Valentine`s Day Technology: Food Fashion: Fun Movies Sports Music

High
School
Valentine’s Day
- history
- movies
- gift ideas
Food
- La Vanille
- Red Velvet cake
Technology:
Music
- jailbreak
- applications
- rap/hipster RnB
Fun
Fashion:
- Jacksgap
- jokes
- black milk
- online shopping
Movies
Sports
- Les Miserables
- Django
- the new
generation
1
2
Table of contents
3
Valentine’s Day
6 Silly Love
9
20 an Android
Movies
21 The
Gift ideas
11
12 How to make
New Generation sports
23 YouTuber
La Vanille
Red Velvet Cake
Application
JacksGap
26
Music The Weeknd & Woody Allen
27
Les Miserables movie review
15
Black Milk fashion
30 Special Guest
18
Online Shopping
34
19
Jailbreaking iPhone
3
Jokes
pans
Django Review
Valentine's Day
It is said that some 200 million stems of roses are annually sold in the USA on Valentine's Day.
Imagine that! That’s a lot of expressions of love, isn’t it?
Though some of us might not be big fans of Valentine’s Day, we all have to admit it – somehow this
is a special day, an opportunity to express our love to one another through multiple ways.
But do you actually know where this day comes from and why it is celebrated on 14th February?
Well, no one really knows for sure if
Valentine's Day came from one particular
story or a compound of stories passed down
through the ages.
Upon hearing this new law, a priest named
Valentine decided to marry young couples in
secret. When Valentine's actions were
discovered, Claudius ordered to kill him for
breaking his law.
The most popular theory says that around the
third or fourth century there was a Roman
Emperor, Claudius II, who had grown very
powerful. As his empire was becoming
stronger and stronger, he acquired more and
more enemies. A bigger army was needed, so
that he could defend his borders.
As a result of this event, Valentine would
become one of the most popular saints in
England and France.
However, British people have another
explanation for the origin of Valentine’s Day.
They say that on the14th of February, when
the weather is getting warmer, birds in Great
Britain come together to find their mates. The
fact that they’re usually doves makes the story
much more romantic. It is because doves,
unlike other animals, remain with one partner
all their life. That’s why Valentine’s Day is also
called 'the Birds' Wedding Day`.
Obviously, married soldiers would not make a
good military base since they were attached
to their wives and families. Claudius thought
that younger, unmarried men were ideal to
defend his empire. That’s why the emperor
passed a law banning marriage for young men.
4
What does Valentine’s Day look like around the world?
In each country there are some details and
customs which change a little bit the way of
celebrating this day. Some of them can seem
really strange to us, or at least, surprising.
Take for example Japan. Did you know that
they celebrate Valentine’s Day on two
separate occasions, one for women and one
men?
On 14 February, men get presents from their
girlfriends and the favor is returned to women
on 14 March, which is called “The White Day”
.
Here are some more interesting facts concerning Valentine’s Day around the world:
- 15% of American women send flowers to
themselves
-The Italian city of Verona, where
Shakespeare's lovers- Romeo and Juliet lived,
receives about one thousands letters
addressed to Juliet every Valentine's Day.
- In Norfolk UK, there is a tradition of ‘Jack’
Valentine, who leaves presents and sweets for
children
-About 3% of pet owners will give Valentine's
Day gifts to their pets (How desperate do you
have to be to do so? Well, at least pets are
happy:)
- In Taiwan giving roses on Valentine’s Day has
a special meaning: one rose means – the only
love and 108 roses mean – marry me
ENTERTAIMENT on Valentines’ Day 2013
Buying chocolates, flowers, stuffed animals and lots of other gifts, sending Valentine cards and
sometimes, if by some miracle, we find some free time to spend with the person we love, going to
the cinema, restaurants and other public places – are the most popular ways of celebrating
Valentines all over the world. Consequently, Valentine’s Day is one of the most commercial days we
know.
5
And what entertaining things are prepared for us this year?
First of all, Valentine’s Day 2013 is the day
when the new Die Hard 5 comes out.
comes to live with his parents. While he’s
trying to reconcile with his ex-wife, things get
more challenging when Pat meets Tiffany,
a mysterious girl with problems of her own.
Can you feel the thrill of excitement about
seeing the old Bruce Willis in action?
And for fantasy film fans, Hansel and Gretel:
Witch Hunters is released on the big screen on
Valentine’s Day. ‘Hansel and Gretel’ simply
means our Polish ‘Jaś i Małgosia’. In this
movie, they are already grown-ups. They are
also bounty hunters, who track down and kill
witches all over the world. As the fabled Blood
Moon approaches, the siblings come across a
new form of evil that might hold a secret to
their past. Sounds intriguing, doesn’t it?
Well, if not, don’t worry. There is no way to be
disappointed – cinemas are also prepared for
those who would rather watch something
more romantic. For example, you can check
out Silver Linings Playbook . This movie has
been nominated for the Academy Awards in 8
categories. It is a drama/comedy, which tells
the story of a teacher named Pat. On being
released from the psychiatric hospital Pat
And what’s on DVD?
If you are looking for a romantic film to watch
on Valentine’s Day, there are plenty to choose
from, old ones and those released a few years
ago. The movie which I thought of straight
away as perfect for the occasion is P.S. I Love
You from 2007. The movie is based on a book
of the same title, written by Cecelia Ahern.
Butler) has just died from an illness and who
suddenly starts to get messages from him.
I know, it sounds like another cheesy
American drama movie, but it’s not this silly
type and it has nothing to do with
supernatural powers (in case you are
wondering where those messages are coming
from). I don’t want to reveal anything more
about the plot so as not to spoil it for you.
I haven’t read the book, mostly because I
found out about its existence after watching
the movie, but I heard it’s also brilliant. In fact,
a lot of people think that it is much better
than its screen adaptation. So, maybe if you
haven’t seen the movie yet or you don’t mind
reading the story you already know, you
should read the book.
The only thing I can say is that the story itself
is really touching, I almost cried watching it
(and trust me – it is really, really hard for a
movie or a book to make me cry) and some of
the scenes are really funny.
In short, much as I don’t like all those silly
American romantic movies – this one I can
absolutely recommend to you.
The film tells the story of a woman named
Holly (Hilary Swank) whose husband (Gerard
Kasia Skoneczna
6
Silly Love Movies
Whether Valentine’s Day means for you cuddling with a loved one or feeling encouraged to lay it
all on the line and say to somebody: “I’m in love with you”, there’s nothing better than a good
romantic comedy (of course, you can be hopelessly single, like me, but the idea still works). There
are literally tons of them to choose from but I decided to make my own Top 5 (in no particular
order) so if you feel like it, you can watch them, warmed by a pair of strong arms wrapped around
you or sweet hotness coming from your laptop (because the only D I’m getting is the one from my
Dash).
Kate And Leopold
I’ve watched this movie with Meg Ryan and
Hugh Jackman so many times I can mouth some
lines along with the characters and it never gets
old. It’s a sweet story proving that you can’t fight
the fate and if two people are meant to be
together t, they’ll find their way to each other.
A young aristocrat from the 19th century
accidently travels in time to the present New
York City, where his life changes thanks to one
beautiful and prosperous businesswoman.
Things aren’t easy for either of them and when
the time comes, they have to make a decision
that will affect not only their lives but history
itself.
Two Weeks’ Notice
My guilty pleasure. Starring the ridiculously
attractive and incredibly talented Sandra Bullock
and Hugh Grant as a power couple. What’s not
to love?
She’s a very stubborn liberal lawyer trying to
stop the destruction of a building which is very
close to her heart. He’s a self-absorbed
billionaire who doesn’t see anything bad about
it. She ends up as his secretary who he calls
every five minutes, asking about the most trivial
things. Obviously, they fall in love with each
other and after a little cliffhanger at the end, get
together.
7
The Proposal
I absolutely love this one. Another love story that
doesn’t start with love but a deal and then turns
into heart-aching romance. Again, Sandra Bullock is
amazing as always and Ryan Reynolds is just… Well,
he’s Ryan Reynolds with a great talent, a great face
and a great... bottom.
Incredibly funny with a heart-aching ending, perfect
with a cup of hot cocoa.
Sandra, who plays a very uptight editor-in-chief of a
book publishing company, finds out she’s about to
be deported to Canada because of an expired visa,
so she makes her assistant marry her so she won’t
have to leave. He agrees under the condition that
she’ll publish his book after everything is over.
They spend some time with his family, making up
the story of their meeting, trying to look as loveydovey as possible and soon they realize some
romantic sparks are flickering in the air. With a little
help of the best grandma ever, they understand
what’s important in life and try again, this time for
real.
One Day
I can’t spoil you much so I’m just going to say that a
tear or two rolled down my face watching this one.
It’s a great story that teaches us that sometimes
what we want the most is just in front of us. And
whether it’s a lack of courage or being oblivious
that’s keeping us from risking it all (and also getting
it all), it’s worth it. Sometimes it just takes time to
see things, grow up and learn how to appreciate
someone. But life’s not always a bowl of cherries.
And that’s also something we have to deal with.
Two people meet on the day of their graduation
from college and spend the night together (no
funny business, though). The entire story shows
only one day of their life each year, how they
become friends, how they both change, how they
have to struggle with life problems and their own
feelings. Based on the book of the same title
written by David Nicholls. Now the only thing that’s
left for me is to wish you a happy Valentine’s Day.
Mine will be for sure!
8
Romeo and Juliet
Clichéd and tragic as this one may be, it’s still one of the most iconic love stories of all time. If you have never
watched Baz Luhrmann’s adaptation, I highly recommend it.
Personally, the story is not one of my favorites. Juliet was dumb and naïve, Romeo was an unfaithful jerk and
they both were total drama queens. Who knows what would have happened if they had just sat down for a
moment, tried to cool off and talked to their parents instead of engaging in amateur-plotting? And look
where it got them- straight to the grave. But the colorful, loud version won over my heart and when (SPOILER
ALERT!) Romeo comes to Juliet’s grave and speaks some of the most beautiful words ever heard, with tears
running down his face and soft candle lights flickering in the background, I turn into a sobbing mess,
screaming at Juliet to open her damn eyes and stop smiling like a freaking idiot because her lover is seconds
away from drinking the poison. And, of course, the moment the rim of the bottle touches his parted lips and
the lethal liquid runs down his throat, she finally does open her eyes and well, surprise! Too late, girl. But
from all that crazy and ridiculous mess we learn that there are things greater than us, things worth fighting
for.
Paulina Skowrońska
9
Ideas for a Gift
Collage
Requires a bit of effort, but with Empik and Tiger (a
shop on al. Jana Pawła II 11, where you will literally
find all the things you’ll need for a collage ) by your
side, it’s not as difficult as it seems. You may also
need a color printer and a couple of photos. Cut out
your faces, find some things in magazines, put on
some glitter, maybe use a paint, borrow a polaroid
and snap a picture together, add some inside jokes
and voila! Congratulations, you have just created
the best present ever. Happiness guaranteed.
For a better effect you should a) frame it if it’s on
regular paper and it’s flat (a simple glass frame is
the best) or b) you can do the entire thing on a
painting canvas, which you can buy in Empik in
every single shape and size you can think of. Turns
your little collage in a real piece of art.
A Song
This one is a bit more complicated, as it requires
skills and quite a bit of serious effort. But if you’re
determined to do it, I’d suggest a reasonably good
camera and a simple instrument (if you don’t know
how to play on any instrument, but you do want to
make the whole video by yourself, the easiest one
to learn is ukulele. Trust me, there’s nothing easier
than that) or acoustic background music. The song
should be either a) written by you(!) or b) perfectly
describing the relationship you guys share. For a
strong friendship, you can for example sing ‘Count
On Me’ by Bruno Mars and for love – well, there’s a
pretty huge selection out there for you to choose.
So remember to choose wisely. Also, you don’t have
to be a great singer to make this video. The person
you love will appreciate whatever you give because
it’s the effort that counts.
Also, an important thing is to give a short speech at
the beginning or the end of the video. Not actually a
‘speech’, just a message, a thank you, an assurance
of your love and care. This simple video will remind
that person of you for the rest of their lifetime, so
DON’T mess it up. No pressure, though.
10
Shirt and Print
The only difficulty is to get the right size of a white
shirt. Which in fact is not that difficult. If you’re too
lazy to find a perfect white model or you’re not so
confident with clothing scissors (I’m still looking for
a perfect white cropped top, as I’m too scared to
use the scissors and simply cut it out), the simplest
one, definitely ready to use, is in H&M for 20 zł.
Then buy the special cloth printing paper. I bought
mine in the US so I have no idea where you could
buy it here, but I have heard that it’s available in
Poland and not difficult to get at all. And it’s not
expensive, 5 zł – 10 zł for a pack.
Unlike those previous gifts, you can be very creative
without putting too much effort. Each and every
person has that one thing which they love more
than anything. One person loves a certain music
artist or another public person, another loves a TV
show or a movie. If not that, then again, you can
use an inside joke or a picture of you guys together.
One thing to remember: REVERSE THE PICTURE
before printing it out. You can do it in a program
called PhotoScape (available for download for free).
The last thing you need is an iron. I can assure you
that the final effect looks really great. Tested and
approved.
P.S. Matching tops are a good idea too. You know, they kind of mark the territory… ;)
Hannah Sagan
11
This little cupcake shop is hands down the best place to go for a sweet
treat on a beautiful Valentine’s day morning. Find yourself lost in the beauty
of your friend’s eyes, the taste of ambrosial cupcakes and the most perfect
non-sweetened tea..
I usually don’t give a care about gully romantic high-school couples, but Valentine’s Day is the one
day of the year when I'm actually jealous of the cute little relationships they cherish more than
anything in the world. It all sounds so sickly romantic and naïve, but I guess sometimes even the
toughest and most independent people could use a little love in their single lives.
One of the things I’d die to do is to spend a lovely morning of 14th February in an intimate place with
the person I truly care about. Share some memorable moments with a cupcake and some tea.
For those who have not found their Valentine’s Day spot yet, I’d highly recommend La Vanille.
What makes this place exceptional:
-
-
-
PHENOMENAL cupcakes. Those overrated
Lola’s cupcakes are no competition. Not when
it comes to the taste and certainly not the look.
A highly luxurious feel, once you’re seated
inside.
Staff with a great attitude. So nice and helpful.
GREAT tea. I can’t speak for coffee, as
unfortunately I don’t consider myself a coffee
lover, but my friend assured me that it’s really
good. I would take it as a reliable opinion.
Cupcakes are the regular menu, but very often
they put out lovely baskets with a few kinds of
sweet additions, such as freshly made sweet
buns or croissants with fillings. They taste like
heaven. Oh, did I mention special meringue
cupcakes with daily different flavors?
-
-
Free Wi-Fi (a really good one!) and a plug-in
placed closely to the seats (which have
pillows!). That I consider perfect.
You can order cakes or customized cupcakes as
a multi-occasional gift. Seriously, sometimes
it’s the most creative you can get. Their pastry
chefs are extremely talented (those examples
in the window display are simply art), so if you
have a request, I bet they would meet your
expectations with no problems. What also
would make a great gift are the tiny mini
cupcakes which, placed in a special box, look as
precious as nothing else in this world. If you
fear they won’t have them at that particular
moment, just give them a call.
Hannah Sagan
Prices :
6,90 zł – all cupcakes
4 zł – mini cupcakes
6 zł – tea
8 zł - coffee
Address:
Krucza Street 16/22
05-862, Warsaw
Phone:
22 578 22 33
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RED VELVET CAKE
Perfect Valentine’s day dessert. This moist cocoa cake from the South
has a lovely deep red hue; combine that with the sweet scent of the cream
cheese frosting and it’s too tempting to ignore.
Difficulty: Medium
Total Time: 1 hr, plus 1 hr cooling time and 20 minus frosting time
Makes: 1 (9-inch) layer cake, or 12 servings
Ingredients/Cake:
-
2 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon sifted cake flour or
2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for coating the pans
2 teaspoons fine salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons (1 [1-ounce] bottle) red food coloring
1 1/2 tablespoons water
2 sticks (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature,
plus more for coating the pans
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon finely grated orange zest (from 1 to 2 oranges; optional)
1 cup whole or low-fat buttermilk
Ingredients/Icing:
-
1 1/2 sticks (170.25g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 pound cream cheese, at room temperature
1 pound (4 cups) sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk, if needed
13
INSTRUCTIONS:
For the cake:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Heat the oven to 180°C. Coat 2 (9-inch)
round cake pans generously with butter,
then flour, tapping out any excess flour; set
aside.
Sift the measured flour, salt, baking
powder, and baking soda together twice;
set aside. Whisk the cocoa, food coloring,
and water in a small bowl until smooth; set
aside.
Beat the measured butter in a large bowl using an electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer
fitted with a paddle attachment) on medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds. Add the
sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating about 15 seconds after each addition and scraping down the
sides of the bowl as necessary, until the mixture has lightened in color and become fluffy, about 2
minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, the vanilla, and the orange zest (if using), beating 15 seconds
after each addition. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the red cocoa mixture and mix until
evenly incorporated.
On low speed, alternately add the flour mixture and the buttermilk, starting and ending with the
flour mixture, until just incorporated. Once all the ingredients are incorporated, beat the batter
10 to 12 strokes with a spoon or spatula if using cake flour, 2 to 3 strokes if using all-purpose
flour. (Do not overwork the batter, as this will make the cake tough.)
Divide the batter between the cake pans and spread the tops evenly with the spoon or spatula.
Bake until a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool in their pans on a rack for 10 minutes. Slide a thin
paring knife around the edges and invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely, at least 1
hour.
For the icing:
1. Beat the butter in a large bowl using an
electric mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer
fitted with a paddle attachment) on mediumhigh speed until creamy, about 30 seconds.
Add the cream cheese and continue to beat
on medium-high speed until the mixture is
fluffy, white, and very smooth, about 1
minute. Reduce the speed to low and add the
powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating for
30 seconds after each addition, until the
mixture is creamy, fluffy, and smooth. If the
frosting is too stiff, beat the milk into it to
loosen it.
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To assemble:
1.
2.
3.
Transfer 1 of the cake layers, bottom side up, to a serving plate or cake stand. Spoon 1 cup of the
icing into the center of the cake layer. Work an icing or rubber spatula in a gentle swirling motion
and spread the icing from the center toward the edges of the cake in an even layer (if you need to
add more icing, add it to the center and work it out toward the sides).
Carefully set the second cake layer on top of the first and ice the second layer in the same
manner, beginning with a dollop in the center and working it out toward the sides. Then ice the
sides of the cake. (If the sides are crumbly, brush any excess crumbs away and place a thin layer of
icing on the cake to seal the crumbs in. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then apply another, thicker
layer of icing on top of the first.)
Store the cake at room temperature beneath a cake cover. If you don’t plan to eat it within 24
hours, tent it with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Remember to
remove the cake from the refrigerator an hour or more before serving to take the chill off. Serve
with glasses of cold milk.
Suze Nawrotek
15
Give me nylon or give me death
Black Milk Clothing is now a 4 year old clothing
brand founded by James Lillis in Brisbane,
Australia.
happy. If someone asks them for some pair of
leggings – James will try his best and create a
pair just for that person.
Black Milk is known for their amazing printed
leggings, swimsuits/bodysuits, skirts and fitted
dresses. Surprisingly, the material they are
made of is very breathable so you can
comfortably walk around in it even during
maximum temperatures.
On their Facebook page there are thousands
of photos of “Hot little bosses” or “Sharkies”.
That’s what the Black Milk Staff calls girls
wearing their garments. The term “Sharkies”
came about after the company’s website
crashed several times due to the sheer volume
of traffic and customers “eating and
nomming” their way through new collections.
So now, every girl that owns a piece of their
clothing can proudly call herself one.
Some people say that only a lunatic can buy a
pair of pants for $75 dollars but once you have
them on your legs – you feel like buying more.
It’s like having colorful skin. They’re silky
smooth and perfectly fitted. People come to
you on the street asking if they could touch
your legs. Plus, they don’t use third world
labor which is awesome. Everything is sewn in
their little HQ in Brisbane.
No matter what size you are – you can own a
pair of shiny nylon pants. This year jL
(nickname for James Lillis) is working on XXL
pieces, so every single girl in the world can be
happy.
Also – MAFFASHION (Juliett Kuczyńska; Polish
fashion blogger) is the face of Black Milk so
Polish Sharkies get many cool contests and
discounts because of that .
How cool is that?
Black Milk is well-known for the commitment.
They love every single girl that buys anything
from them. They talk with girls, organize
parties and meet ups just to make everyone
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Here’s a little background story of how Black Milk came to life:
“A lot of people want to know how Black Milk came to be. Well, it's a long story, full of twists and turns,
action and adventures. There are even a few scary bits.
Several years ago I was broke, bored and rather cold. At that point most people would have got a job, but not
I. For some reason I decided to buy a sewing machine and make myself a shirt.
So I went into a big fabric shop and looked at all the
different fabrics they had - but after buying a
second hand sewing machine, I only had six bucks in
my pocket, which meant I had to get the cheapest
fabric they had - nylon lining. Because nylon lining
doesn't look particularly attractive, it meant I had to
make it fitted. I made myself a tight shirt. It was
tragic. The stitching was wrong, the pieces were cut
weird, and the neck was a nothing more than a
hole. And I loved it. I wore it constantly.
A week later I bought a tribal African print that I thought it would look great on legs. I drew up a pattern, cut
it out and made a pair of leggings. I talked to a friend who had a friend who agreed to be a model for me to
see if they fit. She put them on, and they didn't. So I cut them again, and sewed them again. And they still
didn't fit. I must have recut those things ten times. And finally, they fit.
It was at that point that something remarkable happened. Something totally unexpected that changed
everything.
She asked if she could buy them.
It was at that point I knew that I could do it. I knew that if there was one girl prepared to buy one pair of my
leggings, there were (probably) a hundred girls out there who would do the same.
So I threw myself into it with a passion. I would spend 5-6 hours a day on the sewing machine trying to figure
out how to sew properly. I even attended sewing lessons at the local sewing shop.
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The next step ... I had to actually go out and sell the stuff!
I went door to door, trying to get shops to sell my clothes.
Most said no. One place said yes and let me display a few of
my pieces in a corner of their shop. I went back a week later
and they gave me every single piece back.
There was some good news - hundreds of girls all around the
world finding my clothes through my blog and loved them.
So I made another fateful decision - I would make Black Milk
exclusively into an online fashion label. I talked to a few
people in the industry who told me I was making a big
mistake and that I would go broke within the month. I was
told that online selling was only for companies with 'real'
shops. But 'real' shops weren't interested in my clothes, so I
went online.
As it turns out, it was a very good idea. :)
That was a couple of years ago. A lot has changed from those early days. Instead of me sewing away by
myself at night, we have a fantastic team who pump out thousands of garments every month. Instead of
trying to get our clothes into 'real' shops, we're online - and loving it. Instead of selling to a few girls at the
markets, we now have a community of the most amazing girls you could hope for who are passionate about
the brand.
However, there are some things that haven't changed. I still love making clothes. I still love hearing from girls
who buy the clothes. I love seeing all the different ways girls style their Black Milk pieces, and I love working
with all the Black Milk team.
So who am I? I'm just the guy with the coolest job in the world.
xx
james Lillis”
I highly recommend checking out their
Facebook page. It's a pleasure to be a
part of such an amazing community.
Suzie
www.facebook.com/blackmilkclothing
www.blackmilkclothing.com
18
The Best Online Shopping Sites
Nowadays a lot of people prefer online shopping to regular shopping because of convenience, bigger
variety and better prices. The sellers noticed it too and, as a result, there’s a whole range of online stores
you can choose from. Here are the best ones, with the best prices, discounts, selection and sales.
1. www.asos.com
This British site offers free delivery worldwide and a
10% student discount. It has a great variety of
women‘s and men‘s clothing. Your package is
shipped within one week of the purchase. If you are
willing to make an additional payment, the delivery
can be at your doorstep even the next day.
You can find there an enormous amount of brands.
Also, there is a thing called Marketplace - „The
place where anyone, anywhere in the world, can
sell fashion, to anyone, anywhere in the world. […]
And there are thousands of individuals just like you,
selling their wardrobes to fund their next fashion
fix.”
2. www.zappos.com
If you are looking for a website where you can find
something sporty, but still fashionable, zappos.com
is the best choice! The great thing about this store
is that you can decide which way of shopping is the
most convenient to you. You can shop by trend,
occasion, style, outfit, look or designer. Apart from
clothing, the site offers bags and handbags,
accessories, home products and cosmetics. Another
reason why zappos.com is so attractive is that the
shipping is absolutely free of charge!
3. www.shopbop.com
I’ve found this webpage by accident, but it turned
out to be great! In my opinion, the best thing to buy
there is accessories, because of the large variety of
designers. At Christmas this site offered free
shipping, now you have to pay $10 for orders under
$100, but for orders above $100 shipping is free.
You can find there not only new designs, but also
stuff from previous seasons, which is available with
big discounts.
Zuzia Kędzia
19
Jailbreaking
iPhone as a regular flash drive. Last but not least,
you are able to unofficially unlock carrier-locked
iPhones so that they can be used with other
carriers, which usually costs quite a bit if done by a
professional. There are obviously many more
interesting tricks you can use a jailbroken device for
and it’s virtually impossible to name them all. If
you're interested in how the iOS file system looks,
the only way to gain access to it is by unlocking your
device. It’s not exactly the easiest thing in the
world, but once you’re decided to do it, there’s
nothing you (or your very good friend who knows a
lot about technical stuff) can’t do.
Jailbreaking is a process of unlocking iOS devices
such as iPhone, iPad, iPod touch. It allows the user
to download applications, themes and extensions
which are not available in the App Store. The
legality of the process depends on your location.
After a jailbreak the device can still be used for
previous purposes, such as gaming, texting,
downloading contents from iTunes and App Store.
It all sounds good, but unfortunately jailbreaking
has its dark side too. It makes your iPhone or iPad a
much easier target for malware and increases the
possibility of catching a virus. And it's hard to secure
it after the procedure, which can make your life a
little bit harder. Also, updating the system might
erase your jailbroken applications and you might
have to start all over again. The cool apps not
downloaded from the App Store can be fun, but not
always stable and they can have bugs which could
cause system instability. The main downside,
however, is that when your phone gets crashed and
you need help from the service, they would refuse
to help you. The safest time to jailbreak is after two
years of the device’s life, when the guarantee has
expired and the service won’t help you with your
device anyway.
What are the pros and cons of jailbreaking an
iOS device?
One of the biggest advantages is simply lots of great
apps you can download free of charge. You don’t
download them from the App Store, but straight
from the internet, just like any illegally obtained
files. The apps work as great as originals. The next
interesting feature is a great number of possible
customizations. For example, you can use a lot of
cool themes for your locked screen (your ‘slide to
unlock’ button could be in a shape of your favorite
singer), which you would never see on a normal
iPhone. You can also use your iOS device as a
broadband modem to connect your laptop to the
internet. Another cool thing is that you can use your
On the upside, once your device gets out of hand,
you can always reset it and your phone or iPod will
be as good as new.
I hope this article helped to explain what
jailbreaking is, showing its advantages and
disadvantages. I hope it will help those who can’t
make up their minds about it.
Johnny Sankowski
20
Android Application – AntiDroidTheft
No idea where your phone is? – must have app, this time for ANDROID
Have you ever had this terrible, truly appalling
moment in your life, when you realized you didn’t
have your phone next to you and it was nowhere to
be found? I have.
precious numbers – all gone! What made my
situation even more miserable was the fact that the
only number I knew by heart was my own one.
Useless.
And yeah, it is one of the most frightening things
that could ever happen to you.
Don’t ever make such a mistake. You have no idea
how much worse it makes the situation for you.
All your pictures, notes, music, millions of text
messages which you’re never going to read
again…IT REALY IS A TRAGEDY!
Anyway, what I’m getting at is that you don’t really
have to worry about losing your phone when you
have a proper application on it. An application
which, of course, helps you to find it as soon as
possible.
And additionally, all of your contacts! Those
Currently, you can download from app stores many
free applications designed specially to protect your
smartphone. The one I’ve chosen to write about is
an app called AntiDroidTheft.
Its features include:
It’s perfect for lost and stolen phones. It tracks their
location and takes pictures on the internet through
the AntiDroidTheft website.
- Spy camera, view pictures taken from phone’s
camera
- View position of phone using GPS
- Track changes to SIM card / phone numbers
So if you had no idea about the existence of such applications until reading this article, you should be now
holding your phone and downloading this app into it.
Remember - it’s the most important thing on your phone – right next to Facebook and Instagram, so be
sure to have it!
Kasia Skoneczna
21
Sports – The New Generation
Arkadiusz Milik is looking forward to his first match
in Bundesliga. This 18- year old Polish striker has
just signed a contract with his new team, Bayer
Leverkusen. He joins the Werkself on a five-year
deal for an undisclosed fee. Despite his young age,
he became the best forward of his former club,
Górnik Zabrze, where in the autumn of 2012 the
Pole scored 7 goals. He has also recently debuted in
the national team. Leverkusen managing director
Wolfgang Holzhauser believes Milik is set to play an
important role for Bayer in the future. "Arkadiusz
Milik is considered to be possibly the biggest rising
star in Poland at the moment," he said. It's not
surprising that Germans paid almost over 3.5
million euro for this talented player.
Milik is not an exception. European clubs have been interested in other promising Polish footballers. Paweł
Wszołek is going to join Hannover 96 and Rafał Wolski is considering going to Italy’s Florentina. No doubt,
the youth are starting to play an important role in their teams. What's the reason? Money, of course. The
Polish League has been caught by the crisis. The clubs can no longer afford to buy foreign players.
However, there is the other side of the coin. Paradoxically, the financial issue creates a great opportunity for
rookies to achieve success in the football world. The clubs’ managing boards are forced to invest in training
possible future stars. They are also willing to sell talented players, which is a good way for the clubs to get
out of the crisis. For young athletes it is a chance to experience high-level football outside the borders of
their homeland, because frankly speaking, Poland is not a good place if they want to become real football
stars.
22
But promising players do not appear out of
nowhere. They need to train heavily to hone their
skills. They also must be supported by top-notch
coaching staff, which is not always the case. Only
private football schools can ensure professional
training, but they do not come cheap. That's why
football is becoming a selective sport for those who
are well-off. Zbigniew Boniek, a former successful
footballer, who has recently been elected the
chairman of the Polish Football Association, has
promised to solve the problem of youth's coaching.
First and foremost, he wants to promote football
for everyone as way of spending free time. People
have mixed feelings, arguing that sport stands no
chance against computers, iPads, Facebook and
other forms of entertainment. However, other
countries have managed to beat the ‘electronic
enemy’. In the USA sport is a basic part of school
life. Why not in Poland?
Boniek is also going to rebuild the central league of juniors where the best young teams could play
against the same-level teams. That would increase the competition. The new chairman hopes to
remove financial barriers so that every young player will be able develop his talent for free. He
dreams of at least three specialist schools in the voivodship. These big plans involve serious
spending, that's why financial support is going to come from the government budget. Let's just hope
that the money will end up helping football schools instead of staying in the pockets of the Football
Association's members.
Watching Polish footballers playing for top European clubs is a dream come true for Polish fans.
There's nobody (except the "Trio" from Borussia) that really makes a difference in today's football.
Let's hope Lewandowski will have true followers in the future.
Marcin Nalepa
23
I am many things, believe me, but I am definitely NOT
someone to watch people talk nonsense to their
cameras and post it on YouTube. I mean, what kind of
no life would be making or watching that?
decided to take a gap year before college. With his
camera, he documents everything he does and shares
it with others via YouTube. He films, edits and writes
everything on his channel by himself, and as he says,
making videos is a great training for serious future
acting and filming projects. This actually led him to the
decision that he wanted to study media and film at
college (fun fact – he appeared on a KFC commercial in
the UK!). One talented human being, if you ask me. All
40 videos of his are well thought out and properly
planned, way more professionally made than any other
amateur videos on YouTube. It sure looks like a lot of
editing to produce one 5-minute-long clip, but as a
viewer, I can assure you that his work does not go to
waste. You don’t get more than a million subscribers
for no reason. You just don’t.
Well, it turns out I’m just as much of a hypocrite as any
other human being.
What can I say? Nobody’s perfect.
Just so we’re clear - I am still NOT a fan of awkward
people talking to a camera in their bedroom and
putting it on tape (seriously, the idea alone is pretty
creepy) < hypocrite alert > but as we all know,
exceptions appear always and everywhere. Mine is
JacksGap.
It’s basically a channel of a guy named Jack, who
MOST WATCHED
videos:
1. British Slang with T.O.
2. Twins
3. Cinnamon Challenge
24
Funny thing is, his videos weren’t so popular from the start. After posting his first 7 videos, Jack
decided, as an experiment, to involve his twin brother, Finn, in making his videos. He persuaded Finn
to make an appearance on the channel and somehow this simple change drew a lot of attention to
the channel. I reckon it may have something to do with the fact that Finn’s physical appearance is
breathtakingly perfect. And his smile... Actually, both brothers look stunning. It’s like an attractive
person times two. Finn later on became a co-star on JacksGap. And even though he appears and talks
in the videos way less frequently than Jack, he is not less popular or adored than his brother. Maybe
it’s so because Finn looks better than Jack (yes, even though they are twins, they do look noticeably
different). The vast majority of their viewers (mostly girls, as 99% of their viewership are females)
chant “Finn, Finn, the better twin”. But I sing “Jack, Jack, the better Chap”. I like Jack.
Instagram pictures by @JacksGap and @FinnHarries
But there’s not only JacksGap out there. There is a whole community of amazing people who make
videos just like Jack does. And maybe some of them are even better than Jack (seriously you MUST
check Tyler Oakley out: Tyler Oakley – Worst Hook Up Ever). They just don’t have that
‘something’ that Jack has. Or maybe Jack is just hotter. I wouldn’t know, I’m too blind to see it. But I
do genuinely love all of them (Sam Pepper, Marcus Butler, Alfie from PointlessBlog, Zoella and Caspar
Lee). What’s more, is that they often collaborate to make some ‘sick’ videos together. Those
collaborations are usually the most viewed, and frankly speaking, the best videos of them all. Imagine
one YouTuber being great. Now multiply it by 2. I think this speaks for itself.
Here are some of the videos I particularly enjoy:
1. ‘elevator Prank’ jacksgap & Sam Pepper (on officialsampepper)
2. ‘twin twinks learn Gay slang’ with Tyler Oakley (on tyleroakley)
3. ‘bloopers & Extras’ Caspar & zoella (on Morezoella)
Those videos have the power to make me smile. There are days when we feel so tired and down that
even our favorite songs don’t help. Days when we don’t really feel like unloading our sorrows on our
friends, ‘coz we simply don’t even feel like talking. For this kind of days I saved a list of some very
special videos (many too embarrassing to talk about, some too personal), to which I’ve just added a
couple of Jack’s and other YouTuber’s videos . It seriously is a challenge not to laugh while watching
‘em, which is exactly what I need on those drab days. I hope you’ll be able to feel it too.
25
Another positive thing I got from discovering Jack’s
channel (or maybe finally watching it as my friend
kept nagging me to), is that Jack inspired me to
make some changes in my life. Sounds cheesy and
pathetic, but it’s true. I’m talking here about my
New Year’s resolutions. Every year we tell
ourselves: be nicer, eat healthier, save money. Well,
it always turns out that somewhere halfway
through January we seem to forget about those
resolutions and don’t even think of them till next
year. Then we do the exact same thing. And
somehow the process keeps repeating. Some
people get it that resolutions are never going to be
kept but they still keep making them just to have
something to hold on to, some give up on
resolutions completely, and some finally decide to
make changes in order to start keeping their
resolutions.
equipment to learn a new skill (a unicycle, an
instrument), my resolution became so much cooler.
I figured that learning something unique would
make this year remarkable, I would gain a skill that
would document the year, like a special souvenir
from a journey that is our lifetime. Doesn’t it sound
cool already? I came up with my skill randomly, but
I guess that’s what makes it beautiful – I got caught
up in a single moment of creativity that could only
happen on that one special day, i.e. New Year’s Eve.
Well...ok, maybe it wasn’t THAT spontaneous. Jack
can play the ukulele and I figured it would be cool
to be able to do it too. There, you got me. But it’s
not just Jack. I’ve always wanted to play an
instrument, even though I’m hopeless at it. And
ukulele seemed easy. My friend has already offered
me ukulele lessons, claiming it is way easier than
guitar (you should know how I struggled with the
guitar), so I’m already one step closer to making the
resolution real. 2013 will go down in history.
So after Jack told us about how every year his
parents give him and Finn one gift, a piece of
A month later
have already ordered my own soprano ukulele (it’s
the most popular one, a tiny little thing with that
characteristic funny sound), in the best color
possible – PINK. I’m really excited and proud to say
“I CAN PLAY AN INSTRUMENT”. 2013 got
remarkable already. And all thanks to JacksGap!
I DID IT! I went to my friend’s yesterday and I
already know the basics of playing the ukulele! It is
hands down the easiest instrument ever (except for
the G chord – that feeling when you’re playing and
playing and you think you’re a master, until the G
chord comes up and you’re not so cool anymore). I
Hannah Sagan
26
Music: Rap/Hipster RnB
New iTunes artist
Discovered: 2010
Check out if you like: rnb, Lana Del Rey,
Frank Ocean, Drake
On replay: everything
Check out: Wicked Games, Next, Loft Music,
Outside, Rolling Stone, The Birds part 1, What
you Need, for MJ fans, he brilliantly covered Dirty
Diana
He is an artist I discovered two years ago via Wikipedia (I know, right?) when he was not famous at all and
only had two mixtapes to be downloaded for free from his website. Now he is popular worldwide with a
number one album on iTunes (Trilogy). From the beginning I knew he had the potential to be something big.
His music was different. I had been searching for this kind of music for a long time and the moment I heard it,
I knew that was it. I’m very glad to be a fan of such a musical talent.
New Artist
Hoodie Allen
Discovered: February 2013
Check out if you like: pop, rap, rnb, Wiz
Khalifa, Drake
On replay: No interruption, No Faith in
Brooklyn, Ain’t Gotta Work
This is a rap/rnb artist I recently discovered via
YouTube. What I really like about him is his positive
energy (!), the signature upbeat and extremely catchy
bridges. His debut EP called All American is out now
and has proudly debuted at #1 on iTunes Top Albums
list, but as I said, I only like the three songs
mentioned above. But they really are my favorite
songs at the moment.
Hannah Sagan
27
Les Miserables review – Do You Hear People Sing?
After reading and hearing only words of praise (and some ugly sobbing as well) about the newest
adaptation of Les Miserables, I decided to drag my friends to the cinema and see by myself what the whole
fuss was about. Of course, I knew about all the awards the movie had won and the magnificent cast. And I
must admit that I loved it as much as I had expected.
For anyone who is not familiar with the story itself,
the musical is based on Victor Hugo’s book of the
same title that was published in 1862. Beginning in
1815 and culminating in the 1832 June Rebellion in
Paris, the novel follows the lives of several
characters, focusing on the struggles of the exconvict Jean Valjean and his experience of
redemption.
And for now my review.
I was not impressed with Eddie Redmayne’s (who
played Marius) vocals at first but, oh god, his
beautifully freckled face was enough to make me
fall in love with him. I know there are heated
debates going on about whether his looks are
appealing enough to call him handsome or not, but
I’m all for it. And his acting was amazing.
As for the people who didn’t win my heart, Amanda
Seyfried, cast as old Cosette, will never be my
favorite singer, no matter how pretty she is. Her
voice is incredibly high and, in my opinion, sounds
canary-like, even though there is no doubt that she
can sing and her parts were really good.
Also, I don’t really know how I feel about Russell
Crowe, who played Javert. From the first song I
knew his accent bugged me and I wasn’t particularly
fond of him until he sang “Stars” which, I must
admit, is one of my favorite songs of the whole
musical.
28
Of course we cannot forget about Helena Bonham Carter, who added a bit of her crazy self, paired up with
Sacha Baron Cohen, who once again proved why actors are called actors. Aaron Tveit, known to some of us
as Tripp van der Bilt from Gossip Girl, showed what he can do with his absolutely stunning voice, and
Samantha Barks performed her, admittedly small, parts beautifully, making everyone weep.
But let’s face it, I doubt anyone shines as brightly as Anne Hathaway (with Hugh Jackman following close
behind, sorry bro). Although she played Fantine, which means she got the scenes she got (I know how dumb
it sounds, but I’m trying not to spoil you things in case you’re not familiar with the storyline), she played
them so damn well that she deserves more than just one Golden Globe. She lost 25 pounds and cut her hair
for this role. And her performance of “I Dreamed A Dream”…? Oh gurl that was something.
29
It’s amazing how just from listening to the songs you get chills. You hear raw emotions, sorrow, longing and
hope (I’d like to point out that all the vocal performances were shot live- no playback on set). I like the fact
that apart from the main cast’s voices, they let some newbies, unknown to the world and absolutely not
relevant when it comes to the plot, shine as brightly as the actual stars when suddenly someone from the
background would burst into a song and astonish us with their impeccable vocals.
Whether you’re a musical geek or not, you totally should watch Les Miserables for its amazing cast, stunning
special effects and obviously great music. Also, if you don’t feel convinced, (SPOILER ALERT) people die. It’s
the French Revolution after all. Expect battles, people dying, tense moments that make you wrap your arms
around yourself and hold your breath so you won’t miss a thing. Don’t be fooled by the ‘musical’ label. It’s
also a very moving story- at the end tears were running down my face and when the movie ended, the entire
screening room was sniffling in unison (which made me and my friends with red-rimmed eyes giggle
hysterically, which in turn drew the attention of the audience to us, because well... people were dying,
everyone was an emotional wreck and apparently we found it extremely hilarious).
Summing up: great movie, great cast, great soundtrack, definitely worth watching. The only thing that
annoys me (apart from the love choices of the characters because NO YOU SHOULD NOT BE WITH HER,
DUDE, STOP IT RIGHT THERE) to no end is the fact that they didn’t include all of the songs featured in the
movie on the official soundtrack. Why they decided not to put there such amazing pieces like “Do You Hear
the People Sing?” or “A Little Fall of Rain” will always remain a mystery to me. Nevertheless, at the very
moment my vanilla-strawberry-flavored tea is steaming to “I Dreamed A Dream” playing from my laptop
speakers.
Have a nice day and go straight (god how much I
want to use another word right now) to the
cinema because they won’t screen it forever!
Paulina Skowrońska
30
Django review - SPAGHETTI À LA AMERICANA
Black faces gaze at Quentin Tarantino.
Thousands of tormented souls screaming from underneath torment-stained grounds full of longing
for freedom, equality, respect; their backs relentlessly whipped by redneck hands, limbs torn apart
by dogs, dignity stolen by greedy Southern princelings, hearts broken by separation from loved
ones, hopes for offspring crushed by the irreversible passage of time and... Anyway, that's what
Spike Lee would have us believe.
least spiritual – sequel to the 1966 flick
'Django' directed by Sergio Corbucci. That
movie was a spaghetti western – that curious
genre overlooked and laughed at by the
Americans when it was at its height in the
1960s and was then in an almost ridiculous
way innocently adopted by them as if nothing
happened and served as a treasury of ideas
for the modern anti-westerns. That film
proved to be a great success in Italy – so much
so that it instantly spawned a ridiculous
amount of sequels (thirty-one that are known,
four of which came out the same year but
there are rumoured to be over a hundred
altogether).'Django' and its sequels dealt with
many themes but slavery sure as hell wasn't
one of them and it's surprising to see another
one of those 'unofficial' installments trying to
wrestle with it – and Quentin Tarantino, of all
directors, helming the production. Quite a
long way from a movie about a guy dragging a
coffin with a... (well, I can't tell you what if you
haven't seen it, that would be a spoiler)...
behind.
But that's what Quentin and his crew felt as
they were filming on the blood-soaked lands
of Louisiana – a hard to describe ghostly
presence of slavery victims, brutally killed and
buried there over the decades. A rather
peculiar subject for a film that's a semi – or at
'Django Unchained' is a modern, epic western although not the kind of epic western that John Ford
could've thought of – or any other director besides Tarantino, for that matter. It's a Tarantino
western, which means that it's unlike any other film of that genre ever made up to that point.
Whether it's successful in what it's doing is another point altogether but one thing is certain – it's
original as original gets. Looking at 'Django Unchained' you may wonder whether film critics should
create a new genre altogether – 'a Tarantino movie'. Anyway...
31
While the techniques, the tone, the mood and the characters may be 'Tarantino-esque', the storyline
isn't. Consider this: Quentin transports us to the year 1858. The Civil War starts in two years and
slavery rages on all throughout America as happily as it can. As we hear the opening song lifted
straight from Corbucci's 'Django', we meet a black slave who's a namesake of his 1966 counterpart
(Jamie Foxx). He strolls down the land chained to a column of sufferers whose fate was similar to his.
The companions are being led by two slave traders somewhere into the South. Suddenly, deep in the
wilderness they encounter Dr King Shultz (played by the always magnificent Christoph Waltz) who's a
German dentist travelling in a strange wagon with a giant metal tooth protruding from its roof. Yeah.
A German dentist in a wagon with a metal tooth on it. A Tarantino western, told ya.
Anyway, it turns out Dr Shultz is in fact a bounty hunter – a kind-hearted bounty hunter, that is, but a
bounty hunter nonetheless. He's looking for the Brittle brothers but he doesn't know what they look
like – but Django knows and that's why Dr Shultz is here. In a manner of seconds he quickly
dispatches the traders, 'buys' Django – so that he officially belongs to the doctor now - and ventures
on a quest with the black slave to track down the evil brothers. But as both men spend more and
more time together and live through more and more adventures, it becomes apparent that a
scorching personal scar burns deep within Django. His wife was taken from him, sold to one 'greedy
Southern princeling' (Leonardo DiCaprio) and he was left to rot in a slave chain. Upon learning this,
Shultz makes an unlikely agreement with Django – he will help him in his bounty hunting business
and in exchange the German doctor will set him free and help him find and go back to his wife
Broomhilda (Kerry Washington).
It's payback time.
So what we have here seems to be a classic revenge tale, characteristic of both spaghetti westerns
and Tarantino's previous work. But not all is so obvious with this Hollywood's enfant terrible. First of
all, the dialogue and pace are as Tarantino-esque as they get, with colourful word fights, wordplay
and double puns that could come out only from Quentin's pen. The scenes are stretched beyond
their limits, which sometimes is wonderful and sometimes isn't, but I'll get to that in a minute.
32
Most importantly, the tone and themes in the movie are mixed and presented in a way that few
other westerns – or in this case, western-like films – tend to do. Here we've got a film dealing with
one of the darkest chapters of American history – one that Hollywood films seldom explore, I might
add – but written with such humour and panache that it... this strange mix is not so much out of
place as it's very interesting to absorb. This duality in tone is presented on a number of levels but the
most visible one – and confirmed by Tarantino himself – is violence. Violence in 'Django Unchained' is
mostly comical, farcical, unrealistic and exaggerated. Bodies fly meters behind when shot and blood
spurs like in the 1970's exploitation movies. Only this happens when bad guys are killed. Because
when we see the awful brutalities inflicted upon black slaves the violence suddenly becomes
personal, visceral, close to the viewer. Disturbing as hell. It's one way to deal with your history, I
guess. Tarantino does it masterfully and so subtly that we barely notice.
The illusion is strengthened by the fact that his characters are so original and played so convincingly
and nightmarishly true it's hard not to be drawn to them. That's especially true in the case of
Leonardo DiCaprio's role as Calvin Candie, the lord of Candyland – a Deep South plantation ripe with
suffering and corruption of human heart. His character feels like lifted straight from a nightmare – a
spoiled, despotic, tyrannical monster with a gaze so terrifying you'd be hard pressed not to be
frightened by him. It is also in Candyland that we meet Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) – the plantation's
black landlord fulfilling duties during his master's absence. His character is the most subtle, the most
sneaky and treacherous one as he's destined to act from the shadows, from behind backs, hidden
behind an unassuming facade of a weak and fawning servant while at the same time playing a
psychological game with his master. His role is perhaps the most enigmatic and complete one,
although I can't shake the feeling that as a character Stephen is sort of a wasted opportunity.
And then we've got Mr Waltz who, some might say, sort of recycles his portrayal of Hans Landa from
'Inglorious Basterds' but proves to be charming and convincing along the way nonetheless. These
three powerhouse performances supported by a wealth of secondary and supporting roles provide
us with the most powerful acting tour de force I've seen in a long time – even including Jamie Foxx's
role as Django himself who proves to deliver a surprisingly charisma-free performance.
33
From a technical standpoint 'Django Unchained' is a marvel to behold – the cinematography, the
music, the landscapes are absolutely fantastic. If there's one thing that Tarantino's film excels at
(other than the performances and writing, that is) it's this transportive quality – I don't remember
the last time I was so wholly, so unflinchingly transported into a different world while sitting before a
cinema screen. Tarantino creates a powerful, vivid atmosphere that could be achieved only by a man
with his experience both as a director and cinephile. It's all so beautifully shot – a few of the frames
could be easily put both on your computer desktop and room wallpaper. The anachronistic
soundtrack is wonderful, like in all Tarantino films, although this time there seem to be few mis-steps
along the way – mainly in the form of a rap song (!) played over a shootout at the film's climax that's
so out of place as it can possibly be.
The biggest problem I've got with 'Django Unchained' though is its pacing. As the script introduces us
to a sort of a 'fourth act' we realize that it shouldn't be there and the film should've ended earlier –
it's too long by roughly fifteen-twenty minutes. What's worse, this last sequence of events feels like
it's on autopilot, thus vaporizing all our emotions we felt earlier.
But the pacing and editing in the movie overall seem sort of... off-hand, too chaotic and lacking this
unmistakable 'flow quality'. This is most evident during the second half when Tarantino stretches and
stretches the scenes out of proportions almost to the point of breaking them. It worked once in
'Inglorious Basterds' 'cause there was only one such scene there – the tavern scene. Here, we are
subjected to a whole series of them and while some of them work, despite the fact that the second
half's storyline is relatively predictable (the Candyland moments are a masterclass of a pitching
suspense higher and higher), others don't (the way to Candyland is just TOO long). Maybe it's
because Tarantino's editor and long-time collaborator, Sally Menke, passed away in 2010 and this
was the first film he had to work on with someone else?
But this is exactly the nature of 'Django Unchained' – it's a film of paradoxes and dualities, strange
shapes and forms delving out of humorous dialogue mixed up with gory, brutal violence. It lacks the
same flow and unmistakable storytelling feel associated with Tarantino, it's too long and it will
probably remain in my mind as a festival of great scenes rather than as a strong, cohesive story when
viewed as a whole... but what scenes some of them are (of course it's not the worst film Tarantino
made either – in my personal list it sits somewhere in the middle of his work). I don't know how
America will view this film and whether it's going to be the first in a new wave of American
productions depicting slavery openly and admittedly.
But I hope the souls of those slaves after seeing the scene in which Dr Shultz recalls the brutal
death of one of them over Beethoven’s 'For Elise' and is shaken so powerfully that he then begs
the harp player to stop playing will rest a little more peacefully and a little more... completely.
Guest author - Jerzy Babarowski
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Jokes – pans
Did you hear about the guy whose whole left side was cut off? He's all
right now.
A bicycle can't stand on its own
because it is two-tired.
I'm glad I know sign language,
it's pretty handy.
Police were called to a day care where a three-year-old was
resisting a rest.
Did you hear about the guy who got hit in the head
with a can of soda? He was lucky it was a soft
drink.
Need an ark to save two of every animal?
I noah guy.
What did the grape say when it got
stepped on? Nothing - but it let out a
little whine.
Two peanuts were walking in a tough neighbourhood and one of them was a-salted.
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Be Brave.
It’s
Valentine’s
Day.
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