Film: Suicide Squad

This film is a disappointment. For starters, Enchantress’ (the antagonist) reasons for destroying the world seem random and forced. There is no development of her character, who she is, or what drives her to act as she does, (is she jealous and resentful [Loci], is she trying to create a utopia [Ultron] is she just plain mad [the Joker, specifically Nolan’s]), I’m still not completely sure. It seems that Snyder did not focus on creating a captivating villain that would fascinate audiences but was more interested in special effects and action.

Now I realise that special effects and action are main staples of a good superhero movie,

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and I like a good explosion as much as the next guy, but these things replace any kind of coherent story.

But to get onto the actual Squad. Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney) and Katana (Karen Fukuhara) are stereotypes. There has been no effort to develop either of them further than a cheeky Australian and a brooding ninja type. Killer Croc (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) did very little under his layers of prosthetics . And after having seen Guardians of the Galaxy and watched Groot (Vin Diesel) provoke feelings from the audience without ever deviating for his three word dialogue, it shows that an actor can be totally transformed into something different and quite incomprehensible and still be memorable, Killer Croc just isn’t.

 Where character development is attempted, the audience is meant to empathise with the origin and situation the individual. But the Suicide Squad is pretty crowded. If it’s not Dead Shot’s daughter living with her negligent mother, it’s Harley Quinn’s decent into madness, or Diablo’s dead family, or Katana’s dead husband’s soul. There is so much happening and each story is handled so hastily that no in-depth understanding can be achieved, making it difficult to be invested in any of the characters.

I had high hopes for this movie. I felt that it had the potential to be something original and fun, but it’s really nothing special.

Art: Yayoi Kusama

My friend and I went up to Angel one sunny Friday afternoon to the Victoria Miro, a snazzy gallery located on one of the side streets. In here were the works of Yayoi Kusama.

Yayoi Kusama, Chandelier of Grief
http://www.victoria-miro.com/exhibitions/496/?artist=31

The ‘Chandelier of Grief’ were certainly my favourite. You enter into a small, dark room filled with mirrors.  Only approximately 6-8 people are allowed in at once which I appreciated as it gave everyone the opportunity to view the art properly, as it should be viewed. Behind you the doors close and all that is illuminated are the chandeliers which exude a haunting white light. The effects of the mirrors are magnificent. In every direction there are reflections of these beautiful chandeliers. But most impressive was the view looking upward. The central chandelier appeared to multiply infinitely, giving the impression of an eerie path lit as far you can see. It’s quite enchanting.

Another exhibition worth mentioning is ‘All the Eternal Love I have for Pumpkins’. Inside this room were luminously lit pumpkin-esque structures that varied in size. It imitated a unique little pumpkin patch. But this mirror room worked to develop this scene. The reflected pumpkins had a golden hue and again, pumpkins could be seen from every direction. A viewer of this work was enveloped by the different images of the pumpkins, transforming quite a novel patch into a rather extraordinary one.  I felt as if I was in a little pocket in Kusama’s mind that was abstract and held all the love she had for pumpkins (her love being passionate and vast) and that this little room was a physical manifestation of this pocket that she allowed people to glimpse at for a short time.

Yayoi Kusama, All the Eternal Love I have for Pumpkins,
http://www.victoria-miro.com/exhibitions/496/?artist=31 

Aside from the mirror rooms Kusama proves to be an accomplished painter. In Gallery two I enjoyed most the ‘Infinity nests’ and the ‘Infinity nests [Kupp]’. The former is painted a deep blue and spotted with green, yellow and a deeper blue. The latter had an indigo base, spotted with dark blue, green and yellow. While one reminded me of the sea, the other brought to my mind space. I liked that they were connected because it got me thinking about them collectively: about how at times the night can drop seamlessly into the sea and how they each in their own way seem to go on forever. 

I liked this exhibition. It provoked feelings and thoughts from me that came naturally: I didn’t have to strain to understand, nor did I feel that any work was loudly or obtrusively shouting at me to grasp a point, it was all just laid out, waiting to be experienced and enjoyed.

Victoria Miro,
16 Wharf Road
London,
N1 7RW

http://www.victoria-miro.com/exhibitions/496/?artist=31
http://www.yayoi-kusama.jp/e/information/

Food: Yauatcha Soho

It all started when, a couple of months ago, I watched a BuzzFeed video. There were some guys and girls that scoured Los Angeles looking for the best soup-dumplings.[1] Now for anyone that doesn’t know, a soup-dumpling is a ‘tender

http://www.yauatcha.com/life
/at-the-table/details/

wrapper filled with rich, piping hot soup and a nugget of pork [or] crab.’ [2]The people really sold it to me: straight after I finished watching the video I looked for places in London that could accommodate my newly found obsession. Out pops Yauatcha.

Yauatcha is the only Michelin star rated dim sum restaurant in the U.K.[3]  so I supposed that they must do these dumplings exceptionally well. My friend and I descended down the stairs to the lower level, a dimly lit, open space decorated in a contemporary style. My favourite detail was the tiny lights that lined the ceiling to resemble the stars in the night sky.  I was comfortable upon entering.

My friend and I decided to order two meals each and share everything equally. 

We ordered:

*King crab Shanghai siew long bun with pork (soup dumplings!)

*Steamed vegetable dumplings

*Hot and sour soup with shredded chicken

*Striploin beef and enoki mushroom cheung fun

Frankly, everything was delicious. The soup, (my friend’s choice and not something I would usually order) was great. It had the comforting warmth of Chinese chicken soup wonderfully accompanied by sourness. The vegetables in our dumplings were cooked to perfection: flavoursome, al dente and offset by the soft dumpling. The combinations of the different tastes are mingled so harmoniously, eating here is a truly enjoyable experience.

The best of course were the soup dumplings; it is the perfect forkful of food in your 

http://www.yauatcha.com/life/
dim-sum/har-gau-recipe/

mouth at once. As you bite into the dumpling, immediately unleashed is a burst of meat and soup. When I had the first, I simply sat still and appreciated the flavours. It was worth the wait.

However, I did register that (as good as the food is), the portions are for tiny little babies (with great taste). For £7.20 you receive three dumplings. Me, having already agreed to share everything, had to give a precious dumpling away. So with two left, I ate my first. It was heaven. But the second and last one, I pierced with my chopstick and all the soup drained out. I was heartbroken. Of course the experience taught me that this meal is better eaten with a spoon, but the lesson was learned too late because it was over. The portion was done. 

This is perhaps my only reservation of the restaurant, it is rather pricey: the amount you receive for the amount you pay is a little disappointing.

Despite this reservation, I would certainly recommend the Yauatcha but be prepared to spend at least £50 per person, unless you are not eating to fill yourself. But if it is in your means to pay this amount then go, because the food is undoubtedly fantastic.

Yauatcha Soho

15-17 Broadwick Street

London

W1F 0DL

020 7494 8888

http://www.yauatcha.com/ 

BuzzFeed Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIyMZZyHm50

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[1] BuzzFeed ‘Dumpling Ding Dong Telephone Taste Test’ [accessed 20/03/2016] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIyMZZyHm50

[2] Megan O. Steintrager ‘You’re Eating it Wrong: Soup Dumplings’ https://www.zagat.com/b/youre-eating-it-wrong-soup-dumplings

[3] The London Foodie ‘Yauatcha 10 Years On’ <http://www.thelondonfoodie.co.uk/2014/05/yauatcha-10-years-on.html>

Animation: Steven Universe – Rose’s Scabbard

In light of the Summer of Steven (starting today!) I thought I’d share with you one of my favourite episodes. Unless you hadn’t guessed it’s Rose’s Scabbard. It focuses on Pearl the gem who, after finding a relic of her ‘dead’ friend, falls victim to her unresolved devastation at her loss.

It’s made clear from the beginning of the series that Pearl is neurotic (to say the least), as evidenced in Space Race when Pearl fixates on her objective to leave Earth so passionately that it is detrimental to herself and those she loves. In Rose’s Scabbard we perceive this same intensity and passion but applied to Rose and love.

The episode begins with Pearl’s excitement to teach Steven all about Rose: her leadership and armoury.  In Pearl’s mind she is not like the other crystal gems, she occupies a special position in Rose, (a privileged position) as her ‘sole confidant’. She’s in disbelief when Steven is familiar with everything already, having been introduced to it by Lion (who even is this guy?!).

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It becomes apparent that Rose is a mystery to everyone and Pearl is no exception. This realisation for Pearl is crushing. She again hurts those she loves, exclaiming cruelly that Steven couldn’t possibly comment on Rose when he’s ‘never even met her’. 

Her passion and unwavering devotion to Rose is shown as, while flawlessly reciting an intimate moment between them, she is stirred with sorrow and frustration. As the moment ends and Rose disappears in the burst of light we understand with what suddenness Pearl happiness has abandoned her. It’s a great development of Pearl, revealing a glimpse into her complex character and history.

My favourite part of the episode is the background art combined with the soundtrack. I feel that they perfectly represent Pearl’s feelings: her despair, loneliness, purposelessness, love lost and then found (she does have Steven after all). But best of all is the ambiguity for the audience as to whether the love she has found satisfies her loss (she doesn’t give anything away; her face is a blank page at the end). 

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post

I’m so intrigued about Pearl, and the nature of all Pearls. I want to know how Rose and Pearl met and the basis of Pearl’s belief that she is distinct in Rose’s eyes from the other crystal gems. Where was she before the crystal gems? So many questions! Bring on the Summer of Steven! 

The Summer of Steven starts today 18/07/2016 on Cartoon Network at 19:00. 

Art: Natalia Osipova at Sadler Wells Theatre

www.sadlerswells.com/
https://www.google.co.uk/search

Sadler’s Wells is renowned for delivering to its audiences, contemporary performances from various genres of dance. Their intention is to urge viewers to have a deep engagement with the performances and provoke different feelings and thoughts. It’s a noble cause and often good art succeeds in achieving this reaction.

Natalia Osipova is no doubt a skilled dancer; in fact she’s rather phenomenal, having begun her formal ballet training at age eight she has danced with such notable companies as The Bolshoi and The Royal Ballet, she moves expertly and beautifully.

The production in question was certainly unique. It was split into three separate parts, each of which told a different story. The first I would describe as interpretive dance in the truest sense of the word. Indeed no one I spoke to regarding this dance had deciphered the same story. I had imagined a desert and that the dancers were working together to survive. A friend of mine had seen a love triangle and another had believed there was no story at all, just dance for the sake of dance (l’art pour l’art!). It definitely got us all thinking, talking, debating (agreeing to disagree).

The second part (and my personal favourite) included more ballet and a much more sombre feel. It was executed with such precision and such feeling that the viewer could not help but be immersed.

Last was a more conventional story of a doomed love affair told with a haunting narration and (as always) the fluid and expressive dancing of Natalia.

http://www.sadlerswells.com/

whats-on/2016/natalia-osipova/
https://www.google.co.uk/

The performance was a unique experience and with tickets from £14.40, it’s certainly a fairly priced and fun little thing to do in London town. I also understand that this performance is the first to be commissioned by Ms Osipova in her pursuit of communicating different artistic expressions. Though I recognise that this work was not the most breath-taking performance I had ever witnessed, Osipova's talent is undeniable, her push for something innovative and new is exciting and I can’t wait to see what she does next.


Sadler's Wells Theatre
Rosebery Avenue
London
EC1R 4TN

http://www.sadlerswells.com/