The Help

Starring Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer “The Help” is the tale of three women in 1960s Mississippi that are as extraordinary as they are different who, while risking both life and station, collaborate in secret on a book that rocks the very foundations of a still upstairs downstairs America.

The newly graduated Skeeter Phelan (Emma Stone) returns to her upper class home with high hopes and dreams of becoming a writer, but as an educated adult she sees the world she left behind in a very different light.

Witnessing the way the so-called high society treat the black maids that serve them and raise their children Skeeter is appalled, but afraid to speak up or do anything about it.

What follows, apart from a fat publishing deal for Skeeter, is a story of how the bonds of sisterhood hold strong regardless of colour and the not-so-secret racism that takes place behind white picket fences. It’s proof that a small group of people can change the lives of many, as more and more maids join the cause, helping to cripple the constraints put upon them, and opening the minds of those that before had kept them tightly closed.

Taking place during a period of great and overdue social upheaval in the United States “The Help” takes an unusual look at the situation, going into homes and exposing personal injustices, but staying away from many of the bigger issues of the time. Because of this the film may, for some, lose a little of its potential impact, but many more may find their skin crawling and tempers flaring as the film draws to a close.

Of course a lot of those evoked emotions are gained under false pretence. While it is based on real experiences the book was actually released in 2009 by Kathryn Stocket and not in the 1960s by Skeeter Phelan as we are led to believe. Viewers unaware of this fact might find the realisation of this truth muddies their opinion of the movie.

Despite this it can still be argued that “The Help” is just as inspiring as originally thought, maybe more so. The events depicted may not be true, but the idea is just as powerful.

Viola Davis is a joy to watch as the thick skinned but beautiful inside and out Aibileen, and Bryce Dallas Howard is great to hate as queen bee of the ladies who lunch and villain of the piece Hilly Hillbrook. But the real treasure of the movie is Octavia Spencer, whose performance as the wonderfully sassy Minny, with her fearless, outspoken attitude and satisfying but hilarious revenge steals the show as well as the hearts of everyone that watches.

That said, “The Help” isn’t perfect. It’s a little corny and it paints an appallingly narrow picture of the behaviour of black men, but it’s a piece of cinema so filled with raw emotion and so utterly engrossing that it simply must not be ignored, by anyone.

If the phrase “have your cake and eat it too” was ever used in a true context it would be with this film, but “The Help” doesn’t just devour the contents of the bakery, it swallows down a plate of fried chicken and a sweet potato pie as well.

Nominated for: Best Picture, Actress In A Leading Role, and twice for Actress In A Supporting Role

Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Bryce Dallas Howard.

Directed by: Tate Taylor.

Moneyball

Starring Brad Pitt and directed by Bennett Miller, “Moneyball” is the story of the 2002 Oakland Athletics baseball team who, while being led by general manager Billy Beane, had an excellent season despite being crippled by the lowest payroll in the major leagues.

Though quite simple on paper, the concept behind “Moneyball”, at least for die-hard baseball fans, is anything but. The movie depicts the change that saw the previously poorly performing Oakland Athletics have a massive change of fortune.

Underpaid and under supported due to the loss of three of their star players the team’s manager, former player turned scout Billy Beane (Brad Pitt), hires a new assistant in the form of Peter Brand (Jonah Hill- the real Oakland assistant manager was Paul DePodesta but a character was fictionalised because he didn’t like the portrayal of himself), a tubby economics graduate with a daring formula to put together a championship team.

After a troubled start, things soon start to come together thanks to a series of quick-fire telephone negotiations, a performance similar to movies like “Limitless” and “The Social Network”, that see Billy Beane and Peter Brand outwit other major league bosses to secure the players they need which, in time, leads to the winning streak that the movie celebrates.

“Moneyball” is a clever film full of characters that take chances, but for people that care little about America’s favourite pastime it’ll seem rather dull, with little to keep them interested.

But there are things even those with no interest in sport will enjoy; particularly the often witty banter exchanged between Pitt and Hill.

Nominated for an Oscar in film editing, “Moneyball” features some camerawork equalled this season only by Martin Scorsese’s “Hugo” and Steven Spielberg’s “War Horse”. In one of the film’s most remarkable moments, as Billy and Peter gaze at a computer monitor, the camera moves into the screen and focuses in on numbers that are revealed to be made up of green, red, and blue pixels; Christopher Tellefson and Bennett Miller’s way of showing that formulas are found everywhere, even in the tiniest of things.

“Moneyball” sees two true baseball fans rebel against an establishment that refuses to believe in change and come out on top. With some nice performances and inspiring moments it’s well worth watching – but it isn’t a deserved Oscar contender.

Nominated for: Best Picture, Actor In A Leading Role, Actor In A Supporting Role, Film Editing, Sound Mixing and Adapted Screenplay

Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Directed by: Bennett Miller.

Beach Break Live, the much loved UK student festival, have announced their biggest ever line-up with Chase and Status, Dizzee Rascal and Friendly Fires headlining.

Taking place from 14th – 18th June in Pembrey Country Park, the four-day extravaganza will witness the mighty Chase and Status perform live on Friday, grime maestro Dizzee Rascal topping Saturday’s bill and Friendly Fires, who will raise the roof on Sunday, closing what could be the most exciting festival line-up of the summer.

The undercard is sporting some quite frankly huge names as well. Start of 2011 Wretch 32 brings his stellar Hip-Hop set to the table, Maverick Sabre will croon his way to the hearts of the 20,000 revellers while Nero will no doubt provide a banging bass soundtrack to get people moving – not that they’ll need any encouraging.

Other acts that are going to ram the tents include Labrinth, Delilah, Ghostpoet, Skream and Benga. Beach Break continues to grow year after year and it looks like this could turn out to be their biggest year yet.

Tickets are on sale now and for current students or people that have graduated within the last three years, prices weigh in at a more-than-decent cost of £109 + the booking fee.

It’s set to be a huge weekend when it comes around in June. We’ll let you know more when we have it.

Get hyped Hip-Hop lovers, this is pretty sick news. Jay-Z and Kanye West today officially unveiled their European dates for the Watch the Throne tour and they’re paying three visits to the UK.

The legendary duo have completely torn the United States apart with the live show to their collaborative LP, and after initially thinking we may never see Rap’s royalty hit the UK on this journey – we’re delighted to have been proven wrong.

The pair will play London’s O2 Arena on May 20, Manchester’s MEN Arena on June 11 and Birmingham’s LG Arena on June 13, all as part of their planned European tour. They also hit Dublin on June 8.

The two luxury rappers have cemented themselves as the two elites sitting upon the Hip-Hop throne with their album last year (We called it the #1 Album of 2011), these shows are going to be nothing short of huge.

Tickets for the shows will go on sale from 9am on February 24 (this Friday) and will be priced at £60.00/£49.50/£39.50 for the London date and £55.00/£47.50 for the other regions.

As if you needed anything else to whet your appetite, we direct you once again to the “N****s In Paris’ video. Cray.

With their handful of compilation album releases and daily trending topics, BBC Radio 1′s Live Lounge is an absolutely huge deal.

While some have shone under the live performance microscope, others have floundered. We’re here to save you the bother of trawling through the rubbish stuff and have combined what in our opinion, is the top ten Live Lounge appearances to date. Enjoy.

10. Example – Tik Tok (Original by Kesha)

With help from a DJ, drummer, guitarist, pianist and a backing singer, Example lays some humorous verses  on Kesha’s pop hit ‘Tik Tok’. Rapping like this shows the artist’s versatility and the fact that he does not take himself too seriously when it comes rapping – although he was originally a grime artist. Lines like ‘Got a ‘oner’ in my pocket – nicked it off my old dear’ shows Examples banterous approach to a Kesha style house party. The tongue in cheek cover sounds effective with the live band and Examples originality glows.

9. Katy B – Let Me Go (Original by Maverick Sabre)

Katy B shows off her singing abilities, adding a feminine twist to Sabre’s hit ‘Let Me Go’. The live trumpets, saxophone, flute and chello give a refreshing twist to the Irishman’s original. This version shows Katy can do more than just make and perform tracks for the clubs like her hits ‘On a mission’ and ‘Lights on’. Katy handles the song well with no help on the vocals or backing singers – at the end she even looks surprised at how well she pulled off the cover!

8. Professor Green – Billionaire (Original Travis McCoy and Bruno Mars)

Pro Green adds a cockney twist to American hit ‘Billionaire’ adding his own verses to express what he would do with money. The Hackney-born artist admits he was struggling for money when he wrote these vocals – before he cashed in from his first album ‘Alive Till I’m Dead’. The cheeky rapper was up to his usual tricks with regards to insulting Katie Price too, saying ‘If you could buy class, I’d buy Katie Price a bunch of it’. He also claimed to have only written all the lyrics the night before. Not bad going if you ask me.

7. Maverick Sabre – Wonderwall (Original by Oasis)

Saint Patrick’s Day went off with a bang on Radio 1 when Maverick Sabre, equipped with an acoustic guitarist, smashed Wonderwall.  The whole of the studio got into it so much – with a little prompting from Maverick – they even got involved in singing the chorus. Radio 1 DJ’s Chris Moyles, Comedy Dave and Mista Jam can be heard and seen getting involved – not that the Irish-born star needed any help. “I think I’ve found the three backing vocalists for my tour.”

6. P Money ft. Ed Sheeran – Family (Original on Ed Sheeran’s Collaborations EP)

With nothing but Ed Sheeran and his guitar, P Money pulls off their gritty track ‘Family’ flawlessly. The live cover sounds almost exactly as it does on the release. A few years back this would almost be frowned on by his grime fans but P is far from mainstream. His talent floods over the beat and Ed’s vocals compliment his bassy voice for a perfect live cover. Watch this space.

5. Wretch 32 – Someone Like You (Original by Adele)

Wretch 32 gets a few things off his chest in his version of ‘Someone Like You’. With a live band in attendance and a backing singer for the out-of-reach chorus, 32 paints a picture of Adele’s version with his own bars. He vents about making mistakes with a girl in the past and his laid-back flow compliments the guitars and drums. With a more serious underlying message then any of the other Live Lounges in the countdown, this is a classic.

4. Plan B – Pass Out (Original by Tinie Tempah)

Plan B makes ‘Pass Out’ his own, adding a reggae dimension to Tinie Tempah’s hit. With help from Faith SFX on the beatboxing as well as backing singers and an elaborate live band, everything comes together to make a very likeable cover. Plan B is known for both his singing a rapping abilities and to increase the effectiveness to the cover he could have spat his own verse. That said, singing Tinie’s verses makes way for a reggae vibe – in place of the D’n’B undertones in the original release.

3. Devlin – Blind Faith ft. Ed Sheeran (Original by Chase and Status)

Devlin and Ed Sheeran team up to perform Chase and Status’ hit with a twist. The Dagenham born rapper  even helps Ed and his backing singer with the vocals on the chorus. With meaningful lyrics Devlin gives a message to the youth to give music a go as opposed to ending up in a morgue or a court. With an array of unusual instruments this is a different from simply performing the original track – a definite favourite.

2. Labrinth Ft. Tinie Tempah – Earthquake

Labrinth is aided by opera-style backing singers and an array of instruments for the total performance. Add to that a feature from Tinie Tempah and it becomes an instant Live Lounge classic. This cover sounds exactly like the studio version with both artists showing their live shows are not at all lacking. Prepare to be drawn in by the instruments and be pleasantly surprised by the modest 85,000 views.

1. N-Dubz – The Man Who Can’t Be Moved (Original by The Script)

In 2009, before Tulisa was part of the panel of X-Factor judges and while N-Dubz were branded by some as ‘just another gritty street group’, the trio from Camdem come into the Live Lounge and surprised almost everybody with a very different song to that of which they were used to performing. Dappy flaunted his singing talent and Tulisa vocals excelled too. Fazer played the role of making the song the group’s own with rapping bars to add another dimension to the cover. Overall, with the exception of the embarrassing outburst after their performance, N-Dubz handled themselves very well on this cover – and you can tell by Dappy’s arms that they were excited.

What do you think is missing from this list? Let us know and share the videos you’re fans of in the comments below!

Warhorse

With hatred and fear rife on opposing sides, men share humanity and compassion towards the animals that serve them in Stephen Spielberg’s latest masterwork “War Horse”, the tale of a young thoroughbred taken from a farm in Devon that changes and inspires the lives of everyone he meets.

Albert (Jeremy Irvine) falls instantly in love with a young horse his father brings home after a bitterly fought auction battle. A racing stallion of little use on the hard draft fields Joey is a clear mistake from the beginning, but through love, determination, and a desire to prove wrong a hated landlord (David Thewlis) he soon becomes as valued a family member as any other. All changes though as war breaks out when Albert’s father (Peter Mullan) is forced to sell the horse to the sympathetic Captain Nicholls (Tom Hiddleston), wrenching horse from boy.

Across the channel we see Joey’s place in the great war change, from a misguided cavalry charge, to the home of a French farmer’s granddaughter and the muddied and bloodied fields of the Somme, as he moves from one side to another, working as a slave pulling artillery, and experiencing the horror of a new age of war.

But despite some spectacular and tragically real visuals and some of the most touching animal acting seen on the silver screen in quite some time, “War Horse” is missing something; Joey and Albert are separated early on and we lose track of the young farmhand for most of the movie, therefore we are robbed of the sense of loss we could otherwise have been made to feel.

Nonetheless the film is a vivid depiction of a time when the world changed, drastically and often violently, ushering in a mechanised age, and leaving behind the days when the horse was a core part of any army.

“War Horse” is moving, charismatic, and features one of John William’s finest scores, but it is not, however, the tear jerking, heart string puller that Steven Spielberg was hoping for.

Nominated for: Best Picture, Cinematography, Art Direction, Original Score, Sound Editing, and Sound Mixing

Starring: Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Peter Mullan, Niels Arestrup, and Tom Hiddleston.

Directed by: Steven Spielberg.

The Descendants

In a voiceover that sounds like the one Baz Luhrmann did for “Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)”, Matt King (George Clooney) begins Alexander Payne’s adaptation of Kaui Hart Hemmings novel “The Descendants” by shattering the common misconception held by the rest of the world that Hawaii is a paradise on earth. In a brief rant, accompanied by images of poverty and grime, Matt tries to show the audience the truth, but his own life is hardly one of low social standing.

Though he tries to keep his life low key Matt is a real estate lawyer and about as close as an American can get to being an aristocrat, with a family tree with roots that stretch back to white settlers and indigenous royalty; a proud bloodline that has since become a gaggle of loud shirts and entitled douchebags.

But life isn’t all Mai Tais and relaxing on the beach for our charming protagonist; his wife (Patricia Hastie) lies in an irreversible coma after a boating accident, and to make matters worse he soon learns that she was having an affair.

Without being cliché or overly sentimental the movie manages to be moving and often very funny. There are many unlikely moments – Robert Forster’s character punches an annoying teenager, and Matt’s youngest daughter Scotty (Amora Miller) often acts like a crazy person, but not once is the film anything but believable.

Some of what happens in “The Descendants” is familiar enough territory – Matt must deal with his own crushing heartbreak while dealing with the pain of those around him, but there are many other plots and subplots that make the film interesting. Its best quality, however, is its pace, unhurried and loose, and the people within it.

The characters in the film are allowed to be free, almost living their own lives, without following along a line like in most movies. That is what makes us love them, and feel for them in their saddest moments.

“The Descendants” is a remarkable film, one that paints a beautiful picture of human imperfection and the importance of family. Sure to leave a lump in the throat of even the hardest of souls it reminds us that it’s often hard to say goodbye.

Nominated for: Best Picture, Best Actor, Directing, Film Editing, Adapted Screenplay

Starring: George Clooney, Shailene Woodley, Amara Miller, Matthew Lillard, Judy Greer, Patricia Hastie.

Directed by: Alexander Payne

For the second time in this quite remarkable season, local Championship play-off hopefuls Brighton & Hove Albion will clash with Premier League giants, Liverpool.

The FA Cup has a very welcome habit of throwing up some plum ties at this stage of the competition and this match is no exception. The Albion will travel to Anfield hopeful of gaining revenge for their loss to Liverpool in the Carling Cup earlier this season.

The Seagulls have been on a quite spectacular run of form as of late, so far coming up unbeaten in 2012. Brighton have made an incredible recovery from their mid-season dip and now sit just two points off a play-off place.

A tie against Liverpool, away from home, will of course present the Seagulls with their toughest test of this year so far. It’s been a controversial few weeks for the Merseyside outfit, with an indifferent campaign up to this point being largely overshadowed by the actions of Uruguayan mischief-man, Luis Suarez.

That being said, it’d be foolish to cancel out Brighton’s chances at Anfield this afternoon. We shouldn’t forget it was a heroic performance that saw the Albion knock-out Premier League high-flyers Newcastle United last time out and the Magpies actually sit ahead of Liverpool in the PL table right now.

As far as the teamsheets go, Brighton & Hove Albion are expected to welcome new loan signings, Gai Assulin and Abdul Razak (both from Manchester City), into the squad this afternoon while Spanish winger Vicente could also feature.

Kazenga LuaLua netted his first of the campaign in the week, salvaging a draw against Millwall, and the Seagulls will want Kaz to be at his back-flipping best in order to test a very resilient Liverpool backline.

Liverpool meanwhile are expected to field a near-strength side as Dalglish aims to swoop for a cup double in this campaign to compensate for a season of under-performance in the league.

While Brighton should fancy their chances of perhaps nicking a draw and taking this tie back to the Amex, Liverpool are unbeaten at home in all competitions this season – unless something dramatic happens, that won’t change this afternoon.

It’s all set up to be an absolutely mammoth night for British boxing this saturday, with one of the country’s hottest prospects in action alongside a huge world heavyweight title clash.

After a convincing win in his debut professional bout against Lithuanian journeyman Kirrilis Psonko, Chris Eubank Jr’s opponent this weekend comes in the shape of British Central Area Middleweight champion, Jason Ball.

The fight takes place in Rotherham’s Magna Centre this evening and Brighton-boy Chris expects plenty of eyes to be on his performance this evening, as he tops on the bill on Channel 5′s coverage for the first time.

While Ball’s got the reputation of a tricky fighter and comes from an MMA background, Eubank should have more than enough to see off his second opponent. A polished, hard-hitting victory here will look great for Eubank’s highlight-reel and will undoubtedly see his hype increase further.

As always though, Heavyweight boxing has dominated the sports headlines in the last 24 hours, with Dereck Chisora’s challenge against Vitali Klitschko turning into blockbuster stuff following Del Boy’s actions yesterday afternoon.

Deciding to give World Title holder Vitali a cheeky smack across the jaw at the weigh-in may not have been the smartest tactic ever employed, but there’s a healthy bit of spice about this fight now.

Viewing figures will no-doubt increase and the slap has brought the clash some much-needed column inches, with neutrals now wanting to tune-in tonight – if only to see Chisora get pulverised.

The fact he’s fighting for a world title raises some eyebrows considering he’s lost two of his last three fights. Once again, it just shows the lack of quality running through the Heavyweight division in 2012.

David Haye, a worthy fighter, couldn’t take down Wladimir. Dereck Chisora, a far inferior competitor, surely can’t take down the imperious Klitschko brother?

Catch Chris Eubank Jr’s fight on Channel 5 tonight from 9:55pm.
Coverage of the Chisora-Klitschko bout starts on BoxNation from 9:30pm.

In what can only be described as a heroic effort to trip the coalition government up on trebling tuition fees – two teenagers, Callum Hurley and Katy Moore, have been scuppered in their plans this morning.

Their case, taken up by the high court, challenged the government on breaching human rights. The students’ lawyers argued that the recent rise in tuition fees is a breach of the right to education, protected in the Human Rights Act 1998.

However, the judges Mr Justice King and Lord Justice Elias ruled that the government had acted within the law and hadn’t contravened human rights and equality legislation.

The two judges admitted the some students will be discouraged from applying to university as a result of the increased tuition fees, but said it was too early to tell whether the poorest would be deterred.

They said: “Following the judgment, we will be pressing the Government to now perform its duties in a conscientious way and ensure that the impact of higher fees is properly and robustly analysed.”

Mr Hurley, from Peterborough, Cambs, is studying for a BTec in software development and was one of thousands of demonstrators kettled during the student protests over tuition fees in 2010. He wants to go to university to study IT.

Miss Moore, from Brixton, south London, is studying biology, chemistry, maths and history for her A-levels at Lambeth Academy. She hopes to become a research scientist, exploring cells, diseases, new treatments and cures as a career.

In his judgment, Lord Justic Elias said he did not consider it would be a “proportionate” response to quash the decision to raise fees to up to £9,000 a year and argued that such a move would trigger “administrative chaos”.

Unfortunately for them, did we ever see a different outcome from this case?

Whether you love him or loathe him, it seems there’s not much that anyone can do to escape the folky vocals of flame-haired crooner, Ed Sheeran.

His collaborative project with US rapper Yelawolf dropped on Valentine’s day and has made an instant impact – having been downloaded over 108,000 times in its first 24 hours.

Sheeran’s debut album was met with a somewhat tepid reaction by us last year but after hearing this, we can fully get behind him once again.

Yelawolf has been touted for sometime now as Hip-Hop’s next big thing and collaborating with Ed is a surefire way to boost his reputation on this side of the Atlantic.

This free EP is only four tracks long but it’s stuffed with a lot more quality than you’re going to find from most major releases this year.

Stream the EP below or download it here now.

It’s long been reported that homophobia is a huge issue in the national game, an opinion symbolised with the daunting fact that not one professional player in this country is openly gay.

Brighton & Hove Albion have made a very welcome step to combat anti-gay attitudes within sport this week and pledged their commitment by signing up to the government’s Sports Charter, which aims to outlaw and challenge unacceptable behaviour.

Any fan that’s been to a Seagulls game in recent times, be it at the Withdean or the Amex, will have become all to familiar with the regular homophobic chants hurled at the club’s supporters and players because of Brighton’s affiliation with the UK’s gay community.

While all Premier League clubs signed the pledge on the 2nd February, Albion claim to be the first club in the South East to commit to these plans.

Paul Camillin, Head of Media at Brighton & Hove has said: “The important thing is that supporters work with us, so if they are subjected to any kind of abuse they should report it to us and the police.”

A lot has been made this season of issues of racism facing football. Perhaps one good thing to come from all this is that inequalities elsewhere will now be challenged as well.