Wes Anderson’s much anticipated film of the summer; ‘Asteroid City’ is a surprisingly short and sweet story that explores a myriad of stories within a small fictional town. Anderson shows a story within a story; similar to some of his previous work like The French Dispatch however with a more to-the-point plot this time. Asteroid City is a play, narrated comedically by Bryan Cranston, and written by Conrad Earp (Edward Norton). The film dances around Anderson’s classic subjects: the human condition, the delicacy of childhood, death, grief all amongst quirky one liners, an all-star cast and the occasional breaking of the fourth wall. Ultimately this is not something new from Wes Anderson however a new blindingly bright colour pallete, reminiscent of William Eggleston’s photography, that we have not seen in Anderson’s 50/60s pale, pastel colour palletes which adds a new element to the ‘Anderson aesthetic’. The story revolves around a group of scientifically gifted kids and their parents who carry their fair share of issues which are divulged throughput the film. Once again, we are reminded that both the kids and adults are in fact, not alright but a life altering event, perhaps mirroring recent events like covid, brings them together whilst simultaneously driving them insane. By the end of the film, most of the characters have ultimately gone their separate ways and the small town remains ultimately almost the same as when they arrived but they have all lived through this shared experience that shows the best and the worst of humanity.
A to B
I love the solitude I feel on trains
The feeling of moving away from something and going to something new
The lovely in-between where I don’t have to think
Where I hold onto infinite nothingness
Where I belong to no one and no city
Simple existing amongst the fellow travellers
When I arrive at my destination
Whether I am home or somewhere new
I feel a beautiful sense of renewal
The train is my place of worship
The journey in between; my religion
Never ending scenes of nature
I feel small but powerful
I am part of that temporary sweet nothing
‘Bodysnatcher’ Review
Carol Margaret Davison’s ‘Bodysnatcher’ tells the story of both the aftermath and the ongoings of the infamous Burke and Hare murders. The story is told between a series of journal entries and varying perspectives of Burke and his partner, Nelly. Whilst diving into the horrendous murders and historical streets of Edinburgh, the reader is introduced to the female gaze through Burke’s lover, we get a ‘he said/she said’ perspective on the gruesome tale. When we are first introduced to the characters, Burke has already been jailed for his crimes, contemplating his many murders whereas the reader is shown a more empathetic introduction to Nelly who seems to have lived with misfortune throughout her entire life and yet she persists. In this tale full of cruel and murderous men, the resilience of women stands out. From a seemingly innocent romance between Nelly and ‘Billy’ Burke, his true character is shown as the plot develops. Instead of focusing on the inevitable ‘graverobbing’ murders, Davidson explores the many hardships the women of this era had to suffer as their formerly loving partners turn into malicious beings. Davidson also pays tribute to the innocent victims of Burke and Hare instead of glorifying the infamous murderers. Instead, we see a more human side to the story; Nelly and Billy’s pasts and what brings the couple together as well as what ultimately tears them apart. The book is a hit for fans of romance, history, gothic fiction, and crime; a little bit of everything.
Sunset
I feel an unfathomable sense of loneliness when the sun goes down
Not for the lack of a partner
But for the lack of the glow that the day brings
The absence of the company of the day
I wear the glasses that pinch the bridge of my nose to soak up the details of the last moments before the sun goes down
The golden glow of my best friend’s hair
The dancing branches of the soft breeze in the trees
The conversations that left me in tears from laughing too hard
The small patches of sunlight through the kitchen window
How Edinburgh flats glow under the disappearing sky
Watching my cat curl up where the sun left its mark
I fear that I feel too much
Or sometimes not at all
That my emotions come out ten times stronger
But why hold back a feeling so strong
To embrace life’s beauty whilst accepting its flaws
Filling the night with literature, music, and film
Something to savour the beauty of the day
The desire to be close to someone fades away
The streets that were once cursed by tainted memories are just streets
In fact, I am happy whilst walking past them now
For the memories I have made
And the love I have felt
It was all worth it to feel the beauty of life
Despite the temporary pain
Beautiful things will come around again
Winter 2023
Do you still think of me fondly?
As you lay your head to rest on the pillow where I used to dream beside you
Do you miss me in the same way that I miss you?
Do I truly miss you or just the version of you I first met?
You used to smile at me from between my thighs
Now you avoid my eye at the dinner table
Making excuses to avoid my messages
My heart grows colder as you fade away
I was just a convenience until I was an inconvenience
In my dreams you convince me it was real
but it’s not real it’s all in my head and it always has been
since you’re gone, I can erase the man in my head
a month has passed
I no longer miss the sweetness of your words
The small moments that break up the silences
I fill the void with my successes
Kissing boys at the bus stop where you left me
Leaving lipstick stains on coffee cups instead of your lips
Making my mark on the world without someone beside me
I deserve to be loved the way I love and cherish myself
Valentine’s Day
Ordered the wrong wine at the bar. I am sitting alone on Valentine’s Day waiting for a friend and I look like I’ve been stood up. Last year I was with a man I didn’t love anymore. This year I lost a man I never loved. But what if? That’s the constant question on my mind. And I know the answer. We were never going to work, I was obsessed with the idea of you and the fake conversations I had with you in my head. And when we spoke it would never be the same, it would never be enough but I lured myself into a false illusion thinking that it would get better. That one day you would say you loved me even though I wasn’t entirely sure that I was in love with you. In fact I was never in love with you, it was always the idea of you, the night me we met. It was like a fucking film. Catching eyes across the dance floor, making cool conversation, letting you know I was interested, walking me all the way home, the non stop conversation, the way you kissed me at my door, the sweet start to a doomed end. It was a god damn fairytale with a realistic ending. It ended. It was never meant to be and that’s okay, it just sucks and that’s also okay. I wish I never met you but I’m still glad that I did. You were never my person and you never will be but god I’ll miss those small moments. Waking up in your bed when I never intended to stay the night. The warmth of your back against my chest. Small kisses upon my forehead. The feeling of your hair. The way I would feel your lingering stare. Your perfect arms around my frame, holding me there, in that moment, where I still am. I can’t leave and I don’t know why. If I sat in your room one more time I know it wouldn’t be right but god I wish I could spend one more night.
Fix the System, Not the Women – Review
Laura Bates explores the everyday issues that women must face in a patriarchal world as well as the deep-rooted issues that leave women constantly aware of their surroundings and living in a constant state of fear whether it is something little or something that engulfs their entire lives. This eye-opening book discusses the many ways in which women have been told to change their behaviour to adhere to a patriarchal society. We are taught that it is our fault for unwanted comments, sexual assaults, workplace harassment or murder. Bates goes on to explain that from a young age we are immediately devalued as women, the responsibility is put on women to quieten ourselves to stay safe. The real problem lies with not putting the responsibility on men to make women feel safe, instead women are told how to behave. Bates uses extracts from her ‘everyday sexism’ project where women share their stories about being violated or assaulted by men; to some these stories may be shocking. But to others we know these stories or a familiar version of these stories all too well. This is a powerful piece of work that everyone, and I mean everyone, needs to read this book.
The Banshees of Inisherin – Review
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.
After Yang – Review
‘After Yang’, directed by Kogonada is a Sci-Fi/family drama which follows a family seeking help after their A.I “adopted” brother/son stops working. The film depicts the families struggle to repair the A.I, Yang (Justin H. Min), whilst dealing with their daughter who has a deep emotional attachment to her A.I brother. The family dynamic unravels as they face new obstacles on the path to fix Yang. Jake (Colin Farrell) and Kyra (Jodie Turner-Smith) initially introduced Yang into the family to teach their adopted daughter (Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja) about her Chinese heritage, but Yang becomes a huge part of Mika’s life, and we soon learn that Yang is perhaps more advanced that ordinary A.I.
Despite the futuristic Sci-Fi setting, the film focusses on the intimate family relationships and how the failure of the A.I both forces the family apart and brings them back together again through their shared love of Yang who has brought out a deeper sense of connection within this family. Whilst questioning the potential for human feelings within A.I, it also asks its audience what it means to be human and asks us to re-evaluate these familiar relationships. In flashbacks, we see Yang getting along well within the family and exploring his potential for forming memories and feelings, whereas when he malfunctions, the family falls apart. ‘After Yang’ is a beautiful depiction of loss, family relationships and reconciliation within a Sci-Fi setting. The film was a fantastic choice for the closing gala of the Edinburgh International Film Festival.
Dream Agency – Review
‘Dream Agency’, directed by Andy Field and Deborah Pearson follows an agency of actors who recreate people’s dreams. Whether they are chasing deep trauma or just trying to figure out what a reoccurring dream means; the dream agency goes through elaborate rehearsals to recreate these dreams. We are first introduced to Janet who is trying to understand what her reoccurring dream means through the dream agency. Janet is intrigued by the work they do and quickly joins the crew as one of the actors. Janet becomes interested in the woman who features in her ‘dream.’ Janet soon discovers that the cool agency is not all it seems, the leader of the organization is hardly ever seen, and her peers seem to distrust her.
The concept of dreams is explored through ‘Dream Agency’ whether they mean anything, is there any purpose in revisiting them or is it just a scam to make people feel as if they have accomplished something by confronting their dreams. The film has been created by Forest Fringe, an Edinburgh based organization that draws on its own connections and experience in the creative industry to explore the ‘Dream Agency’ through the eyes of those who know all the ins and outs of the industry. Seeing the film through this perspective adds another dimension as the filmmaker’s perspective came across as very natural and the film flowed well overall. I would have liked to have seen a more conclusive ending and more character development for Janet, but for a first feature film this was very successful.