Arular and Kala

M.I.A. is one of the most hopeful music cases that has ever occurred in musical history. Born in London, her family moved to Sri Lanka during the Civil War, where she witnessed the horror of war. She than moved back to London on an estate, where she encountered racial abuse, and where she learned English. After she moved out, she became an artist and then, after the release of her mixtape, she secured a deal to release her début, under the title Arular, after her father. And boy, what an album it is. The opening skit Ba-na-na is wonderfully weird, but true musical perfection can be found with the later tracks, such as the bravely cool Bucky Done Gun, in which the jazz mash up roars with her rapping. Also wonderful is Sunshowers, with some poignant verses which give the jungle beat extra depth. (Semi-9 and snipered him/On that wall they posted him/They cornered him/and then just murdered him). Fire Fire is also irresistible, with it's repeated verse nailing itself into your head. But best of all (we all know what it's going to be) is the simply perfect Galang. Street-wise lyrics (London calling/speak the slang now/Boys say Gwan what/Girls say what what) mash with a great beat to build up to an ending of cheering so perfect it makes you want to hug the CD.

10/10

After she raised the bar so high for herself, fears of a sophmore slump were worried by people worldwide. However Kala delivered big-time. The lead single Boyz is wonderful, dance music at its best, and bears a brilliant resemblance on Bucky Done Gun. Jimmy, the next single is fresh and fun, with a lovely Bollywood feel. But the single we're all thinking about is Paper Planes, the Slumdog Millionaire slow reggae esque hit. Believe the hype. Not only is it one of the best songs on the album, it's one of the best songs of the decade.
The (All I want to do...And take your money) absolutely hits the nail on the head, and makes the boldest statement about the alarming stereotypes of modern life I've ever heard in song form. Also fantastic is the didgeridoo backed Mango Pickle River Down, with the adolescent rap group, The Wilcannia Mob. However, they are not the best songs on the album. Those award goes to Bamboo Banga and 20 Dollar, which are the perfect rap songs, both brimming with grating political relevance. With a slow, hypnotising beat, and a spectacular lo-fi chorus of Where Is My Mind?, 20 Dollar is brilliant (I put people on the map/That never seen a map) Bamboo Banga is stunning too, with shockingly bold statements on cultural diversity and and is one of the best songs in the last decade. This is one of the best albums of the decade. Perfect.

10/10

Teo

The Exorcist

So this is it. The apparent 'scariest movie ever made' is seen by me, finally. The film that had viewers fainting in the cinema, so much so that a doctor would often attend viewings. The film that various countries banned on counts of blasphemy. The film that has induced upon us many unbelievably bloated sequels, reboots and re-imaginings (whatever that's supposed to mean). And my verdict is that it's a miraculously intrepid, yet strangely forgettable and rather bland film. The story takes place in Washington DC where a young looking Ellen Burstyn is getting increasingly worried at her angelic daughter Regan's increasingly off-colour behaviour. Subsequently, after a dig in Iraq, a priest played by Max von Syndow finds remains looking worryingly like Pazuzu. This scene was genuinely one of the most terrifying scenes in the film, which despite its legacy, in my opinion, is disappointing scare free. After doctors deem Regan beyond help, with her increasingly religiously and sexually violent behaviour, Burstyn recruits a pair of  priest to exorcise poor Regan. I will not reveal any more as the plot will be ruined if I do, but I was supremely disappointed with the sheer lack of scares . I don't know, maybe I've been deadened by endless PG-13 horrors. With that said the acting is impeccable and Mercedes McCambridge is creepy as the voice of Regan. However, the ending is too sloppy and the story too poor for it to be an absolute classic.

3/5

Teo