#Kyle Grizzell

[spiceukonline]

The Sunday Review: Beauty and the Beast

The Sunday Review: Beauty and the Beast

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Acting

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2017-03-26

4.4/FIVE

SINCE 2014, live-action Disney films seem to be coming at us from left, right and centre. It’s like there’s an enormous pile of money to be made or something.

The latest Disney-remake to hit our screens is the classic Beauty and the Beast. Directed by Bill Condon, it’s pretty much identical to the 1991 original. By now, we all know the story: a beautiful book-nerd from a small French village saves her father by taking her place as the prisoner of a cursed beast. Stockholm syndrome soon kicks in and she falls in love with him.

Brace yourself for the extra 50 minutes of screen time, as a result of well needed back stories for both Belle and the Beast, finding out the reason behind his selfish ways. A new addition comes in the form of an enchanted book (obviously), which lets the Beast travel to the outside world. Kind of cruel when the outside world will never accept him for who he is, but hey, that’s how curses work.

Source: Harper’s Bazaar

Unlike the Cinderella adaption (read ‘remix’), Beauty and the Beast stays true to its original soundtrack, including the much-loved Be Our Guest and Beauty and the Beast. Some new songs are also thrown in the mix, intended to develop the characters of Belle, the Beast, Lumière and the other household objects.

Dan Stevens, of Downton Abbey fame, gives a great performance as the Beast despite being computer-generated for the majority of the film. His mannerisms shone through, able to portray the Beast in a way that was intimidating but pitiful.

  “I’m a twenty-one-year-old male and I cried. Twice.” 

  Emma Watson takes on the role of French beauty Belle with her feminist ideals being perfect for the character. This Belle was active as a heroine herself and definitely not a damsel in distress; she never let the massive Beast intimidate her and she was directly involved in stopping Gaston (Luke Evans) from killing the Beast in the final scenes.

Source: moviefone.com

In this Twitter-happy world, even a Disney film can’t escape controversy. Some (including entire countries- here’s looking at you Malaysia) have expressed concerns over the representation of homosexuality in an ‘exclusively gay’ scene, which actually turns out to be a single second of footage in which Gaston’s camp sidekick Le Fou is about to dance with a male villager. Some people just can’t catch a break.

To add to the shock factor (sarcasm intended), there were two interracial couples in the film; Lumière (Ewan McGregor) and Plumette (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Cadenza (Stanley Tucci) and Madame de Garderobe (Audra Macdonald). It’s the first live-action film to include an interracial kiss, which would be celebratory if it wasn’t so tragically late.

Source: gamespot.com

Growing up with all things Disney, I couldn’t help feeling nostalgic whilst watching this film. As a twenty-one-year-old male, I’m not ashamed to admit that by the film’s end, I had cried. Twice.

Emotional, visually stunning, and reminiscent of free childhood days, Beauty and the Beast tops my list of live-action Disney adaptions. Go see it, I dare you to hold back the tears.

[adastraradionews]

Arlington man hurt in Saturday evening wreck

An Arlington man was injured in a two vehicle wreck early Saturday evening on K-61 about a mile southwest of Arlington. Yoder Freeman was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center after his pickup, which was turning off 61 onto Bone Springs Road, was struck by a vehicle driven by Kyle Grizzell of Pratt who was trying to pass him. Grizzell and four passengers in his vehicle and a passenger in the Freeman pickup were not hurt according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

[spiceukonline]

The Sunday Review: Luke Cage

The Sunday Review: Luke Cage

Dialogue

Acting

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2017-02-12

3.3/FIVE

IN 2008, the Marvel Cinematic Universe first began with the release of Iron Man and has grown exponentially over the past nine years.

The most recent addition comes courtesy of Netflix, Luke Cage. Centred on the character that first appeared in another of Netflix sister series Jessica Jones, it stars Mike Colter as the titular character who is super-strong and quite literally bulletproof, thanks to an experiment gone wrong in his past.

Mike Colter as Luke Cage. Source: All Your Base online

However, Luke Cage’s super-powers come second to the show’s plot of ‘gangsters’ and political corruption. The premise initally involves club owner and arms dealer Cornell ‘Cottonmouth’ (Mahershala Ali) who wants to be the ‘king’ of Harlem with the help of his cousin councilwoman Mariah Dillard (Alfre Woodard). Cottonmouth’s illegal operations become dangerously entangled with Mariah’s politics and desire for Harlem to better itself as the show progresses. All the while, Luke Cage finds himself making an enemy of both Cottonmouth and Mariah as he becomes Harlem’s saving grace putting his friends and family in harm’s way.

Cottonmouth (Ali) with his two goons source: www.superherohype.com

Following ongoing controversy surrounding the lack of diversity in mainstream film and television, Luke Cage certainly serves as a smack in the face to whitewashed casting. Set in Harlem, an area deeply rooted with African American history, the acknowledgement of diversity is reflected in the cast, with Ali, Woodard and Colter adding to both the realness and power of the show.

Rather than pushing a progressive racial agenda, Luke Cage deals very effectively with relevant social issues, such as police brutality. No one needs to point out the irony of a black male being bulletproof.

In one poignant episode, a black police detective interrogates a black teenager. The boy’s mother condemns him, pointing out “you’re blue, which makes you just as white as anybody else,” voicing her disappointment that a shared blackness has done nothing to prevent police brutality. This complex rivalry between the police and ethnic minorities, as if the police themselves had become one race, was something I found interesting on the show.

Source: bustle

In the end, it didn’t matter who was black or white or Latino; it was the status that people were seen to hold that determined who was at a disadvantage.

Along with its Marvel predecessors; Daredevil and Jessica Jones, the entire first season of Luke Cage is currently available to binge on Netflix- if you think you can handle it.

@Kyle_Grizzell 

[spiceukonline]

So, the new Doctor is a woman now...

SO, it finally happened. What was once thought improbable – impossible, even – has come to pass. The next Doctor will be a woman.

In case you’ve been living under a rock for the past few days, I’d like to inform you that Jodie Whittaker of Broadchurch fame has been cast as the 13th Doctor.

For those of you unfamiliar with the worldwide sci-fi phenomenon, let me explain how momentous this casting is. For the past 54 years, the role of The Doctor has been played by thirteen white men – the possibility of a woman or black actor taking the helm has been debated constantly, especially when the show was revived in 2005.

  Season 10 of Doctor Who, which featured the first gay companion. Photograph: Nerdist

  At the time, the idea of regeneration seemed less ridiculous than the doctor being a woman. The show revolves around an alien with two hearts travelling through time in a police box, for Christ’s sake.

The ability for a Time Lord to change from one sex to the other was made explicitly canon when it was revealed in 2014 that Michelle Gomez’s character Missy was, in fact, the latest incarnation of The Master; The Doctor’s arch enemy who had also only ever been portrayed by men.

The many faces of the Master. Source: geekandsundry.com

Although I hate to admit it, (don’t hurt me, liberals) I was also against the idea of The Doctor regenerating into a woman, perhaps because it distorted my view of a character that had only ever been played by a man.

That said, I’m genuinely intrigued to see what Whittaker will bring to the role as she’s a brilliant actress, made evident from her role in Broadchurch.

After wading through Twitter, it’s clear that a number of Whovians are definitely not excited for a female doctor, with some declaring that they won’t be watching it anymore. Those people are ridiculous, and if they were true fans they would know that what the Doctor has between his or her legs shouldn’t influence their decision to watch.

Spot the white male…Source: doctorwho.tv

From the all-female cast of Ghostbusters to the kick-ass Wonder Woman, it’s clear female casting in traditionally male roles is a “trend” here to stay. God knows we’ve had enough male actors to last a Time Lord’s lifetime, which is a very, very, very long time, in case you were wondering.

Rumoured to be taking the wheel of the TARDIS during the Christmas special, let’s hope 13 doesn’t turn out to be an unlucky number for the BBC. I’m sure she’ll steer that time machine just as well as any man could- if not better.

[spiceukonline]

'American Gods' Review (TV Show)

'American Gods' Review (TV Show)

Dialogue

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Development

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2017-07-12

4.0/FIVE

ANYONE who’s a fan of Hannibal knows that anything made by its creator, Bryan Fuller, will not be for the faint-hearted.

Alongside Michael Green, Fuller brings us American Gods. Based on the bestselling novel by Neil Gaiman, the show centres on Shadow Moon (Ricky Wittle), who is released early from prison after his wife (Emily Browning) dies in a car accident. With nothing left, Shadow finds himself working for a man known as Mr Wednesday as he travels across America recruiting soldiers for a mysterious war. Shadow soon discovers that this mysterious war is being fought between The Old Gods and The New Gods.

Source: wildhunt.org

Having never heard of the book prior to its TV adaption, I was drawn by its intriguing concept. The people of the modern world are not worshipping The Old Gods as much as they used to (think Anubis, Odin, Bilquis, jinn from Islamic mythology, and leprechauns.) Just to say, a six-foot-five leprechaun played by Orange is the New Black‘s Pablo Schreiber is one of the best characters on the show – despite being a massive arse.

The six-foot-five leprechaun in question… Photograph: wikia

Anyway, these Old Gods are getting weaker as they exist purely from humans worshipping and following them. Bilquis, an Old Goddess of love once revered for her sexuality, is reduced to living on the streets and then having to use a dating app to find worshippers. A jinn who emigrated from the Middle East finds himself working as a taxi driver in New York. And Anubis – the Egyptian god of the afterlife – owns a funeral parlour.

Thanks to our modern obsession with social media, new ways of ‘worshipping’ have birthed New Gods – Media (Gillian Anderson), Technical Boy (Bruce Langley), and Mr. World (Crispin Glover).

Gillian Anderson and her many faces. Photograph: geektown.co.uk

Modern people are constantly worshipping and strengthening these Gods, despite being completely unaware that this is what they are doing. Gillian Anderson of The X-Files fame pulls out all of her acting skills for her role as Media: a personification of television and entertainment. Throughout the series, Anderson portrays a multitude of famous characters from TV and film including Ziggy Stardust, Marilyn Monroe, and Lucy Ricardo.

A word of warning: Do not watch this show with your parents. I made this mistake after witnessing Bilquis (Yetide Badaki) literally suck a man into her vagina, which whilst admirable is not family friendly viewing.

“A word of warning- do not watch this show with your parents.”

Granted the show is full of explicit sex scenes and is probably blowing most of their budget on fake blood, but American Gods isn’t just an excuse for sex, guts and gore; it also involves great storytelling. Each episode begins with a ‘Coming to America’ chapter which focuses on a different group of people throughout history coming to America and the Old Gods they brought with them. From ships transporting slaves as well as their trickster spider God Anansi to the first Siberian immigrants to North America whose Old God dies after being forgotten.

Each episode begins with a ‘Coming to America’ chapter which focuses on a different group of people throughout history coming to America and the Old Gods they brought with them. From ships transporting slaves as well as their trickster spider God Anansi to the first Siberian immigrants to North America whose Old God dies after being forgotten.

From left to right; Shadow Moon, Bilquis and Mr Nancy. Photograph: shadowandact.com

Also, the title sequence is ingenious, combining religious and mythological imagery with modern images, from a Buddha surrounded by party drugs and a fibre optic Medusa to a smartphone brandishing Ganesha and a crucified astronaut.

The show’s only critical flaw was the season finale; primarily the fact that I didn’t even realise it was the season finale. Abrupt and lacklustre, the final episode is disappointing and lets the rest of the season down.

The entire first season of American Gods if currently available on Amazon Prime, so go and binge the whole thing right now, for god’s sake.

[spiceukonline]

The Sunday Review: The Santa Clarita Diet (TV Series)

The Sunday Review: The Santa Clarita Diet (TV Series)

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2017-02-26

3.2/FIVE

DO you ever find yourself thinking that what TV really needs is a suburban zombie comedy? Me neither. But luckily for us, creator Victor Fresco has blessed us with Santa Clarita Diet, the new horror-comedy series from Netflix. Starring Timothy Olyphant and Drew Barrymore, they play married couple and real estate agents Joel and Sheila (can’t get more normal than that), who find themselves having to accept a “new normal “ in suburban America (considering the recent state of America, that’s a horror story in itself.) This “new normal” isn’t easy, however; on account of Shelia becoming a zombie who needs to eat people to you know, live.

Source: Rolling Stone

Barrymore and Olyphant are a surprisingly compatible comedic duo. Sheila is relatively unfazed by her transformation into a man-eating zombie whilst her husband Joel accepts her undead status, asides from his occasional freak-outs, which is where Olyphant’s comedic talents lie.

Determined to make their marriage work, the couple kills “bad” people, be it a sex-trafficker, paedophile, or road hog, for Shelia to eat. Little Sheila leaps onto the back of her chosen lunch and chomps down on their neck, all the while wearing her new pink ‘kill’ poncho and pink gloves; obviously, she doesn’t want to get blood all over her nice clothes.

Source: bloodydisgusting.com

The humour in this show mostly comes from the juxtaposition of the bloody murderous horror with the pristine suburban setting. Sheila and her neighbour gossiping in her clean and expensive kitchen as Joel hoists his newest victim over their wooden garden fence is an outrageously funny scene.

This is not to say it doesn’t deserve credit where it’s due as a horror show, too. In the first episode, Sheila seductively licks an admirer’s fingers – before deciding to bite them clean off. And chew them. She is making quick work of her snack when her husband finds her on their perfectly mowed lawn chomping down on some fresh intestines like a scene out of The Walking Dead, and the rest of the series is just as bloody.

I warn you now, DO NOT watch this show while you are eating.

Source: Irmonline.com

The combination of murder, ridiculous secrets, and comedy accompanied with the cul-de-sac setting is reminiscent of Desperate Housewives or Devious Maids – so much so that I was surprised that Marc Cherry wasn’t involved in Santa Clarita Diet‘s conception.

The first season of Santa Clarita Diet is currently available to sink your teeth into on Netflix.

@Kyle_Grizzell 

[spiceukonline]

The movie trailers the Super Bowl was worth watching for

It’s that time of year again when the trailers for all the hotly-anticipated movies are released. Oh, and there was also that final match of the NFL that has been culminating since the end of last summer. But that’s sport – we’re not here for sport.

Superior to all other trailers, the Super Bowl trailers are short and expensive, revealing just enough without spoiling the plot. So, without further ado, here are the films (and the odd TV show) that as lucky enough to take centre stage at this year’s Super Bowl.

  A Cure for Wellness 

Source: playlist.net

At first watch, it’s likely you’ll have no idea what this trailer is about. All I could make out was that it’s set in a hospital and looks a bit weird. Upon further research, turns out it’s about a “wellness centre” where every patient has been diagnosed with the same mysterious illness for which they are all waiting for the cure. Eerie.

  Ghost in the Shell 

Source: denofgeek.com

Manga and anime fans delight. The Ghost in the Shell follows the members of Public Security Section 9, a special-operations task-force made up of former military officers and police detectives. This live-action adaptation stars Scarlett Johansson as Major, a cyborg counter-cyberterrorist field commander (say that ten times fast), who must lead her Section 9 team against a saboteur to artificial intelligence technology.

  Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2

Source: YouTube

Our first dose of Marvel movie magic this year comes from the sequel to 2014’s genius and entertaining Guardians of the Galaxy. From the trailer, it looks like it will be full of action and humour, and will hopefully have a soundtrack that’s just as funky as the first film. The cast includes space bandit Yondu (Michael Rooker) and newbie Mantis (Pom Klementieff). Baby Groot also makes an appearance- which we all want to see.

  John Wick Chapter 2 

Source: screenrant.com

A sequel to the 2014 film starring Keanu Reeves which was about a man seeking retribution on the men who killed his puppy. Yes, really. I’m not sure if this film will see him seeking revenge for the death of another beloved pet, but it does look as though it will be full of heart-pounding action scenes. So, fun to watch while stuffing your face with popcorn.

  Life 

Source: cgmeetup.net

A sci-fi thriller with a great sounding cast including Jake Gyllenhaal, Rebecca Ferguson, and Ryan Reynolds. Set on a space station where a team of scientist discover a new life form, it looks like the life form decides to go all Alien and Ripley on the team leading to some good old space scares.

  Logan 

Source: darkhorizons.com

The tenth X-Men film  looks as though it will be darker and grittier than its predecessors, and sees our beloved Wolverine and Prof. X looking worse for wear in a desert. I am a massive fan of the X-Men franchise and I am interested to see how this film will differ from the others.

  The Fate of the Furious 

Source: comingsoon.net

I have never watched a single Fast and Furious film. I’m sure they’re exciting to watch – I just think they look kind of pointless, but whatever. I must admit that the eighth installment looks funny and action packed, and almost tempts me to go and binge watch all of the others. Almost. All you need to know is that this film stars three bald men (Johnson, Statham, and Diesel), sexy ladies, fast cars, and explosions.

  Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales 

Source: comingsoon.net

Another sequel, (notice a pattern yet?), the fifth Pirates film sees Captain Jack Sparrow in some deep shit, again (this time, think ghost pirates.)  Some might want them to stop making Pirates films, but I would be happy for them to keep making them ’til the day I die. This sequel looks spectacularly entertaining and eerie – oh and Orlando Bloom is back, so there is that.

  Transformers: The Last Knight 

Source: denofgeek.com

Yep, another sequel. It’s the fifth Transformers film and the second starring Mark Wahlberg.  This film may be attempting something with more importance as its premise involves them trying to explain why the Transformers keep coming to Earth.

  The Handmaid’s Tale 

Source: vulture.com

A TV series adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s book of the same name, it tells the story of a dystopian world where all woman’s rights seem to be abolished and ‘handmaids’ are assigned to men solely for reproductive purposes. An interesting and terrifying idea which has hopefully been adapted well with actors such as Elisabeth Moss, Samira Wiley, Joseph Fiennes, and Gilmore Girls‘ Alexis Bledel taking on roles.

  Stranger Things, Season 2 

Source: comingsoon.net

In my opinion, Stranger Things was one of the best things to come from Netflix last year; a series that combined all the elements of great 80s films and TV. We’re finally going to return to the upside-down this Halloween and from the look of the trailer, the second season will have more of everything – more 80s homage, more horror, and more monster.

[spiceukonline]

The Sunday Review: Class (TV Show)

The Sunday Review: Class (TV Show)

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2017-01-29

3.8/FIVE

DOCTOR Who can be considered one of the most successful shows British television has ever produced, complete with a fan base that spreads worldwide.  Since it first aired over 50 years ago it has lead to 26 seasons, a TV movie, and 3 TV spin-offs.

The newest of these spin-offs, created by Patrick Ness, is called Class and is aimed at young adults. Set at Coal Hill Academy, an iconic Doctor Who location, Class features a group of Sixth Form students and their teacher who fight alien threats as they appear through cracks in time and space. Well, somebody’s got to do it while the Doctor is swanning off in his little blue box.

It hasn’t got as much blood, sex and violence as first spin-off Torchwood, but still more than its parent show; enough to make the characters seem realistic.  Despite being of the sci-fi genre, Ness has creates a realist portrayal of London by making the show as diverse as real life is, i.e. not dominated by white heterosexual males. Same-sex relationships are portrayed as casually as

Source: BBC

any of the other relationships and Fady Elsayed, Vivian Oparah, and Jordan Renzo represent the ethnic and cultural diversity that we see in real life London.

Class is also very good at incorporating real life issues into the sci-fi storytelling, with some episodes focussing on certain characters to allow their own stories to develop. Tanya’s (Oparah) unresolved grief over the death of her father is explored in the third episode ‘Nightvisiting’, and Ram’s (Elsayed) internal struggle with all the crazy going on around him is brought to the fore in the second episode ‘The Coach With The Dragon Tattoo.’ These character central episodes also allow the actors to demonstrate why they won the roles, as we see with Sophie Hopkins in episodes 4 and 5 where her character April gets a personality makeover. We see her morph from a little miss goodie-two-shoes into an empowered woman.

Source: blogtorwho.com 

The mysterious and alien (literally) Miss Quill (Katherine Kelly) and Charlie (Greg Austin) are played by great actors but the characters could sometimes risk being present solely for comic relief. Their constant misunderstandings of planet Earth are brilliant – Miss Quill questioning whether The Hunger Games was based on a true story is a great, if brief, including.

However, slowly throughout the series Miss Quill and Charlie’s characters are developed beyond their awkward alienness. We see how alone Miss Quill really is beneath her hardy exterior – she is stuck on a foreign planet after all. We also see how the supposedly serene Prince Charlie can be unforgiving and brutal towards those who have wronged him – like Miss Quill.

I think Class is an excellent addition to the “Whoniverse” and could easily stand on its own two feet as a separate entity to Doctor Who. It is full of references that Whovians can geek-out over, but by no means do you need to be a fan of the main show to enjoy this spin-off. The whole first series of Class is currently available on BBC iPlayer – so you can watch to your heart’s content.

[spiceukonline]

The comments I always get about my ethnic ambiguity

Let me start this listicle with a little anecdote: last summer, whilst holidaying in Spain, I had an encounter with an Indian shop owner which literally went like this:

Shop Owner: *says something in Hindi while smiling*

Me: *confused smile*

Shop Owner: You speak Hindi?

Me: No, only English

Shop Owner: You Indian man?

Me: No, I’m not Indian

Shop Owner: You sure?

  Yes. I am pretty sure of my own ethnicity.

In the words of Vine and YouTube genius Liza Koshy, being mixed-race can make you racially ambiguous, ethnically mysterious, or curiously racialised. I myself am a young mixed-race man; 50% white 50% Kashmiri. For some, this equates to 100% racial confusion and an endless stream of questions, which typically take the form of a collection of the following:

1. Where are you from?

Source: asianamericanpopculture.com

A classic. When people ask this question I innocently answer ‘England’ or ‘Luton’, depending on the context. However, sometimes they’re not asking “where did you grow up?” Sometimes what they’re really asking is “why are you brown?”, which leads to the following question…

  2. Yeah, but where are you really from?

Source: knowyourmeme.com

Still England. Born, raised, and from the look of things, going to die here too.

  3. Oh, so do you speak *insert foreign language here*?

Source: knowyourmeme.com

Spanish, Hindi, Punjabi, Arabic, Urdu, you name it- the list of language people assume I speak is endless.  I can’t help but feel slightly disappointed that I only have a B grade in GCSE French to go on.

  4. What’s Your Real Name?

Source: funnypictures-blog.com

I have tan-coloured skin with dark hair and brown eyes, a Gaelic first name, and a French surname. Apparently, these things do not match up and therefore my name must be a lie. Oh no. They’ve figured me out.

  5. I’m attracted to you because you’re not full white

Yes, somebody said that to me. Yes, it was two years ago. Yes, I can hold grudges for a long time.

  6. Yeah, but you’re basically *insert race here*

Source: nrcc.org

No. I am not basically Indian or Pakistani. I am mixed race. I identify as mixed race. Even if I was 100% Kashmiri, I would still not be ‘basically Indian.’ They are different things.

[spiceukonline]

My Oscar Predictions 2017

The nominations for this year’s Oscars have just been released and before anybody panics, there does appear to be nominees with a little more melanin.  That’s right people; unlike last year’s whitewash of an Oscars, the 89th Academy Awards nominees include some stellar black talent including Viola Davis, Denzel Washington, and Ruth Negga. There’s even a little British-Indian thrown in the mix in the shape of Dev Patel. Sufficed to say, it’s a hell of a lot more diverse than last year.

All being well, this should mean that the run-up to the Oscars will be slightly less controversial. Although, I’m sure over the coming weeks something controversially controversial will crop up persuading some to controversially boycott the ceremony leading to controversy.

But until that happens, let me reveal who I think will win those all-important little gold men:

  Best Picture – La La Land

Source: indiewire.com

  Honesty is the best policy, as they say, so I’ll be honest- I haven’t seen it. But with people going on about it like it’s the best thing since sliced bagels, you don’t have to be psychic to predict that this rom-com musical is going in for the Oscar win. Besides, it stars Emma Stone who is just brilliant and Ryan Gosling who is just gorgeous. Is he good at acting? I don’t know; I can’t say that’s what I was paying attention to, to be honest.

  Best Actor – Andrew Garfield, Hacksaw Ridge

Source: fandango.com

Andrew Garfield plays the role of real-life U.S. Army corporal Desmond Doss, the first conscientious objector to ever be awarded the Medal of Honor. I got goosebumps from the trailer alone, so Garfield’s portrayal of Doss is definitely one that should be recognised. I’m sure Gosling is great in La La Land, but Hacksaw Ridge is a powerful story, and earns Garfield an Oscar-worthy performance.

  Best Actress – Ruth Negga, Loving

Source: kccci.com

Another true story, Loving chronicles the lives of Richard and Mildred Loving; a white man and black woman who married in 1967 despite Virginia’s anti-miscegenation laws which prohibited whites from marrying non-whites. This law was overturned thanks to Mildred after her and her husband spent a year in prison.  I am a sucker for true stories like this, especially ones that tell such an important story like Loving.

  Best Supporting Actor – Dev Patel, Lion

Source: variety.com

Another true story (stop me if I’m getting predictable) in which Dev Patel plays Saroo Brierley, an Indian man who is adopted by an Australian family as a child after getting separated from his own. The film is based on Saroo’s autobiographical account of losing his family in India, living in Australia, and finally being reunited with his biological family 25 years later. I might be overdoing it with the Oscars for ‘true movies’ but I think an actor who can capture the experience of a real person deserves the recognition.

  Best Supporting Actress – Naomie Harris, Moonlight

Source: variety.com

Moonlight is an emotional film playing out the life of Chiron, a gay black man, from his childhood to adult life. Naomie Harris plays his abusive drug-addict mother, a stark contrast to roles she has taken on before. So much so, that she almost turned down the offer of the role. Despite the change in character type, Naomie is still phenomenal in the role displaying her abilities as an actress.

  Best Animated Feature Film – Zootopia

Source: filmgamed.com

This year’s nominees contained two Disney films; Moana and Zootopia, and as Disney law states, it will probably be one of those films that win the Oscar. Moana was a beautiful film and I’d say my favourite of the two, but Zootopia carried this very ~important~ moral message of everyone being different but still the same on the inside. It will probably win an Oscar just for the feels.

  Best Costume Design – Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them

Source: filmtakeout.com

The most recent in J. K. Rowling’s Wizarding World films, this film was bound to be full of costumes that look just as magical and fantastical as the beast themselves. As every category seems to, this one also contained La La Land. I’m sure their costumes are lovely and everything, but they ain’t wizards, so…

  Best Make-up and Hairstyling – Star Trek Beyond

Source: slate.com

This category only contained three films; Star Trek Beyond, Suicide Squad, and some random Swedish film I’ve never heard of it. As anyone should do when judging this category, I just looked at the characters’ hair and makeup and chose the most-impressive looking ones. That happened to be the aliens and other strange things from Star Trek Beyond.

  Best Original Score – La La Land

Source: billboard.com

La La Land is a musical and everyone has been raving about it. Therefore, it will probably win. Need I explain more?

  Best Original Song – ‘How Far I’ll Go,’ from Moana

Source: movies.disney.com

Source: blog.wsj.com

This category had two nominations for La La Land  for the songs ‘Audition (The Fools Who Dream)’ and ‘City of Stars.’ Despite the hype around La La Land,  I chose the song from Moana because I personally just think it’s better.

  Visual Effects – Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Source: ign.com

To be honest, again, this is the only film that I’ve seen in this category but I still think it will win and let me tell you why. 1) It’s technically a Disney film so carries that title, 2) it has loads of cool spaceships in it, and 3) it has loads of explosions in it. The cool spaceships and explosions are visual effects which is why it should win the Oscar. Case closed.

[spiceukonline]

The 5 Inevitable Stages of a Work Placement

I’ve spent the last 4 months working in a field relevant to my degree as part of my uni course, and to summarise, it’s not easy. In fact, it’s  emotionally, physically, and socially draining. Whether you’re thinking of doing a work placement or currently doing one and need something to cry about, here are the 5 stages will inevitably go through:

1. Denial

Source: Pinterest

You’ve started your placement, and it’s a shock to the system, so denial kicks in. You pretend you’re waking up to the 9am lecture you sleep in anyway to ease yourself into the early starts. You sit on the bus to work in your pressed black trousers and rigid shirt and chant “I am a student, I am a student.”

2. Anger

Caption: quickmeme.com

It finally hits you that you will be waking up at 6 every day instead of midday with a hangover. This angers you. “WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?” you yell at yourself in the mirror whilst trying to figure out what counts as “smart casual” attire.  The worst part is, you only have yourself to blame.

3. Bargaining

Source: theworldsbestboss.com

So you can’t change the position you’re in, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make it more bearable. So you bargain; “I’ll never drink again as long as I never have to lead a work team meeting”,”I promise I’ll turn vegan if I never have to look at an office photocopier again.” The bargains are endless and impossible. You will offer your soul to the devil as long as he makes the year fly-by with no problems or stressors.

  4. Depression

Source: Tumblr

You still have no idea why there are seven printers. Every day blends into one.  You eat too many Gregg’s steak bakes on the way home from the office to inject a little excitement into your journey – maybe you’ll get a chicken bake next time, shake things up a bit.  Of an evening, you use that ‘so-last-year’ app Dubsmash to make videos of yourself to amuse your best friend – because somebody might as well be happy.

5. Acceptance

Source: memegenerator.com

If all else fails, you may as well think of the positives. A work placement will boost your C.V. and get that job or postgrad course. Sure, it may not exactly be titillating, but it’s rewarding. At the end of it all, you’ll head back to student life with a taste of the knowledge that comes with adulthood and no one can take that away from you.

[spiceukonline]

How it feels to be LGBT around the world

BY GEORGIA CHAMBERS and KYLE GRIZZELL

  There is no doubt that LGBT people have had much to celebrate in the past few years. In 2013 and 2015, same-sex marriage was legalised in the UK and the US retrospectively. The LGBT community was being represented in the media more than ever before. Turn the channel over, however, and hostility was clearly still in the air. From the horrific shooting of an LGBT nightclub in Orlando to a bakery refusing to make a cake for a gay couple, too often, where there is progression, there is a regression in attitude just around the corner.

  Global laws regarding homosexuality in 2016. Source: Independent

The world is a scary place for minorities right now. The election of Donald Trump leaves LGBT Americans in a state of uncertainty and fear. Globalisation must be used to our advantage, and the equality of LGBT individuals lies in our ability to maintain a universal connection and understanding in the LGBT community and beyond. This is why the ‘LGBT Worldwide’ project was created. It hopes to draw on the diverse and unique experiences of LGBT individuals who are tirelessly fighting for their equal rights in their home countries, and hopefully bring people closer together in an emerging political sphere that is intent on creating division.

Pride celebrations in the UK. Photograph: Georgia Chambers

Pride celebrations in the UK. Source: Georgia Chambers

Speaking to five individuals about their experiences as an LGBT person, I hope that after reading their stories, others will be encouraged to share theirs.

  RUSSIA: Svetlana Zakharova, 28, lesbian

“Being an open lesbian in Russia, you get used to a very hostile environment,”

                    “Being an open lesbian in Russia, you get used to a very hostile environment. You feel the difference when you leave the country and go to a place where homosexuality is treated differently. I recall going to the Pride events in Rome and the organisers looked bemused when I asked them if it was safe to wear an LGBT emblazoned T-shirt.

Even though homosexuality was decriminalised in Russia after the collapse of the Soviet Union, violence and discrimination against LGBT people is still a massive problem. In the last few weeks before Russia hosted the Winter Olympic Games, Putin insisted that Russia was safe for LGBT people, but recent statistics suggest otherwise. A 2015 survey by the Russian LGBT Network reported 82% of respondents had experienced some form of physical, psychological or sexual violence as a result of their sexual orientation or gender identity.  

Despite the constant fear and isolation experienced by Russia’s LGBT community, I do not believe that the Russian people are homophobic by nature. The hatred is state-sponsored. Russia’s propaganda law is supposed to “protect” children from being exposed to homonormativity- content recognising homosexuality as being a societal norm.

Of course, there is hope. The Russian LGBT Network work with mass media to try and show that LGBT rights are human rights- we are no different from everyone else. Right now, Russia is experiencing a huge backlash in terms of human rights as well as LGBT rights. However, things can change, and they will change. It just takes time.”

Svetlana is the communications manager at the Russian LGBT Network. For more information, visit their website or follow them on Twitter. 

  SHANGHAI, CHINA: Summer Wu 

“It’s not uncommon to receive comments like ‘you are fat, ugly and not sexy- it must be why you turn to women,'” 

“Coming out as LGBT is extremely difficult in China. Being filial and obedient to parents is traditional in Chinese culture, so coming out can be seen as offensive to the family honour. Coming out is especially difficult for Chinese women. Single heterosexual women are discriminated enough as it is, but gay women coming out to their parents make them worry about their daughter’s future and the future of their family.

Gay women face serious discrimination. It’s not uncommon to receive comments like ‘no man wants to marry you because you are ugly, fat and not sexy,’ ‘you don’t look ugly. You must have had your heart broken by an ex-boyfriend and now you turn to women’ or ‘you don’t look like a lesbian.’

As it stands, LGBT people can not get married or adopt children. Although the LGBT community continues to advocate for our rights, the Chinese government ignore our pleas. We need to change attitudes, and that is why putting LGBT rights on the mainstream map is so important.”

Summer Wu is the Key Organiser of ShanghaiPRIDE. For more information, visit their website or follow them on Twitter. 

  TEXAS: Lou Weaver, 46, Transgender

“I’ve witnessed transgender friends be denied jobs, housing and medical care,”

“Compared to other transgender people, I see myself as lucky. The whole purpose of my job is to elevate the voices of transgender people in the state of Texas, but I have witnessed my transgender friends be denied jobs, housing and medical care.

The Southern and Northern states of the US have differing attitudes to a lot of things- and their approach towards LGBT individuals is no different. Texas is unique in that we tend to be a bit more conservative and religious. Lawmakers in Texas have proposed similar laws to North Carolina’s HB2 law (which prohibits transgender people from using the bathroom consistent with their gender identity), for instance. Sometimes people want to maintain the status quo and fight to keep things the same.

With the Texas Transvisible Project, I hope to educate Texans that transgender people are our neighbours, families, co-workers and friends.”

Lou is the Transgender Programmes Coordinator at Equality Texas. For more information, visit their website or follow them on Twitter. 

  INDIA: Harish Iyer, 37 

“Bollywood is slowly coming out of the closet,”

Photograph: The Times of India

“In India, the legal status of ‘LGB’ is very different from ‘T.’ Whilst being LGBT is not illegal, having sex against the order of nature is a crime under the colonial law- Section 377. The transgender community is recognised as a minority community and is seen as a ‘backward’ class.

Instances of homophobia vary depending on what situation and what location you are in. In metros like Mumbai, Bangalore and Delhi there is a thriving community of LGBT persons, but there are still cases of extortion and police harassment.

That is not to say that progress has not been made. Bollywood is slowly coming out of the closet, and English language media has been largely supportive of taking a stand for LGBT rights. This year’s LGBT pride in Mumbai attracted thousands and is exactly the reason whilst visibility is so important. It shows LGBT people that they are not alone.

In my activism, I have worked with Stephen Fry in his BBC2 documentary ‘OUT THERE’ and Ellen Page in her web series ‘Gaycation.'”

Harish is a social activist and was featured in the Guardian’s most influential LGBT of 2013. Follow Harish on Twitter 

Source: The Wall Street Journal 

  IRELAND: Toryn Glavin, 22, Transgender

“be the person you know you are rather than who society expects you to be.”

                    “I think Ireland has always been a hugely accepting place but with a little too much religious influence at times. Transgender people are allowed the right to self-determine their gender. Unfortunately, this right is not extended to people under the age of 18. Trans youth are one of the most visible populations in Ireland, yet are treated in a degrading way and forced to live as a gender which is not their own, which is never okay.

There’s so many misconceptions about trans people; that we’re all straight, that we feel trapped in our own bodies, that we all have ‘the surgery.’ There are also a lot of social obstacles. The healthcare system is unnecessarily complicated and confusing, and there’s also disproportionate levels of unemployment and underemployment. We’ve made progress, yes, but there’s still a lot of educating to do.

National organisations like Transgender Equality Network Ireland (TENI; which works to advance the rights and equality of trans people), have also had an international responsibility. I’ve met trans activists from across Europe, many of whom come from countries very far removed from our privileged oasis here on the edge of the continent. I think it would be a terrible shame if we became insular and removed from the plight of LGBTQI+ people across the globe.

My message for trans people out there who feel alone or afraid, as cliche as it sounds, is that it does get better. Life will still have its trials and tribulations but it’s better to face them head on as the person you know you are rather than who society expects you to be. In the words of our queen, Laverne Cox, trans is beautiful.”

Toryn works with TENI advocating for the rights and equality of trans people. For more information, visit their website or follow them on Twitter. 

  Thank you to all of our contributors. To share your experiences, use the hashtag #LGBTWorldwide or email georgia.chambers@spiceukonline.com

[spiceukonline]

TV shows to binge-watch in 2017

What better way to welcome the New Year than with a binge watch? From shiny new dramas to golden favourites, here’s the best of the small screen in 2017:

Still Star-Crossed

no UK broadcaster as of yet 

From the genius that is Shonda Rhimes comes her newest TV endeavour. At present, Shondaland is throwing out clever and provocative shows including Grey’s Anatomy, How To Get Away With Murder, and Scandal. Still Star-Crossed is a little different to Rhimes’ other modern day profession-oriented shows as it is a sequel to Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Juliet’s cousin Rosaline and Romeo’s cousin Benvolio are forced into a betrothal in an attempt to end the feud that cost the young lovers their lives.

STILL STAR-CROSSED – ABC’s “Still Star-Crossed” stars Wade Briggs as Benvolio, Lashana Lynch as Rosaline and Sterling Sulieman as Prince Escalus. (ABC/Ed Herrera)

Emerald City

Early 2017 on 5Star

Described as a darker, edgier re-telling of the Land of Oz ­book series by L. Frank Baum, Emerald City stars Puerto Rican actress Adria Arjona as a 20-year-old Dorothy Gale from the modern day. Dorothy finds herself whisked off to Oz in a storm, but from the look of things, the show isn’t going to be a happy little skip along a yellow brick road with ditzy scarecrows and cowardly lions. In fact, the “scarecrow” looks a little sexy. Just saying.

Source: eonline.com

Taboo

Jan 7th on BBC One

Tom Hardy is a fantastic actor from the big screen taking on transformative roles from playing physically intimidating Bane and Charles Bronson to both of The Kray twins. Hardy decides to grace our smaller screens at the beginning of the new year in BBC drama miniseries  Taboo as a 19th-century British adventurer who returns from Africa to avenge the death of his father after inheriting his shipping empire.

The Defenders

On Netflix sometime after Iron Fist has aired in March

Netflix has slowly been building a TV version of The Avengers with Jessica Jones, Daredevil, and Luke Cage all currently available to watch in their entirety. Iron Fist is joining the Marvel TV series team come March 2017 to complete Marvel’s The Defenders. These four super-vigilantes find themselves teaming up to save New York City from an imminent threat. I guess The Avengers must be busy or something.

Source: filmbook.com

Sherlock season 4

New Years Day 2017

I feel like I have been waiting 3 years for a new full season of Sherlock – oh wait, I have. We were graced with a one-off special on New Year’s Day 2016, but haven’t had a full season since the beginning of 2014. Regardless, on New Year’s Day, the fourth season begins where we will see how Moriarty being “back” will affect Sherlock and Watson. As well as how Sherlock will adjust to Watson having a new baby.

Source: denofgeek.com

Game of Thrones season 7

27th June 2017 on Sky Atlantic

An end to one of the most successful TV shows in history is in sight, as it has been confirmed that season 8 in 2018 will be its last. But until that sad day we still have seven episodes in the brutal lands of Westeros and Essos to shock us during 2017. Storylines and plots will really start to come to ahead as writers know the end is coming, which hopefully promises some long-awaited character reunions.

Source: blastr.com

The Leftovers season 3

mid to late 2017, Sky Atlantic 

The final season of a show with one of the most intriguing premises I’ve watched. The first season dealt with how the world would respond and adapt if 2% of the population vanished suddenly – not kidnapped, not dead. Just gone. The second season further explored how people cope after knowing that 140 million people vanished without a trace, this time focussing on the only town in the world that didn’t lose a single person. In response to this ‘Sudden Departure’ cults are born, mainstream religions question themselves, and scientists are baffled. Not much has been revealed about the final season, other than that it will be set in Australia as opposed to the U.S. like the previous seasons.

Source: nytimes.com

[spiceukonline]

Black Mirror asks: 'What's Your Rating?'

“The first episode of Black Mirror was as intense as it was realistic, showing a world a bit too close for comfort in our selfie-obsessed society.

The first episode of the third season of this hit psychological series, titled ‘Nosedive,’ stars Bryce Dallas Howard of Twilight fame and one of my favourite actresses. I was expecting good things to fill my long spout of procrastination. What I got was a mind warp.  

“you can be as fake as a houseplant to entice people online, but it’s doubtful that your 200th instagram follower will make your real life any better.”

‘Nosedive,’ set in the near future, centres around a new form of social media where everyone is given a rating out of 5, which can go up and down depending on how others rate your profile and interactions with you. It’s not too dissimilar to a class system, with those of higher ratings having access to certain privileges. Those of lower ratings are unable to access certain jobs, restricted from entering certain areas, and are ultimately shunned by those with higher ratings.

What would your rating be? Photograph: thefader.com

She doesn’t even like the damn coffee. Photograph: The Independent

This leads to a society where everyone has a need to be liked. They upload videos of themselves doing cute things with their friends. They post aesthetic pictures of food they’re eating in hopes people rate them highly. They take picture after picture until it looks just right, and then wait for the likes – oops, I mean ratings – to come flooding in.

Now, doesn’t that sound familiar? We tweet and hope people like, retweet, or even follow us. We upload pictures to Instagram that are perfectly and artistically shot to rake in the likes. I admit I’ve done that thing where you take a dozen pictures of a slice of cake or your face to get it just right, and then wait to see how many likes that post will get. My friend and I have even looked through our Instagrams to see who has the picture with the most likes, or who has the most followers. It’s me by the way. Just saying.

The closest thing we have to rate technology is Tinder, I guess. A dating app where you decide whether you like or don’t like a person. If you like them then there’s the possibility of a match. If you don’t then you lose them to the Tinder-sphere.

Granted, Tinder is probably quite far off from a universally used rating system that affects your social standing. But what if Tinder had an update where the more right swipes you get, the higher score you get? Then it’s no longer just a dating app, but an app to see how many people like you and who is the most liked. Then we’ll form a friendship with those with the same number of likes as us, and shun those with lower. Then you’ll need likes to be able to ride a bus. Then the whole world will fall into ruin!

Okay, maybe not that. I’m just being dramatic to emphasise our generations’ obsession with being ‘liked’ by social media.

A pastel-coloured nightmare. Photograph: collider

Me when a 10/10 doesn’t match with me on Tinder. Photograph: Vox

  A great addition to ‘Nosedive’ was a character with a very low rating of 1.6; an older lady who had lost her husband to cancer. When Howard’s character questions why she doesn’t care about her rating the older lady basically says ‘being liked didn’t cure by husbands cancer, so I stopped caring if I was liked.’ This older lady then went on living her life saying what she wanted when she wanted and was happier for it. She represented this idea that you can be as fake as a houseplant to entice people online, but it’s doubtful that your 200th Instagram follower will make your real life any better.

I’m not sure if this has become a review, another one of my depressing observations on modern obsession with social media, or a monstrous hybrid of the two.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, social media has taken over our lives. It has become as much a part of everyday life as cars and clothes, and it is never leaving. Let’s just hope Charlie Brooker is wrong this time. Or we’ll all be living a pastel-coloured social media nightmare.

If you’re curious of your rating there’s a test you can take from The Telegraph that is totally legit… What is your rating?

[spiceukonline]

Preacher Review (TV Series)

Preacher Review (TV Series)

dialogue

acting

shock factor

plot development

visuals

2016-10-14

3.8/FIVE

  MOST people love a good superhero movie, but superhero adaptations have been churned out so fast since over the years that Bruce Wayne’s parents would be turning in their graves.

However, more recently what I can only call ‘non-superhero’ comics are being adapted for the big and small screens – including the dark yet droll Preacher.

Preacher is the TV adaptation of a comic book series created by Garth Dennis and Steve Dillon. Adapted by Evan Goldberg, Seth Rogen, and Sam Catlin, Dominic Cooper stars as small town preacher Jesse Custer as he struggles to keep his town interested and believing in God and Christianity. Jesse then finds himself sort of possessed by a half-angel-half-demon entity which gives him the power to control people’s minds. I guess that would make him a super-preacher.

The Preacher and his ‘flock.’ Photograph: The Telegraph

The story of the first season is nice and simple; Jesse wants to make his late father’s church a success again while trying to stop Odin Quincannon (Jackie Earle Haley) from taking his land to build a mall – but it’s the cast themselves that really carry the show. Cooper gives Jesse this southern cowboy charm that just makes you fall in love with his character even when he makes stupid decisions, one after another. He also has to be the most attractive preacher I have ever seen – just saying.

Tulip (Ruth Negga) is a no-nonsense lady who will shove your sorry arse out a three-story window if she doesn’t like the look of you. Basically, you’d want to be her friend. This golden trio of acting talent is completed by Irish party-boy Cassidy (Joseph Gilgun) who likes nothing more than booze, sex, and drugs. Oh, and he’s a one-hundred-year-old vampire but that’s not important.

Gilgun, Cooper, and Negga Photograph: GQ

Fun fact – the four main cast members are all Brits. Lucy Griffiths plays the church organist and is best known for her role as Maid Marion in the BBC adaption of Robin Hood and Gilgun a former Emmerdale cast member. Moving up the television hierarchy from humble British soap to big-shot US drama, some of these guys have come a long way.

Episode 6, titled ‘Sundowner’, is particular worthy of a mention for a certain sequence that is just glorious to watch. It involves Custer and two angels fighting a bad angel, but whenever an angel dies the body stays where it is and a new one appears randomly. Therefore, as the three angels and the preacher are going at it the body count is constantly rising – literally. The angels just keep dying and coming back A LOT, but leaving a body behind each time. Since this is all going on in a tiny motel room, you can only imagine the health hazard that would cause. It might sound like a rather macabre scene, but it was very cleverly shot and put together. So I do appreciate it both for its artistry and sick hilarity.

The finishing moments of the final episode are the reasons for my high scoring in shock factor because those few final minutes completely changed the dynamic of the show. Most cast members will definitely not be returning and the second season of the show will follow a drastically different path to that of the first.

Although I think the shock ending of the final episode is great for completely changing up the dynamic for the second season, I also feel a little cheated. Some of the characters had great personalities and there were some relationships that would have been interesting to see develop more. So ultimately, I do think it was a teeny tiny mistake to write off the entire cast sans Gilgun, Negga, and Cooper.

With it’s Southern US setting, supernatural elements, and witty script, Preacher is perfect for fans of True Blood and Supernatural- so go forth and binge.

Preacher is currently available to watch in its entirety on Amazon Prime. 

[spiceukonline]

Orphan Black Review

Created by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, Orphan Black is a sci-fi drama thriller which explores the topic of human cloning, and the effects it could have on individuals if it did occur in real life.

It stars Tatiana Maslany in the lead roles as she not only plays one character, or two, but no less than 10 characters on the show. Beat that Lohan.

The show begins with Sarah Manning (Maslany), the headstrong, feisty Brit, who discovers she is just one of many human clones scattered around the globe. Slowly we are introduced to clone after clone, each played magnificently by Maslany herself, and I mean magnificently. Maslany should win a Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, and whatever other awards you can win from acting as I am constantly amazed by her phenomenal performances. She not only portrays more characters in one show than I’ve had hot dinners, but I frequently find myself caught off-guard, forgetting that the characters are played by the same actress.

Sarah Manning

A British woman living in America who spent her entire life in the foster system, Sarah could be considered the main clone of the show. Viewers meet her initially in the first episode, and the show focuses mainly on her discovery and acceptance of the knowledge that she was created in a lab along with countless others like her.

Maslany plays her as a strong-willed young mother who will do anything to protect her daughter from those who created the clones.

  Cosima Niehaus

Cosima is an awesome Californian scientist with dreads and a boho-chic fashion sense, which frankly makes her the coolest character on TV. I kinda want to be her. She seems to be constantly high as she calmly navigates her experience of being a clone, all the while using her cool sciencey brain to answer why an illegal human cloning program even happened in the first place

  Alison Hendrix

Alison is a stereotypical American ‘soccer mom’: she has the perfect suburban house, the big soccer mom car, and spends her days looking after her kids or cleaning the house. But only when she’s not busy hiding dead bodies, torturing her suspicious husband, or running a suburban drug empire, that is.

Maslany plays Alison with a perfect balance of comedy, fragility, and aggressiveness. Alison is constantly used as comic relief within the show as she tries to keep her white picket-fence life normal despite discovering she’s the product of illegal cloning.

  Rachel Duncan

One might say that Rachel has a ‘stick up somewhere the Sun don’t shine.’ Unlike the other clones, Rachel was raised entirely self-aware of her clone status since birth, being raised within the same cloning program that made her. Now, if anything is going to damage a child, I think it’s that.

Just like Sarah, Maslany plays Rachel as British but with a much stiffer upper lip. She’s well-spoken, stylish, and sophisticated which makes her a great villain that you can’t help but love to see onscreen.

  Helena

One word used to describe Helena; crazypants. Raised in Ukraine isolated from much civilisation, Helena is an unhinged and damaged expert at killing and is forever balancing on the fence between good and bad. It’s safe to say you would not want to get on her bad side. Threaten her or anyone she loves and she will kill you. With a spoon.

Maslany’s scenes as Helena are probably my favourite as her eccentric and nutty performance is just ridiculously impressive to watch.

The 4 Clone Dance Party

Most of the show includes quite heavy storylines including kidnap, terminal illness, miscarriage, murder, and that’s just the tip of the clone iceberg. So a particular scene that has stuck with me since watching all three seasons is one of the final scenes in the season two finale, which is a little more light-hearted and fun compared to the rest of the show.

After thwarting the evil plans of the cloning program, the clones just decide to put on an awesome song called Water Prayer (Mat the Alien Remix) by Adham Shaikh and dance their fabulous clone butts off. Because YOLO, as the youths say.

The music is enough to get you up and moving yourself and the characters look like they’re having so much fun you just want to join them.

Then you think hang on, this scene has five characters in it all dancing, each with their own unique style, but the scene only has two actors. Sarah’s flamboyant foster brother Felix (Jordan Gavaris) is having a lovely time dancing with Sarah, Cosima, Alison, and Helena, but when filming it would have just been Gavaris and Maslany.

So in reality, this seemingly trivial three minute dance scene actually took two days to film as Maslany had to essentially pretend to dance with herself before editors cleverly merged the footage together.

With a massive fan following, I can see Orphan Black gracing our TVs for awhile as it was recently renewed for a fourth season with the first two season available to binge on Netflix. This will allow the show to continue to explore the controversial topic of the morality and ethical issues of human cloning in a dramatic fashion.

#OrphanBlack 

@Kyle_Grizzell 

        Orphan Black Review (TV Series) Orphan Black Review Created by Graeme Manson and John Fawcett, Orphan Black is a sci-fi drama thriller which explores the topic of human cloning, and the effects it could have on individuals if it did occur in real life.