Saturday, 25 January 2014

Movie Marvels: Blackfish - Documentary on the Whales at Sea World.




You are a young baby whale, you are destined to live in the open ocean along with your pod without a care in a world. But what if one day that was all over? You were chased down by ships and hunters, thrown in a net and dragged to shore. You are lost, scared and frightened, you have lost your mum and you are alone, alone in a concrete tank and forced to learn tricks as a reward for food. This is Blackfish.

The film explores the life of the largest known whale in captivity called Tilakum and his links to killing three trainers.It recalls accounts from multiple different sources including ex-trainers at Seaworld who share their experiences of working with Tilakum and other Whales in the park, a member of OSHA, who's fight is to end whale training in captivity, a specialist neuroscientist, whale capturers and ex members of whale captivity institutions.

The film explores the past 40 years of Whales in captivity and the death of Dawn Brancheau, Tilakum's last victim. The timeline starts from the caputure of the whales for the park and how they began to develop in the enclosure with a treatment plan set up by Seaworld. It develops into the exploration of the many events of Tilakum's negative behaviour and the failure to relay this to all trainers, which resulted in Dawn's death.

The film's sources are rich, covering many areas for the abolition whale captivity. The accounts really hit you, not just with with their personal accounts but with facts from scientists who believe that the way in which these whales are kept and treated is the reason for their unusual behaviour.

I really feel this film hit's you and can even change your views on what you once believed was true. I for one was once dazzled by the concept of seeing these Whales perform with such grace with their trainers and no idea of how these animals were treated. Watching this film really gives you a grounding of the mistreatments of animals and of course the sheer evil nature that humans can exhibit to make a quick buck.

5/5



Sunday, 12 January 2014

TOP TECH: Juice cube - Emergency Device Charger


You all know the drill, you are on a 4 hour train after work, no seats, no power outlet and your battery is flashing at 20%. The dread. You can't chat to your friends, you can't even attempt to crack that pesky crushing level of Candy Crush. Well look no further, the new Emergency Device Charger from Juice Cube will give your device some more juice and is quite catching on the eye. 

This little box, which comes in 7 different colours, is the perfect little box of power. Charge it up the night before and just pop it in your bag and away you go. All you have to do it plug in the wire and away you go. In the box it comes with a USB with multiple attachments, these are compatible with:

Apple iPod Nano
Apple iPod Touch (2nd, 3rd & 4th Generation)
Apple iPhone 3G, 3GS, 4 & 4S
Apple iPad, iPad 2 & iPad 3
Samsung, Blackberry, HTC, LG, Nokia and Sony Ericsson phones
Sony PSP

However this device is more clever than what meets the eye. With both micro and USB ports on the back of the device, you can plug in your own wires to charge some of your much love modern devices such as the your iPhone 5 range and Kindle. So do not be worried it does not initially come with these attachments. I believe a new one of these will be on the horizon, so get these quick before you are truly left in the dark.

On the bottom of the box, you will see 4 lights, as you tap the box, the lights will light up, telling you how much juice you have left. One of the niftiest ways to find out if your box is all charged up. 

So throw away that ugly case, and get stylish, because all you need, is some Juice. 

Juice Cubes are sold in John Lewis and PC World stores, it retails from as low as £24.95

Saturday, 11 January 2014

HOT MUSIC: Lea Michele -Cannonball


Lea Michele is no stranger to the world of music, being the star of FOX's hit award winning TV show Glee, she has a string of Billboard hit's such as the signature classic Don't Stop Believing , as well as the show stopping Defying Gravity hit. The Broadway and TV show grad is now embarking on her new success story in the form of her own début album. It's time for her to spread her wings, and well fly, like a Cannonball.

We all know the starlet can pack a punch on Glee, especially with the musical theatre hits, tackling the outstanding classics from, yes her favourite film, Funny Girl. With the likes of Don't Rain On My Parade and My Man. But what is she really like on the pop music front? With this in mind, Glee has shown us she is no stranger to taking on the pop hit's and sending them into the sky like a Firework, so you people go on Take a Bow, because it simply wouldn't be the same Without You and that wonderful voice Lea! In short. She can do pop, and can do it well.

This debut pop hit is simply huge, not only do the song and video show the story of battling through the darkness she has felt, following the tragic passing of her boyfriend Cory Monteith, but it shows there is light at the end of the tunnel. This wonderful musical hit, written by the Australian Musician and 
lyricist Sia really hits the mark it with the raw emotion hitting all the marks in the process of moving on from striking life events.

The beat and melody of the song, yet simple, does not take away from the song itself, providing Lea with all the freedom to effortlessly show us what her years of music theatre training can do. Not only do the lyrics takes us through the journey but aids Lea changing her amazingly timed pitch to make us feel at one with the emotions expressed in the lyrics. 

The video is also as impressive, closely reflecting the lyrics. It shows the true battle, the struggle, switching back and forth through the light and dark emotions, focusing at the start on the dark, with light creeping in. As she walks through the balls of light, she is coming to the end of her battle, resolving the issues, and then ending in the true light of colour and the prospects of life ahead but never forgetting the darkness. A true reflecting video, which has a wonderful message. 

With a video and song like that, Lea is really the one to watch this year. Her new album is sure to bring us such treats. In an interview she confirmed Cory had listened to all but Cannonball and the song If You Say So, based on the last words Cory spoke to her, prepare for the tears. It's gong to get emotional.

Here you can find the next show stopper from her album Battlefield. The spine chilling ballad. Lea has been quoted to say this album is the most personal work she has ever done and this song sure reflects it. 





Lea's Debut album Louder will be out March 4th and is avaliable for preorder on Amazon and iTunes now. (Preorder in the USA and you will get Battlefield for free on preorder purchase).