Unrestricted #5

Television: Homeland

Starring Claire Danes and Damien Lewis, Homeland is a terrific piece of American television. Danes plays CIA officer Carrie Mathison who is convinced that a returned prisoner of war, Brody (Lewis), is working for Al-Qaeda. This Golden Globe winning and Emmy nominated series is full of twists, turns and heart stopping performances from Danes and Lewis - Danes gives a beautifully frustrated performance whilst Lewis complements her perfectly. Everything about this show is perfect, from the stellar writing which gives the audience deep characterisation to the directing which is subtle and assured. The final episode of the fist season leaves the door wide open for the second season to be just as good. Believe the hype because this show is one of the best you will see.

Literature: Julian Barnes - The Sense of an Ending

The main theme which swirls throughout last years Man Booker winner is memory; how we remember things, why we remember them and how we, ourselves, can altar our memories. This novella from Julian Barnes is exquisite and tender. Every word is just as meaningful as the last and Barnes' writing is so fluid that we are taken through the life of Tony Webster, our unreliable narrator, with such ease, clarity and pace. The Sense of an Ending is not a romance, comedy, fantasy or a thriller. Instead, Barnes' novella is a timeless tragedy about humanity and how our mind crumbles with age, effortlessly combining genres for it is a combination of genre which makes up our identity.  

Unrestricted #4

Film: Election

Election, adapted to screen by Alexander Payne, follows a career minded and determined senior, Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon), throughout her student body election campaign. Matthew Broderick brilliant plays Tracy's teacher, Jim, who not only slowly becomes more and more attracted to Tracy, but whose life literally crumbles before your eyes. Although not your run of the mill comedy film, Election is quirky, witty, funny and extremely well written, therefore making it an extremely good film. 

Literature: Margaret Attwood - Oryx and Crake

Mararet Attwood's eleventh novel is fascinating, bleak and gripping all at the same time. Set between a series of flashbacks and 'real-time', we follow the character of Jim as we learn what became of the world and how it got to the state that we can see it in through the eyes of Snowman. The concepts and characters in Attwood's slick dystopia are beautifully rendered and are formed with the up most intelligence. Attwood has stated that she sees this novel as a niece of 'speculative fiction' and not science fiction, and I can see why. Whilst the technology featured may be deemed futuristic, the overarching themes are of humanity and what we are capable of in a society which keeps growing and advancing. This book is stunning, whilst also not over confusing itself and its reader which is easy to do when dealing with this genre. I would not only recomend this book, but I would also rank it as one of the best of the decade.

Unrestricted #1

Unrestricted is going to be a weekly (or every two weeks) entry about what I am loving in the world of music, television, film, literature and some other fields. The main idea behind this is that the blog is mainly focused of theatre and so these entries will help it becomes more rounded, whilst also giving insight into different arts fields. My picks will not necessarily be new releases, nor will they always be the old classics; instead being what I am loving right now.

Music: Bjork - Biophilia

Bjork's newest album combines the beautiful simplicity of Vespertine with the electronic nature of Homogenic to form an album which is huge in scope. Taking inspiration from nature and how the universe works, Bjork skillfully weaves her beautiful lyrics with a sound scape of drum and bass whilst also incorporating an ever changing app (which sadly does loose its appeal after time). The real stand out tracks on the album are Thunderbolt, Mutual Core and Sacrifice. What is really interesting about the album is how it has evolved as I went to see Bjork perform this new material at the MIF (Manchester International Festival) and since, the tracks which appear on the album are darker, more intense and bigger in scale. Admittedly this is not Bjork's best album (although it is near the top), but it is refreshing and it is always great to hear new material from the ever evolving performer that is Bjork.

Literature: Albert Camus - The Outsider

Albert Camus' infamous novella The Outsider has alluded me all these years and so I recently seizes the opportunity to finally get round to reading it. The short work is centred around the narrator, Mearsault, and is split into two parts - part one being his freedom and part two being a captive. Without wanting to ruin the book for those who have not read it, it really is astonishing in capturing the real essence behind the notion of being free and the idea of society expecting certain things from individuals. Although a quick read, Camus' writing offers enough insight into the workings of the characters which allows for this beautiful book to flow from one scenario to another. Highly recommended, especially for fans of existentialist literature or indeed those who want a thought-provoking and challenging read.

Television: Entourage

Entourage is a brilliantly executed, hilarious television show from HBO which features some truly hilarious performances and cameos from those within the world of Vince, a rising star in Hollywood. Each episode, though short in length, offer a burst of entertainment which no other show can rival - the foul mouthed tirades from Ari, the quick one liners from Drama and the camaraderie are just a few features which help make Entourage unique and highly addictive. The show, however, does loose momentum in the final seasons in comparison the first few, but still remains intoxicating viewing.