Current Issue: 16
12th - 18th March 2010
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TV
Are shows such as Gossip Girl and Sex and the City promoting acceptable role models to young people today?
Anna Pintus examines the impact of the examples set by television characters
Sex, drugs and rock’n roll are common themes in today’s popular serial dramas. From blond bombshells, to multi million pound heiresses, to women who literally have everything, these dramas promote a life which to many is completely inaccessible. Take Gossip Girl for example, currently in its third series on ITV2; it would be deemed difficult to describe any of the characters as unattractive. In New York City, it just happens that this group of young adults are all at the same school, are all friends, are all attractive and are all ridiculously rich. Believable? I would argue not. Through a series of twists and turns the series follows these characters as they experience life as privileged teenagers in a city in which the predominant focus appears to be on the ‘Upper East Side’. With this you get your full range of personalities; Serena Van der Woodsen, the ‘It girl’ with the scandalous past (all at only 16 in the first series), Blair Waldorf, the ‘Queen Bee’ of the social scene, Chuck Bass, the show’s anti-hero and budding entrepreneur, Nate Archibald,… Continue reading...
Books
REVIEW - A Year in the Woods
Colin Elford
With illustrations, a glossary of forestry terms and the main body of writing being divided into the months of a year in the ranger’s life, this is not your average autobiography.This cute, almost pocket-sized book written by the Dorset forest ranger Colin Elford, provides refreshing and natural snapshots of his daily adventures in the Woods.
Read morePosted in LS2 » Books » REVIEW - A Year in the Woods
Arts
COMMENT - Did David Really Beat Goliath?
Does the Hurt Locker's Oscar Sweep signify a new direction in the Academy's pickings?
The Hurt Locker wins Best Picture
The Oscars are often criticised for being less a celebration of the creativity of filmmakers and more an opportunity for the Academy to congratulate itself, with awards usually going to those that sway the most Academy influence. This year however, the close of the 82nd Academy Awards saw Kathryn Bigelow’s stunning Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker storm the show despite returning a mere $21 million, making it the lowest grossing Best Picture winner ever; beating James Cameron’s Avatar, the highest grossing film of all time. The problem is not that The Hurt Locker won, but why it won. Was it really the David and Goliath tale it has been made out to be? Does the film’s success mark a shift by the Academy towards recognising more relevant films or is it just as out of touch with popular opinion as ever?
Read morePosted in LS2 » Arts » COMMENT - Did David Really Beat Goliath?
Fashion
Fashion Week: The Ups and Downs
LS2 brings the run down of Paris and Milan.
Summer may still seem like a distant possibility at the moment, but that hasn’t stopped the fashion world from looking far into the future. In Paris and Milan fashion week, the autumn/winter collections took the world by storm to show us what we will all be dressing in by the end of the year.
Read morePosted in LS2 » Fashion » Fashion Week: The Ups and Downs