Category: General

Not kinky enough, not gothic enough, with just the right amount of Charli xcx and male yearning.

Emerald Fennel’s “Wuthering Heights” fell victim to keyboard warriors and furious English Lit divas long before the film even came out. I was personally excited by the cap advertising, the 90s romance novel poster and of course, the Charli xcx soundtrack. Sadly, I think this film does exactly what it says on the tin. It’s a loose adaptation with its Hollywood star leads as its main attraction.

That being said, the story is still told wee and each shot has been carefully curated. Visually, it’s an absolute treat and Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff had me feeling weak in the knees to quote Margot Robbie. Despite having somewhat enjoyable time watching this film, among the stunning set design, hair, make up and lavish clothes, I can’t help but feel a bit disappointed. Coming back to my point about the keyboard warriors and English Lit divas, any theory about this being a modern retelling was proved false. But maybe this goes deeper; recently I haven’t left the cinema thinking ‘Wow, that was cinema’ and having that slightly life altering feeling after a really good film. But maybe amongst all these theories and expectations my hopes were too high. In a world where we are constantly consuming and waiting for the next big thing, it’s becoming harder to get excited about things. So maybe this is a case of Hollywood producing for the masses, not the niche arthouse girlies who want to be wowed by every form of media they consume.

So, overall I did enjoy “Wuthering Heights” despite the directors obvious upper middle class shying away from casting a person of colour for Heathcliff and instead focussing on class struggles. I still totally get the casting of sexy up and coming actors as I’m sure we will continue to see in more adaptations. But hey, I did deeply enjoy Heathcliff in a soaked white shirt, yearning for Cathy. Watch out Mr Darcy, you’ve got competition.

Side note: bring back male yearning.

Martin McDonagh’s ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ portrays a quant Irish island on which best friends Padraic (Colin Farrell) and Colm (Brendan Gleeson) go for a pint everyday at 2pm until one day when Colm does not show up. Seemingly out of nowhere, Colm simply decides he no longer wants to be friends with Padraic. This understated but effective comedy brings the comedic duo of Farrell and Gleeson back together. Reminiscent of McDonagh’s ‘In Bruges’ the pair bounce off each other easily in this slightly darker comedy. The rural setting of this fictional island amid civil war adds an element of tension throughout the film. As the former best friends quarrel, a war wages on in the background. Padraic lives with his sister who insists to Padraic that Colm is just in a bad mood, and he will soon snap out of it. Underneath the light-hearted comedy, Colm’s sudden dislike towards Padraic becomes more sinister. Colm decides he has no time for Padraic’s dull chatter and would rather spend his final years concentrating on his music. Things take a dark turn when Colm threatens to cut of his fingers every time Padraic attempts to make conversation with him.

The Banshees of Inisherin will leave you laughing but also questioning your potentially slightly dull long term friendships.

I have just entered my third year studying English and Film at university, the year when shit gets real essentially. And I am living through a global pandemic, as someone who is a germaphobe/hypochondriac, needs to be around people to study well, and is also unemployed.

Yes I am also in an incredible high position of privelage in comparison to so many others, but I want too draw attention to the government’s disgusting lack of care towards young people during this crisis. When students suffer mentally from crises like this, the response is never to act after the disastrous incident has already happened, this should have taken place before. Students should have never been sent to university accommodation or flats as these crammed conditions are perfect for this virus to spread. Students are forced to pay ridiculous amounts for both tuition fees and rent whilst studying for a degree from a laptop/computer.

As someone who studies the arts, the government telling me that my degree is of no value whilst still studying for my degree, is very disheartening. The global situation has already left many people hopeless, unemployed and in vulnerable positions; to add onto that those in the arts have been told to “reskill” to have a more “valuable” job to contribute to a capitalist society. This way of thinking is quite frankly disgusting. The arts have so much value in our lives, and in my case it quite literally is my life.

Luckily I made the decision in 2018 to study from my childhood home instead of moving to extortionate student accomodation, however this unfortunately means I have little contact with my friends and classmates to discuss university classes and life in general. this makes my current life very isolating; as if I am back to square one in full lockdown. Many of my friends in shared student flats still feel very isolated and miss physically being in a lecture but they have a student atmosphere whereas I am in the same environment that I have been in since March. The highlight of my day has now become going for a walk or a rare overpriced coffee meet up. Although I recognise my position of privelage, it is still very mentally isolating. It is also very strange to suddenly be around people again and question what their perception is of you after so many months indoors, self reflecting. This makes even meeting up with old friends simultaneously exciting and nerve wracking.

With the majority of hospitality closed in Glasgow and Edinburgh, it is harder to see friends to catch up and wind down from the stress of online learning. Online learning has also had it’s impact on many students. The majority of people I have spoken to studying for college/university online have a passionate hatred for online classes, as do I. Without a scheduled, physical lecture and tutorial, it is very hard to get into the learning mind set. Essentially all universities have asked students to teach themselves the course with bad communication and unclear instructions. This all sounds like a rant against the universities, but the effort to look after students both academically and mentally simply is not there.

I would encourage students and young people to speak up about these issues as we will soon be running the world that idiotic politicians have been ruining for us and blaming us for. Don’t take any shit from adults who say we are the “spoilt, complaining” generation; prove them wrong.