Lana Del Rey - High By The Beach

It's always an interesting day when Lana Del Rey drops new music, and she recently released the audio for new track 'High By The Beach'. Taken from her upcoming Honeymoon album, which is slated to be released in September later this year, Del Rey enjoys a throwback to previous era, Born To Die, with breezy melodies and breathy vocals. Possessing a more up-beat rhythm, 'High By The Beach' is simplistic in its lyrical design, but has a more intrinsic instrumental, with the backing beat and Del Rey's smooth vocals sailing the song to a successful finish.

It can be said that Del Rey has a tendency to opt for more ethereal, dreamy sounds that compliment her vocal delivery, and 'High By The Beach' is no exception, relying heavily on the singer's commanding and mesmerizing voice. Equal parts sultry and captivating, the track draws you in with its slight switch in tempo and Del Rey's mixed vocal pace (the track is also explicit in its lyrics). A particular favourite of ours is 'The truth is I never bought into your bullshit/ when you would pay tribute to me' and 'You could be a bad motherfucker but that don't make you a man'. Rock on Lana. 

If there's going to be a music video for this, we're sure there's going to be something rather disturbing about it, as Lana is known for mixing elements of violence and drugs juxtaposed on a glamorous backdrop, in a similar fashion to Ultraviolence and National Anthem (and pretty much any Lana song you can think of). Overall, while its not an epic orchestral and cinematic endeavour like 'Honeymoon', 'High By The Beach' is an airy and pleasing addition that is reminiscent of Del Rey's previous discography. 

The Summer Body

photo; stylevanity.com

Body consciousness is at an all-time high in summer, and it can often be difficult for many people to be comfortable on the beach during swimsuit season.

photo; belfastvibe.com

With the recent body acceptance movements and ‘#effyourbeautystandards’ campaigns, it appears that this summer could be the season where everyone can feel comfortable on the beach in their own skin. These recent movements promote body acceptance and swimsuits (particularly bikinis) are often at the forefront, with many claiming that there is no ‘bikini size’ that one has to follow. Whilst it seems easier said than done, the taboo around certain shapes in swimwear is decreasing, and there is no reason why you should wait around hoping for your dream body when you have a body already, which is by nature, ‘bikini ready’. Whatever your confidence level, there are plenty of options out there for you.

photo; swimsuitsforall

If you want to read some of our style advice for swimsuits, and the available styles of swimwear for your body confidence, then read the full article at the link below: 

http://www.concrete-online.co.uk/the-summer-body/

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation (2015) Review

"Desperate times, desperate measures."

When you think of action spy films, several might come to mind, such as the sophisticated and dashing James Bond or the resourceful and righteous Bourne, but these are a select few who manage to make a considerably strong impact on audiences. Mission: Impossible’s Ethan Hunt ranks up there with one of the more notable, and while the first film achieved minor success, the series has found more steady footing since the release of Ghost Protocol, a stylish and thrilling addition to the franchise. This new level of elevation and class continues with Rogue Nation, featuring beautifully designed action sequences that are reminiscent of the classical spy film, and plenty of sheer sensational scenery that reflects the glitz and glamour of the genre.  

Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation sees Hunt returning to his day job, more adventurous than ever, and after scaling a plane and intercepting nerve gas being sold by terrorists, the ambitious agent sets his hand at proving the existence of the Syndicate, an international criminal agency. Teaming up once again with partners-in-crime Benji (Simon Pegg) and Luther (Ving Rhames), with IMF agent William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) overseeing the operation, the mission starts off smoothly but quickly descends into chaos (as it usually does), leading CIA director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) to call for the disbandment of the division. Opting instead to be a rogue agent, Hunt continues to hunt down the Syndicate, and suspected head Solomon Lee (Sean Harris), with a little help from his friends and some new faces, including Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson), an alleged British Agent working undercover in the Syndicate.   

If you want to read the full review, including my thoughts on Rebecca Ferguson's killer role and Simon Pegg's goofy Benji, then you can, over at Concrete online. The link is available below: 

http://www.concrete-online.co.uk/review-mission-impossible-rogue-nation/    

Inside Out (2015) Review

"Congratulations San Francisco, you've ruined pizza! First the Hawaiians, and now YOU!"

Emotions are at the core of us as human beings, so it comes no surprise that eventually they would become the topic of cinema, featuring prominently in Peter Docter’s (Monsters Inc., Up) latest directorial effort, Inside Out. But no one could have predicted that such an unusual concept could ever make such a thought-provoking film, especially when you consider that this is an animation, where literal emotive creatures control our actions. Yes, Anger, Disgust, Fear, Sadness and Joy, man a control panel where a few clicks or lever-pulling can result in us throwing vegetables at our parents or managing to pull off a perfect skating move on the ice.

Set in San Francisco, Inside Out documents the move of the Andersen family from their home-town, icy Minnesota, prompting Riley (Kaitlyn Dias) to be uprooted from her ice-hockey loving life and placed in a place where she has no friends, no hobbies and an unsuitably shabby home. This would be enough to annoy anyone, but Riley is determined to stay strong and joyful for her mother (Diane Lane), whilst her father (Kyle MacLachlan) struggles to spend time with her due to work commitments. The emotional strain on Riley’s joy causes her emotions to go into haywire, and when Sadness (Phyllis Smith) inadvertently causes the ejection of Joy (Amy Poehler) and herself from ‘headquarters’, the two find themselves trapped and needing to find a way back home, quick. Left to rule the control panel, Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Anger (Lewis Black) and Fear (Bill Hader) can’t cope, and ultimately cause unimaginable chaos.

It should be noted that the psychological complexity of Inside Out is a particular marvel; never before has a film marketed as a children’s feature been so thoroughly insightful and provocative. The portrayal of what is more commonly known as mixed emotions as normal is reassuring for those who often don’t feel one particular feeling at any given time. The presentation of these compounded emotions is highly significant in the place of Riley’s mind, as while the little people inside her mind struggle, so does she, mimicking the ways in which the brain affect our own actions.

The ways in which the film can be seen in relation to mental health is extremely interesting as ultimately, although Riley has no physical injuries, her mind affects her in such a state that she is willing to run away from home, risking her ‘Islands of Personality’ (family, hockey, goof-ball, honesty and friendship), and not to mention her very sense of being. This draws a strong parallel to several mental disorders such as depression, with Sadness (Phyllis Smith) seeming almost unable to stop herself from turning everything into a state of sadness, with Joy left fumbling in the background.

Ultimately however, the main point of the film is not that we need to eradicate sadness and block it out, but to accept it and the role it plays in our lives. The relationship between Joy and Sadness is one of the most touching ever between two animated characters, with poignant scenes between the two, propelled by the compelling performances of Poehler and Smith. Joy and Sadness finally realise that they can work together to help Riley, as opposed to being polar opposites, and the two emotions bond together to create something that is exceptionally profound for an animated movie. In this case, it seems that animation is doing a better job at succeeding in expressing severe and bitter-sweet emotions than some live-action features, and Docter is able to convey this beautifully on-screen.

The contrast between the bright and magical colours and the decidedly darker nature of the film is particularly intriguing, providing a notable parallel between what we see and what lies under the surface, echoing the films overall concept. Everything from joy’s hazy complexion to the impressive long-term memory structure has been carefully planned and designed, ensuring that the film’s aesthetic is sure to dazzle any audience.

Whilst Disney Pixar’s has had some success with former addition Up, it felt too overdrawn and bizarre in places, whereas Inside Out is a far more inclusive feature, touching on subjects that are relatable to all ages; truly understanding the concept of a ‘family’ movie. The film seems to have marked the return of Pixar to its former glory, green-lighting the possibility for more experimental, concept-pieces in the future.

A truly emotional ride (on the ‘train of thought’), Inside Out is unique in its concept, wonderfully envisioned and bursting with imagination and, yes, joy. 

Life Is Strange - Episode 4, 'Dark Room' [Review - SPOILERS]

As Life Is Strange slowly built up to its finale, it was anyone's guess as to what episode 4, entitled 'Dark Room' (how ominous), had to offer. And if you thought episode 2 with Kate was bad, then let's just say to keep your wits about you as it's anyone's game in this latest thrilling addition. With so many potential deaths to deal with, it almost seems as if it's likely anyone...and everyone will die at the end of this series. 

As always, if you want to hear our review at the end then feel free to skip on over to that (best to keep your eyes shut until then as they'll be spoiler-filled pictures). But first we shall start by discussing the events of the fourth episode as they unfolded. 

Recap:

After having the shocking twist at the end of episode 3 with Chloe Price in fact having been involved in her own car accident (and now needed a wheelchair and several other pieces of equipment to move, breathe, and basically function), everything from the previous 2 episodes were uncertain. After spending the day with Chloe (with the option of choosing extremely guilt-ridden dialogue) and William, it was left to Max to decide what to do. Chloe, knowing of her worsening condition and her parents agony, asks Max to do the unthinkable...to kill her. 

At this point, you have the option to accept or reject Chloe's offer. Ultimately though, it means nothing as Max decides she must say goodbye to William (essentially re-killing him) and restore the old, not-disabled, Chloe. So back comes the blue hair and feisty attitude. Phew, we were getting worried there. Over the course of the episode, Max and Chloe gather clues (get ready for some searching and puzzle-based games, people) as to what could possibly be going on with Nathan, the disappearance of Rachel and Kate's ordeal. 

You spend a bit of time rummaging through David's garage to find some of evidence. Second stop though, Max goes to visit Kate. This is suitably awkward, as if you saved Kate you will get to see her alive and well in the hospital (and we're guessing if you didn't it's most likely going to be her funeral). Dodgy dialogue aside, Kate volunteers (or doesn't) to help you find Nathan's dorm number so you can break in. 

On the way to Nathan's dorm you get the opportunity to talk to a load of familiar faces including the incredibly wise janitor who may as well be some sort of hidden deity given his cryptic but enlightening dialogue. After finding a whole load of torture porn in Nathan's room along with some other creepy thoughts of the mini serial-killer, you eventually discover Nathan's phone (another one of the clues). Just as you think everything is fine and we have escaped without harm, Nathan shows up and starts getting aggressive. Cue Warren to the rescue. Quick as a flash, superman jumps in and beats the shit out of Nathan. No, really. He's practically blubbering on the floor. 

Next stop is Frank's trailer, where the real stuff goes down. Now you have multiple options to coax Frank's client list out of him nicely (easier said than done) or get almost mauled by his dog, thus causing Chloe to shoot the dog and then subsequently Frank. 

You can just leave Frank and his dog lying dead and steal the list, or you can rewind time and just shoot Frank in the leg, or successfully get him to give up the list. Got, that? Be nice to Frank = scores you the list without any canine death...or actual human death. Now that we have all the pieces of info it is up to Chloe and Max (mainly Max) to put together all the information and come up with the location of a mysterious haunted barn, naturally owned by the Prescott family. After finding a locked trap-door in the barn, Max and Chloe descend into what is known as the 'dark room', a disturbing one-stop-shop for creeps and kidnappers. 

Duct tape, video cameras, needles and secret files litter the room and in the notable red box files are pictures of Kate Marsh...and Rachel Amber (oh, and also there's an empty file for Victoria). Some incredibly disturbing photos of Kate are shown, along with ones of Rachel which appear to show her being buried in the junk-yard. Nathan's jacket is also present, along with other evidence that indicates he and his father are involved. Naturally, Chloe freaks out and the two of them high-tail it over to the junk-yard. 

At the junk-yard, Chloe frantically digs up and finds (presumably) Rachel's body, although this is not 100% confirmed. Now Chloe and Max have one joint goal: find Nathan at the Vortex Party and presumably make him pay (we're taking this as code for killing him, at least in Chloe's mind). On their way inside, the two briefly run into Warren, who wants to take a selfie with Max to commemorate the moment. Needless to say, Warren is totally trying to make the moves on Max. 

But, unfortunately the party is pretty much a dud, thought you do have the option of warning Victoria about Nathan and your previous actions towards her mean that she will either believe you or not. Mr. Jefferson is also present, and hands Victoria the award for the elusive 'Everyday heroes' contest. 

He also randomly stops Max and Chloe on their way out, but returns to the party. Chloe abruptly receives a text from Nathan who says there won't be any evidence left to find and Max and Chloe return frantically to the junk-yard. Whilst Chloe digs up Rachel, Max is injected from behind with drugs from a shadowy figure, who then proceeds to shoot Chloe straight in the head. 

Chloe falls down, covering the ground in blood and Max can't stop or rewind the situation due to her drugged state. And as a final twist, who should the shadowy figure be, other than... Mr. Jefferson! 

Yes, the over-enthusiastic photography teacher is somehow involved and just killed Chloe. Surprise! Although, if it's anything to go by, Chloe has proven to be as resilient as fuck, so we're pretty sure her death isn't going to be permanent (perhaps some photo-ception with a photo Warren coaxed Max into taking before the duo entered the party?). After all, she has been shot by Nathan, hit by a train, paralysed by a car 'accident', almost killed by a dog and so much more. This girl's a survivor (thanks predominantly to Max). 

Of course, now Max is left to wiggle her way out of this deadly situation with a disturbed Mr. Jefferson and the 'dark room', save Chloe (somehow) and figure out the mystery behind the weather. And who knows, maybe even save Rachel somehow too. Sufficed to say, the last episode is going to be a real epic adventure. Once again, it would seems as pretty much everyone's fate really does rest on Max's (and your) shoulders. 

Review: 

It's fair to say this episode was all over the place in terms of actual action, although it did move at a fairly glacial pace to start off with. Fortunately though, by the time the Vortex party approaches, events have kicked up a gear and now the episode is moving far more quickly. The lip-synching is still completely awful (but we're thinking they were going for more of a certain aesthetic with the beautiful imagery, exciting game-play and atmospheric music) and off-putting, but is fine if you don't actually look at their mouths. The narrative was decidedly more action-packed and lengthy than previous episodes, with a minimum total of 4 hours of game-play (longer depending on how you like to play), which certainly gave you plenty of scenarios to encounter, rightfully so, considering it has been over 2 months since the last instalment. It's fair to say if the game had ended upon the discovery of the 'item' in the junk-yard, it would have felt incredibly anticlimactic and lacklustre, but with the add-on of the Vortex party and the shocking thriller (and set-up) at the end, it propelled the episode to far more riveting heights. After the shock ending last episode, all eyes were on the game-makers, who were certainly under a lot of pressure to produce an equally climactic and shocking cliff-hanger for this addition, and thankfully, they didn't disappoint. 

The puzzle sequences and evidence gathering also showed great improvement from previous episode, with gathering David's, Nathan's and Frank's evidence being one of the most strategic and enjoyable experiences. Of course, performances from the main cast are all captivating to watch, and Chloe and Max really function well as two 'sister' type characters. It now remains to be seen whether the finale will see the series end on a high note or ultimately fail the promising scenario all 4 episodes have built up to. With so many questions left unanswered, Life Is Strange episode 5 has a monumental job tying off loose ends and drawing everything to a satisfactory conclusion.