Mr Bluesky | Summer Part 1

 It's been a while. Since the end of happydays, things have been pretty darn hectic, and so regular blog posts became an impossibility. What happened? A bloody whirlwind, that's what. You heard in the last blog post about my summer internship at Dickies, so I didn't get to see much of Mr Bluesky, but I have to say it was one of the friendliest places I've ever worked. The work wasn't particularly challenging as they only had a few weeks to train me, but my language genuinely improved and I met some really wonderful people. I even got gifts when I left - what cuties!

Having a 9 to 5 wasn't something I had done before, and having benefited from the relaxed timetable University offers, I wasn't used to working a full day. I hadn't been since Year 11. I finally got familiar with the phrase "TGI Friday!". But honestly, I couldn't have been luckier, nor could I have asked for a more welcoming team. I managed to put my German language into practice and gain a bucket load of customer relation skills. So that was part one of the summer!

There's no place like home | Days 79-90

Last time we spoke, I was in Germany and under the impression that the dreadful illness had passed. How wrong I was. It continued. I worked for a week, but my time away had gotten off to the worst possible start and my mind set was terrible. So I brushed off the dust, shrugged off potential judgments from everyone else, and made a decision that would benefit my health. I came home. I knew when I made the decision that I'd regret it on and off when I got back, but in the end I knew it was what I ultimately wanted. I've gone through my entire life making decisions according to what people would think of me and how they would react; it was finally time to make a decision for myself. So that's what I did. 
Since I've come home, I've felt infinitely better. I've seen a few friends, burned a lot of incense, had some wonderful bubble baths and generally cleansed myself of a lot of ill will. In response to CVs I sent out before I left for Germany, I've even had a job offer for "Bilingual Customer Service Assistant" at the international desk at a local company. I start on July 1st. So it's home sweet home and quids-in. There have been moments where I've kicked myself for catching that plane back, but I know it was the right decision for my mental well-being, so I don't regret it. The happy days have continued, and here's what's happened since I last saw you guys.

As before, that's all of my instagram snaps since my last post. They were all happy snaps, so why spare you the joy, hey? It's worth noting that they go backwards in chronological order, so from the bottom up you can follow me home from Lübeln to Salzwedel, to Berlin, to the sky over England, and back to sunny Somerset. It's actually hotter here than in Germany, so that's a one up!    Until next time,

Bugs Ahoy | Days 76-78

Well darlings, I've had a terrible weekend! After arriving in Lübeln on Friday evening and preparing myself for a good five weeks of hard work and sunshine, I woke up at 3am with a stomach bug. This monstrous bug didn't release me until late yesterday; hit me so hard I couldn't even watch Criminal Minds; and left me with the mother of all stomach aches. Luckily, I'm feeling a little better today, so I've been at work in the kitchen and garden. 

So I've gotten rid of my bug, and hopped into the garden with the real bugs. Perfect. I'm sure things will pick up soon, but right now I'm definitely feeling a little homesick!
Until next time,

Ort Hopping: Three Cities and a Village Later | Days 47-74

I'm back! Apologies where they're due, I know it's been almost a month since anything even touched this blog; exams loomed and everything got a bit stressful. But that's over. And I'm in Germany! I finished exams, and with them my first year of University, and now I'm at a job in Lübeln. Rather than post 30 full size instagram photos to catch you up, I'm going to put some mini pictures of everything I've put on instagram since the last post. Easier and fast for us both. Here it is!

So from the top down, you see me burdened with exams and longing for a night out; my beautiful big sister's 22nd birthday; booking flights to Germany; the Flat K finale (end of exams celebration); house-sitting for my sister (cat and wifi included!); leaving halls; and the last 9 are dedicated entirely to Germany. 
I stayed for a night in Berlin - as you can see! - before every train in Germany, a bus and a taxi to reach Lübeln. More on Lübeln later. I'm back in business!

Ghibli's Goosebump Effect | The Wind Rises Review

Studio Ghibli is one of the world's most renowned animation studios; it's founder - Hayao Miyazaki - one of the most hailed creators in film history. From Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind, to Howl's Moving Castle, to My Neighbour Totoro and onwards, this studio lodged itself in the film industry without chance, or volition, for removal. But in September last year, Miyazaki confirmed his retirement [third time lucky?], with his new film to be his last. So where does The Wind Rises sit on the Great Ghibli Scale? 

The Wind Rises follows the life and dream of Jirō Horikoshi - inspired by the Japanese Chief Engineer of the same name - as he builds his career, his ambition, and his romantic life. The film spans a pretty wide era; starting with the Great Kantō Earthquake of 1923 and concluding shortly after World War II. A sort of filmic Bildungs-Roman. We see Jirō transition from boy to man; we see his aviation dreams become reality; we see his love, we see his loss.

These last points are definitely what separates The Wind Rises from the studio's previous films. Take three of their highest grossing films - My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Howl's Moving Castle. They're famous for being loved despite age or generation, but they're decidedly child-friendly. The Wind Rises is a different story. It's rated PG in the UK, with a warning of a brief bloody scene and images of smoking. It's definitely suitable for kids, but the themes and questions thrown into the air by the film - the morality of designing "killing machines", war, disease, natural disaster and death - are undoubtedly adult. This film flies high above the others in terms of severity. The movie's fantastic, parts are purely fantastical, but it's certainly not a fantasy.

A due point of applause is the film's imagery. Miyazaki's films are always aesthetically pleasing, but The Wind Rises is a veritable sight for sore eyes. The colours are vibrant, the framing genial, and the scenery magnificent. Everything is detailed. So detailed that the team spent an entire year crafting one crowd scene. But perhaps most important is how Miyazaki has managed to draw the wind so accurately. The representations of wind and motion are so stunning that I was actually left with goosebumps for a long portion of the film.
Studio Ghibli animator Kitaro Kosaka, when asked about drawing something intangible like wind, pointed out to Total Film that Miyazaki has been drawing wind his entire life. It's in all of his work. And what better way to showcase his life's work than in a film dedicated entirely to the air?

This is an utterly beautiful film, and a gorgeously graceful way for Miyazaki to bow out.

Amidst Exams | Days 41-46

Exams, exams, exams. Life's not too fun during exam season. Still managing to find some joy in my days though!

Caught Big Brother watching the moon

Retail therapy to ease the exam strain

Time for tennis with the niece and nephew

Fresh after a downpour

Discovered a funky new building in Manchester

It's finally sunny and they've boarded up our windows!

On the up side, I'm half way through my exams! Only three weeks left and then I'm completely done. Believe me, I'm counting the days. On a lighter note, I saw the new Studio Ghibli film, The Wind Rises, a couple of days ago; so expect a review!

A Star Actors and Atrocious Accents | Locke Review

Hardened criminal in Bronson, tough-guy Eames in Inception, strong and silent Bondurant in Lawless, and the indescribable Bane in Dark Knight Rises. It's fair to say Hardy's been typecast as... well, as the brick shithouse that he is. But then came Locke. Hardy's new role as the beige family man Ivan is at least a little off the beaten track, but how does he do with this new image?

Sultry suits you lad. [Is there anything that doesn't?]

First things first, I went into this movie expecting an entirely different experience to what I got. The Ivan Locke we see in the trailers is much more Hardy-esque than the Locke we see in the film. In the ad, he's a man on a mission, and sinister music gives us that timeless cinematic sense of impending doom. But curtain up to the movie's real Ivan, and he's a run-of-the-mill construction worker trying to straighten out a glitch. Perhaps a miscommunication between the trailer-makers and the movie-makers? Or a tactical advertising strategy. 

Luckily, the real movie isn't a disappointment in comparison to the ad. In fact, it's quite refreshing. There's an endless stream of fast paced action movies in cinemas all year round. Locke is in a league of its own. Much like Gravity, Locke is a single set film. Apart from a short scene at Ivan's construction site at the beginning, the entire film comprises of Hardy behind the wheel, with only voice roles from other actors [recorded from a hotel room]. Personally, Gravity was perhaps one of the most annoying films I've ever seen. It's like being locked in a room with someone else, they'll get annoying pretty quickly simply because it's just you and them. But Locke dodges this. And it's the writing of the character that lets us avoid it. While Bullock's character in Gravity was an utterly regular person, and therefore subject to making human errors, Hardy's character here is, as Total Film's Matt Glasby puts it, solid. He calculates every move he makes. He surveys every problem. Considers every risk. He makes no mistakes. There isn't any point in the film where you clench your fists and fight the urge to scream, "WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST -!!!" And that leaves you with an audience nodding their heads in agreement with Ivan's every decision. 

Aside from writing a great character, Steven Knight's screenplay makes the film all-round very watchable. If you're not a Die Hardy Fan like me [see what I did there?], you might be sceptical of a film which comprises 85 minutes of Tom Hardy's face. Don't be. Knight has an incredible talent for having his audience on the edge of their seats even though the character doesn't leave his. In fact, I was shocked when it was over. I like to measure the quality of a film by the amount I check the time while it's running. Locke might be short, but I didn't even have the urge for a timecheck once in the 85 minutes. I could gladly have sat through a script twice the length. That said, nothing more was needed. The film doesn't have a cathartic end, but who needs one? Locke is short and sweet. Knight doesn't hide behind action or cinematics or any other frills - he cuts the crap and executes this drama perfectly. Bravo, Mr Knight.

It's not just Knight that deserves applause, though. The cast is excellent. Olivia Colman is fantastic as usual, and immediately identifiable despite being a floating voice. Andrew Scott [another of my personal favourites] is similarly noticeable, and equally wonderful as a voice actor.

Andrew Scott (Plays Donal)

Olivia Colman (Plays Bethan)

Rounding back to the question in hand, how does Hardy handle Ivan? In a word, calmly. There are a couple of psychotic outbursts from Hardy's character directed at his rear view mirror [alias; Ivan's Father], but other than that, this character is calm in every situation. He navigates countless "roadblocks" without panic. Given Hardy's usual violent, sporadic characters (Bronson, Bane), his performance as Ivan makes Gandhi look like a radical. The only problem I had with this performance was quite an unfortunate and noticeable one. There's some sort of strange accent work going on here. It took me a good seven minutes to figure out that this was Hardy as a welshman. After pondering this choice for many hours once I left the cinema, I've come to the conclusion that the casting directors heard his efforts as Bane, and thought he'd have welsh in the bank in no time. Close, but no cigar. It's not unbearable, but it's definitely not welsh. On all other fronts, Hardy fills this character with ease. He breaks his norm, fits the bill and captures the audience. What more could you ask for?