Ad of the Week

This week I was going to try and stray from the usual TV ads I've been picking, but then I saw an advert that I just had to pick. It's the new advert for mobile network 3, created by Wieden & Kennedy (a dab hand at making excellent cat-based adverts (see Cravendale's Cats With Thumbs campaign)).

In Britain, our mobile networks have all taken a similar approach to their advertising over the past year. A mobile network was become such a standard thing people have, and they all offer largely the same things, so they've all gone for humour to sell themselves. Vodafone have Yoda, EE have Kevin Bacon, and 3 have a small ginger-haired girl dramatically miming along to We Built This City by Starship with a small cat (who also sings along, why not). It's a fantastic advert because it's memorable. Of course, ideally 3 would like more customers from it, but because you find yourself singing the song or just having a little smile to yourself when you remember the cat, it works. 

So you go, #SingItKitty!

Artist of the Month - This Ground Moves

I first heard This Ground Moves at a comedy night, I know, a strange place to hear a band. The lead singer was a guest at Steffan Peddie's Chat Show Thing in December last year. They played a few songs acoustically and I quite liked them. So when their album came out I bought it and I am very glad I did.

The North East has produced some pretty amazing indie bands over the past few years and I really hope that big things happen for This Ground Moves. They're album is really catchy, the kind of songs you don't get bored of hearing a lot of. It would be really great to see them gain the same sort of accolade as a band like The Futureheads because I think they have a whole lot of potential. Definitely the kind of band that are going to sound amazing in the summer, I think they would be the ideal band for a slot at a small festival like Y Not or 2000 Trees.

Favourite songs - Feed Me To The Dogs
                              Turned On

Review - Her

Spike Jonze's latest offering, in it's very simplest form, is a story of love and loss, but if there's one thing Her certainly isn't, it's simple.

The film is set in the not too distant future, Joaquin Phoenix plays Theodore Twombly, a writer for BeautifulHandwrittenLetters.com. Theodore's world, as is everyone's in this age, is entirely technology dominated. Although Theodore spends much of the beginning of the film fanaticising about his ex-wife Catherine (Rooney Mara) he is alone most of the time. Even his friend Amy (Amy Adams) doesn't see him very often, and his other human interaction is limited. It is around this time we meet the most up to date operating systems OS1. OS1 is a Siri-esque operating system that learns, adapts, has intuition and grows emotionally. Theodore's selected OS is Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) and from here on out, Theodore's feelings find him blurring the lines between what's really real and what isn't.

At first Samantha is simply helpful, but as she grows and becomes more aware, so does her relationship with Theodore and once romantic acts begin to be played out, everything feels very unnerving. Even as you see Theodore with other humans, he's never as at ease with them as he is with his OS. There are so many layers to the film, so many things it could be saying, possibly a commentary on people's relationships with technology, or people's relationships with each other. Essays could easily be written about the messages in Her.

Purely on face value though, it is a beautiful film. Soft lighting, gorgeous colours, great camera angles, but it's not a film to really be taken on face value alone. It is certainly thought provoking, a film that will cause differences of opinion and that is by no means a bad thing. I think personally, what was so unsettling, is that out if every A.I film I've seen, Her is certainly the most realistic, and that idea of what society could potentially become is quite scary! 

It is definitely not a film for everyone but it's definitely a great film to go and see, I do highly recommend it. 

Music Monday

This Monday I'm full of cold, so I'm going for some chilled out slower songs this week! 

Books From Boxes - Maximo Park

October Trees - Ron Pope

Lady Killer - The Horrible Crowes

The Boat - Chuck Ragan

I Remember A Rooftop - Alkaline Trio

Ad of the Week

This week, I'm going for another trailer. This time for Locke. I picked it because for once it's a trailer that really gives nothing away. I know the basic plot of the film, which stars Tom Hardy as Ivan Locke. I know that it's a thriller, and set in real-time film, following Locke on a 90-minute drive, and the only other stars in the film (including Ruth Wilson and Olivia Coleman) are just voices you hear on the phone. The trailer tells you nothing more than that, in fact, without that knowledge the trailer tells you very little at all, and yet it intrigues, I know I definitely want to know what's going on!

As a film, it looks really interesting, it's really not often you see a film with only one actor, even if there are others, they're only on the phone. I can't wait to see it!

12 Years A Slave

I decided not to do a review of 12 Years A Slave because I was a little late to the party and since it won the BAFTA for Best Film, you don't need me to tell you it's good. I just thought I'd write my own feelings about the film, and yes, there will be spoilers but it's been a book for over 100 years, so, y'know...

Going in I knew it was going to be tough, but you need that sometimes, a film that moves you and draws you in, and it does just that. Chiwetel Ejiofor was outstanding as the lead, and now I can say he did deserve the BAFTA for Best Actor. I think it must be so hard for every actor in the film, from those portraying the slave owners to those portraying the slaves. Michael Fassbender's Edwin Epps was absolutely evil, it's hard to believe that people like that existed. Some of the slave owners, particularly Benedict Cumberbatch as Ford, showed glimpses of humanity, but still, they were slave owners.

The hardest scenes to stomach came near the end, at one point I was nearly moved to tears, and I know other people have cried watching it. So far I've been praising Lupita Nyong'o for looking beautiful at awards shows, but I have to praise her very strongly for her role as Patsey, she acted the hell out of it. There is a sort of happy ending though, all thanks to Brad Pitt, but I use happy quite loosely. Solomon makes it home to his family, discovers he is now a grandfather, but all the other slaves are left behind still suffering, I just wanted him to take Patsey with him when he left!

Definitely go and see it if it's still on where you are, it's very powerful, and now I'll be more of a trustworthy source when it comes to the Oscars if it wins, and I hope it does well!

Music Monday

These weeks seem to be coming round FAR too quickly! This week I'm quite enjoying some more lively music, so here's my Monday playlist for this week-

Running Away - Friendly Fires

My Number - Foals

Of The Night - Bastille

Zimbabwe - New Navy

Alone Together - Fall Out Boy

My BAFTAs Blog

Last night was my favourite awards show. I know it's not the biggest but I like it because it celebrates British cinema as well as international. I'd been waiting all day for it, I even went out and got some popcorn and some chocolate!

Stephen Fry did a great job hosting as he does every year. That's another thing I love about it, the British sense of humour, and Tinie Tempah high-fiving Prince William (although Prince William didn't look so thrilled).

The big winner of the night was Gravity, I think it came as a surprise to most. I read why it was nominated for Outstanding British Film due to the most of the people in production being British and all the effects were made here, which I suppose is fair. I think everyone expected 12 Years A Slave to be a runaway winner though, I definitely expected Steve McQueen to get Best Director.

I was happy to see Cate Blanchett get best actress, I haven't seen Blue Jasmine yet but it's on my list for when it's out on DVD. I think people were also surprised that Lupita Nyong'o (12 Years A Slave) didn't get Supporting Actress, especially when Barkhad Abdi (Captain Phillips) won Supporting Actor, I was sure they would celebrate such great performances from new actors, but instead Jennifer Lawrence won it, but I'm sure she's a worthy winner, especially after getting the Oscar last year she clearly is very talented.

Don't mind me sneaking a picture of Tom Hardy in here, any excuse.

I don't think anyone was surprised to see Chiwetel Ejiofor get Best Actor, and even though I know a lot of people were rooting for Leonardo DiCaprio , I think Ejiofor deserved it, it can't be easy placing yourself in the shoes of a man who went through so much suffering.

As for the fashion-side of things, I have to admit my favourites were two that the "fashion police" might not really enjoy. I loved Angelina Jolie's tux, and Ruth Wilson's glamorous suit. As for dresses, I did like Cate Blanchett in Alexander McQueen, and as always Lupita Nyong'o looked stunning in her bright green dress.

Next up, the big one! I'll try watch the Oscars this year, but might not be able to stay up for the livestream!

What I'm Watching

1. Babylon

Babylon was on last Sunday on Channel 4 (you can catch it on 4OD if you missed it). It was a one off cop comedy drama that's being made into a series later in the year. I found it really entertaining!

2. Top Gear

OK, it's not for everyone, and I don't drive so I don't know very much about cars, but Sundays are dull and Top Gear isn't the worst way you could spend an hour!

3. Scandimania

I'm quite fascinated by Scandinavia, so Scandimania is a good show for me! I'm not a big Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall fan, but I can look past that to learn more about Scandinavia.

4. The BAFTAs

They're finally here! Tonight, BBC1, 9pm. I'll be posting a blog about them tomorrow. Very excited!

Ad of The Week

This week my Ad of the Week comes courtesy of Channel 4. As you'll probably be aware, it's the Winter Olympics right now and there's quite a bit of controversy about it being held in Sochi, Russia due to Russia's stance on LGBT rights. In light of this, a lot of people and organisations have come out in support of the LGBT community which is great to see, and Channel 4 have done it in a big way.

They have created an advert/music video called Gay Mountain. I think the only thing I can say is you should just watch it. It does pretty much speak for itself, it's hardly trying to be subtle about things! But it makes an impact.

And what a fitting day to have this as my Ad of the Week, being that it's the day of love and all.

Review - Too Much Information - Maxïmo Park

Those, like me, who have been with Maximo Park since the beginning, will notice a bit of a change in direction with some songs on Too Much Information. That being said, it's not a bad change. Every band's sound matures and listening to Too Much Information's predecessor The National Health, you can see that it was a very natural path to take.

The album opens with Give, Get, Take. It's a toe-tapping number, and instantly the presence of the synths are there, and this carries the album all the way through it's opening tracks. This leads through to Brain Cells, and Leave This Island, this is where that change in direction really comes into play. Two purely synth driven songs. It took a couple of listens to get used to the sound, but both carry what Maximo Park's strengths have always been, good lyrics and catchy tunes. I've found myself with both in my head on more than once occasion.

Lydia, The Ink Will Never Dry moves to more familiar sounds, certainly reminiscent of songs from earlier works such as Our Earthly Pleasures, just more mature. Maximo Park are now on their fifth studio album, so the changes in sound are not radical nor too surprising, simply the sounds of an established band who know what they like to play.
My Bloody Mind is a personal favourite of mine, it starts off punchy, fast-paced but halfway through slows down and becomes more melodic, the change on paper seems like it wouldn't work, but it blends so seamlessly you don't even notice.

Of the last few tracks on Too Much Information, Is It True?, Drinking Martinis, and Midnight On The Hill are of a similar vein to Lydia, in that they are in-keeping with Maximo Park's well established sound. I Recognise This Light is another of my favourites, fast-paced, one to sing along and have a bit of a dance to. Her Name Was Audre is an energetic song and definitely a track for the live shows, it does lead nicely, however, into the final track of the album, Where We're Going, which is a slower but very good song. It's a nice ending to the album.

Fans of Maximo Park are sure to enjoy this latest offering, and for any new fans it's a very easy album to listen to.

Music Monday

Well, it's Monday again. A busy week looms, this week on the blog I'm going to be reviewing Maximo Park's new album Too Much Information, and doing a new What I'm Watching post, because there's been some good bits of telly recently!

So, here's my Monday playlist to get us going.

 My Bloody Mind - Maximo Park

Would You Still Be There? - Of Mice & Men

Mainline - Hot Water Music

Rewind - AFI

The Shine - Dave Hause

Ad of the Week

So the Super Bowl has been and gone, and to pay a little tribute to those huge adverts, this weeks Ad of the Week is the non-Super Bowl advert from Newcastle Brown Ale, created by Droga5. It's a pretty genius way of advertising really. An advert all dressed up as not an advert at all, starring a popular actress (Anna Kendrick) and sent viral.

By using an American actress and making it central to the Super Bowl, or should that be S****r B**l , it reaches a new demographic for brand. In England, a lot of people have heard of Brown Ale, but I don't know how popular it is in America, so it's a great way to get the brand out there.
The advert's tagline - "No Bollocks" sums up the advert, the brand, and the place it was born. I live in Newcastle, I can vouch for this.

I just think it's an incredibly clever way of creating a whole campaign without even having to put it on TV.

Review - Inside Llewyn Davis

Set in 1960s New York, Inside Llewyn Davis follows a young, struggling folk musician trying to make a living, before the days of Bob Dylan. Davis (played tremendously by Oscar Isaac) bounces from sofa to sofa in Greenwhich Village, playing gigs at the Gaslight when he can, and tying to make money from his first solo album. Along the way we meet some of the people in Davis' life, including musicians Jim (Justin Timberlake) and Jean (Carey Mulligan), and even though we only see a brief snippet of their lives, you can already see the beginnings of their various layers unravelling, especially Jean's.

The Coen brothers have delivered another fantastic piece of cinema. Llewyn Davis' story grabs you, and sends you on a journey where your opinions of the film's lead are constantly challenged. You get drawn into Davis' struggles, and you find yourself questioning if he really wants it enough to warrant the things he goes through and the things he does. I don't want to reveal too much of the plot, but the plot isn't what carries the film as much as the characters. Seeing brief snippets of other people's worlds while following Davis around is a nice touch, we meet characters such as Roland Turner (John Goodman) and Johnny Five (Garrett Hedlund), who clearly have a lot more going on with them than we ever really get to find out. We meet these people, but our relationship with them only goes as far as Davis' interaction, we never follow them on their own journeys, so there's always more to wonder about. 

While really, not a lot happens, so lovers of action may not be so enthralled, the film is so well acted and so beautifully dark to look at, you get entirely drawn in and always wonder what will happen to Llweyn Davis. It's certainly not surprising the film has been nominated for the 'best cinematography' Academy Award. If you get the chance, you should definitely see Inside Llweyn Davis.

Music Monday

So, as it's a new month, I thought how about a new little feature! Every Monday I'll be posting a mini playlist of 5 songs I'm loving at the moment, and everyone can see my (possibly questionable) taste in music...

And the first ever Music Monday is... -

Unconditional Love - Against Me!

Non Typical - Chuck Ragan

Car Crash - This Ground Moves

One For The Road - Arctic Monkeys

Open Eyed - Skindred