Live Review: BANKS @ Koko

BANKS live at Koko, London (1 April '14) // Words: Raman K

Some of the hottest beat-makers across House, Dance and RnB have spent the last year pushing and shoving to produce a track for BANKS. A hot tip for 2014, the LA artist has built her own brand of darker RnB through non-traditional hook-ups with the likes of Shlomo, SOHN, Jamie Woon and TEED. On the final night of her UK tour, BANKS created some spellbinding moments in a set that may have revealed a new genre of alt-RnB.

Film Review: The Wolf Of Wall Street (2013)

'The Wolf Of Wall Street' (UK Release: 17 Jan '13) // Words: Raman K

"The year I turned 26, I made $49 million, which really pissed me off because it was three shy of a million a week", snarls Leonardo DiCaprio's Jordan Belfort. Marty Scorsese has discovered a mighty jet-black sense of humour whilst directing 'The Wolf Of Wall Street'. Over three raucous hours, he mangles and perverts the American Dream with a rise and fall arc that is both utterly hilarious and disheartening. This is the spiritual successor to 'Goodfellas' and 'Casino' - a brash and outrageous tale of sex, drugs, and penny stocks.

Film Review: Don Jon (2013)

'Don Jon' (UK Release: 15 November '13) // Words: Raman K

Twenty minutes in to 'Don Jon', I sensed the audience had divided into two. There were those who could already appreciate the humour as bruising and witty satire. However, the other half were too preoccupied by their revulsion of the Jersey Shore inspired character “Don” Jon Martello (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his vividly descriptive passion for “DEM TITTIES” and “DAT ASS”. However, by the closing credits, you can only applaud 'Don Jon' as a bold directorial and screenwriting debut from Gordon-Levitt.

Review: BFI London Film Festival 2013

BFI London Film Festival (9-20 Oct '13) // Words: Team FG

The 57th BFI London Film Festival may have started off in inauspicious circumstances - the online system for priority booking crashed - but concluded successfully with the Oscar contending 'Saving Mr Banks'. Along the way, we caught dozens of the festival's wide array of features, and here are some of our favourite films - many of which are soon to arrive at a cinema near you, if not already.

LFF 2013 Reviews: Don Jon + Inside Llewyn Davis + Only Lovers Left Alive

Words: Lauren Johnson-Ginn & Raman K

'Don Jon'

Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes a remarkably polished directorial debut with romantic-comedy 'Don Jon', also starring as the titular Jon – a man of simple pleasures whose primary concerns in life include his body, his pad, his car, his friends, his girls and (most importantly) his porn. When he meets Barbara (Scarlett Johansson), however – a ‘solid dime’ – he’s forced to change his ways, and make a choice between love and, er, rigorous self-love.

LFF 2013 Review: Afternoon Delight (2013)

Words: Raman K

Housewife Rachel (Kathryn Hahn) is in a wonderfully middle-class rut. Behind the veneer of a huge suburban house, a successful husband and dinner parties with the other neighbourhood mums, lies a sexless marriage, boredom-browsing on social networks, and a therapist (Jane Lynch) who keeps her in perpetual insecurity.

LFF 2013 Review: Chinese Puzzle (2013)

'Chinese Puzzle'/'Casse-tête Chinois' (UK Release: TBC) // Words: Raman K

Any French / German / Spanish student will have been recommended the 2002 classic by Cédric Klapisch, 'L’Auberge Espagnole'. In somewhat of a tribute to Europe, six students from the continent all coop together in a small Barcelona apartment to study on the EU Erasmus programme. They are young and hot-to-trot in an environment where accents are aphrodisiacs. Despite the collision of cultures they all build believably affectionate friendships.

LFF 2013 Review: Starred Up (2013)

'Starred Up' (UK Release: TBC) // Words: Raman K

The rehabilitation of young offenders is a topic that is fair game for political point scoring in UK mainstream media, sometimes obscuring the possible background of severe hardship and suffering involved in the lives of child perpetrators. However, debut screenwriter Jonathan Asser’s first-hand experience with violent British criminals shines through with a deeply authentic script and brutally involving story in 'Starred Up'.

LFF 2013 Reviews: Computer Chess + Gare Du Nord + The Spectacular Now

Words: Raman K & Saam Das

The BFI London Film Festival begins tomorrow, opening with Tom Hanks vehicle 'Captain Phillips', and with over two hundred feature films on offer, we're kicking off with some bite-size reviews. Tonight we take on retro-mockumentary 'Computer Chess', sociological study 'Gare Du Nord', and indie romantic drama 'The Spectacular Now''. If you're yet to buy tickets to any of the festival's vast selection, please do also have a gander at our LFF 2013 preview.

Preview: BFI London Film Festival 2013

BFI London Film Festival (9-20 Oct '13) // Words: Team FG

The world renowned BFI London Film Festival returns this month for its edition, opening and closing with a Tom Hanks double bill - diving head first into proceedings via hijack thriller 'Captain Phillips' and exiting with 'Saving Mr Banks', a biopic surrounding the film adaptation of 'Mary Poppins'. With tickets still on sale to many films, we've compiled a list of our most anticipated festival offerings.

Feature: Top Ten Most Anticipated Films For 2013 And Beyond [Part Two]

Words: Raman K

Continuing on with our top ten most anticipated movie releases, we bring you our top five offerings to look forward to - with an impressive moustache from Joaquin Phoenix and a significant amount of Matthew McConaughey. Brace yourselves.

Feature: Top Ten Most Anticipated Films For 2013 And Beyond [Part One]

Words: Raman K

Each year, for better or worse, the entertainment industry continues to cram its biggest releases into the holiday season. Here is a countdown of films that we believe will glitter across autumn and winter. Ready the popcorn for a mix of Oscar-bait, indie surprises, directorial debuts, reimagined classics and surprise casting. Part two comes tomorrow.

Review: Bushstock Festival 2013

Bushstock Festival (Shepherd's Bush, 1 June '13) // Words: Raman K & Saam Das

Sun and music descended upon Shepherd's Bush last Saturday, as Bushstock Festival returned for its third year. The Communion Records-led festival brought perhaps its most diverse array of artists to the fore in 2013, from its usual folk fare to more experimental offerings such as the upcoming Pixel Fix. Dare we say it but Bushstock is no longer the young pretender to the bigger budget London festivals.

DVD Review: Seven Psychopaths (2012)

'Seven Psychopaths' (UK Release: 15 April '13) // Words: Raman K

Martin McDonagh’s gut-bustingly funny directorial debut, 'In Bruges', inspired both an enormous cult following and admiration from Hollywood. Inevitably this buzz would attract greater visibility and star power to his next comedic venture. 'Seven Psychopaths' is the end product - displaying huge ambition and style in its sprawling plot, arguably at the expense of some comedic fibre that made 'In Bruges' tight with hilarity.

Surfacing: Inkliing [New Act]

Words: Raman K

This one has been bubbling since his first EP back in late 2007 but remains largely unheard of, even in the blogging world. Inkliing, a young visionary from the recesses of London’s W12, has just released his free-to-download 'Generals' long player. His debut album is a palette of crispy trip-hop and jazzed-up soundscapes to ease the mind while winter overstays its welcome.

Year In Review: Top 25 Tracks Of 2012

Words: Alison Potter, Emily Solan, Howard Gorman, Jack Thomson, Rajan Lakhani, Raman K, Saam Das, and Simon Opie

If you thought that end of year lists were history (winking smiley) by now then you'd be sorely wrong. We adopt an overly careful and considered approach when putting our lists together. We think the effort is worthwhile. Judge for yourselves below with our favourite songs of 2012 featuring everyone from big hitters like Bobby Womack and Arctic Monkeys to upcomers Mt. Wolf and LULS.

Year In Review: Top 25 Films Of 2012

Words: Alison Potter, Ced Yuen, Gabriella Shimeld-Fenn, Lauren Johnson-Ginn, Raman K, and Saam Das

2012 saw three of the highest grossing films of all-time: 'The Avengers' (also known as 'Avengers Assemble'), 'The Dark Knight Rises', 'Skyfall'. Each of which found critical favour. Each of which appears in our Top 25 Films Of 2012 - our top choices from films released across the UK in the last year. Read our list below, and feel free to suggest your own favourite film(s) of the year.

Listen: Daughter - Smother [Album Preview]

Words: Raman K

What a difference 4 months can make. Daughter are now deservedly signed to a prominent independent label (4AD), they have collected sparkling reviews from selected festival appearances across the UK and US. Their newest release, 'Smother', signals the widening of Daughter’s catalogue of stunning alt-folk to flesh out an anticipated debut album.

Album Review: Angus Stone - Broken Brights

Angus Stone - 'Broken Brights' (UK Release: 16 July '12) // Words: Raman K

Sydney siblings Angus and Julia Stone have enjoyed critical acclaim since breaking through in 2006. In the space of only two albums in three years, and a glut of ARIA awards, the duo have cemented their status as Australia’s indie-folk darlings. Taking a sidestep for a solo project, Angus Stone presents 'Broken Brights', a more personal and intimate journey into themes of nature, love and the wilderness in between.

Festival Review: Festifeel 2012

Festifeel (Queen Of Hoxton, 4 June '12) // Words: Saam Das & Raman K

Festifeel is the annual all-day gig from the people behind the Coppafeel! breast cancer charity. Not only is it a great cause but it's a great festival too as we found out last week. Featuring plenty of FG faves as well as some more prominent artists, such as Newton Faulkner, there was more than enough to keep everyone contented.