Are the Oscars a true reflection of quality in the film industry?

 



 .Picture this. Sparkling smiles. Camera flashes. Glittering celebs walking down a long red carpet... We’re at the Oscars, the most glamorous award show in the world. A fabulous celebration of great actors, directors, and films. Where stunning women can show off their outfits and dashing men can compete for the ‘Best Leading Actor’ award; this is surely one of the best ways of showing true quality in the film industry. Or is it? 

  The Academy Awards, or Oscars, started in 1928; since then they have been held in America annually, and will take place on the 2nd of March this year. It is a ceremony which is gives out awards of statuettes to high achievers in film. Indeed, many people think this is a wonderful event, although it does have bad sides, many bad sides.

  Sure, this event can be an entertaining celebration of film, although on another hand, one can interoperate it to be a fake over-glamorised event, which only focuses on star’s looks and popularity rather than their talent. When journalists from glossy magazines write article upon article full of sentences like ‘Who wore the nicest outfit at the Oscars?’ with backchat and useless gossip, which actually just humiliates actors. The ceremony may just be a way in which designers can earn money when stars are seen wearing their clothes when walking down the red carpet. Dress sense can actually become competitive at the Oscars, as stars may just focus on wearing the most dazzling, jaw-dropping outfit at the ceremony. Maybe this whole event is just based on who did the winner of the leading actress’ hair and makeup, than actually focusing on the award they’ve won. A great celebration of the film industry indeed.

  The award show can also be extremely biased. It tends to usually reward the big blockbusters which have been released, and although they might’ve earned lots of money and filled many cinemas, that doesn’t necessary mean they are high quality films. Because of this, it means that some people may just want to make a big, successful film just so they can get a reward during ‘Oscar session’. Take this year’s nominee for example; American Hustle (which was released suspiciously close to the night of the award show) has been nominated for best film, and although it may have a good plot with great acting, many people believe that it’s only popular because of its star studded cast. With the likes of Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Bradley Cooper, it obviously will demand attention, but it’s almost as if it screams “Look at me, look at all the famous people who are in this movie, look how incredible that is!” when instead, the film itself does to have lots of depth to become a classic.

  Sometimes independent films can actually prove to be the best. 'The Shawshank Redemption' (1994) is a prime example of this. When it was released, it was hardly noticed, and wasn’t even represented at the Oscars, but now it is regarded as the ‘greatest film of all time’, being a favourite of many and receiving praise everywhere.

  The Oscars only nominating people for their popularity is proved by Quentin Tarantino, who started off as a fresh, but unknown director. His first films 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Pulp Fiction' were not smash hits at that time; because of their gory violence, drug use and constant cursing, they seemed to be more or less banished from Oscar territory. But, as the years went by, one by one, the talented Tarantino’s films gained more and more popularity from film lovers, becoming cult classics. As the director earned more money and fans, suddenly now he became noticed by the Academy, and latest releases ‘Inglourious Basterds’ and ‘Django Unchained’ (which still had lots of controversial violence and swearing) were extremely well praised. Finally Tarantino was a glowing star, although of course, he couldn’t have done that without is almost ignored early masterpieces.

  Plenty of people hardly get represented at the Oscars. Yes, there are universally loved method actors who win numerous awards, especially the likes of Robert deNiro, Daniel Day Lewis, and Tom Hanks. Although, a lot of people have complained about how very celebrated and talented actors have never once won an Academy Award. Now before everyone screams “Leonardo diCaprio deserves his Oscar!” let’s discuss the late Peter O’Toole for a moment. In his 60 year career, he was in many notorious films such as ‘Lawrence of Arabia’, ‘Becket’ and ‘The Lion in Winter’. O’Toole was nominated for best leading actor a record breaking eight times, obviously showing he did deserve one, yet not once did he ever win his award. Many others have surprisingly never won an Oscar; there’s the legendary Gary Oldman, Brad Pitt, Albert Finney, and of course, Leonardo diCaprio.  
  In the end, the Academy Awards can be a competitive excuse for celebrities to get lots of media attention. It focuses largely on glitz and glamour in good looking people, and can lead to callous gossip in magazines. Its awards are usually rewarded to the biggest blockbuster movies, most commercially successful actors, and don’t represent any independent films. This shows that the Oscars are sometimes not an accurate reflection of talent in the film industry. But, it is our own decision to either take these things into account, or to just enjoy this annual event. After all, it’s just showbiz!

By Hayley

My Top 5 Personal Style Icons

Well hello again. It's Rhianwen, this is my first post on here, and i hope this post will give you some inspiration and tell you a little bit about my personal style!

5. Sky Ferreira

I have a lot of love for Sky Ferreira. Her music is great, it can vary from songs such as Red Lips which is more on the grunge side, to very soft and moody, like Everything is Embarrassing. She is extremely pretty, but she has a very grungy edge to her look. She wears black eyeliner around her eyes, slightly smudged, giving her a dark look. She has signature bleach blonde hair and her clothes are always unique, but at the same time in a simple way. One day she can go from an over-sized band t-shirt and the next a mini skirt and crop top. Her style is effortless and definitely inspired by icons of the past such as Debbie Harry. I have a lot of love and respect for this girl, and if you didn't know of her already, I'd suggest you look her up, and her music too!

4. Francoise Hardy


Francoise Hardy is a French singer who was very popular in the music and fashion world in the 60s. I adore her music and I listen to her a lot, but I also love her image. She really did go with the 60s style, but in a very natural way. She wore winged liner but with very little makeup on her face, and her style was always very vertical and relaxed. She often wore rather boyish clothes; t shirts with very little shape, trousers (which were considered boyish at the time), long sleeves, high-necked shirts, and button up shirts, but with one statement piece, such as a fur coat or a trench coat, or a patterned shirt. She had a very slim and boyish figure, and I admire how she embraced it. She had a very fresh 60's style, and also very typical, and she is definitely a huge inspiration to many modern style icons, as her style is completely timeless. Her straight hair and fringe really gave her a young but sophisticated look in my opinion, and I take inspiration from her style all the time. (I would highly recommend a song of hers: 'Le Temps De L'amour' which also appeared in the Wes Anderson film Moonrise Kingdom)

3. Kurt Cobain

Firstly, I do understand that Kurt Cobain was a man. But still, I genuinely do take inspiration from his style. He wore scratchy cardigans, sweatshirts, jumpers, oversized checked shirts, loose levis, and converse, which admittedly is the sort of style I would realistically go for. And hey, how could i forget his signature sunglasses? I love how relaxed and comfortable his style was, and although it was obviously effortless and in some ways careless, I take a lot from his style.

2. Alexa Chung

Just like most teenage girls, I love Alexa Chung. She's pretty, she's intelligent, cultured, and above all, one of the best dressed women around at the moment. She's very inspired by the 60s and is an example of a modern style icon who takes inspiration from Francoise Hardy. She is known as an 'It Girl' to some, and she has recently released a book called 'It' which is a must for any admirer of Alexa, or anyone who is interested in fashion and art. Her style again Is timeless and classy, but also very wearable, boyish at times and comfortable, which I like a lot.

1. Audrey Hepburn

Be prepared to expect Audrey Hepburn to be mentioned at least once in all of my posts. Not only is she my biggest style icon, she is also my favourite actress and a huge inspiration of mine. She was an extremely versatile lady, going from the 50s with a very cute, flouncy and pretty look, with the huge brows and eyes. She always stayed with her designer Hubert de Givenchy, and he seemed to adjust well to her different styles. Her 60s style was very sophisticated and she embraced her tall, slim figure a lot, whereas in the 50s she was to wear clothes to make her seem more 'curvy', as her slim figure was not very 'in' at the time. She was extremely iconic with her 60s cat eye, her hair pinned up above her head and her big sunglasses. I could honestly go on about her forever, but i'm going to leave it here. She was such a beautiful, iconic and elegant woman, and I look up to her a lot.

Thank you for reading!

- Rhianwen 

REVIEWING: Rizzle Kicks Live in Liverpool

Unfortunately they didn't stand still throughout the
whole set, so it was quite hard to get a decent photo of them

On the 15^th of February, I trekked all the way from my little Welsh home to Liverpool, to see the coolest hip-hoppers in the music scene. Considering their general pop-sounding music, Rizzle Kicks seem to have gained respect from all sorts of music fans – even the pretentious indie kids have a soft spot for the 22 year olds. What made me fall head over heels for them were the raw lyrics in Lost Generation – in particular, “What’s wrong if a girl loves sex?” and “damn right I’m a slut/you know this/but I’m a boy it’s all good.” There’s nothing cooler than young musicians acknowledging the sexism in every day life, and because of that I became an instant fan.
The O2 Academy is sold out, and my best friend and I are buzzing to see the boys. It’s obvious everyone else is too, because the atmosphere is electric and excitement is radiating from each and every individual in the crowd. At precisely seven thirty, the first act of the night is onstage – Thunderbird Gerard. His songs are catchy and although it’s not to my usual taste, I find myself dancing to him. After a debate with my friend on whether or not this rapper name-checked Graham Coxon or Jeremy Paxman, he leaves the stage and I prepare for Bang Bang Bang.
I’ve been looking forward to seeing Bang Bang Bang since I found out she was supporting. Natalie Bang is honestly everything I dream the future of music will be. Like a pop miracle, she’s pretty much a fusion of Sky Ferreira, Marina and The Diamonds, Lily Allen and Courtney Love; but with twice as much talent as all of them. The retro-feel electropop is brilliant, and in the weeks leading up to the gig I can’t get her songs out of my head. Considering not many people are aware of who she is, the crowd still go wild for her and Natalie even gets them involved; taking a selfie with us [which you can see on her instagram] and making cute paper aeroplanes out of the unique promo cards she has. She ends her set with He’s So Fine-and I’m singing so loud I doubt anyone around me can even hear her.  Definitely a highlight of the night.

Next Courtney Love?

Natalie Bang Bang Bang

Now it’s almost time for the people we’re waiting for, and the crowd jitter in anticipation and slight agitation. Slowly, the music that’s being played over the speakers melts into Mary Poppins classic “Let’s Go Fly a Kite,” which for some reason makes the whole crowd sing in unison. And then it’s the That’s Classic intro, and Jordan and Harley are on stage jumping and dancing and singing. The crowd is mirroring their actions, and it’s one of the best things I’ve ever seen. Luckily for me, I was almost on the                                                          barrier, so I had the perfect view of the lads.
The rest of the night is bit of a blur, the biggest highlight being them covering Blur’s biggest single Song 2. Hearing the brilliant guitar riff live really did put a smile on my face, as did Harley falling from the little box he was standing on and Jordan’s absolutely terrible dancing. Another incredible moment was when they performed Skip to the Good Bit – a song which samples EMF’s Unbelievable. As the song reaches the chorus, everyone jumps at once and you can feel the immense bounce spread through the floorboards. It’s hard to explain, it’s much like the feeling of a beat in your chest or early Sunday mornings watching your favourite cartoons. You can’t quite describe the pure ecstasy of the moment-it’s certainly something I’ll never forget.
To end, Rizzle Kicks play their first ever hit Down With the Trumpets, and as the show reaches its climax I think to myself – “this is the happiest I’ve felt in awhile.” Although they aren’t my favourite band or close to that, I can say that, after seeing them, they definitely hold quite a special place in my “important musicians” list.

Rizzle Kicks at O2 Acadmey Liverpool was definitely the best concert I’ve ever been to-the atmosphere, the support acts, Jordan’s face and the music made the whole night almost impeccable. I would definitely recommend seeing them if you haven’t already, and I will definitely be buying tickets to their next tour. 9/10
~Tilly 

DREAMPHONE Bang Bang Bang cards!

Chilling with Thunderbird Gerard

The Top Ten Greatest Directors of All Time

 Hello readers, it's Friday, which means you'll be getting an article from Hayley, wow! Anyway, since this will be my first post, I decided I wanted to talk about something I feel very affectionate for: film directors. Old ones, modern ones, comical ones, violent ones, high-grossing ones, independent ones. Hundreds are absolutely fantastic, although today I would like to give a list of the top 10 greatest of all time. This was possibly one of the hardest things I've had to do, although hopefully I've narrowed it down to both the most commercially successful and revolutionarily successful... 

10. David Lynch 

   What better way to start than with this multi talented artist? David Lynch; a master of surrealism onscreen. With a creative mind like no other, Lynch uses gorgeous imagery and twisted plots to both captivate and disturb. His debut was the magnificent horror surrealist film, 'Eraserhead', a visionary nightmare like no other, which placed him as one of the greats. With others such as the emotive 'Elephant Man', crime mystery 'Blue Velvet', and psychological thriller 'Mulholland Drive', Lynch has a legacy which demands attention forever. 

9. James Cameron

  Cameron has directed many films over the years, most being extremely exciting blockbuster epics.  His films include stunning special effects, filled with adventure and action, and have helped him to win many awards. Although it was initially 'The Terminator' which gained him his success, it's 'Titanic' and 'Avatar' which are his masterpieces. They are the two highest-grossing films of all time, making the perfectionist one of the highest earning and prosperous directors ever. 

8. Joel and Ethan Coen

 The ever witty Coen brothers are the two most original modern day directors. They're known for their black comedy movies, especially their cult classics such as 'The Big Lebowski' and "O Brother, Where Art Thou?' Although, the pair have also made tense westerns, crime dramas and neo-noirs, like 'True Grit' 'No Country For Old Men' and 'Fargo', helping them to be nominated for many awards and be placed in the hearts of thousands of film lovers. 

7. Francis Ford Coppola

  Even if you don't know the name, you will know Coppola's mafia masterpiece, 'The Godfather trilogy', a movie regarded as one of the greatest of all time, which revolutionised the film industry. As well as that, he also directed the war epic, 'Apocalypse Now'; the critically acclaimed and darkly poetic representation of the Vietnam War sealed the director as being one of the best.

  

6. Orson Welles

 Welles is possibly the most interesting, influential and honourable person on this list; he is not just director, but an actor, writer and radio personality. He was only 25 when he directed his first ever movie, the spectacular 'Citizen Kane'. Known universally as the "greatest film of all time", full of beautiful music and cinematography, it completely proves why Welles is one of the most talented people in the film industry. 

5. Quentin Tarantino

  A favourite amongst many. Quentin Tarantino. A modern day genius with witty and stylish films, filled with grueling violence, iconic dialogue, incredible characters, satirical humour and the repetitive use of the 'f-word'. Tarantino started off as an independent and completely fresh moviemaker with his (now highly popular) 'Reservoir Dogs' and 'Pulp Fiction', and has now ended up as a prosperous and highly regarded superstar, with the likes of 'Django Unchained' and 'Inglourious Basterds'. The man is truly one of the most influential figures in film.

4. Martin Scorsese 

  Marty has always been someone who everyone has looked up to. A frequent collaborator with the great Robert DeNiro in his manic crime dramas, this director is a landmark. He has been nominated for 80 Academy Awards, an unbelievable amount, for films such as 'Goodfellas', 'Raging Bull' and 'Taxi Driver' which each got extremely positive feedback from critics. The director includes symbolic imagery, exceptional plot lines and classic improvisation in his works, especially the famous "You talkin' to me?" It is very hard for this man not to be number one on the list. 

3. Alfred Hitchcock

  

  Hitch was the man who did it all, who inspired possibly ever other director after him. The Master of Suspense has made classic upon classic, studying filming techniques and psychologically examining characters in each piece he's made, and was always known for including astonishing twist endings . His tense thrillers like the infamous 'Psycho', 'Vertigo' and 'The Birds' have helped him earn his popularity, making this cultural icon is one of the most intelligent and creative directors of all time.

2. Steven Spielberg

  The list of classic films this director has worked with is endless. In his 40 year career he has played with war epics, slavery dramas, si-fi... and dinosaurs. It is almost impossible for anyone to have not seen one of his films, whether it be 'E.T. Extra Terrestrial', 'Jaws' or 'Saving Private Ryan'. This director may be the master of creating blockbuster movies, with wonderful plots, characters and special effects, which are always difficult to forget.

1. Stanley Kubrick

  Even though producing this list was very difficult to do, the overall winner was obvious. Stanley Kubrick is a perfectionist with the most mesmerising and unique films, and has studied almost every genre. It is very difficult for someone to be a film lover without appreciating this director's work. From the controversial dystopian 'A Clockwork Orange', psychological horror 'The Shining', and terrifyingly realistic war film 'Full Metal Jacket', Kubrick explores imagery, symbolism and character development in his films like no other. His greatest work, however, is the dazzling '2001: A Space Odyssey'. Made in 1968, this masterpiece was literally before its time. With very little special effects, a mystifying plot line touching on many different themes and never before seen cinematography, the futuristic science fiction, which was deemed impossible to film, has influenced almost every other person in the movie making industry. Every motion picture the artistic intellectual has developed surely makes him the best of the best. 

Get To Know Us

  Well hello there, dear reader, and may I ask how you are feeling this day? (Rhetorical questions are always a good place to start, huh?) Anyway, as you may have read in our first post, this is a blog made up of three people, three very close friends who decided get a lil' creative. Now, before we actually get fully started on this, we wanted to each make a post to tell you, our reader, a bit about us.

  So, I, the one who is writing right now, am the marvellous Hayley Hannah Drummond, who comes from a distant and magical land named Scotland (corny, right?). I am 15 years of age and was born on the autumn month of October. I will be posting every Friday, talking mostly about films and music. Here is picture of me and my face:

 Blah blah blah....... Now I realise that my writing may be mind-numbingly painful to read, but I will try my best to captivate my audience as best as possible.   

  Anyway, apart from me (obviously) being in love with literature, I am also incredibly interested in art, music, and the film industry. Good movies are probably my favourite things on the planet, and I watch about four a day, so I will probably talk about them quite often. For years and years, I have always wanted to become some fabulous method actor or successful film director, or anything else movie-related. (Although how likely is it that that'll happen?) If/when that does not happen, I will either try to pursue a career in music, art, writing, or just something extraordinary. I know this is extremely cliché, especially for an 'anarchic' teenager, but I never want to follow the basic 'life template'. Y'all know what I mean: go to school - find a job - get married - buy house - reproduce - retire- grow old in a care home- die. How disgusting does that sound? If there's a thing I'll never do in life is that; instead, I believe in the unexpected. 

  So, moving swiftly away from all this "life is terrifying" business, I'll tell you some more fun facts about myself. Well, I guess most people would describe me as being very near to a psychopath (due to how I am usually prone to writing graphic, pessimistic poetry; drawing very creepy  doodles of headless people and bleeding eyes; and my huge love for all things gory, disturbing and dark). Personally I quite like this perseption, which is... kind of worrying; although personally I think I'm just a boring hippie. 

  As well as psychos, I love many many other things, some being: pianos, green tea, music, autumn, glasses, retro fashion, many many many wonderful films (which will be talked about in the future), green eyes, and A Clockwork Orange. 
  I like many authors, although my favourites are George Orwell, Irvine Welsh, Anthony Burgess, Aldous Huxley and Sylvia Plath. My favourite music artists are the likes of Radiohead, Muse, Pink Floyd, The Doors, David Bowie, and Mike Oldfield. I prefer music from, the 20th Century, which in a way is a very bad thing, one reason being that it is very unlikely or impossible that I will see these musicians live, and the other being that I will probably never be able to become a music journalist I have a strange disgust for almost all modern music. Anyway, I am also a huge fan of classical and romantic music and listen to composers such as Beethoven, Liszt, Berlioz, and Rachmaninoff. I adore films, too many to even mention, although my favourites are A Clockwork Orange, Taxi Driver, American Beauty, and Inglourious Basterds.

  Hmmm, I guess I'm done now... I don't feel like I've described myself at all! Hopefully, as the time goes on, you will get to know me more and more, and I'll  try not to be too boring for you...

Well hi. I'm Rhianwen, and firstly - it is pronounced "ree-ann-when", and yes, it's Welsh. I'm 14 years old and an Aries, currently living in glorious Wales. My hobbies include art, music, fashion, films, and reading. Although I come from a family of musicians, I was not lucky enough to inherit any musical talent, so therefore I draw and complain. I spend most of my time listening to Muse, the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Radiohead, but I also love Peace, the Smiths, Swim Deep, Vampire Weekend, Blur, David Bowie and more. I hope to be an artist of some sort in the future, and although unrealistic, I can always hope. I have many interests and obsessions and I love the different cultures from different decades. I look up to musicians and actors a lot more than I should, and I'm a huge Audrey Hepburn and Andy Warhol enthusiast.

 I'd like to think I'm fairly optimistic, and I hope my future posts will benefit you or entertain you in some way or other. Thank you...





hello I'm Tilly. I'm fifteen and I love the Manic Street Preachers a lot. Other cool bands are The Libertines, The Smiths, Pulp, Blur, Drenge and Palma Violets. Rizzle Kicks make me dance. I want to look like Winona Ryder and Simon Amstell is genuinely my favourite person on the planet. I like all kinds of literature, and I have an interest in philosophy and politics. Sylvia Plath, Albert Camus, Dostoyevsky and Orwell are my favourite writers and my favourite book is probably Down and Out in Paris and London. The Suffragettes and Pussy Riot are very important x (and Richey's alive)

arrogance is bliss

There's nothing more self indulgent than writing a blog and expecting people to read it and enjoy it. It may be quite narcissistic, but that's exactly what we expect with this. We plan to write about things that interest us as individuals; including fashion, films, literature, art and music.

Phase Out is ran by three girls; Hayley, Rhianwen, and Tilly. We are all passionate about similar things, but we may express that in different ways.

There will be new posts every Monday (by Tilly), Wednesday (by Rhianwen) and Friday (by Hayley). Every day we post on our Twitter, @phaseoutblog.

I hope you enjoy reading our blog. If not, I hope we at least gave you something to think about.


Thank you.