What does an elderly, middle-class British woman; a disciplined and level-headed Norwegian soldier and a hardened teen gang banger from the Bronx, New York all have in common? They all have succumbed to one of the most recent dance crazes. Whether the latest form of mass hysteria goes under the name of Azonto, Harlem shake or Twerking the results are the same; the participants of such trends all look stupid– even when accompanied by hundreds or even thousands of others as is the case with flash mobs. You can see for yourself on YouTube. Evidently, their exuberance and carefree attitude makes it all look like harmless fun but are dance crazes really just fun and games? I for one am not going to be taught how to do the Dougie anytime soon even if that annoying song, which made the dance popular, is performed straight into my ears by Caliswag themselves! My stance on this has nothing to do with my dream of being an anti-mainstream hipster, but my concern for things ending in craze. The Porting and Milking craze both sound like they will appeal to the mentally challenged, but there is no need to despair for there are... (read more)

With the buzz surrounding the past 12 month's worth of Academy Awards, Golden Globe and BAFTA winning movies constantly rinnging in our ears thanks to the media, it has become apparent that the art and entertainment industry produces its best and most popular work when it sheds light on controversial social issues. Art in itself is like icing- it is appealing for a while then you get bored of it and if you continue to let it stimulate your senses you become sick and tired of it. Artists are unique to other professionals in that what they do and produce need not serve a purpose. However, pointless art is just that - pointless! It is simply a waste of time and resources, as its only effects are to open up the mind and leave it in that state and encourage a short-lived rush of joy and amusement. For art to have value in society and for humanity it needs to meet significant needs. You do not need a psychology degree to know that watching x-rated thrillers will cause fear and anxiety in viewers' yet not all movies are maleficent.Films, such as ‘Captain Phillips’ leave viewers with an overwhelming sense of... (read more)

Recently, I went to see Alfonso Cauron’s BAFTA and Academy Award winning movie, Gravity. It stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. I thought that the movie was good but it was a bit 'dragged out'; it could have been viewed in a shorter amount of time. Thankfully, what it lacked in some aspects of film it made up in other areas. The story line is relatively simple. There are astronauts who encounter a problem, which they cannot fix, so they attempt heading back to earth. Having said that, there is developed characterisation and an interesting back story revealed through the characters monologues and dialogues, which are humorous some of the time and thought-provoking and philosophical at other times. The editing, directing, score, and special effects are as to be expected well executed. The film sequence runs smoothly making it great to watch even without the sound and the composition is so great that several frames look almost artistic. What you hear is also well mastered. Mood-altering background music in the film has the ability to portray emotion and enhance the action unfolding before viewers’ eyes. It is the stuff of an art critic’s dreams. CGI images feature heavily and are... (read more)

Universal Studios have commissioned Angelina Jolie to direct her debut movie entitled, ‘Unbroken’. It presents the dramatic and inspirational story of Louis Zamperini, an American former Olympian and war veteran. YouTube has a video of its extended trailer, which among many things is a collection of great imagery. The movie will be released in December. A close-up of the head of a twenty-something year old man with a fixed steely expression and his black layered hair flapping up and down is the first thing viewers' see. Then there is a side shot of the character revealing his white vest with two thin brick red and forest green diagonal stripes and his toned shoulders and arms pushing him forward. Evidently, the scene is of an athlete competing in a race and pressing on for the prize. It’s placement at the beginning of the trailer is a hint that the movie’s main themes are endurance, perseverance and overcoming trials. The era the movie is set in is revealed through the selection of costumes displayed. Two invigilators dressed in matching white skirt suits and vivid Russian red ties are briefly seen; their shirts are buttoned up to the neck and their skirts are... (read more)

Did you know that the Ancient Greeks and Romans used entertainment as a form of worshiping gods? Tragedies and Comedies which form the basis of several modern arts and entertainment shows, such as movies and books all have their roots in the religion of the Greeks. The etymology of the word 'tragedy' is from Greek tragoidia , apparently from tragos ‘goat’ (the reason remains unexplained) + oide ‘song, ode’. They made sacrifices to their gods by slaying goats and singing lively songs. No wonder the entertainment industry is so perverse. Worship and entertainment are closely linked. The Ancient Romans gathered and celebrated violence and death gladiators were frequently slaughtered by lions to worship their gods i.e the Ceasars. The Bible states that God inhabits the praises of his people.1 Praising him makes him feel welcomed so he has a right to give us joy,miracles and protection and dwell in our midst. This is why churches have a very different ambience to nightclubs; they host very different personalities. 2 W hen we entertain ourselves with lust,greed,violence and other ungodly things and laugh at disgusting jokes or cheer on a wrestler etc we approve of and honour the evil attitudes, behaviours and... (read more)

My Father Thought It is a poem based on childhood rebellion the adolescent depicted in the poem wants to prove to his father that he is an adult who can make his own decisions. It explores the relationship between the father and his son. Similarly, On my first Sonne is a poem that explores the relationship a father can have with his son; however the relationship is less strained. MFTI is a modern poem, whereas OMFS was written in the early 17th century. In MFTI , the hostility between the father and son is presented through the use of rhyme, ‘queer...ear…you’ve lost your head…should’ve had it through your nose instead’, which helps to empathise the anger of the parent due to the quick tempo of the poem, as a result of the rhyme which creates the rhythm. It is clear through the father’s angry tone and aggression that the father and son probably had no patience for each other hence their tense relationship and the father’s confrontational language. On the other hand, the rhyme and rhythm in OMFS portrays a dignified manner of mourning as it is controlled, neat, which is revealed throgh semi-paced rhythm, ‘joy… lov’d boy’, which presents... (read more)

What does an elderly, middle-class British woman; a disciplined and level-headed Norwegian soldier and a hardened teen gang banger from the Bronx, New York all have in common? They all have succumbed to one of the most recent dance crazes. Whether this type of mass hysteria goes under the name of Azonto, Harlem shake or Twerking the results are the same; the participants of such trends all look foolish – even when accompanied by hundreds or even thousands of others as is the case with flash mobs. You can see for yourself on YouTube. Evidently, their exuberance and carefree attitude makes it all look like harmless fun but are dance crazes really just fun and games? I for one am not going to be taught how to do the Dougie anytime soon even if that annoying song, which made the dance popular, is performed straight into my ears by Cali Swag themselves! My stance on this has nothing to do with my dancing capabilities or my unfulfilled dream of being an anti-mainstream, pop culture hating hipster but rather my concern for all things ending in craze. The Milking craze, Porting craze and the Gastronomic voyeurism craze all sound like they... (read more)