Rehearsal is the second studio album from Byron Bay band Skegss, coming off the back of 2018’s My Own Mess. Since breaking out in 2013, the trio; Toby, Benny, and John have continued to affirm themselves as a consistently enjoyable Australian surf rock band., The band has playeding sold out shows in Australia and Europe, signeding with international label Loma Vista, and baggeding an ARIA nomination for Best Rock Album.
While sonically Rehearsal may be a step in a different direction for the band, at its core the album encapsulates the themes that listeners of Skegss have related to since 2015’s 50 Push-ups for a Dollar. The uncertainty of looking towards the future, drinking (and eating) with mates, and the ups and downs of growing up are all ideas woven throughout the record, explored with the subtle and unpretentious lyrics that have come to epitomise the band’s writing.
The album opens with Down to Ride, a simple musing on the experience of living, and only getting to do it once. The chorus asks if we’re down to ride, and down we are, as the rest of the album continues to probe questions about life and our experience of it.
Stand out upbeat and catchy songs are Valhalla, Bush TV, and Under the Thunder, all put out as singles before the final album release. One can just imagine the mosh of sweaty men and women bouncing around and singing “Well, this world makes me wonder, Yeah, it all seems so excitin”.
The rest of the album is quieter, gentler even.
Things start to sound a bit more country on Sip of Wine, where the guitar sounds like a gallop and the tambourine is plays subdued. Benny sings “if you got things that you don’t use then put them to use or sell them up instead of collecting dust and make some space in the space”.
The contemplative lyrics of Running from Nothing, Wake Up and Fantasising place us in the world of dreams, memories, and the imagination. Wake Up is a beautiful exploration of finding your voice, set to the backdrop of a single guitar, similar to earlier songs such as Stranger and Heart Attack.
It is on tracks like these that Skegss highlight their depth as musicians, capturing the angst and ambivalence of being young in a way that is thorough yet light “I fell out of a dream,
I must have landed on my sheets, ‘Cause I woke up right where I went to sleep”.
The album concludes with Lucky, a soft serenade featuring delicate whistling and harmonica perfectly capturing the youthful experience of love with the lyrics “lucky star of love, I don’t care if you’re a satellite, because tonight you’re more than what you are.” We’re left feeling warm and nostalgic, smiling to ourselves about memories that we won’t get to live again.
Rehearsal is a cohesive album that is less headbanging-y than what we have come to expect from Skegss but stays true to the core of what makes Skegss the loved band that they are. It’s youthful, laid-back, and light-hearted while still effectively capturing the essence of the unknown future of growing up.
Comments Off on Minari: the tell-tale portrait of family life and cultural hostility
Walking out of Dendy’s Cinema, I did not expect to resonate as closely as I did with Minari’s modest portrayal of family life. Set in the backdrop of rural Arkansas during the 1980s, Director Lee Isaac Chung paints a semi-autobiographical portrait of his own upbringing through the lens of the young Yi family. Chung offers a heart-breaking, earnest yet unmistakably vivid depiction of a South-Korean immigrant family residing in America.
As a moviegoer who never passes at the opportunity to watch something fast-paced and thrilling, I wasn’t entirely sure how Minari would pass off. Drama, as a genre, usually distils itself into the category of contemporary naturalism which can sometimes come across as overly ordinary and unexciting. But ironically, I think one of the most impressive aspects of this film was its ability to capture and expose the essence of these mundane moments of family life.
Minari opens with the backseat of the family car, capturing the faces of the Yi children, David (Alan Kim) and Anne (Noel Cho) as they drive towards their new home. Alongside the diegetic rustle of the car bumping on the gravel road, the harmonic tone of the film is immediately set by the musical theme. Emile Mosseri introduces soft piano keys which overlay a gentle hymn. The fragility of the humming sound is strengthened by each poised piano chord. Figuratively, the contrast of the musical soundtrack doubles as a metaphor for Jacob Yi’s (Steven Yeun) pursuit of his own double-sided version of Americana. Jacob dreams of building a farm and extending his ‘hobby’ of a five-acre garden to his dream of ‘50 acres’. However, he pursues this with blinding ambition. This sparks a discord between his wife, Monica (Han Yeri), who fears for the financial security of the family. The parent’s eroding relationship and their on-screen fighting (the primary source of conflict throughout the film) represents the sacrifices one makes in pursuit of the elusive American Dream. In fact, he is willing to give up his responsibility to and for his family in order for them to ‘see [him] succeed at something for once’.
Chung paints this narrative of patriarchal ambition from an Asian-American perspective very well. This is conveyed beautifully though his directing and cinematography. The marrying of the sombre opening score with a single long shot of Jacob smoking in the field was one of the most memorable and vivid scenes for me. Comparative to the light filled ambiance that captivates majority of the film, the dark hues of that mise-en-scène was an obvious turning point in the film; the slanted angle of Jacob’s distraught face, his uncomfortable crouched position and the cigarette dangling from the edge of his lips. Jacob’s desire to assimilate himself into the prosperous ideal of the American Dream is arguably only a shadow of his true identity. Playing with this theme of duality, Chung shows how Jacob’s Korean identity ultimately overshadows his desire for American material success. Despite being an ‘American’ farmer in rural Arkansas, Jacob grows Korean vegetables, a literal and figurative symbol of him remaining true to his Korean roots and motherland. If there is one thing this fatherly figure champions, it’s a long-lasting reverence and pride for his cultural heritage. Just like the assured stroke of the ivories in the film’s musical score, Jacob’s identity as a father over a worker dissipates the elusiveness of his immigrant-perspective of Americana.
Along with these beautifully rendered moments of acceptance and sacrifice, Minari offers us an uncanny lens of cross-cultural friction during adolescence. This narrative of cultural affront and shame is told directly from the lens of the Yi family’s young son, David. For individuals from bi-cultural households, this experience of cultural judgement, self-loathing and insecurity are familiar sentiments that are displayed by David’s relationship with his grandmother (Youn Yuh-Jung). Upon meeting her for the first time, his resentment towards her deepens due to David’s lack of cultural acceptance from a young age. It is her cultural unconventionality, of being ‘not like other Western grandmothers who bake cookies and don’t swear’, that David shames and rejects her familial status.
Regretfully, I too admit to being embarrassed of my grandparents’ cultural differences in comparison to my other white classmates. When they picked me up from primary school, I would hush them when they spoke Cantonese too loudly for fear of getting stared down. Looking back, it’s sickening to even think how little value I placed on my cultural background that I was vocal enough to silence people in my life that I loved. Upon watching Minari, I saw a projection of my own seven-year old self within David’s hostile demeanour towards his grandmother. Without even realising it, Minari so accurately replayed to me my own childhood encounter of cultural friction.
The collective praise offered up to Lee Chung’s Minari is not at all excessive, but very well deserved. The film shares a universal tale that is not limited to the experience of Koreans, Korean-Americans or just Americans. It voices a narrative of struggle, familial sacrifice, cultural acceptance and finally, harmony. Minari is an uncanny reminder of everyday cross-cultural exchange and the forgotten costs of labour and love.
It’s worth leaning into Jacob Allen’s (as Puma Blue) brand of trip-hop-inflected ambient pop. I don’t doubt that any critic could write off this music as being too gentle, too washed out, or too subdued, but if you believe it’s there, I think you’ll find that these songs have real character, succeeding in their subtlety.
Generally speaking, the tracks you’ll find on ‘In Praise of Shadows’ opt for quiet atmospherics to shroud muted, murky guitars, beautifully sour notes, hip-hop drum patterns, quietly subterranean bass, and Allen’s unmistakably fragile voice. There’s very little diversion from this downtempo sonic world of his, save for the hurried jazzy breakbeat that establishes the straight OOZ-era Archy Marshall worship of ‘Oil Slick’. The beats here offer, by and large, tasteful minimalism, and give Allen ample space to add really lovely guitar embellishments low down in the mix on many tracks.
I would say that it’s a curious sort of formula he works with here – these tracks are so quiet and downcast (and occasionally vocally indecipherable) that they are quite reliant on strong melodic direction. ‘Sheets’ is a pretty clear-cut example of this – lacking a compelling melody, the song falters into boredom. For the most part though, Allen rises to the occasion musically.
‘Velvet Leaves’ is a pretty strong manifesto for the project as a whole, aided by some of the sharpest writing on the album, conveying some genuinely heartfelt emotion toward his sister. ‘Already Falling’ is fantastic rhythmically – the subtly funky drums, wandering bass, and Allen’s vocals interact so, so nicely. The aforementioned ‘Oil Slick’ is another highpoint; although somewhat derivative, it’s no less enthralling. ‘Silk Print’ is about as bare as the album gets sonically, with its lone sad guitar floating into the ether, but it’s undeniably devastating, particularly having first heard it immediately following a breakup of my own. ‘Opiate’ pairs a forlorn, almost ominous guitar line with classic trip-hop drums in a pleasing way. Strangely, ‘Sleeping’ incongruously sounds almost identical to PARTYNEXTDOOR’s ‘Come and See Me’, a brief foray into contemporary R&B. Closing the album, ‘Super Soft’ is well produced, offering a nice touch of acoustic guitar with pads and syncopated, skittering, programmed drums.
I’ll note that ‘Snowflower’, despite possessing a really interestingly obtuse beat, is nearly completely derailed by the warped filters on Allen’s voice. They’re fascinating, sure, but all too distracting and off-pitch.
I do really love the bulk of the instrumentals here, however I feel like I’m wanting for more lyrical intimacy and directness to punctuate the ambience. ‘Is It Because’, for example, is pleasant enough, but lacks focus and ends up just feeling a little overlong. ‘Bath House’, too, is a song I do actually quite enjoy although it suffers in a similar way. These tracks leave so much room for Allen to explore the bleak corners of his psyche, I just feel he’s a bit too vague at times.
That said, I’m pleased with what’s here. At the right time, in the right melancholic state, I suspect that the music here would speak to any listener willing to engage with its downtempo atmosphere and sly idiosyncrasies.
Think your name would look good in print? Woroni is always open for submissions. Email write@woroni.com.au with a pitch or draft. You can find more info on submitting here.
Comments Off on Quarantine items that helped us almost get a 7.0 GPA: PART 2
Content warning: mentions of drug use and suicide
Welcome back to the second half of our two- part series of things that have pulled us through this pandemic so far. Again, you may be wondering why this isn’t actual academic advice. But looking after your mental health is important, so we hope that you have and will enjoy our recommendations and they’ll help you relax and unwind a little when you need it most.
You miss being trapped in a sweaty crowd with heaps of drunk people? Same.
Something that really pulled me through this pandemic was music, although like many of us, I missed all the concerts and live music events that were no longer going ahead. But, many artists pulled through and presented us with online live streamed performances. Artists like Billie Eilish, H.E.R and Gorillaz held live concerts over the last year. In the coming months, we can look forward to many live streamed performances. Although the tickets are often a lot cheaper for these online concerts, the lack of any audience interaction and the eerie fake applause (if there is any at all), can often make the whole experience feel very impersonal and more like a recorded rehearsal than a genuine performance. But if you’re really missing the music scene these online concerts will definitely make up for it, even if only half-heartedly.
Do-san’s CODA video (if you know, you know).
One thing that I really got into with all my free pandemic time were K-dramas. With accessible plots, attractive leads and a highly binge-able format, it was easy to sit for hours watching show after show and roping my friends in to watch them too. One particular stand out that came out at the end of last year was Start-up (2020). The show is one season long and stars Nam Joo-hyuk, Bae Suzy and Kim Seon-ho in the lead roles. Start-up follows the story of Dal-mi as she navigates the cut throat world of tech start-ups whilst trying to reconnect with her first love and prove to her sister that she’s capable of making it. With its high budget, stellar cast and great writing, the show manages to draw you into the dry world of business and somehow make it interesting. The show is also surprisingly humorous despite dealing with serious themes like family issues, disability, and the growing difficulty of ‘making it’ in an ever-shrinking world. Start-up (2020) ends up being a complex and nuanced exploration of family and love, themes that are continually explored until it’s very last scene.
This section is kinda dry
Even though I spent a lot of my time watching K-drama’s, I still had time left to develop another addiction. And that came in late June last year, when TikTok introduced me, and the rest of the world to skincare. Skincare tutorials and recommendations gained traction and popularity, selling out companies like The Ordinary and The Inkey List. Spearheaded by a new kind of “skincare influencer” even doctors and dermatologists weighed in on what routines and products were the best. There’s something very soothing about establishing a skincare routine in an increasingly unpredictable world with the added bonus of retail therapy. Although I will say that many skincare products are often gimmicks and lead to spending a lot of money on unnecessary products that you’re told you need. It also pushes a rather unhealthy beauty standard; that even without makeup your skin should be smooth, glowing and flawless. But if you are interested in diving, I learnt three things that might save you a bit of time and money. Firstly, use a good sunscreen every day! Secondly, just because something is affordable doesn’t mean it’s always good for you and conversely just because a product is expensive or high-end doesn’t mean it actually works. Lastly, tailor your routine for the problems you actually want to tackle rather than buying products that are popular at the time.
Malcom and Marie’s Mac and Cheese
As mentioned previously the global pandemic has definitely put the entertainment industry on hold, however one interesting product from this was the 2021 Netflix film, Malcolm and Marie. This was the first Hollywood film ever to be entirely written, produced and filmed during the pandemic. A black and white romantic drama that spans one night, we follow the catastrophic relationship of Malcolm (John David Washington) and Marie (Zendaya) as an argument unfolds after they come home from Malcolm’s movie premier. The film also deals with drug addiction and suicide, so a quick content warning here if you aren’t comfortable with those topics. The movie was filmed entirely on one location with only two characters, with a script primarily written by the director (Sam Levinson). I’ll be honest: I don’t think Malcom and Marie is an easy watch, as it is often punctuated by rambling monologues that can make the film drag. This isn’t helped by the singular location either. Nonetheless, I still think it’s a film worth watching. I recommend it not only for the unique challenges it had to account for, but also, for the chemistry between the main characters and the captivating and intimate performances from both Zendaya and Washington. The whole film almost represents a microcosm of what it was like for the rest of us stuck inside our own houses with the same people and it’s certainly representative of the time in which it was made.
The twilight movie soundtracks are the only redeemable parts of the Twilight Saga
Now if positive reviews aren’t your thing, and you need to be distracted by the worldwide train wreck, then I have just the suggestion for you. Stephanie Meyer’s Midnight Sun was released last year, 15 years after the first Twilight novel was published. Midnight Sun is a retelling of Twilight but written from Edward’s perspective instead of Bella’s. If you had a crush on Edward like I did in my youth, or even if you didn’t, you’ll certainly hate him after reading this. The book is 750 pages of unfiltered and unbroken disgust towards all humans except for Bella and the people she cares about. He also spends a lot of time thinking about how Bella isn’t like other girls because she likes books and doesn’t wear makeup. Which is something we love to see written in 2020. Meyer’s work, especially in recent years has received a lot more attention. This has given birth to a Twilight renaissance of sorts, with memes to enjoy but also more warranted criticism towards the series. Not only for its heavy religious overtones but also the blatant racism towards Native Americans and the thinly veiled misogyny written into every chapter. Based on Midnight Sun, I don’t think Meyer has really registered any of that criticism. If you’re looking to occupy your time with something nostalgic whilst also being infuriated the whole time, then I would definitely recommend Midnight Sun.
That ends our entire two-part series about items that either got us through this pandemic or had to adapt just like the rest of us did. Sabrina and I hope you get your 7.0 GPA after reading and enjoying our insightful recommendations.
Comments Off on Post Human: Survival Horror – An Album Review
My ‘rock’ roots were reignited after stumbling across Bring Me the Horizon’s (BMTH) newest album release Post Human: Survival Horror. Written during the isolating months between March and late October, their deathcore aggression and cyberpunk synth beats perfectly radiated pandemic paranoia.
The album kicks off with high energy and fast drums. BMTH’s introductory song, Dear Diary,, encapsulates the initial uncertainty and panic of COVID. Effortlessly, Oli Skye documents the worldwide hysteria and incidence of panic-travelling and panic-buying; the speed-metal underscore and aggressive screamo draws on the anger and confusion of moving off campus and working from home without the comfort and proximity of friends.
Whilst the rhythmic drum beats and strong bass riff confers universal angst, they also inflate the dystopian concept of the band’s ‘post human’ series. Distinctively, the speed-metal tones echo a fictional post-apocalyptic fantasy:
(Dear Diary)
‘I keep fading in and out
I don’t know where I’ve been
I feel so hungry
What the hell is happening?
The sky is falling
It’s fucking boring
I’m going braindead, isolated’
But most importantly, the first introduction track to the album voices not only a sense of teenage boredom, but a sense of discomfort. Specifically, dissatisfaction with authorial leadership. This sentiment is relayed throughout the album’s revived nu-metal style and frequent battlecry-like lyrics.
Another highlight of the album is Parasite Eve which differs from the deathcore style of the introduction song. In fact, the use of a choir vocal sample from the Bulgarian folk song, Le Mystère des Voix Bulgares, perfectly distils a sense of end-of-the-world imminency.
(Parasite Eve)
‘When we forget the infection
Will we remember the lesson?
If the suspense doesn’t kill you
Something else will’
BMTH is notorious for their reckless and bold approach to their discography. But what elevates their newest album isn’t merely their angsty relatability. In fact, their album has racked in ‘universal acclaim’, scoring an average of 82/100 on Metacritic. BMTH exhibits raw honesty in their lyrics whilst maintaining an integrity to their ‘melodic auteurism’, reminiscent of their iconic 2006 metalcore sound.
Indeed, their ‘high octane ferocity’ was welcomed by an audience who are likewise exasperated by the emotional and political instability of 2020. Skye’s juxtaposition of his forefront screamo, against a backdrop of personal and vulnerable lyrics, reveal the album’s heart-to-heart with all survivors of the lockdown and isolation.
(Teardrops)
‘We hurt ourselves for fun
Force-feed our fear until our hearts go numb
Addicted to a lonely kind of love
What I wanna know
Is how we got this stressed out, paranoid?
Themes of tech addiction, media anxiety, moral responsibility, political disillusionment and mental health are all addressed by Skye throughout the track. The brilliance of Post Human: Survival Horror is how Skye was able to create a post-apocalyptic rock tune that was eerily recognisable given our global experiences of COVID. He avidly criticises the inadequacy of global leadership , expressing his own emotional disconnect and ‘suicidal, violent, tragic state of mind’ (Teardrops).
Post Human: Survival Horror remains brutal yet undeniably authentic. It relays a storyline of discomfort and unease by documenting an anecdotal truth of personal struggle and resilience.
Think your name would look good in print? Woroni is always open for submissions. Email write@woroni.com.au with a pitch or draft. You can find more info on submitting here.
Comments Off on Pixar’s Soul Changes How We Find Meaning in Life
Soul is a Disney Pixar animated film, released in 2020 for streaming on Disney +. The film is a landmark for Pixar: it is the first film to have an African – American lead and its thematic exploration covers uncharted territory. The film stars Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner, an aspiring Jazz musician and high school band teacher and Tina Fey as no.22, a new soul who doesn’t want to begin life on earth. The movie was directed by Pete Docter, famous for his previous directing work on Up (2009) and Inside Out (2015).
The story follows Gardner through his trials and tribulations chasing his dream to become a successful jazz musician, but on his way to his first major gig with famous jazz musician, Dorothea Williams – Joe finds himself in the ‘Great Beyond’. What follows is Joe’s desperate attempts to get back to the life that he believed he had barely begun living. He manages to end up as a soul counsellor in the ‘Great Before’, a place where unborn souls are taught to find their ‘spark’ before they can be born on Earth. Joe is paired with no. 22 who has been in the ‘Great Before’ for over a millennium, and it is Joe’s job to help them discover their ‘spark’ in life.
Soul pushes a lot of barriers and is a film that often fits many of the clichés that you would expect from a film trying to give children a run-down on finding meaning in life. The first trailer left a lot to be desired, with many comparing it Inside Out, disappointed with another movie that seems to have recycled its plot. But Soul takes some unexpected twists, for example including an astro-projecting group of souls that help save souls that are ‘lost’ or without purpose, and an unexpected body-swap storyline. However, the film often has trouble with its pacing, sometimes moving with breakneck speed over the beginning and then grinding down to a halt around the middle before moving back to a watchable pace. With Joe’s death, this feels like a purposeful choice to mimic the feeling of an abrupt death but often it just makes the film feel slow in some parts.
The movie does have many good points though. The animation in the film is absolutely gorgeous and entirely unexpected. Many of the scenes that take place on earth are filled with more detail than many animated films I’ve ever seen, from its like-life designs, to its realistic textures and bright colours. The ‘Great Beyond’ and ‘Great Before’ use remarkably simple colour palettes and many soft 2D shapes and lines. It is also a lot more stylised and souls are given uniform shapes and colours with only one or two identifying details compared to the complexity and uniqueness of the designs of humans found on Earth. These artistic choices are a very unsubtle way of showcasing the main themes and messaging of the film.
The film’s main strength overall is its approach to themes. They certainly aren’t easy ones for a children’s animated film to tackle. Soul delves into ideas of what life and death look like, and how we find purpose and meaning through creativity, or a simple, ordinary life. Joe and subsequently no. 22’s journey from the ‘Great Before’, ‘Great Beyond’ and life take us through how the creators of the film want us to view our own lives. Joe believes that his purpose is to be a jazz musician, that, if he can just make it as one, his life will have the kind of meaning he has always been looking for. For no. 22, life has no inherent meaning or purpose and there really isn’t any reason to want to live at all. But through their journeys, not only does Joe learn the value in the life he had already been living, but no. 22 also learns that there are things worth living and taking risks for. This journey is intensely familiar for many of us, trying to find meaning and fulfillments in our lives. Soul provides a hopeful and almost cathartic experience as we watch characters from vastly different backgrounds find their own meaning and fulfillment.
The movie also has some very interesting concepts based on what it means to create art and be an artist. Soul explores the concept of “the zone” where artists enter a zone where they are no longer on earth but entering a spiritual place with their soul when they truly concentrate on their art. The movie is also filled with reverence for music— particularly jazz. The love the creators have for art and music and how that can create meaning in life is evident throughout the film especially in the nostalgic almost lingering scenes on the process of making music. The passion, love and understanding the creators showed towards art and music makes the film much more engaging, and especially enjoyable for people who love music themselves.
Soul is a film that I would highly recommend watching. I don’t think it’s an entirely interesting or easy watch for children. However, for the rest of us, its exploration of many of the truths that we search for in our own lives can yield really profound and meaningful insights. When I first finished watching the film, I was happy and surprised not only by how well made it was but also in how refreshingly and convincingly it conveyed themes that are often left repeated and unheard for many of us. In the end, one part of the film really stood out to me. Towards the end of Soul Joe discovers a small seed that no. 22 collects from their time on earth, and he thinks of all the small human moments he experienced in his life. In that moment, Joe realises that the meaning of life is often what we make of it ourselves, and it isn’t always a large grand dream, but simply being willing to live every day.
Comments Off on Quarantine Activities that almost Scored Us a 7.0 GPA Part I
We present to you the first half of our two-part series reviewing items that have helped us stay resilient during the isolation period. This also includes events that have had to adapt to the changes in COVID regulations. Whilst we hope this list will in some form or another help you bust out four HDs this semester, we present to you an honest collaborative collection of trends, activities and media recommendations that have helped us to face each day with a sense of grit!
Coffee drinkers who do it for the aesthetic
Dalgona (달고나) coffee was one of the most iconic recipe trends to come out of Tik Tok in quarantine. Initially, the foamy bronze-beaten beverage struck a sense of awe and curiosity, satisfying cravings for any opportunity to replace Sunday brunch story highlights on Instagram. Unabashedly, I admit to partaking in both these trends early last year. Dalgona coffee was first popularised by J’adore’s ‘Quarantine Coffee Challenge’ which has now garnered over 12 million views on YouTube since March last year. Also known as ‘whipped coffee’, the process not only required patience, but also an unforeseen quota of arm strength (a worthy replacement for arm day at the gym!). Whilst this was definitely a fresh take on the usual frappe order, the labour intensity of the drink meant that I did not revisit this recipe too often. Overall, dalgona coffee became a cleansing part of my morning routine in March and is a drink with a legacy that will forever remain synonymous with the dawn of lockdown.
Your friends haven’t contacted you? Same?!
Granted the reduced face-to-face opportunities last year, a lot of people turned to podcasts for their daily digest. I found podcasts to be an effective way to help me wind down in the afternoon and reflect on both my mental headspace and inner-circle relationships. Between Neens and Deens’ episode on toxic friendships provided a fresh perspective on friendship red flags, complacency and accountability. As opposed to viewing people themselves as toxic, Nina and Dejan explain how friendship compatibility is determined by the reciprocal needs of both individuals at a particular point in their lives. Whilst it has become commonplace to label friends as ‘toxic’ after a friendship fallout, this podcast was an essential reminder that people themselves are not toxic, but relationships can be if the dynamic between individuals is no longer spirited with the same enthusiasm. It’s not always about mending, but sometimes about letting go. Nevertheless, the podcast provided a positive outlook on when to commit to others and when commit to yourself.
The pandemic movie pre-pandemic
Whilst some people disassociated themselves completely from any media content regurgitating COVID-related information, I found that a source of my anxiety was stooped in my general lack of scientific knowledge regarding the virus’ functions and mutations. You may be familiar with the 2011 film ‘Contagion’, a striking on-screen parallel of the COVID-19 outbreak. The world is plagued by an infectious disease, at-home isolation is enforced, a vaccine is in its trail stages of development and the spread of misinformation is catalysed by internet personalities (sounding all too familiar, 2020?). Watching the fictional timeline of the movie’s MEV-1 virus and comparing it to our own pandemic provided an uncanny but illuminating insight into the tireless work of epidemiologists and infectious control units. If you have not yet viewed the movie, it provides a not-so-dystopian fact-based representation of the world vs. pandemic in the 21st Century.
“And you’re probably with that blonde girl”
Now, a note on pop culture! Included amongst the most streamed songs written and released during quarantine is Olivia Rodrigo’s debut single driver’s license. Whilst it may be considered increasingly overplayed, it has impressed myself, friends and listeners worldwide by topping the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart. Whilst I cannot remember my immediate reaction to the song, the soft piano notes reinvoked a sense of early-teenage nostalgia that I was so extremely grateful for. The Disney star’s breakup ballad was written in quarantine but released earlier this year. Her lyrics hint at the love triangle entanglement between her co-star on HSMTMTS and former Disney channel child star. Certainly, after seeing Rodrigo’s heartbreak love song also played on my friends’ Spotify activity list, it’s clear that driver’s license has asserted itself as a Gen Z staple.
The tennis during lockdown
For regular viewers of the tennis, the sound of squeaky sneakers and ritual applause after rallies is a signal of a brand-new year. However, this year, the hotshot Australian Open (AO) has had to adapt and change to match the speed of COVID regulation changes. After Melbourne’s five-day snap lockdown, the usual packed-to-the-rim crowds were cleared out of all arenas overnight. Instead of a stadium of bright colours, the backdrop of players’ serves were lined with rows of empty blue chairs. I was reminded of the bright and youthful atmosphere of the AO in 2019 after receiving an off-handed reminder from Instagram’s memories. Only two years earlier I had seen the legend himself, Federer, in one of his early matches. But watching the tennis online along with everyone else, I think the most startling change was the lack of ambience. Precisely, the haunting silence that followed long rallies. Without the riled-up atmosphere of the crowds, the only sense of validity to each point was confirmed by the *occasional* clap from a players’ box. But this was (strangely) rectified by the addition of fake crowd cheers. Whilst it enhanced online viewers experience of the match, it was definitely uncanny to hear the same round of recorded clapping after two sets. But if there was one thing that telecasts can’t replace, it’s the kindred and fiery spirit of our crowds. Just like the crowd chants, real or recorded, our resilience has allowed us to thrive and adapt in any and all circumstances of change.
With that, we end the first half of our list of recommendations. Stay tuned for the second part of our review list where my fellow reviews sub-editor Ashley will be sharing her collection to be released in the following weeks.
Comments Off on The Parisian Dream: A Review of Emily in Paris
Name a show that has received more backlash than Netflix’s new series, Emily in Paris. Some of the harsher criticisms have included: a ‘wikipedia version of French life’ and an insult to ‘anyone who has eaten a croissant’.
Despite these critiques, millions of viewers have fallen in love with this new comedy-drama. Created by Darren Star, the man responsible for Sex and the City and Beverly Hills 90210, the show follows Emily Cooper as she upends her life in Chicago for the city of lights, love and fashion…Paris. The age-old story of an American who moves to Paris, falls in love with a beautiful French man and eats baguettes and croissants all day.
It may be an understatement that the French did not enjoy this show. Parisians have railed against the America-in-Paris cliché that has been replayed in countless shows and movies from Midnight in Paris to Ratatouille. Emily strolls around in Barbie outfits, using a translator to speak French and treating Paris as her amusement park. She is utterly clueless about French customs. She smiles too much, cares too much about work and stands out in her loud clothing. But within these clichés lie grains of truth. Smiling is less of a pleasantry in France, work culture is different, and yes, less is usually more when it comes to French fashion. While clichés may be considered lazy writing, the show plays the clichés on itself, exaggerating them for effect and turning them into a humorous critique of the divide between Parisian and American culture.
Despite the endless bad reviews, Emily in Paris also provides a thoughtful insight into what it means to feel an outsider in a new culture. Emily’s struggle to fit in felt relatable. A comforting reminder that change is always going to be difficult.
The show also provided a much-needed respite from today’s world. With COVID-19, U.S. elections and countless other 2020 worries crowding our thoughts it felt comforting to watch a show where the main character lives in an ‘ordinary’ world. Emily’s biggest concern is being liked by her French boss Sylvie whilst navigating the French dating scene, notably, the steamy Parisian chef and next-door neighbour, Gabriel.
I’ll take the snobbery, cringe and fashion clichés any day for the pure escapism of this series. Forget the criticism, if you’re looking for a Parisian distraction, this show is for you.
Think your name would look good in print? Woroni is always open for submissions. Email write@woroni.com.au with a pitch or draft. You can find more info on submitting here.
It’s finally Spring, and as Canberra cautiously relaxes after its stressful year, it’s time for a well-deserved pint.
I visited, and ranked, the inner-north’s ten biggest pubs. For your convenience and my pleasure.
King O’Malley’s (Civic)
Quality: 2.5 Atmosphere: 3 Price: 3 Overall: 2.83/5
Taking the tenth spot on this list is one of Civic’s two Irish pubs.
Earlier this year, on St Patrick’s Day, the vibe at this pub was great. Mostly, however, there is not a lot about King O’Malley’s which is particularly remarkable. While this pub delivers the Irish staples (Guinness and Kilkenny on tap) and classic pub meals, its beer range is limited and its food is on the dearer end. By way of example, a beef burger costs $25— more than Grease Monkey’s most expensive burger.
This is a place to consider if the occasion calls for it.
Civic Pub (Braddon)
Quality: 3.5 Atmosphere: 2.5 Price: 3.5 Overall: 3.16/5
The Civic Pub sports a pretty standard range of tap beers, though that range notably includes Balter XPA, a decent alcoholic ginger beer, and a tapped espresso martini.
Although its price bracket is pretty standard, sadly this pub does not offer a Happy Hour. What is most confusing about it, however, is the atmosphere. On a sunny day, the pub feels unusually dark and gloomy. Walls lined with books and a ‘yak’ (actually a buffalo) from Fat Yak apparently strive for a refined atmosphere. However, Civic Pub feels like it’s occupying an uncomfortable middle space between classy and conventional.
Brew Nation (Civic)
Quality: 5 Atmosphere: 3 Price: 2.5 Overall: 3.5/5
With an incredible range of canned beers (which can also be taken home) and a great range of beers on tap, beer snobs – and those wanting to learn a bit more about their drink – will love Brew Nation. As a reasonably minimalist, one-room pub, the atmosphere at this place is not particularly special. However, good background music, a volume at which to talk comfortably, and notably friendly staff all add to this space’s value.
One gets higher-end brews here, and it’s reflected in the prices.
Badger & Co. (Acton)
Quality: 3 Atmosphere: 3.5 Price: 4 Overall: 3.5/5
The ANU’s primary bar/pub does its job reasonably well. Its beer range is not enormous, but it pleases a wide crowd, including brewery-fresh Carlton and a couple of Canberra brews in its range. The atmosphere can be good, but – to flog a dead horse – it does not hold a torch to the late ANU Bar. Arguably the best thing about this establishment (after its location) is its daily deals, whether it’s $10 schnitzels or $5 Happy Hour.
Not a bad place for a pint.
Braddon Brews (Braddon)
Quality: 4 Atmosphere: 3.5 Price: 3.5 Overall: 3.6/5
Being a daytime café / coffee roaster and a night-time beer bar, Braddon Brews wins some points for uniqueness.
What’s more, for an establishment that is only sometimes a beer bar, this space offers ten pretty diverse and delicious range of tap beers. The atmosphere is good if you don’t mind drinking in an alleyway. The prices are in the middle-to-upper range.
The Duxton (O’Connor)
Quality: 3.5 Atmosphere: 3.5 Price: 4 Overall: 3.66/5
The Duxton is a good middle-upper pub, plain and simple. Happy Hour is here from 3-5pm on weekdays, during which they offer $5 selected tap beers and $5 house wine. Outside these hours, prices are reasonably standard. They also host trivia every Wednesday.
This pub is in O’Connor, so it’s a little bit of a trip from the ANU area.
PJ O’Reilly’s (Civic)
Quality: 3.5 Atmosphere: 4 Price: 3.5 Overall: 3.66
This is a good Irish pub, although it suffers from the opposite fate of its counterpart in King O’Malley’s: a good range of craft beers, but an absence of the staples (Guinness and Kilkenny) needed in any self-respecting Irish pub.
Significantly, the prices here are better than at King O’Malley’s. There’s also a decent spread of events at PJ’s, including trivia every Monday night and regular live music. This is also the stomping-ground of the Canberra Democrats Abroad. Having been here to watch the 2016 Presidential election, I’d recommend popping in for a pint over the upcoming 2020 election.
The RUC (Turner)
Quality: 3 Atmosphere: 3.5 Price: 5 Overall: 3.83/5
The Canberra North Bowling and ACT Rugby Union Club, or RUC, knows what it is.
Although the Club only offers big-name commercial beers on tap, the range of these is broader than usual, and probably sufficient for every beer-drinker. The RUC’s atmosphere is good, with live music every Friday and relaxed vibes always. Above all, the RUC’s prices stand out. In addition to cheap meal deals from Monday to Wednesday (including $12 rump steak on Mondays), the Club boasts $5 select wines, basic spirits and standard draughts during Happy Hour; $4 Coopers Pale Ale schooners on Fridays; and $3.90 basic spirits from 8-9pm every week.
This is the place to go if you like your beers cheap and simple.
Bentspoke (Braddon)
Quality: 5 Atmosphere: 4 Price: 3 Overall: 4/5
With a range of about 30 tapped beers and ciders, Bentspoke is – beyond all question – Canberra’s tap beer leader. If you’re willing to shell out a bit of money, you can even take some of its delicious brews home.
Adding to Bentspoke’s aesthetic is its Lonsdale Street location, as well as its back wall of large metal kegs. In fact, all that can be detracted from this venue is its higher-price range (especially granted its new $40 minimum spend due to COVID-19). Bentspoke also lacks live music / events.
Nevertheless, the fact remains: Bentspoke offers Canberra’s best home-made beers.
The Old Canberra Inn (Lyneham)
Quality: 4 Atmosphere: 5 Price: 3.5 Overall: 4.16/5
Claiming the top spot on this list is a pub which barely makes it into our ‘inner-north’ scope. However, if one is prepared to venture out to this Lyneham location, good times surely await.
The Old Canberra Inn sports an excellent range of rotating beers, as well as a huge range of packaged beers. Its prices are at the upper-middle end, though these are made better by a 4-6pm Happy Hour every weekday.
What makes this pub truly special, however, is its atmosphere. In addition to hosting regular events, the Inn is one of very few pubs in the ACT which can truthfully boast of providing an authentic, European-style pub vibe. In the winter, roaring fires in its main room keep patrons warm. In the spring and summer, its beer garden delights. The pub’s largest room imitates German beer halls.
If one is looking for an excellent inner-north pint, whatever the weather, then look no further.
Think your name would look good in print? Woroni is always open for submissions. Email write@woroni.com.au with a pitch or draft. You can find more info on submitting here.
I decided it was time to delete Instagram. I always knew the app was addictive, but I finally understood the grip it had on my life. Instagram had become my social pacifier. If I ever felt uncomfortable in a social situation, I would look to the app. I was dependent on the never-ending scrolling that felt so comforting. Each image tailored just for me. What exactly inspired me to take such decisive action?
The answer lies in the recent raved-about Netflix documentary — The Social Dilemma.
Created by Jeff Orlowski, the documentary ties together interviews of an impressive line-up of experts in the field of social media. They include ex-employees of tech companies who left for ethical reasons, authors, university professors and big-name investors. All have come together to voice their concerns and fears over unregulated social networking platforms.
One of the most interesting takeaways of the documentary is how these tech companies manipulate human psychology for profit. Have you ever wondered why you feel compelled to check your phone when it pings or look at an image you have been tagged in? Human nature. This isn’t a fluke in these apps; this is what they were designed to do. Once they have our attention, they tailor what we see based on the data they have collected to keep us constantly engaged and infinitely scrolling. And they collect everything. From what images we look at, how long we look at them. The data tells companies if we are happy or sad, depressed or anxious, introverted or extroverted. All this data is used not just to predict our behaviour but to influence it. They are turning us all into the pawns of advertisers. “If you’re not paying for the product, then you are the product,” says former Google employee Tristan Harris.
The documentary also explores the impact of social media on children. There are strict restrictions over what children can see on television. For example, junk food advertisements cannot be directed at children, and there are limits on the level of violence and sexual content that can be shown. But social media is not subject to this regulatory control. YouTube for Kids is not held to the same standards as Saturday morning cartoons. And this can have severe consequences on children’s mental health. The documentary also explores the real-world impact of social media on democracy, from the complicit role of Facebook in the Myanmar Rohingya genocide in 2016/17, as well as influencing the 2016 US election. Anyone with money can pay to post adverts that target specific users. The ads play on simple psychological traits to best influence our behaviour without us even knowing it. With 2.7 billion active Facebook users, it’s clear that such adverts can have a real impact on the outcome of elections.
What makes The Social Dilemma so poignant is the intertwining of a fictional story of a suburban family in America. There is a young daughter who suffers from self-esteem issues worsened by exposure to Instagram at a young age. There is a teenage boy who falls victim to a far-right group on YouTube. While the storyline aids in making the documentary more entertaining, it also demonstrates the impact of the Machiavellian tactics of social media companies. They are playing on our human nature to influence and manipulate our behaviour.
However, there is hope after all. All the interviewees are optimistic that if society comes together and demands regulation, positive change can be forced upon the tech industry. The Social Dilemma is ultimately a call to arms, encouraging users to fight back and put humanity back into social media. If you want to be thoroughly creeped out but also enlightened about the apps you use every day, I would give this documentary a watch.
Think your name would look good in print? Woroni is always open for submissions. Email write@woroni.com.au with a pitch or draft. You can find more info on submitting here.