, one of the best and most honest vloggers around at the moment.

Watch Bings vlogs on his channel BINGRADIO

Youtube is a great platform for discussion and Bing has taken advantage of that with his channel TALK. Each week theres a new topic, a couple of vloggers will share their opinions on the subject over the week and viewers are encouraged to carry on the discussion in the comments. Past topics have included Is University Worth it? and When does a joke become offensive. TALK is always interesting and always engaging, using youtube as a platform for debating rather than mass cat video broadcasting.

Watch the debates on Bings channel TALK

Bing has a great onscreen personality as he is charismatic, engaging and witty. He presents Heroes of Animation, a documentary profiling British animators such as Weebl and Lee Hardcastle, A Brief History of Hawks, talking about the Tony Hawks games, and Guinness World Records OMG, all of which I highly recommend. DM

@slomozovo

Watch Heroes of Animation on HUHA Watch A Brief History of Hawks on SLOMOZOVO

DOCUMENTARY

slomozovo

If you like what Bing does and want to support him, check out his Patreon page.

patreon.com/bing

Pork = People. Beef = People. Chicken = People. Wine = People. Salad = People. Bread = People. Ice cream = People.

If you are passionate about TV, youll know that there are several categories of show there are the shows you watch casually, or maybe guiltily; there are the ones you enjoy while theyre on but can do without; There are the ones that you love; and then there are the ones that get under your skin and into your psyche and completely consume you. Hannibal is firmly in the last category. I was late to the proverbial Hannibal party. I am easily scared and not a fan of graphic horror, so Hannibal, a gory, violent and very creepy horror-cum-psychological-thriller seemed like a no-go for me. But as the weeks went by it began to infiltrate my tumblr dashboard, I found myself intrigued. Yes, it still looked violent and graphic and scary, but it also seemed intelligent and fascinating, with well-drawn characters and an incredible web of plotlines. Will Graham, socially awkward dog owner and object of much fan-girl lust, is an empath a quirk of biology allows him to understand murderers and their thought-processes, which makes him indispensable to the FBI. After being deemed too unstable to be a full-time agent, he is called into the field by Jack Crawford, head of the Behavioural Science Unit, to help catch a killer who murders young women and impales them on deer antlers. This investigation leads to Wills first meeting with pop cultures favourite cannibalistic serial killer, Dr Hannibal Lecter. What starts as an unusual and highly original crime-procedural drama becomes an in-depth portrayal of the developing relationship between Will and Hannibal, and Wills decent into madness. One of the great strengths of the show is its characters, and in particular the portrayal of Lecter. Fuller is aware that any attempt to conceal Lecters identity is pointless, so we get some very humorous lines which nod to his unusual appetite Its always nice to have an old friend for dinner is a fan-favourite and, in one episode, an insight into Hannibals murder process (It involves recipe cards, an index of business cards and a very well-organised fridge). Whats more interesting though is the way that Fuller toys with the viewers emotions: the first few episodes paint Lecter as compassionate and charming, and even when the veneer begins to crack, you find yourself almost not wanting to believe that Lecter is evil, especially when we see that he has a very real soft spot for Will. Mads Mikkelsens performance is entrancing, mercurial and subtle, and this makes for some highly-charged and beautifully-acted interactions with Hugh Dancys Wills. There is a cast of other wonderful characters behind this central duo, including fan-favourite Beverly Katz, a very down to earth fibres-expert who is charmingly upbeat and always looking out for Will, Alana Bloom, psychiatrist and a friend/love interest to Will, and Freddie Lounds, an unorthodox journalist whose ability to be both utterly horrible but strangely likable is an utter delight.

Despite its dark themes, the show is incredibly beautiful - Fuller claimed that he wanted the show to feel heightened and surreal, so everything from the landscapes to the very inventive murders is strangely artistic, reflecting the inexplicable pull of Hannibal Lecter, a ruthless serial killer who you cant help but be fascinated by. One episode features corpses fashioned into angels, their skin lifted to resemble wings; another includes a chilling shot which shows internal organs strung up on a tree like Christmas decorations; and yet the bizarre elegance of the scenes outweighs the revulsion, making quite a change from the endless stabbings and shootouts of mainstream crime drama. Fullers enthusiasm for the beautiful and the unreal ensure that the show never plays by the rules, constantly surprising and delighting its audience. Ive fallen in love with many cult shows in recent years Sherlock, Games of Thrones, Firefly - but Hannibal is possibly the best, and I cant quite explain why. Its something to do with the vivid, flawed characters, the poetic dialogue, the slow-burn pace; Its an incredible piece of work, heart-breaking and chilling and beautifully shot, a labour of love that takes the horror and crime genres into a bizarre and brilliant new territory. Just remember to look away if you dont want to see Hugh Dancy pushing his thumbs into someones eyes. NN

10/10 Would Reccomend

 Norse gods and godesses, magic, crude and often absurd humour, all topped with adorable Kiwi accents - whats not to love? In fact, I think the only reason this series hasnt had a larger global success is that majority of people havent heard of it yet. The plot follows a family of four brothers who are reincarnations of Norse gods. At the beginning of the series, the main character, Axl, finds out that he is Odin the father of all gods, and that his destiny is to find Frigg. When he does, all the gods will get their powers returned in full. That is why his brothers are determined to help him; some because they want whats best for him and others for personal gain. On their quest to find Frigg, brothers have to face godesses, Loki, dwarves, giants and Maori gods, all of whom want to thwart their plans, and the only help they have is their grandfather the god of rebirth, Olaf, who is their oracle and is supposed to guide them. Unfortunately, most of the time they dont know if hes telling real prophecies or if hes simply stoned out of his mind. Axls brothers have very different personalities Axl (Emmett Skilton) is naive and rash, eager to try out his newfound powers. Mike (Tim Balme) is the god of hunt and games. Hes kind, wise and avoids using his powers unless he has to. Anders (Dean OGorman) is Bragi, the good of poetry. Hes selfish, uses his powers to seduce women, and theres a good reason everyone calls him a dick. Ty (Jared Turner) is Hod, the god of everything cold. He is usually miserable and doesnt have much luck with women. This series shouldnt be taken too seriously when they were little, their mother left them to become a tree, they keep calling Bragi a dwarf (since Dean OGorman plays Fili in The Hobbit), and they even had a genderswap episode! Still, I believe the series has a refreshing take on supernatural, its hilarious and it represents characters of different genders, races and sexualities, showing them as tree-dimensional, strong characters, without getting lost in political correctness. The show recently started its third series, which was made possible after a large fan campaign to renew the series. Aleksandra R

RANKENSTEIN
or The Modern Prometheus
Science fiction wouldnt exist if it wasnt for Mary Shelley and her novel FRANKENSTEIN. In 1818, a teenage Shelley published her ground-breaking novel, a fascinating exploration of parental responsibility, scientific possibility and what it means to be human. If you open it expecting the horror story promised by the classic 1930s film version you will be extremely confused by the first section of the novel, a series of letters written by a young man, Robert Walton, as he journeys to the North Pole. The story that follows has no gothic castles or lumbering green creatures, and the famous cry of its alive! is nowhere to be found, but the novel is better for it - where the film aimed for excitement and melodrama, Shelleys narrative is infused with understated tension and dwells on the morals and repercussions of Victor Frankensteins actions in a way that is both absorbing and thought-provoking. Below is a discussion of the use of Robert Waltons letters to frame the story and the effect this has on our perception of the novel. NN

In defence of Robert Walton: Pens and The Man

Robert Walton could easily be listed as most overlooked character in a Classic. A young captain determined to make his name by reaching the North Pole; his letters to his sister frame the narrative of Shelleys Frankenstein while he himself takes over the role of nave ambition represented intermittently by Victor. He has been written out of almost every media adaption of the novel, yet his status as the Wedding Guest of Frankenstein not only serves to further the overall message of talent without consequence within the novel, but in his letters beginning the narrative the reader is introduced the reader to several key ideas explored further in the narrative, the good intention of ideas and, most crucially, the unreliable narrator. First of all, beginning Frankenstein in the epistolary form not only allows the reader to feel not only empathy, but sympathy for the character of Walton. The language that Shelley places in his idiolect, describing his lieutenant as a man of wonderful courage and enterprise, while simultaneously lamenting over having no friend... when I am glowing in the joy and enthusiasm of my success, there will be none to participate in my joy; if I am assailed by disappointment, there will be none to endeavour to sustain me in dejection introduces the reader early to the idea of the Man of Good Intentions. The warmth and positivity of the words that Shelley uses as Walton describes others paired with the loneliness which envelopes his character builds him up as an eminently warm character with the potential for tragedy. However, the stiff imperatives which Shelley uses in relation to Waltons purpose, fixed as fate... dauntless... must... will give the reader another dimension; that is that he is bloody-mindedly set to the task at hand. While Shelley has taken great care to show the benevolence of Waltons character, he is shown as one who would rather push himself to the point of abjection than to face failure. This is an extraordinary and almost exact replica of the introduction of Victor in the novels second chapter. In the character of Walton, Shelley sets up the possibility of redemption, whilst erasing the heavy-handed and faintly ridiculous conception that Victor is a two-dimensional villain. The second effect of Waltons narrative is the epistolary form and the aspect of isolation that it gives this theatre of the story. This is present not only in the setting, the land of mist and snow, but through letters the reader is isolated from the main events of the story. This form of separation is common in Gothic literature; the reader receiving is a second or third hand account of a story seems more disturbing in that the impending events of the story of Frankenstein. Similarly, by using a double filter in narrators, it becomes increasingly impossible that one of them is reliable. In starting the novel in the epistolary form, Shelley can build on this uncertainly, and then play on the gaps in the readers knowledge at a later place in the novel. This potential for narrative gaps is illustrated further in the 17- dates heading each of Waltons letters. This may be an omission by Shelley either to add a feeling of ambiguity to the story, or it could be meant to highlight some sort of distrust in Walton for his sister, or a lack of knowledge inherent at him. This may hint that the narration could fall prey to a mistake made in one of Waltons letters, which could make the ending of the book ambiguous. Annabel Mahoney

 Catching Fire is the thrilling sequel to Suzanne Collins international bestseller, The Hunger Games. The film adaptation of the first book was released in March last year, with Oscar-winning actress Jennifer Lawrence in the leading role of Katniss Everdeen and Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark. There were many other famous names including Lenny Kravitz, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci and Donald Sutherland. Catching Fire will be premiering this November, and the first trailer was screened recently at San Diego Comic Con. This second installment picks up several months after the end of the first: When Katniss and Peeta entered the arena for the first time, only one person was meant to be victor, but they beat the system, the first joint-victors in history. Last year they were star-crossed lovers who were not in love. Last year the odds were not in their favour. Last year they sparked a revolution. This year is the Quarter Quell, and it will be previous victors of the Games entering the arena - who will come out alive? I personally found this book better than the first, mostly because of the new characters. There is an interesting range of personalities amongst the previous victors, including Mags, an old woman who can craft fish-hooks out of anything, and Finnick Odair, a heart-throb from District 4 who makes his way through life being paid in secrets. This installment also sees the character of President Snow, the man who smells of roses and blood, take a more prominent, and sinister, role. He is containing the flame of revolution, but for how long? This film has a different director to the previous one, so there are concerns about the different approach this director may take, as the camera work in the first film really helped to create a strong atmosphere. I was very glad that they included the four note mocking jay call at the end of the trailer, which was used in the first film, as it reminds you of the themes of the triology and links the film with the previous installement. I also think that President Snow has been portrayed very well, as he is both charismatic and brutal. My only worry about the film is how many things theyre going to cut! Evie Netherwood.

If you liked the Hunger Games we recommend:

Divergent: Veronica Roth Gone (series): Michael Grant The Chaos Walking Trilogy: Patrick Ness The Fifth Wave: Rick Yancey Life as We Knew It: Susan Beth Pfeffer

After hearing One Direction butcher two punk/new wave classics (One way or Another by Blondie and Teenage Kicks by The Undertones) I decided its time to fly the flag for punk and new wave again. The Undertones are an Irish punk/new wave band, active in their original line up from 1975 to 1983. Many herald them as the Irish punk band, and to be honest I think they are highly deserving of that title. They keep to the format of short punchy songs with catchy choruses, packaged with excited frenzy. Punk often conjures ideas of violence, anger and riot, but The Undertones take the energy from those things and make it into something far more fun and far more accessable. For that reason their tune Here Comes the Summer has found its way onto a couple of Sainsburys adverts, but dont let that put you off. DM

We recommend:
My Perfect Cousin Jump Boys

Jimmy Jimmy Wrong Way