Pop - Art - House

My cinema project of watching a film every week for the whole of 2015 continued yesterday evening with a one off screening of The Light Shines Only There, part of @showroomcinema's Japanese Film Season. Celebrating its 20th birthday this year, The Showroom is a proper good cinema, and a social enterprise at that. Admittedly it can do with a bit of a facelift, like so many of the actors that graces its screens have been and got done, but it's still a great place to watch great movies. You can support the efforts to raise funds for their planned refurb by donating money. Alternatively you can contribute by actually going to see their films. And why wouldn't you want to? Their programming is laudable, particularly in the face of mounting commercial pressures, screening even the more obscure art house films alongside select blockbusters. I salute.

There's now an art house rival in the shape of the brand new Curzon so it'll be interesting to see if the people of Sheffield are discerning enough to support two independent cinemas. Curzon has got the upper hand when it comes to sound and picture quality but they're part of a profit driven company and grossly over-priced. Charging London prices up t'north isn't really a winning formula. The Showroom on the other hand is cheap in comparison. Particularly when films such as The Light Shines Only There are shown as part of their Eye Opener moniker. At £5 a ticket, there is certainly only one winner in the art house cinema price war of Sheffield. For more than double that price we could've 'enjoyed' Fifty Shades of Grey at Curzon yesterday. Tough choice. Whilst on the subject of the Fifty Shades craze, good on ITV for jumping on the bandwagon with their 'bondage for beginners' slot on This Morning the other week. Christine Bleakley and Phillip Schofield getting educated on the virtues of silk blindfolds, feathered spankers and scented candles cum (so to speak) massage oil must surely be enough for some viewers to spew up their elevenses. Try it yourself here.

Anyway, there was certainly no Hollywood gloss whatsoever about The Light Shines Only There. A relentlessly bleak depiction of life at the bottom of Japan's social ladder, there was virtually no let up in the misery. In pop culture reference the tagline 'We found love in a hopeless place' would've summed it up perfectly. The female protagonist was living a hell that even Von Trier would've baulked at and moments of (supposed) tenderness between the central couple somehow managed to disturb. Curiously it was Japan's entry for this year's foreign language Oscar, pretty sure the Academy voters who had a mental or physical wank over American Sniper would've choked on their elevenses at a film that depicts a major taboo subject.

All things considered though, it was a good film. Albeit one that required you to laugh hysterically as you left the screen just to remind you that life isn't quite as shit as the film would have you believe. Just 'Shake it off' like Swifty, pop culture reference #2, and back to normality. Films like these will either leave you feel rather solemn or serve as a reminder that whatever's currently bugging you, someone else has got it far worse. Essentially life is good, and not just because LG says so. Sometimes people need a kick up the arse to be able to see beyond their own life bubble of perceived agony/frustration/stress/other source of moaning, excluding those experiencing proper hardship obviously. It's all about a positive mental attitude. Change your life or change your thinking I say. Remember 'If I surround myself with positive things, I'll gain prosperity'. Pop culture reference #3.

I'm 100% in favour of literally lathering oneself with positive things. It's the quickest shortcut to a prosperous life, not necessarily in monetary terms but in general wellbeing and life experiences. Besides there's little point in doing things that make you feel miserable. Whilst I really rather enjoy bleak and harrowing motion pictures, when it comes to most other popular culture I much prefer the playful, colourful, unpretentious, unserious, hence I LOVE pop art. If there's pop art on display when I'm in town I'm there. It's graphic and tongue in cheek, and most importantly it doesn't require an accompanying essay to make sense of it.

Needless to say I jumped at the opportunity to purchase these fridge magnets at a recent visit to the British Library.

Rather randomly I'd been on the hunt for some good fridge magnets for a while, so imagine the exaltation at finding these ones in the sale, for 2 quid. Grab and go. I had actually been to the Comics Unmasked exhibition they accompanied but somehow failed to spot them in the shop afterwards. All's well that ends well, and they certainly brighten up the greyest of fridges.

By happenstance I was also very kindly and aptly given a set of fridge magnets for my birthday. My hankering for magnets must've become public knowledge. These aren't just any fridge magnets, they're Clueless fridge magnets. Gotta love a bit of Clueless, the most supreme symbiosis of cheesy teen comedy and sharp wit. 'Do you prefer fashion victim or ensembly challenged?'. As much as I love art house cinema, sometimes you just need to watch something jolly and upbeat. The quote factor on display is sky high and it contains the best description of Monet ever: 'From far away it's ok, but up close it's a big old mess'. Precisely my sentiment. I'm not afraid to admit that I've watched Clueless more times than most sane people would, so the magnets are practically perfect in every way.

There you have it, my fridge has become a veritable feast of pop art and a visual representation of all things fun in life. Because at the end of the day, 'Don't worry, be happy'. Pop culture reference #4. The world's our oyster, make the most of it, others do, you can too. That's my 2 pennies of cod psychology life coaching for the day. Plenty more clichés where that came from though, watch this space.

Deo Adjuvante Labor Proficit

I love Sheffield. I've lived here since 1998. In August this year Sheffield overtook Säffle, Sweden as the place I've lived in the longest, and long may it continue.

The initial decision to move to Sheffield wasn't particularly deliberate. I had University offers from Sheffield Hallam, Lancaster and Edge Hill, Ormskirk so Sheffield really was the only option. No offence to the people of Lancaster and Ormskirk but come on, what was I thinking applying there??? 16 years on I've still not bothered to set foot in either place which speaks volumes. Regardless of circumstance, moving to Sheffield is easily the best decision I've ever made, followed by buying a copy of R.E.M.'s Out Of Time as a spotty 13 year old, resisting the temptation to migrate to London post-University and resigning from my job at Sheffield Contraception & Sexual Health Service without another job lined up.

There are a whole raft of reasons why Sheffield is a great city. Despite its industrial heritage, 61% of Sheffield's area is green space and apparently there are more than 2 million trees in the city, which gives Sheffield the highest ratio of trees to people of any city in Europe (thanks Wikipedia). We love trees. The Peak District is on our doorstep, living in the city centre doesn't cost a bomb, there are tons of cool stuff going on - @PeddlerMKT, @SharrowReels, @FestivalMind, @SensoriaFest to name a few, and there's a comforting sense of familarity, boosted by the fact that it's really easy to bump in to people you know. We love people bumping.

To illustrate the point, I've made a list of the 10 things I love the most about Sheffield. You can't go wrong with a list.

1. Sheffield people - It's not an understatement to say that Sheffielders are a friendly bunch. This was summarised to perfection by an older gentleman we got chatting to on a work's night out to Owlerton greyhound racing (chicken and chips in a basket!). Spotting the non-caucasian in the group, he proceeded to highlight that we're all cut from the same cloth by announcing "You're like me thee"

2. The Sheffield accent - There really is no better accent in my opinion. "Aye up duck", "Nah then", "Geeor", "Is tha mashin?", the list goes on

3. Sheffield Rules - Football as we know it was born in Sheffield. Nuff said

4. The Crucible - The home of snooker since 1977. Rumours of a future venue change for the World Championships better be just that, a mere rumour. After all, Ronnie loves it and he's god

5. Kelham Island - I've been fortunate enough to live within touching distance of Sheffield's real ale mile for the past 5 or so years. Award winning pubs galore, a mecca for beer tickers, attitude-free drinking and vegan pub grub. Can't go wrong

6. The Showroom - Support your local independent cinema people! If nothing else the popcorn's cheaper than at the mainstream multiplexes

7. Pulp - Different Class is definitely different class. A defining highlight of the Britpop era, it's one of my favourite albums of all time. I'm giving it a welcome spin as I type

8. Hendo's - Far superior to its more famous equivalent from Worcester. Better tasting, made in Sheffield, vegan (I'm not actually vegan by the way)

9. Cheap pints - It's not my pub of choice by a long stretch but the Brown Bear in the city centre pulls the cheapest pints going, outside of the dwindling world of working men's clubs. You can get a round in for less than a fiver, and by round I mean 3 pints. Up yours Wetherspoon's

10. Sheffield steel - In case you somehow weren't aware, stainless steel was invented in Sheffield by Harry Brearley in 1912. The world has been owing a debt of gratitude ever since

The Steel City moniker has ironically been steadily corroding since the 1980s. We all know who to blame. The steel industry has been drastically reduced but thankfully not completely eradicated. Sheffield made steel products are still synonymous with high quality so when I decided to buy a new chef's knife, Sheffield was again the only option.

I bought the knife from a Sheffield shopping institution: Atkinson's department store. Despite their best efforts to modernise, e.g. swanky new entrance, it undoubtedly feels as though time has stood still in the world of Atkinson's. You almost expect Mrs Slocombe to pop up behind the counter. Nevertheless they're still going strong and their cookware department is particularly useful. At £24.99 the chef's knife from Taylor's was a fiver cheaper than in the Sheffield Scene shop so smiles all round. Befitting as well, to buy a slice of Sheffield tradition and heritage from a shop that pre-dates stainless steel. And I am definitely unanimous in that!