Happy Bunny Times

Star Trek: The Movie in cinemas accross the world now | Image © Creative Commons, daughter of chaucer, 2009

Who would have thought that Gene Roddenberry’s brainchild of the 60s – Star Trek, would become a classic in the world of sci-fi, nevermind it turning into a religious movement. In the last 50 years Star Trek has brought a brighter and happier vision of the future and the latest blockbuster version of the epic has proven to continue to “boldly go where no one has gone before”.

Star Trek has become a cliché and captain James T Kirk (William Shatner) together with Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) have explored the final frontier inside out. However, the latest Star Trek motion picture does not leave its viewers disappointed. Committed followers as well as newborn Trekkies can enjoy the sound and video effects in the future where the ending is always happy.

Passionate Star Trek fans argue that throughout the series and previous films there have been a few inconsistencies, however the creators of this year’s Enterprise have managed to justify conflicts by ‘changing the history’. Thanks to Spock (Leonard Nimoy) and Romulas ship Narada travelled from the future, the history is rewritten, and captain Kirk’s crew becomes open to all Roberto Orci’s and Alex Kurtzman’s fantasies.

The cast for the rebirth of Star Trek was selected perfectly. The sweet boy Chris Pine gives Kirk’s role a Kazanova’s vibe and the badass Zachary Quinto, known as Sylar from US TV series Heroes, plays the young, stubborn and all-so-logical Spock with real Vulcan dignity. Even Zoe Saldana, Britney’s friend from the film Crossroads, beats stereotypes and seduces heart-less Spock.

One of the film’s candies is the cross-reference with 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. The Trekkies can finally observe the actions connected with the legend of James T Kirk cheating the unbeatable test.

Overall Star Trek still warms hearts and brings a more positive vision of the future, which in the current sad economic and environmental climate is a real treat. Happy Bunny is happy indeed, blinking 4 and a half out of five times. We are very looking forward to the next film, which undoubtedly will come out as soon as enough cash is gathered from this one.

A couple at the Glastonbury festival | Image © Creative Commons, Toady the Toad (2008)

Rain, mud, fabulous music, umbrellas, sold out tickets and your tent floating away in an unknown direction? Yes, you haven’t mistaken – we’re talking about the Glastonbury festival – the Christmas for melomaniacs! Pack your bags, because this year’s Glastonbury claims to be legendary – the headliners on the Pyramid Stage are Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, and recently reformed Blur.

As you might have known, Glastonbury festival is the largest of its kind in the world. For instance, 177,500 people attended the Glastonbury Festival in 2007, creating a tent city with the same population as Norwich or Sunderland.

It certainly attracts adventure and good time seekers from around the world. One of the reasons is the line-up: Lily Allen, Jamie T, Lady Gaga, Regina Spektor, The Ting Tings, Franz Ferdinand, Peter Doherty and Pendulum just to name but a few.  See the official line-up here.

Not only you’re offered an enjoyable musical experience, there is also going to be a Pilton Palais Cinema Tent with a veritable treasure trove of films for our viewing pleasure this year.  They have even pushed the boundaries of current cinema technology to bring us 3D movies (courtesy of Dolby 3D). The 3D films to be showed are Bolt, Monsters Vs Aliens and Coralline with a fourth surprise title to be announced later on site.

However great the music, cinema and people are, this year’s Glastonbury is definitely going to be the healthiest ever! The Happy Bunny was thrilled to find out that STD experts are setting up a camp at the festival. Everyone aged between 15 and 24 are asked to visit a screening centre to curb the spread of Chlamydia, which has been increasing widely in the UK (and Happy Bunny is very concerned about the readers’ health). In between watching the films and shaking your ass to pop and rock stars, NHS Somerset hopes visitors will pick up and return a simple test kit. Anyone returning their test kit will receive a free glow-in-the-dark sperm key ring or glow-in-the-dark condom.

“The service is completely free, confidential and easy and so are the test results. Young people can choose how to receive their result (a discreet message by text or email, a letter or by phone). For those testing positive the treatment is simple and painless – just four antibiotic tablets taken at once,” Sara Dove, NHS Chlamydia screening service manager, said.

Health is not a big deal, if yours is good. Just make sure it is and keep hopping! And remember we’re talking about Glastonbury, so don’t forget your pink wellies!

For more information, see the official Glastonbury festival website.

Text: Austra Javalde

Jamie T rocks at Puregroove | Image © Creative Commons, neil365 (2006)

Happy Bunny loves music. He reads about it, listens to it and has now decided to share its wisdom and passion for the contemporary kings and queens of music.

Just so you know – Happy Bunny is a very well informed creature. He knows that Pete Doherty was arrested in Gloucester this morning; he knows that Pixies are set to appear at a party in London on June 15, he knows about Lily Allen and her journeys around the globe (by the way, Lily, how was the swim in that amazing pool?).

But forget the gossip! Happy Bunny is also aware of the most important music news.

Jamie T makes us stomp our feet and groove with the rhythm. He has just released a new single that makes us love him more and more. Sticks’N’Stones is, with no doubt, one of the best songs available on the British music scene. Little Jamie did it again just like he did it with ‘Sheila’, with ‘If You Got the Money‘ and with the whole Panic Prevention album.

Jamie T is only 23 (born 8 January 1986). Jamie Treays (that’s his full name, duh) is an English singer/songwriter from Wimbledon, South London. He is currently signed with Virgin Records, but released his ‘Betty’ and the Selfish Sons’ EP under his own Pacemaker Records label. He supported the Ordinary Boys during their 2006 tour, and went on to defeat Jarvis Cocker and Thom Yorke to win the Best Solo Artist at Shockwave NME Awards 2007. He has also been nicknamed ‘one man Arctic Monkey’. Canvas Magazine described him “like the bastard lovechild of Billy Bragg and Mike Skinner doing his best Joe Strummer impression”. On July 17 2007, Jamie T’s debut album Panic Prevention was shortlisted for one of the 12 nominees for the Mercury Prize. Significant enough, right?

Jamie’s singles have been parading UK charts since 2006. ‘Sheila’ (released July 3, 2006) got to number 22, ‘If You Got The Money’ (October 16, 2006) reached position 13, ‘Calm Down Dearest’ (January 15, 2007) got to 9th place and the re-issue of ‘Sheila’ (May 7, 2007) got to number 15.

Later the little Jamie teamed-up with Miss Lily Allen, and recorded ‘Rawhide’ (May 7, 2007)

The new single has it all – it’s melodic, dynamical, sticky and, what’s most important, it’s very Jamie T. Track it down on iTunes or Spotify and enjoy!

And if you’re lucky, buy a ticket to one of Jamie T’s shows in the UK. Psst, he has added an extra Brixton date to his sold-out tour…

For more information visit his website.

Jamie T at Puregroove Records instore, London | Image © Creative Commons, neil365 (2006)

Text: Austra Javalde

Himsagar Express by Nishant Shukla

The creative industries are constantly looking for new talents. The Photographer’s Gallery organizes its annual Graduate Photography Exhibition discovering UK’s brightest visual artists.

The second year in a row FreshFacedAndWildEyed09 will present the best of UK student photography by BA and MA students who have graduated in the past year.

A total of 23 photographers were selected by a panel of such experts – Joy Gregory, Magda Keany, Brett Rogers and Ossian Ward. Submissions were accepted from visual arts course graduates across the UK, whose graduation date fell between 1 May 08 and 31 May 09.

One of the selected photographers, Nishant Shukla, graduated Thames Valley University in 2008 and is currently in the middle of his master’s degree.

“I am delighted to have been selected for the show. It’s every photographer’s dream to be exhibited at such a prestigious gallery. I’m looking forward to seeing my work on the wall at The Photographers Gallery, get an opportunity to meet some people in the industry and hopefully some commissions would be a good result,” Nishant Shukla said.

His series of prints are portraits of travelers on the Himsagar Express – a three-day journey from the foothills of the Himalayas to Kanyakumari on the southern tip of India.

The Photographers’ Gallery is dedicated to exhibiting, educating and engaging people with photography. Events such as freshfacedandwildeyed09 reflect our dedication to recognising, nurturing and supporting photographic talent in the UK.

“The frontality of these images presents an honest exchange of views mediated by the camera. Nothing is hidden and there seems to be a mutual trust which dignifies the subject. There is in this work a studied avoidance of the sentimental or repressive gaze. Shukla modernises colonialist photography and invests it with a sympathetic and quiet restraint. The idea of a shared journey is what these pictures convey,” Peter Smith commented.

The exhibition runs 24 June – 5 July 2009.

For more information and a virtual gallery visit FreshFacedAndWildEyed09.

The Photographer’s Gallery
16 – 18 Ramillies Street
London
W1F 7LW

The list of all selected graduates:
Jonathan Baggaley, Benjamin Beker, Petros Chrisostomou, Eleanor Cleasby, Lucy Dawkins, Teresa Eng, Kathryn Faulkner, Leonora Hamill, Aileen Harvey, Hannah Hewett, Alexandra Hughes, Nae Bunthita Indhawong, Jessica Layton, Martina Lindqvist, Ellen Nolan, Tom Pope, Wendy Pye, Tomoko Sakanishi, Grace Schwindt, Nishant Shukla, Anthony Wallace, Michael Whelan and Dave Wyatt.

Fresh Faced and Wild Eyed 09 exhibition runs until 5th of July