It’s getting more colder as we reach January! The perfect time to buy items whilst sales last.
If you haven’t already go get yourselves something to keep you warm during the next few weeks to come. You wouldn’t necessarily think to wear accessories but sure enough, it’ll keep you warm whilst still looking fashionable.
Scarf
Great way to keep your neck nice and warm. You can style it in many different ways. The best scarves to have are the ones made from wool as that naturally keeps in warmth.
Barbour – £39.95
Gloves
Gloves are great for the snow days. The temperature can go below 0 and you wouldn’t want to get frostbite. The best gloves to have is leather as it allows you to play in the snow without the fabric getting soaked. If you wanted to opt for something more stylish then try out gloves made of two different fabrics.
Ted Baker – £85.00
John Lewis – £40.00
Hat
Hats are perfect for windy, foggy and snow days. It helps to the head warm and prevents you from getting headaches from the cold. Beanies are great for everyday wear if you want something much thicker then the best option would be a trapper hat.
Hugo Boss – £30.00
Wool Socks
You wouldn’t think socks to be an accessory but it is. It’s great worn with combat boots and even wellies to keep your feet warm and cosy in the snow.
Our 20 Best films of 2017 list showed which films did well with critics. But which films grossed highest in 2017?
Beauty and the Beast
Highest grossing of the film this year has been ‘Beauty and the Beast’ by Disney, which grossed a rather impressive $1,263 billion (£941m) worldwide. Domestically, it opened with $174 million (£130m) and had a production budget of around $160 million (£119m).
The Fate of the Furious
Another film in ‘The Fast and Furious’ franchise was released and this year by the name of ‘The Fate of the Furious’. The film managed to gross a rather impressive $1,235 billion (£921m) worldwide with a production budget of $250 million (£186m).
Despicable Me 3
The fourth film in the ‘Despicable Me’ franchise was released this year after the release of ‘Minions’ two years ago. The film managed to become the second highest grossing film in the franchise by grossing a rather impressive $1,033 billion (£770m) with an estimated production budget of $80 million (£59m).
Spider-Man: Homecoming
In fourth place, came ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’ which was distributed by Sony/Columbia. The film grossed a solid $880 million (£655m) with a production budget of $175 million (£130m).
Wolf Warrior 2
In the fifth and last place on this list came ‘Wolf Warrior 2’. This film was made as a sequel to the original ‘Wolf Warrior’ directed by Wu Jing and was primarily made for the Chinese viewers. The film grossed an enormous $870 million (£648m) worldwide with an estimated production budget of $30.1 million (£22.4 m). Quite impressive indeed.
Notable Mentions
Film
Gross (Worldwide)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
$863.7 million (£644m)
Thor: Ragnarok
$846.1 million (£630m)
Wonder Woman
$821.8 million (£612m)
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
$794.9 million (£592m)
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
$791.7 million (£590m)
* ’Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ is still in cinemas, therefore the gross will change during the final days of 2017 and thus will overtake ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales’.
Latest Designer brand Michael Kors is set to be completely fur-free by the end of 2018.
Michael Kors is the next brand to join in the fur-free train which was announced at a press release. This also means that Jimmy Choo will also go fur-free as this brand was acquired by Micheal Kors in July 2017 for $1.2 billion.
“Due to technological advances in fabrications, we now have the ability to create a luxe aesthetic using non-animal fur,” – Kors
The movement will be showcased in 2018 during February when the whole of the month is based on fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris. The collection will show the alternatives to real fur. By the end of 2018, the brand should be free of fur.
Michael Kors has been under fire from protesters and animal activists in the last decade for using fur in their collection. So for PETA and other animal activist groups, it’s been good news. It shows that fashion houses and designers are becoming more aware of the subject and more fashion forward as there are technical advances in the industry.
Sundog Studios have updated and released their new and exciting game Jingle Hells
With Christmas upon us the small gaming company Sundog Studios have treated us with their latest gift of ‘Jingle Hells’, a mobile phone game where you take control of an evil Christmas Elf that is tasked to catch all the kids that made it onto the notorious Santa’s Naughty list. While this all might seem a little dark, you are also then tasked to imprison the naughty kids and make them excavate the glacial prison of Santa Claus’. A fun game sounding indeed!
While Sundog Studios is run by two brothers, ‘Jingle Hells’ is a video game entirely made by Mads Overgaard Christiansen, who animated, programmed and created the art for the game.
The latest version of ‘Jingle Hells’ is available now via Google Play Store.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi managed to maintain its top spot at the weekend Box Office, while five newcomers entered the top ten list.
It was another great weekend for ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ as it once again topped the weekend Box Office with an estimated $68,4 million (£51.2 million) domestically. In the second place, came the newcomer ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ which entered quite impressively with an estimated $34 million (£25,4 million).
In third and fourth places came newcomers ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ and ‘The Greatest Showman’. Universal’s comedy ‘Pitch Perfect 3’ grossed an estimated $20,4 million (£15.3 million), while 20th Century Fox’s ‘The Greatest Showman’ entered with a less impressive but yet to rise estimate of $8.6 million (£6.4 million).
Non-stop Netflix is back with another hard-hitting drama.
While the year is coming to an end Netflix is not looking to stop as just two days ago it released a teaser for an upcoming series ‘Seven Seconds’. The series focuses on the people behind the controversial headlines and their stories. Netflix wrote “Seven Seconds tackles the controversial issues of race relations between law enforcement, the people they serve, and the personal stories of those involved. At its core, the series goes beyond the headlines, examining the impact a tragic accident has on a community and a family’s need for answers and justice.”
‘Seven Seconds’ will be premiering on Netflix on the 23rd of February, 2018.
Big franchisefilms dominated the Box Office this year, however, it was the independent films that most impressed the critics.
With the year coming to close, the team at Our Culture Mag created their lists of their favourite films and we narrowed them down to our top twenty list to see which films resonated most with their viewers.
*Each film on this list share an equal spot*
Baby Driver (Dir. Edgar Wright)
The first film to enter our list is Baby Driver by the exciting Edgar Wright, who has created “memorable scenes” and developed a rather unpredictable film according to our very own Elias Michael. The film has been nominated for one Golden Globe award and several awards for Best Editing, which was done by duo Paul Machliss and Jonathan Amos. ‘Baby Driver’ is definitely a must watch for the car-fuelled action-packed enthusiasts.
Blade Runner 2049 (Dir. Denis Villeneuve)
It was a big year for the fans of original ‘Blade Runner’. Tech-noir ‘Blade Runner 2049’ hit the cinemas in October and amazed its audiences with stunning visuals crafted by Roger Deakins. With the Academy Awards not too long away ‘Blade Runner 2049’ will look to grab some nominations in the visual categories.
Dunkirk (Dir. Christopher Nolan)
Nolan’s ‘Dunkirk’ has managed to gross over $500 million worldwide since its release and from the majority of opinions, it deserved every penny of that. The film by Nolan was ranked highly by the majority of the critics and conveyed the terrors it depicted amazingly. While the film is not made for every audience, it’s a perfect film for those cinema-goers that love waves of unsettling-visuals and tension building soundscapes. Elias Michael wrote, “Nolan opts to tell his story visually with limited dialogue, offering up the exceptional sound to immerse you in the fight and striking visuals to show the horror.”
Ghost Stories (Dir. Andy Nyman & Jeremy Dyson)
According to our critic Christopher Stewardson, ‘Ghost Stories’ is “the best British horror film since Jacques Tourneur’s Night of the Demon (1957)”. Nyman and Dyson gripped the audiences with their masterpiece of a film and currently hold an impressive 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Foxtrot (Dir. Samuel Maoz)
With high praise from many critics like myself, Foxtrot perplexed its audiences with philosophical puzzles and brought out political and cultural themes that are in many ways untalked about today. ‘Foxtrot’ is a genuinely stunning film and without a doubt deservedly well received by the majority of the viewers. With it being the official Israeli entry into the Academy Awards, it is highly likely it will get nominated for the ‘Best Foreign Film’ award.
The Disaster Artist (Dir. James Franco)
One of the more anticipated films this year has been ‘The Disaster Artist’ especially for the fans of ‘The Room’. With great acting from James Franco and well-written comedy, ‘The Disaster Artist’ has truly made an impression that will last with its viewers and thus deserves a spot on this list.
It (Dir. Andrés Muschietti)
The best of year list would be without the biggest horror film of the year. This year we have been treated to ‘It’. A film based on Stephen King’s novel that managed to gross an impressive $698 million at the Box Office. ‘It’ blew most of the Box Office records in its way and currently holds an impressive 85% on Rotten Tomatoes. Our own Christopher Stewardson wrote, “Regardless of misplaced digital effects and a slow pace that emerges toward the middle of the film, It is an effective, immersive, and compelling horror film.”
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (Dir. Yorgos Lanthimos)
Lanthimos came back strong with once again a deeply uneasy film. This year he treated us with ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’ which had its UK Premiere at the London Film Festival. Lanthimos’ film truly excelled in many aspects, from the cinematography to its rather bizarre and unsettling themes that make him the favourite of many cinephiles. If you love ‘Lobster’ or ‘Dogtooth’ you will most likely love ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer’.
Logan (Dir. James Mangold)
Regarded as the best Wolverine yet. Logan truly hit the mark with its intentions. With its emotional and gripping story and beautiful execution, this film truly made itself a step above any Wolverine or X-Men film ever made. A must watch for those love the X-Men franchise.
Star Wars: The Last Jedi (Dir. Rian Johnson)
The latest film in the Star Wars franchise ‘Star Wars: The Last Jedi’ had some critics split, many arguing that the film struggled with its comedy or that the overall feel and structure of the film was off. However, we feel it is yet of one better Star Wars films and stands well amongst the best films of 2017. Our very own Christopher Stewardson wrote, “Despite the weakness of some of its subplots, The Last Jedi is a welcome and necessary next step for the Star Wars saga.”
Get Out (Dir. Jordan Peele)
With two Golden Globe nominations and high praise from critics ‘Get Out’ has managed to become one of the more provocative and thrilling horror films of 2017. Peele’s ‘Get Out’ seems to have created a new wave of horror cinema, one that will look to expand in the years to come. ‘Get Out’ has been nominated for two Golden Globes.
War for the Planet of the Apes (Dir. Matt Reeves)
The Planet of the Apes’ latest film ‘War for the Planet of the Apes’ was quite the addition to the franchise. With its cinematic war driven visuals and some terrific performances, the film blew some viewers expectations as Reeves managed to deliver the hoped-for product. Elias Michael wrote, “War for the Planet of the Apes is one of the strongest films of the year; Matt Reeves has done exceptionally well in his direction of creating a visually stunning epic and it is refreshing to see a great conclusion to a trilogy.”
mother! (Dir. Darren Aronofsky)
With mixed bag reviews ‘mother!’ is not seen as a major success by many critics, some critiquing the acting of Jennifer Lawrence and several others challenging the visuals and feel of the film that Aronofsky presented. However, with its unique feel and expressiveness, it belongs on this list as one of the best films of 2017. Elias Michael wrote, “Overwhelmingly disturbing and completely nuts this film can be interpreted as many ways as people have seen it.”
The Death of Stalin (Dir. Armando Iannucci)
Iannucci’s political satire comedy ‘The Death of Stalin’ deservedly entered this list with its witty and dark comedy, that will keep you wanting for more. Unsurprisingly, Iannucci’s satire won four awards the British Independent Awards and looks to get more as the awards season opens up.
The Shape of Water (Dir. Guillermo del Toro)
Guillermo del Toro returned this year with his fantasy drama ‘The Shape of Water’. With fantastic visuals and simply thrilling storyline, this film delivered just what we had hoped for. ‘Shape of Water’ to no surprise managed to take seven Golden Globe nominations and will look to do well at the Academy Awards too.
Okja (Dir. Bong Joon-ho)
Joon-ho’s adventurous ‘Okja’ embarked on the themes of environmentalism and political satire. ‘Okja’ was so successful that it even competed for the prestigious Palme d’Or at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival and thus battled the criticism Netflix was receiving over their content being eligible for respected awards due to their strategies in distribution. Our critic James Carpenter wrote, “Okja earns the higher age rating with its controversial topic and themes but it also displays some fresh material for its wonderful cast and proves to be one of the most relevant and influential pieces of film to be seen in a long time.”
T2 Trainspotting (Dir. Danny Boyle)
The sequel to Trainspotting had to come and it did. Once again, British director Danny Boyle took us on a rollercoaster of a journey with his deeply immersive drama that brings back the nostalgic world its predecessor was set in.
Only The Brave (Dir. Joseph Kosinski)
Kosinski’s action film moves its audience with its gripping story that follows an elite crew of firefighters, who fought against a fatal enemy. ‘Only The Brave’ is based on the firefighters from the Yarnell Hill Fire and depicts the events well with splendid acting and structure.
The Lego Batman Movie (Dir. Chris McKay)
Fun, exciting and engaging is a couple of ways to describe ‘The Lego Batman Movie’. While this film is not part of the main Batman franchise it stands as one of the better Batman films ever made. A genuinely well-made animated comedy that currently holds 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Big Sick (Dir. Michael Showalter)
Showalter’s ‘The Big Sick’ drama comedy wowed its viewers with its dynamic comedy and a layer of realism that came with it. Most of its power came through the performances of the actors, who were recognised by several film critic award bodies including San Francisco Film Critics Circle, Houston Film Critics Society Awards and Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards. Our very own Elias Michael wrote, “Kumails battles, values and choices are all told wonderfully mixed in with the brilliant humour and heartfelt scenes.”
Man-tis! is in the last stage of crowdfunding and is looking for your help!
Short film ‘Man-tis!’ is now preparing for filming and is looking for backers to make the film happen. With a few days to go, any small or big donation would help the film happen. Man-tis! is being crowdfunded through Indiegogo.
Man-tis! is a short science-fiction comedy. Drawing influence from such classic creature features as ‘The Fly’ (1958) and mixing it with the comedy of Edgar Wright’s ‘Spaced’ (1999 – 2001) series.
The film follows a nervous wreck, Tim Blaisdell, is about to have the interview of his life with the top architectural firm in London. The morning of, however, Tim finds his head and hands transformed into those of a giant praying mantis. Tim’s roommate, Alex, a witty, sarcastic, lovable scamp, doesn’t quite see the problem, but does see how panicked Tim is. Reluctantly, Tim agrees to let Alex take him to his interview. A praying mantis head isn’t ideal, but maybe Tim’s interview will have a better outcome than he’s expecting.
You can join the film by becoming a backer here! and follow their website & social media for further updates on this exciting project.
Legendary Trance duo Cosmic Gate have released their latest single ‘Fall Into You’ with three-time Grammy Nominated singer and songwriter JES.
It’s always exciting when Cosmic Gate share something new and this time we have not been disappointed with their latest single ‘Fall Into You’, which comes in collaboration with the very talented and powerful vocal-driven JES.
Over the years, Cosmic Gate created quite the status for themselves having worked with similarly big names such as Armin van Buuren, Markus Schulz, and Ferry Corsten. While they have worked with some of the biggest names in the world of music, they have still managed to maintain their true sound of Trance, which what earned them the status of Legends in the world of Trance music.
JES is also a fearless musician who has worked with tonnes of big names in the world of music such as Tiesto, Armin Van Buuren and Above & Beyond. She has been also nominated for three Grammy awards and has had two #1 singles on Billboard, which on our lists would deem her as a top artist.
‘Fall Into You’ is part of Cosmic Gate’s album ‘Materia’ which you can download here.
Our friends at DocAlliance have announced their best films of 2017.
With the year wrapping up it is now the perfect time for evaluation and retrospection. Our great friends at DAFilms provide their viewers with over 1600 documentaries and have selected their best films of 2017, based on viewership, festival selections and DocAlliance’s own team opinions on which films should make the cut.
Best films of 2017 from DocAlliance
David Redmon, Ashley Sabin: ‘Do Donkeys Act?’
Ognjen Glavonić: ‘Depth Two’
Sherng-Lee Huang, Livia Ungur: ‘Hotel Dallas’
Salome Jashi: ‘The Dazzling Light of Sunset’
Anna Roussillon: ‘I Am the People’
Pavel Cuzuioc: ‘Secondo Me’
Chris Marker: ‘Letter from Siberia’
Gianfranco Rosi: ‘El Sicario – Room 164’
Agnés Varda: Women Reply: ‘Our Bodies, Our Sex’
Deborah Stratman: ‘Illinois Parables’
Zosya Rodkevich: ‘My Friend Boris Nemtsov’
Marek Olexa, Francesca Scalisi: ‘Half-Life in Fukushima’
Ryuji Otsuka: ‘Beijing Ants’
Zoe Beloff: ‘A Model Family in a Model Home’
Bill Morrison: ‘The Great Flood’
Petr Václav: ‘The Way Out’
Věra Chytilová: ‘Looking for Ester’
Jane Gillooly: ‘Suitcase of Love and Shame’
Victor Kossakovsky: ‘The Belovs’
