RECENT WATCH: X-MEN: APOCALYPSE

Image Source: comingsoon.net

As the first ever mutant re-emerges to extinguish modern civilisation, the X-Men must unite to defeat him and his followers.

The plot of this film takes place ten years after the events of Days of Future Past, at first such a large gap in the timeline surprised me but it worked really well. There was just the right amount of references back without letting past events get in the way of the present. This film is very ambitious and attempts to both establish beloved X-Men characters and ‘check-in’ with key players. The film manages to pull this off very smoothly; I specifically enjoyed the parts Jean Grey and Scott Summers aka ‘Cyclops’ played. Cyclops, a character I never paid much attention to in previous films, really got a chance to shine with a developed personality and layered character. The younger takes on ‘Storm’, ‘Nightcrawler’ and ‘Angel’ were also great. A problem often encountered by X-Men films is how to fit in so many powers within a story. The plot of this film manages to really make use of the powers of characters and the wide ranges of characters are naturally incorporated throughout. Again, Quicksilver was an absolute highlight of this film. Completely topping that show stealing sequence from ‘Days of Future Past’ and becoming a key player in the mutant team, dishing out comic relief and emotional investment in equal measure.

Image Source: chss.gmu.edu

The final third of this movie is probably the most action heavy of any previous X-Men film. The epic scale action is so well choreographed and thanks to the continued focus on character and emotion, is constantly interesting. However X-Men Apocalypse is not a perfect film, because of the scale and number of characters, old and new, the plot requires a long set up that left the first third feeling very long. But don’t tune out or judge Apocalypse prematurely because the set up completely pays off by the end and the plot comes together in a satisfying conclusion.

Image Source: comicbookmovie.com

Besides slight nit-picking with set up my only other problem with this X-Men was ‘Apocalypse’ himself. This mutant is thousands of years old, worshipped as a god and long believed to be the most powerful. It’s always interesting to see a villain that is a real test for the titular heroes but more than anything ‘Apocalypse’ needed development before, as an audience member, I really cared about his motives. It’s at this point that I can’t help but look at past villains for comparison. The greatest antagonist in the X-Men universe is ‘Magneto’. It’s the crucial mix of villainy and reasoning that makes an entertaining villain. While the look, sound and power of Apocalypse was menacing, I could never get on board with his character or understand his motives.

Image Source: comicbookmovie.com

X-Men: Apocalypse is another excellent X-Men instalment by Bryan Singer. Somehow it manages to feel fresh in a franchise of already six films. The faithful re-imaginings of much loved characters work in a plot that may take some lengthy set up but the pay-off is worth the wait. I’m looking forward to watching it again. 

MY SECOND YEAR AS A PR & MEDIA STUDENT

Another year of university over, time is going way too fast. On May 6^th I submitted my final assignment of my second year of my PR and Media course. As I’m taking a placement year, I won’t be in formal university until autumn of 2017. I guess it’s time to dip my toe in to the grown up world but first let’s look back at my second year.

There’s a lot of talk about how much harder second year is than the first. It tends to go along the lines of ‘it’s all downhill from here’ or ‘it’s not a jump, it’s a bloody leap of faith’… I was prepared for a tougher year but for me it was in things happening alongside my degree where I felt the pinch. In terms of work and assignments I didn’t feel too differently about the difficulty. While I only needed 40% to pass my first year I was never the person who was happy to scrape by on the minimum so working so hard on assignments this year wasn’t such a shock. The fun doesn’t end with first year either; I’d say the common ability of a student to balance eight hour library stints and nights out only improves…

I’m talked about it so much but a source of stress throughout my second year was searching for placements. As much as placement searching was tough it was the perfect opportunity to work on employability and really focus on how to sell myself to employers. I am in no position to give advice on finding placements but something I will say is to take advantage of university careers advisers and events. I met with the department’s careers adviser a few times to finely tune my CV and Cover Letter and now I’m more confident when sending it to organisations. Things I’ve worked on through my second year have also made me so much prouder of my CV, I actually feel like I have gained experience that you so desperately need for PR and Media industries. And opportunities come from unexpected places. For example, my friend and I made a promo video and improved the social media profiles of a singing group after we were approached on the street by the group’s leader while recording vox pops. This led us to begin setting up our own production company.

Something that is equal parts scary and exciting from this year is how much I now lean towards the Media side of my degree. My course isn’t a joint honours, it’s a Public Relations course with some media modules that provide knowledge that would aid PR practices. This year I was allowed to choose some modules and the two that I chose were media focussed. I now consider myself much more of a Media student with PR rather than a PR student with Media. I have absolutely loved studying TV news and working with cameras and editing, something I once avoided (I really don’t why). I still enjoy PR and will get practical experience in it very soon but across my two years I have enjoyed media modules more and achieved higher grades.

When I handed in my finished my second year I felt very nostalgic, I’ve had another good year at university. Not to say that the year was all smooth sailing; living in a student house presented many challenges (*resists urge to rant about wheelie bins and messy housemates*), building employability has a way of both building and destroying confidence and I was poorly a lot. That aside, this year still managed to be pretty great.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE OPINIONATED: MY STRUGGLES WITH WRITING REVIEWS

Reviews or my ‘Recent Watch’ posts are posts that I often struggle to write. From the beginning I knew I wanted to review films on this little space and have so far posted nine full film reviews. I’ll admit that the good old saying about practice making perfect does seem to be true, I feel more confident posting my honest thoughts and the writing process isn’t as tough as it once was, but there are three specific thoughts that go through my head when I talk about a recent watch.

What do I actually think?

There are good films, bad films and some that are just plain ‘meh’. Unfortunately you can’t write a review of just ‘it was meh’. It is easier to write a review when you know exactly whether you liked it or not, it’s those that fall in the middle that are tough. Picking apart what you liked and what you didn’t about a film you’ve seen once has its challenges and opinions have to be justified.

How do I write that?

So I know what I think, now how do I write that? How do I get my clearly get my opinion across and be entertaining? My process of writing blog posts, and specifically reviews, includes a lot of scribbling in various notebooks. I open a page and word-vomit everything I want to cover and as I write I use it as a check list. I aim to strike a balance between writing with personality but professionally. I don’t want reviews to sound like a sterile media essay.

Does it matter?

Probably the biggest struggle I have is when I begin to wonder whether anyone actually cares about what I think. There are countless reviewers of everything on and off the internet, does my opinion really matter? I combat this by reminding myself how much I enjoy creating content for my blog and that I care what goes on it. The beauty of the internet is that there’s room for everyone, here is a home for creativity and opinion.

MY ANTICIPATED FILM RELEASES: MAY 2016

Image Source: imdb.com

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

UK Release Date: 13/05/16

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot is based on the true story of Kim Barker (Baker in the film), a journalist who reported on the war in Afghanistan for three years. It stars Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Martin Freeman and Billy-Bob Thornton. A story about a journalist’s time reporting in a war zone isn’t the most obvious sell as a comedy. But, if I’m going to get excited about a comedy, Tina Fey as lead is a big help. My hopes for this fish-out-of-water story are that it will strike a balance between humour and heart. Luckily, the trailers so far have kept my hopes high.

Watch the trailer here.

Image Source: imdb.com

X-Men: Apocalypse

UK Release Date: 18/05.16

The X-Men are my favourite characters in the Marvel Universe. From the slightly dated ‘X-Men’ from 2000 to ‘Days of Future Past’ in 2014, quite simply, I just love X-Men films. X-Men: Apocalypse sets to up the ante of previous instalments, new cast members and new imaginings of beloved characters mixing with the usual players to face-off against a colossal scale villain. It’s a film I’ve been anticipating for a long time and can’t wait to see. 

Watch the trailer here.

Honourable Mentions: Bad Neighbours 2 and I Saw The Light

What has caught your eye this month?

THIS PAST MONTH: APRIL 2016

I’ve been racking my brains to think of what I did in April for about ten minutes now. If I’m honest it'a a bit of a blur of the university library, deadlines and squeezing in as much fun before the academic year ends. April was a busy month, lecture and seminars may have finished for another year but the work was only just beginning as I became no stranger to ten hour stints in the library. I write this now with free time aplenty, well until I start my work placements (more on this next month), I’ve handed in all of my assignments for almost a year and a half I will not be at university which is kind of scary.

At the beginning of April I worked on my project for a module on TV news. The task was to put together a short news package on a story from the South Yorkshire region. I chose to film and interview a dog owner who had won an obedience title at Crufts, also delivering a piece to camera while holding the award winning pooch. Note to self: you’re already shaky in front of the camera, a small dog licking your face while you try and say a line does not help.  Co-star aside, I’m very proud of the finished TV package and I’m happy for any opportunity to build on my camera and editing skills.

April definitely wasn’t all work and no play. The wonderful thing about the impending placement year and not knowing when I’ll see friends again is the splendid excuse it provides for fitting in nights out between essay writing. You’ve got to take advantage of the time you have and all that. In the middle of the month I also spent a day in London. My friend Lucy had a job interview so I tagged along for some whistle-stop sight-seeing once the interview was over. Travelling there and back in the same day may have meant that we only had six hours in the capital but we managed to pack in Oxford Street, Carnaby Street, Westminster, Buckingham Palace and Covent Garden.

To make up for the terrible blogging month that was April I am attempting to post every day this week, so look out for new posts daily!

I hope you’re having a great May!

THIS PAST MONTH: MARCH 2016

Ally Pally Springfest

Looking back at what I did in March reminds me of what a great month it was. I hope you enjoy my highlights…

I handed in my first assignment of semester 2. Saying I submitted my first assignment of semester in March feels very strange. I honestly feel like I’ve constantly had work to do since returning to university after Christmas.

‘What have you been doing then?’  You may ask. Well, let’s talk about my favourite topic – placements! I’m finally making progress (hooray). For the sandwich year of my degree I need a minimum of 24 weeks of work placement to pass the year. According to my calculations I only have four weeks left to find to secure my placement year credit. It is such a weight off of my shoulders. Placement hunting is so much harder than I ever could have thought. To the point where I have to stop myself thinking about it in the evening or I’ll be awake all night worrying. But opportunities come from unexpected places. The hard work has paid off and it’s finally falling in to place.

My Dad, Sister and I walking in the Peak District

At the beginning of March I went to the Peak District with my family. We stayed in a converted barn near Bakewell. It was a really lovely weekend; eating lots of tasty food, enjoying time away from my usual city surroundings and generally seeing my family after not seeing them for months.   

Tilly in the converted barn

Another highlight from last month was Springfest at Alexandra Palace, a huge German beer festival on Good Friday. 2016 has been the year that I have discovered a love for Bierkellers and steins. Seriously, the Bierkeller in Sheffield is so much fun. The beer festival was such a fun day/night, lots of beer consumed and shapes thrown over an eight hour period made for some sore heads the next day. 

The view from Alexandra Palace

Travelling home to Newcastle for Easter break and travelling back from my friend Lucy’s house after the festival meant that I spent quite a lot of time alone on long train journeys. Is it weird that I actually really like travelling alone on the train? Yes, the form of public can be stressful at times and I’m no stranger to dragging heavy luggage along platforms but the actual journey is a chance to just sit and relax by yourself. I usually read on train journeys but in March I dipped my toe in to the mysterious world of podcasts. I have become absolutely hooked on ‘Serial’. One of the most popular podcast series, it’s a real crime tale where the narrator explains everything that happened and what her investigations have uncovered. Fans of Netflix’s ‘Making a Murderer’ should definitely give it a try. I was sceptical about how I’d like the format of a podcast but Sarah Koenig’s narration is so engaging I was quickly engrossed in the complex story.

Speaking of Making a Murderer, I have finally watched the series. I was late to the party but my Mam and I watched it over Easter and it is so worth the hype! I’m not sure if I really need to recommend it since everyone seemed to watch it before me but if you still haven’t watched it, you should give it a try. Another Netflix pick that I got addicted to in March is 'Jane the Virgin'. Man this show is so addictive, it somehow manages to be hilarious, serious and romantic all in one. I love it!

How’s your April going?

RECENT WATCH: BATMAN V SUPERMAN - DAWN OF JUSTICE

Image Source: imdb.com

During the aftermath of Superman’s destruction of metropolis the world debates what kind of hero they need. Batman takes on the Man of Steel amidst fears that he cannot be trusted.

The DC cinematic universe continues with another dark and serious superhero film that deals with vengeance, power and even politics.  Zack Snyder does not stray from the gritty tone that he set out in the much contested Man of Steel. Picking up where the plot left off, we see the fallout. This key plot point within the superhero feud was presented in early trailers and works well in establishing a point of view and source of anger for Batman.

Powering through all the negativity surrounding his casting, Ben Affleck pulls off a pretty impressive Batman. A character so established in cinema, specifically in the last decade, it’s refreshing to see a new take. Henry Cavill also gets a chance to really flex his muscles as Superman in this new instalment (literally and metaphorically). While she is a secondary character in this Justice League set up, Wonder Woman appears very promising, brilliantly shedding any 70’s cheesiness or female superhero prejudices. We get a sneak peak in to her powers and back story which made me excited for the story of Diana Prince to hit screens next year.

Image Source: imdb.com

I enjoyed Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor. While sometimes slipping in to some kind of Mark Zuckerberg meets Heath Ledger’s ‘Joker’, he made an interesting villain. He brought a balanced mix of unhinged and intelligent that worked with some of the best and most quotable lines from the film. Dawn of Justice is beautifully shot with stunning visuals, complimented with a sprinkling of Zack Snyder’s signature colouring and slow-mo. Anyone familiar with the opening credits of Snyder’s Watchmen (2009) will know that Zack Snyder demonstrates some of his best film making in the opening credits. I absolutely loved the opening credits of Dawn of Justice. The credits explore the Batman origin story in a way that embraces that the audience are generally familiar with this story.

As a whole, the film was enjoyable; it had all of the important parts that I hoped for in a film that pits Batman against Superman. Fight scenes are well choreographed and have scale that is bold without becoming overly cartoonish and boring. Characters are developed and well portrayed and in the end several plot lines merge together. However this film is far from flawless and as much as I anticipated this film I have to admit to myself that it wasn’t as great as I wanted it to be.

Image Source: imdb.com

People love to hate on Man of Steel because of its dark (you could say joyless) tone. While I didn’t rush to watch Man of Steel a second time I refused to jump on the bandwagon of complaint. I won’t sit here and moan about how these films should be light and fun. I think Zack Snyder should be applauded for going through with his vision of the DC universe and making films that stand out within a flooded genre. However, I can’t help thinking that within the two and half hour run time the film would have benefited from a moment of hope, almost to allow the audience a chance to catch their breath amongst so much darkness. The film spends a lot of time exploring whether power can be innocent and whether someone from another world really is a hero. Getting so wrapped up in theological debate sometimes got in the way of the real plot and to me was the main thing that sucked the fun out of the first half of the film. The film didn’t learn from the mistake of Man of Steel; there is so much destruction. Considering the first half of the film revolves around the aftermath of Superman v Zod and the anger the public feels over the ruined city it seems odd that this plot would be as destructive.

The film is also incredibly overcrowded. After all the film attempts to set up at least four principle characters and a whole franchise, overcrowding was to be expected. But with so much going on the actual plot felt lacking. Again, visionary director, Zack Snyder gets a little lost in style over substance.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice is definitely worth seeing. Don’t be put off by the dark tone but take cues from the extended title and expect an ambitious film that is ultimately setting up a Justice League franchise. Ben Affleck works brilliantly as a reinvention of the Dark Knight and a look in to upcoming releases is exciting.