After our short editing break over the end of April, we’re back with a new ‘Entertainment Round Up’ for May! Every month our contributors share a piece of entertainment that they’ve been thinking about recently. So, if you’re looking for some inspiration, you’ve come to the right place! Let’s get stuck in.
TV
‘A guilty pleasure of mine is The Kardashians. Arguably one of the most controversial families in the public eye, whether you love them or hate them, there’s no denying that they are, with all their dramas and OTT events, an entertaining family. While I don’t agree with their glorification as role models, considering the way they edit photos and undergo cosmetic surgery, I’ll admit that I like each sister’s individual personality and find their reality TV show humorous. Post deadlines, I have enjoyed catching up on episodes of their new show, titled The Kardashians. Being a huge Gavin & Stacey fan, I especially appreciated James Cordon’s appearance in the show. Witnessing him hug Kris Jenner and deliver a motivating speech to Khloe Kardashian was a truly iconic scene in my eyes. These three are some of my favourite TV personalities. Although he’ll never admit it, and ranted throughout most episodes, I think my boyfriend even secretly liked the show.’ Eve Davies
“we can find an inner strength to tackle anything”
‘Hosted by Holly Willoughby and Lee Mack, Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof was, ironically, a heartwarming show. Wim Hof, extreme athlete and speaker, was joined by singer and actor Alfie Boe, singer and footballer Chelcee Grimes, presenter Gabby Logan, weather reporter Owain Wyn Evans, dancer Dianne Buswell, rapper Professor Green, footballer Patrice Evra, and actress Tamzin Outhwaite, in the beautiful mountains of Italy. They undertook a series of intense, don’t-try-this-at-home challenges that tested them physically and mentally; they endured everything from cold showers to throwing themselves off a 500ft high bridge. The show was exceptional. It showed audiences that it is okay to be vulnerable, that facing challenging ordeals with fear or worry is not a sign of weakness, and that we can find an inner strength to tackle anything. The 6-episode series is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.’ Isabelle Osborne
Film
‘Do you remember when the Sly Cooper film used to be a thing back in 28th January 2014? This is the vibe I got from The Bad Guys. If Iconoclasts is “the Ratchet & Clank of indie video games”, then The Bad Guys is “the Sly Cooper of movies”. Just think about it, Mr. Wolf is Sly Cooper, Ms. Tarantula is Bentley the Turtle, Mr. Piranha is Murray the Hippo and Diana Foxington/Crimson Paw or the Chief of Police is Carmelita Fox. As soon as I watched the first trailer, I was immediately hooked. When I watched the second trailer of The Bad Guys, the first thought that came to my mind is, “Jesy Nelson, is that you?”, in regards to the song playing in the background. Despite the Sly Cooper-esque vibes, the movie is based on an illustrated children’s graphic novel series by the Australian author, Aaron Blabey. While I was searching for the second issue of the Pixel Addict magazine in Manchester, I came across the first volume of The Bad Guys in a WHSmith store in Manchester Piccadilly Train Station. It isn’t until later on in the film that the main characters channel their inner Sly Cooper. In other words, they gear up to steal back from the main villain. I highly recommend The Bad Guys, it’s the closest thing we’ll ever get to a Sly Cooper movie.’ Fiona Li
“an intriguing, exciting plotline with a satisfying and surprising plot twist!”
‘I rewatched the timeless classic that is Wild Child this month. A film famous for all teens growing up in the 2000s in a similar way to Mean Girls and Clueless. The phrase ‘Who are we?’ and the noughties-influenced soundtrack are iconic and have stuck with me well into adulthood, with me wanting to drop quotes from the film into general conversation. Following the journey of American Poppy Moore as she is forced to attend boarding school in rainy England, the film transports you into a hyperbolic portrayal of high school life with the classic ‘bully’ figure demonstrated through overly posh head girl Harriet. Rather than just being a cheesy, ‘girly’ film, we watch Poppy transform from a stereotypical, rich Californian teen into a down-to-earth English schoolgirl. Everything she hates about England and her school – namely the uniform, the people, the protocol, and the location – actually become reasons for her to stay. She makes a supportive group of friends, finds a surprise connection to her late mother and falls for the headmistress’s son. The dramatic school fire makes an intriguing, exciting plotline with a satisfying and surprising plot twist!’ Megan Geall
Music
‘I stumbled upon “Ratchet” by Roüge on the Ratchet Galaxy Facebook and Twitter pages. It sounds just like the techno and electronica soundtracks the series is used to be known for. It sounds like it came straight from Ratchet: Gladiator/Ratchet: Deadlocked due to how hardcore it sounds. None of this unmemorable, generic, cinematic, orchestra crap the modern Ratchet & Clank games oozes off. Orchestra is not my cup of tea. Hence the name of the music track, it’s named after a certain, blonde-furred space kitty. Every time I listen to this music track, I always imagine Ratchet running through a futuristic city during the night while the whole city is bathed in a sea of colours. As he sprints through the city, he flawlessly executes a series of parkour moves and vaulting over every gap between the rooftops of each building with feline grace as he touches the ground of each rooftop with a glove hand just for good measure. Besides “Greedy Greedy” by Kuromi and “Undersea Vault, Planet Hydralis” by Nick Nuwe from the upcoming Ratchet & Clank: Battle In Solana fangame (developed by Galaxstar Studio), “Ratchet” is one of the most addictive and infectious music tracks I listened to this month.’ Fiona Li
“quintessentially girly and chaotic in all the best ways”
‘Brighton-born singer Maisie Peters has been teasing the release of her new single Cate’s Brother for the last few months. Let me tell you- it was worth the wait. On the 6th May, Peter’s released the single that originally was written as ‘a joke’ but became an online viral hit due to its funny backstory and catchy lyrics that fans have likened to Stacey’s Mom and Teenage Dirtbag. I have become absolutely obsessed with this song ever since its release. The upbeat pop combined with clever, witty and autobiographical lyrics makes it an easy song to get stuck in your head. With a girly, pop sound, all of Maisie Peter’s music will be addictive to any fan of Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Camilla Cabello or Avril Lavigne. Cate’s Brother is the kind of song that you blast all summer, shouting along to the lyrics as you drive down to the beach- quintessentially girly and chaotic in all the best ways.’ Megan Geall
Literature
‘When I needed something new to read on holiday, my housemate pulled through and lent me The Girl Before by JP Delaney. I’d seen a clip of the BBC TV adaptation on Gogglebox before and it had stuck with me, so I knew it was exactly the kind of dark thriller I’d love. The plot centres around one house, impeccably designed by an architect with a very specific image in mind for its future. To maintain his vision, potential residents must pass various tests to prove they are worthy of the house, and if accepted, must follow a list of hundreds of rules which drastically impact their lifestyle. Each chapter’s narrative flips between two women who occupied the house at different times, gradually uncovering why they want to live such pristine and monitored conditions, and how the experience shapes them. The novel has a bit of everything you look for in a holiday read – it’s got romance, it’s got drama, and it’s got *just* the right amount of comedy. Ultimately, Delaney manages to hook you, shock you, and entertain you, but not in a draining way that you have to focus too much on.’ Faye Minton
Featured image courtesy of Gülfer ERGİN on Unsplash. No changes or alterations were made to this image. Image license found here.
Faye Minton
Faye is a former Empoword Editor in Chief and an MA International Journalism student at Swansea University.