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 #3

Television: The Walking Dead

Set in present day America, The Walking Dead follows a group of characters as they try to survive in a world torn apart and riddled with the dead. Unlike many zombie films and television shows, The Walking Dead has depth and a good solid story with good solid characters and acting which is just as good as what you'd find anywhere else. The writing is crisp and realistic, never verging on the melodramatic. If you can throw away any preconceived notions of the horror genre before watching this fantastic show, then you will be blown away - not only is this show paced fantastically, it also does not rely on constant action which allows for great characterisation and for the audience to be able to see the interaction and interplay between the characters which is vital for a show which, at its core, is about humanity and our moral and ethical guidelines. Now entering its third season, The Walking Dead is one of the best pieces of drama you will see on television today.

Music: Mogwai

Mogwai are a 5 piece post-rock band formed in the mid 1990's who specialise in instrumentation and distorting effects. So far the band have released 7 studio albums, with the first, Mogwai Young Team, standing out due to the great inventive nature of the sound and its gripping and spellbinding qualities, taking hold of you from its haunting opening to its heavy and disorientating finish. Mogwai really are one of the most original bands out there, with every album possessing its own unique sound and vision.

Unrestricted #2

Film: Melancholia

Lars von Trier's most recent film, Melancholia, is a study of two characters: Justine and Claire. With an impending collision with a planet named Melancholia, von Trier studies depression and what we, as humans, would do in out last moments alive. Textured, haunting and unforgettable are just a few ways to describe this terrific film. Kirstin Dunst gives the performance of her career as the frail bride-to-be Justine and Charlotte Gainsbourg, as always, delivers a nuanced, touching and highly commendable performance as Justine's troubled sister, Claire. The cinematography is beautiful and the use of Wagner's prelude to Tristan and Isolde serves to compliment the imagery perfectly in the opening and closing moments of this cinematic tour de force. Like many of von Trier's previous films, the use of hand held camerawork makes the action that bit more personal and intimate. Melancholia ranks as one of the best films of 2011 and deserves to be seen.

Literature: Joan Didion - Blue Nights

Although Joan Didion's most recent work may be seen as a follow up to her most famous memoir, The Year of Magical Thinking, Didion again manages to weave a web emroided and rife with emotion without straying too close to her previous work. Didion's work has always felt cathartic, and this does not change with Blue Nights - a novel about her daughter's death - as Didion seems to use words to challenge herself, making herself come to terms with events that have shaken her. Albeit Blue Nights can feel repetitive in parts and somewhat frustrating as Didion appears to not want to tackle the very difficult parts of her daughter's life, it is an interesting read which, as the reader, I could only find myself respecting and admiring.