by Tanisha Heiberg | Sep 21, 2015 | Lifestyle
With the weather warming up so are this year’s Spring/Summer fashion trends. The boho flower power style of the 70s is making a huge comeback not only on the runways but also on the streets of Joburg.
Stay one step ahead with these 10 top Spring/Summer trends.
1. Flowing fringes
This season fringe will be adding movement to everything from kimonos to skirts giving a slightly boho (bohemian) feel to the trend.
Fringe accents on clothing are over 3000 years old and originate from the area that is now Iraq.
This reinvented trend was worn by both men and women, and was even used as a type of signature in clay contracts because of its unique impressions.
But if you want to add a more modern feel to the ancient trend then find fringes on modern silhouettes like tank tops and printed t-shirts.
2. Jean genius
This classic wardrobe staple is being seen in dresses, pants, coats and the very on trend overalls.
From shorts to skirts the overalls are helping bring a twist to the traditional dungarees.
The comfy jeans we all love had humble beginnings as durable work pants, made by Levi Strauss in the 1860s.
The blue jeans have seen a revamp with anything any style, length bringing a playful relaxed style to this summer’s big trend.
3. Kimonos vs Ponchos
This season the poncho takes its inspiration from the traditional South American version with plush fabrics and luxurious colours that can easily be paired with shorts, dresses or even another on point trend-denims.
While its boho counterpart the Kimono will also remain on trend this season with the addition of fringe details to give it the 70s flare.
These looks seem to be here to stay which is not surprising since they date back many centuries to the pre-Inca Peruvian people.
4. Girly Gingham
As the weather warms up we are moving away from winters plaids to springs classic and girly gingham.
Think iconic fashion moments like Marlyin Monroe’s high-waisted pants, Katharine Hepburn long gingham dress and even Brigitte Bardot who wore the fabric to her wedding.
This season its coming back in unexpected ways with a variety of colours and pattern sizes.
5. 70’s Swing
The 70s are back this season but with a modern twist from culottes, lace-up peasant blouses and all the trends we know from the hippy era.
Subtle hints from such as flared pant silhouettes, maxi dresses, round framed sun glasses and contrasting colour combinations will bring just the right amount of retro revival.
6. Summer Suede
Think colored suede, this typically winter trend gets a new spin this season with pops of colour and patchwork.
Suede is a special type of leather that has been processed to give a different texture.
This fashion trend stems from one of the oldest forms of clothing to almost 50 000 years ago, but this summer this ancient material is getting a throwback to the 70s with miniskirts, sandals and handbags.
7. Stylish Stripes
Stripes are expanding from the blue and white nautical theme to a more colourful, multi textured version this season.
This fashion staple has been around for 150 years and was thought to be a symbol of evil.
A French cobbler was rumoured to have put to death for just wearing stripes!!!
Years later and far from the garments of prisoners and clowns, the pattern has become a symbol of chic style with artists like Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol helping to popularize the pattern.
This season we celebrating the stripes in all shape, colours, and sizes.
8. Modern Military Safari
Yes safari…you read correctly. But this trend doesn’t mean that the long kaki socks, vield skoene and camouflage are now gracing the Paris and New York runways.
This spring sees chic lightweight khaki trench coats, dresses, ponchos and accessories taking an urban spin on the season’s adventurous and wild trend.
9. Sultry Shoulders
This season the trend is taking a more modern twist with off-the-shoulder peasant blouses or bold one-shoulder necklines.
The trend dates as far back as the gowns from the mid 1800’s where it emphasized the erogenous zone of the neck and shoulders.
With modern fabrics and the incorporation of the crop top trend this new neckline brings a sultry side to summer.
10. Flower Power
Florals have been a fashion staple since they were created in Asia hundreds of years ago, but this seasons prints won’t be the same old tired wallflowers.
The trend sees power blooms with bold prints and vibrant colours to give a fresh yet feminine spin to traditional petal prints.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Sep 19, 2015 | Featured 1
After violent student protests on campus, The University of KwaZulu-Natal has closed its residences
![The Howard College building on the Howard College campus at the UKZN. Photo: Ryan Holder Ryanglobal (Legal Beagles [1]) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://witsvuvuzela.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Howard_college-600x450.jpg)
The Howard College building on the Howard College campus at the UKZN. Photo: Ryan Holder Ryanglobal (Legal Beagles [1]) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
All student residences at The University of KwaZulu-Natal have been temporally closed after violent student protest broke out on campus this week
Students barricaded roads and burnt cars outside the university, protesting against the change in requirements for student funding from National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), according to Eyewitness News.
This comes after the funding requirements were changed from 50 percent to 70 percent.
A statement by the university was emailed to all students and required all students to vacate the residences by noon on Friday according to News24. In the statement Vice Chancellor and Principal Dr Albert van Jaarsveld requested the students leave “in context of the continued violence, the unwarranted arson, the unprecedented destruction of property, and the threats to the safety and security in residences and UKZN campuses”.
“Legal residence students will be allowed back into the residences on Sunday, 27 September 2015”, said van Jaarsveld.
Last week students were removed from a Westville campus residence after it was torched and a private bus contracted by the university to transport students was burnt, according to iol news.
All academic programs were suspended on Wednesday according to News 24. University spokesperson Lesiba Seshoka told News24 that the decision to suspend the programmes was regrettable considering that it was so close to the end of the academic year.
The KwaZulu-Natal police arrested two suspects in connection with the violence at the Westville campus, according to Eyewitness News.
Police spokesman Thulani Zwane told iol that a case of public violence has been opened.
Despite the safety concerns many students have expressed concerns about not being able to afford alternative accommodation or being able to journey, sometimes to other provinces, to return home.
Some of these student have turned to social media to express their concerns like this comment on a post on the UKZN Facebook page: “ We are being chased like dogs, like we did not pay for res…The red ants will have to scoop me up from my room”.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Sep 18, 2015 | Featured 1
Witwatersrand University will pay the outstanding NSFAS fees from the 2014 despite announcing earlier in the year that they were unable to cover the shortfall.
The Great Hall atl Witwatersrand University Photo: Wiki commons
Wits has confirmed that it will fully cover R35.2 million in debt, interest free, from the outstanding fees owed by students from 2014 that had not been paid by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).
The confirmation follows a Wits SRC statement released via its Facebook page and will help up to 708 students.
The agreement with the university and the SRC,which was reached earlier this year, outlined that outstanding fees would be paid by the university and NSFAS, with the loan agreement conditions remaining.
However, the university has now agreed to cover the full amount of the outstanding fees. This mean that the amount the students signed for on their 2014 NSFAS loan agreement forms and the acknowledgement of debt forms signed at the beginning of this year will be covered by the university.
This development means that the students will not be charged interest for the debt and it will in effect be more like a bursary instead of a loan from the university.
The payment for the outstanding debts comes despite the university stating earlier in the year that it was unable to cover the NSFAS shortfall.
SRC president Shareera Kalla said that the SRC had been in negotiations with the university as they were not satisfied with the terms given to the students by the university. “The terms set out by the university were not the same as those given by NSFAS.”
Kalla said “We feel like it was a great achievement… It is great to see the university covering the fees as a bursary rather than a loan.”
Wits chief financial officer Linda Jarvis said the university had found extra funds for the outstanding fees despite previously being over budget.
“The university has reallocated designated funds it had earmarked for other purposes including bursaries,” Jarvis said.
Zoe Buthelezi, a student who had outstanding fees from 2014 and who may be helped by the new payment, explained that many students did not understand the terms of the loans when they signed.
“Everyone is supposed to know what’s going on so they don’t bother explaining it to you … You don’t know what you’re signing or how much you’re going to pay or how the whole payment works they just point out where to sign,” Buthelezi said.
Buthelezi said she would be very happy if the university paid off her fees. “I don’t care as long as they pay everything interest free… I’m only 22 years old and already I’m in debt of R52 000 and don’t even have a job.”
Financial Aid Office manager Ennie Kubeka said the university may spend less than the R35.2 million.
“We expect it [the amount] to be lower once a full reconciliation has been completed. It should be noted that on the initial list some of the students have since received alternative funding,” Kubeka said.
Kubeka explained there are still 708 students who have outstanding fees from 2014 and that the university wants to close the matter with the students.
The students that were not covered by NSFAS last year were unable to access their results or register for 2015 unless they signed the acknowledgement of debt form.
Jarvis said the reason for the acknowledgement of debt was to allow students to register in 2015 even though they had outstanding debt in 2014 relating to NSFAS loans.
Over 2 000 students were unable to register at Wits this year due to NSFAS facing a funding shortage.NSFAS is a bursary and loan scheme which is funded by the National department of higher education in order for students to have access to tertiary qualifications. These loans are usually charged at low interest rates.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Sep 11, 2015 | Lifestyle
Photo: www.impawards.com
Cast: Henry Cavill, Armie Hammer, Hugh Grant, Alicia Vikander, Elizabeth Debicki
Director: Guy Ritchie
Vuvu Rating: 7/10
The Man from U.N.C.L.E will take you back to a time when the world was on the brink of war and spies were glamours and slick.
Based on the 1960s television show, the film will transport the audience into the era of the Berlin Wall, the race for nuclear weapons and the height of Italian Vogue.
The film revolves around a CIA agent, Napoleon Solo (Henry Cavill), and a KGB operative, Illya Kuryakin (Armie Hammer), who are forced to partner up despite their stark differences to stop a dangerous criminal organization from producing nuclear weapons that threaten to destroy the world. Their first mission is to locate a kidnapped scientist with their only lead being the scientists estranged daughter Gaby Teller (Alicia Vikander) who completes their mismatched trio. The unorthodox methods of ladies man, Solo and the conformist and military style of Kuryakin create a comic backdrop to the action scenes that we are familiar with in spy movies.
The film takes a step back in time to the 1960s with authentic fashion, music and spy gadgets. The sound track was also recorded in an authentic sound studio to help transport the audience back in time.
The aesthetics of the film plays an important role with the fashion, from suites to dresses , being particularly highlighted by the efforts of costume designer Joanne Johnston.
But The Man from U.N.C.L.E is not just a fashion show. Fans of Guy Ritchie’s action packed films like Sherlock Holmes and Snatch won’t be disappointed with this film having its fair share of explosions and chase scenes done in an innovative way that still embodies the films of the 1960s.
A pleasant and watchable film with the right balance of humour and action helps to maintain its lightness.
The film has an old-school wit that mimics the 1960s film style with the constant sarcasm and banter between the two leads. Particular attention to the contrast between humour and the serious nature of being an international spy is constantly drawn, which is often created with hilarious action taking place in the background while actors deliver their lines. However the wit at some points is lost partly due to the actor’s flat delivery.
The acting in the film is on the whole, average. Perhaps the film would have been a better success if the two lead actors had swopped characters. Cavill would have suited the role of a consecutive Russian solider much like his all American hero character in Superman. The same could also be said for Hammer’s charismatic personality which would be better suited for the smooth womanizing agent, Solo. The chemistry between the two actors is also lacking after creating an awkward atmosphere. The same however cannot be said for Elizabeth Debicki who makes an excellent villain as the ambitions, intelligent and beautiful, Victoria Vinciguerra.
The Man from U.N.C.L.E is a slick and stylish film that is spotted with laughs, making it pleasant movie. However the film does lacks the substance that the plot would have required, to make it an excellent spy movie.
What The Man from U.N.C.L.E lacks in substance and plot it makes up for in glamour and style and definitely won’t have you calling Uncle halfway through.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Sep 5, 2015 | News
Tanisha Heiberg
Aniss Krid, Gary Bezuidenhout, Elishahidi Mvungi, and Linda Khumaloat (from left) were part of the winning team at the DIZSparks App Challenge. They created the Gig Guide app for students to find events near them based on their interests. Photo: Provided
A group of Wits students have won the DizSparks app competition after creating a new app for students.
Aniss Krid, Elishahidi Mvungi, Gary Bezuidenhout and Linda Khumalo created the Gig guide app where events, parties and social activities can be advertised for easy access to students through specific categories.
The Wits Locate and I’m Interested apps were also announced under the top three at the Digital Innovation Zone (DIZ) in Braamfontein.
These students formed part of the 16 applicants who took part in the month long DIZ Sparks campaign, aimed at helping to develop the app creation skills of students from diverse backgrounds.
The challenge was conducted in association with iAfrika and included not only Wits University students but anyone who wanted to take part in the competition.
Event co-ordinator, Xoliswa Nahlangu explained that the campaign was not only to train the students in app development, “The competition was done to introduce the Wits varsity students to DIZ”
DIZ is a digital technology hub for the greater Johannesburg area that is open to all students and start-ups.
The applicants were tasked with creating new Apps, from design to formation, that can be added to the WitsM mobile apps as well as be available to be re-used at other tertiary institutions and App stores.
The applicants ideas were presented to a panel of judges led by Prof. Barry Dwolatzky, the director of JCSE at Wits University. The panel investigated whether there was a demand for the app in a student market and presented the winners with an Apple iPad Air.
The challenge provided mentors as well as commercial App developers who helped the students in their month long task that began in the conception stage, which involved unpacking the usefulness of the app for potential users. From there the applicants could refine their ideas before beginning to build a prototype of their app, with the help of experts in the field.
The challenge helped the students to come up with ideas but also to create apps that appeal to the market said Nahlangu.
The public was also invited to a Learnathon where they could learn more about how to create apps and the tools involved.
Nahlangu spoke about the importance of developing mobile app creation skills in South Africa, “There is a huge market … companies have realized that they need to be on a mobile platform in Africa… not everyone has internet access, but people have access to internet on their phones.”
by Tanisha Heiberg | Aug 29, 2015 | Lifestyle
Spiros the Goat has surfaced amid this year’s run-up to the SRC election campaign. He has taken to Twitter to express his views and opinions about the elections as well as Wits University with his catch phrase #ramming. Also known as candidate 47, Spiros has titled himself the “New kid on the Block” with posters and graffiti around campus. Spiros recently made time from his busy schedule to speak to Wits Vuvuzela.
Photo: Provided
Why should people vote for Spiros?
A vote for Spiros is a vote against voting.
What does Spiros stand for in the elections?
Spiros is a goat that embodies a collective subjectivity grounded in an earnest politics of irony and the absurd. Spiros wishes to bring to bare the ridiculous and depressing nature of representative democracy where political action is reduced to drawing two intersecting lines in the alienated labour power of a fetishized piece of paper (Spiros is aware that the power is in the worker and not in the commodity).
Spiros is an Act, in the Zizekean sense, where political action involves smashing the nascent totalitarian nature of late capitalist
society and rebuilding in on the basis of a ramolutionary subjectivity.
Who do you support in the elections?
Spiros.
Will you be voting in the SRC, if so for who?
Eat the ballot paper.
What’s it like being a goat at Wits?
WITS University is an anti-goat, anti-black, heteronormative, patriarchal, techno-fascist institution. Spiros’ positionality within
WITS is existentially precarious. It’s difficult being a goat when the grass tastes like Capitalist VW excrement. Spiros is currently reading Sartre and Althusser, in tandem (SIGH!).
Where does the name Spiros come from?
Spiros, as a signifier, does not signify Spiros’ essence but merely signifies it for other signifiers (Jacques Lacan).
Are all goats treated equal at Wits?
Spiros believes that Orwell gives a poor critique of leftist-totalitarianism, read “The Joke” by Kundera instead.
What do you thinks about the expulsions of the seven Wits Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) members?
The expulsion is indicative of the totalitarian nature of the Habib regime and how power relations are skewed against black students and workers on campus. Spiros feels that the exclusion of students signifies a concerted effort to limit the essentially common and public realm of higher learning. Spiros says LIBERATE the common!
However, using Spiros’ Marxist-Leninist-Fanonian-Zhdanovian tools of analysis, Spiros notes that there is a profound contradiction in an organisation that calls itself ‘revolutionary’, seeking recognition from bourgeois institutions. Spiros is disgusted by reformism, and while sympathetic to much of what the EFF stands for, cannot stand as a supporter of closet reformism.
Do you think there is freedom of speech at Wits University?
Spiros deplores this kind of liberal discourse around individual rights. Spiros is not Francois Hollande. It is Spiros’ view that
freedom and the notion of a ‘voice,’ in the political, is only expressed through a ramolutional collectivity. Sorry Daryl Glaser.
Do you consider yourself an artist after you put graffiti on campus?
“Art is going elsewhere, and politics has to catch up.” – Jacques Ranciere
Do you support the graffiti messages?
Support is an arbitrary, bourgeois conviction. Just like graffiti.
Since its Women’s month, what is your stance on violence against women?
It is Spiros’ view that Women’s month merely upholds the patriarchy. “Life” in this “society” being, at best, an utter bore, Spiros does not understand how Spiros is supposed to have a stance on such. Ram the patriarchy. Duh.
When you’re not running for the SRC what do you do in your spare time?
Spiros is quite the gastronomist – Spiros’ Lonmin CEO soufflé is to die for.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Aug 21, 2015 | Lifestyle
Photo: http://www.ibtimes.com
Starring: Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell
Directed By: Josh Trank
Vuvu Rating: 4/10
Unlike the characters in the film there was no one to save Fantastic Four from its own doom.
Fantastic Four centres around genius Reed Richards (Miles Teller ) who is awarded a scholarship to the Baxter Foundation to help Dr. Franklin Storm (Reg E. Cathey), and his adopted daughter Sue (Kate Mara), create a teleportation device to send people to another universe. The team acquires help in the form of troubled pupil Victor Von Doom (Toby Kebell) and Johnny Storm (Michael B. Jordan). Richards’s long-time friend Ben Grimm (Jamie Bell) also joins the team, who are genetically altered after an accident. This results in them developing irreversible superpowers. Now it’s up to these newly created heroes to defeat their arch-enemy Doom.
It was clobbering time in the box office for Marvel’s latest reboot of the Fantastic Four, earning a dismal $26.2 million on opening weekend. It’s not hard to see why, recreating of Marvel’s longest running superhero team, has produced a mediocre and bland film.
From the beginning the film exhibits an unimpressive plot that falls short of its previous incarnation, which had a successful initial film plus a sequel, in 2005 and 2007. The dull plot lacks the humour of Guardians of the Galaxy and the action-packed sequences in The Avengers that could have saved it. The narrative lacks a clear direction and lacks a build-up to the final climatic battle, which in itself is a letdown.
Despite an assemblage of Hollywood’s young talent the actors seem apathetic and lack chemistry between the onscreen relationships. This is no surprise with rumours circulating of friction on set between the cast and director Josh Trank. The supposedly lifelong friendship between Reed and Ben is left largely undeveloped in their adult relationship while the total group dynamic, that is evident in the comic books, is ignored with some characters barely having dialogue.
There is also very little interplay and relationship between the four characters as a whole. In some cases the characters have barely any dialogue between them allowing very little time for the audience to get to know them.
The depiction of how the characters got their powers was an innovative and interesting explanation. However the emotional impact of their accident is not fully explored particularly with Ben, who has been transformed into an inhuman stone monster, which we have seen in the previous films.
The graphics are at time underwhelming with much of the film looking like it was shot in a studio.
The boredom sets in within the first few minutes in the film and maintains a low energy and enthusiasm throughout until it finally flat lines with the very short and disappointing final battle.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Aug 12, 2015 | Featured 1, News
Fueling stations across Gauteng continue to run dry after a Durban refinery closed for planned maintenance. Photo: Wiki Commons
Fuel shortages will continue at petrol stations across Gauteng due to a Durban refinery shutting down one of its plants for scheduled maintenance.
The CEO of the Fuel Retailers Association, Reggie Sibiya, told News24 that BP stations are the worst affected, by the shutting of the Enref plant.
The rest of the country including, KwaZulu-Natal, will however remain unaffected.
“We’ll still have about another week of this shortage,” Sibiya told television channel Enca.
According to The Star the affected products include ULP 93, ULP 95 and diesel. He also added that more than a 100 service stations across the country are running dry of one or more of the products.
“I know of two BP service stations that have not received product since Thursday [last week] and are 100 percent dry on all products from yesterday,” Sibiya told the newspaper.
The Star reported that on top of the Enref shut down in Durban, there were also disruptions to production at the South African Petroleum Refineries (Sapref). This has also contributed to the fuel shortage in the province.
The director of the South African Petroleum industry Association, Avhapfani Tshifularo, told The Star that the closure of the refinery was not a surprise and that interventions have been put in place to manage the situation.
The Enref plant is the second largest refinery in South Africa that produces automotive, industrial, aviation and marine fuels as well as a range of chemicals and solvents.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Aug 12, 2015 | News
Tanisha Heiberg
Brenna Weaver, Robert Jaich, Magali De La Kethulle, Graeme Moore, Katherine Klaasen, Greg Douglas, Wesley Verhoogt, Heliodora De Lima, Stephan Maritz, Kanika Sinha, Nadia Ann Marengo, Bodhisatya Chakraborty, and Matthew Grant (from left) who formed part of a team of 17 students who climbed Kilimanjaro in 2014 to raise funds for the Smile Foundation. Photo: Provided
Smiling and laughing will no longer be a mountain to climb for two children suffering from facial paralysis. An eight and six year old child received life changing reconstructive surgery after Wits medical students summit-ed their own mountain of fears to raise funds.
A group of 17 medical students from the Wits Surgical Society raised over R600 000 by climbing Mount Kilimanjaro and taking part in the 2014 Momentum 94.7 Cycle Challenge. The money they raised allowed them to assist the children who suffered from a rare nerve condition called Moebius Syndrome that causes facial paralysis. Facial paralysis can have negative developmental and psychological effects on young children suffering from the disorder.
“It is so hard to relate to someone without facial expressions…it really does change their lives”
Stephanie van Straten, President of the Wits Students Surgical Society explained the importance of the procedure is due to the public sector not prioritizing it because it is very expensive and highly specialized. “It is so hard to relate to someone without facial expressions…it really does change their lives.” The initiative to face their fears and summit the mountain came from 5th year student Graeme Moore in association with the non-governmental, Smile Foundation. “These children have to face their fears undergoing an operation…which must be a really scary thing to do especially when you’re a small child… we hoped to overcome our biggest fear”, said Stephanie
The student’s hard work finally paid off at the end of last month when both children received the surgery to help restore movement to their face and ultimately allow them to express their emotions.
Stephanie highlighted the importance of doing the procedure in young children, who have the ability to recover faster and learn how to smile. “They take the muscle from your leg and they transplant it to your cheek…initially to smile, the child will need to grit their teeth but over time it will become more spontaneous…the older (patient) you are the less likely that the smile will be spontaneous”
Through the fundraising they are also able to renovate the pediatric ward at the General hospital to make it a more child friendly. “We are hoping to make it Kilimanjaro themed… a hospital is often very scary for children, the less intimidating the better for their healing.”
This won’t be the last initiative for the Surgical Society whose focus is on furthering education, participating in outreach programs and providing workshops to develop skills. Plans are already in place to take part in this year’s 94.7 Cycle Challenge with all students welcome to join their team.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Aug 11, 2015 | Lifestyle, News, Opinion
Tanisha Heiberg
Stock Images
Starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Michael Peña
Directed By: Peyton Reed
Vuvu Rating: 8/10
When you think of a Marvel superhero movie, a suit that shrinks a man to ant size isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. But then you would be wrong. This “ant sized” film with its understated style packs a superhero sized punch to follow in the footsteps, and sometimes surpass its big budget high action predecessors.
The film follows recently released ex con Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) who committed a Robin-hood like heist. Lang has lost touch with his daughter and cannot see her because of his inability to financially support her. After failed job attempts Lang is pushed to return to a life of crime where he meets the innovative and solitary scientist Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), who has one last job for him. Pym wants him to steal his old prodigy and villain, Darren Cross’s (Corey Stoll), size-changing prototype dubbed the Yellowjacket in order to save the world. Using the newly acquired Ant-Man suite that allows him to shrink and to hone his ant-like senses, Lang sets out to win back not only the Yellowjacket suit but the respect of his daughter Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson).
The film is humorous and understated. This creates a fresh spin on the traditional spectacle based superhero adventures that we are accustomed to like Avengers: Age of Ultron. Ant-Man manages to change every day spaces into hyperreal action scenes that give the audience a jolt from the expected superhero genre.
The film doesn’t take itself too seriously and pokes fun at the unconventional concept with the hero not training in a hi-tech lab or fighting his nemesis in a spectacular fight scene with collapsing buildings and burning cars like we would expect. Instead he trains in his mentors back garden and his great battle with the villain takes place in his seven-year old daughter’s bedroom with Thomas the Tank Engine making a special appearance.
The storyline does however often struggle to justify each and every action scene. Even stranger is the inconsistent relationship that the movie makers have created between Lang and his estranged wife. His ex-wife is cast to have an amicable and even friendly relationship with Lang yet is stone hearted when it comes to granting Lang any access to their daughter, Cassie. The choice of Lang as the perfect person for the heist also seems unlikely as he had only performed one previous crime in his life and doesn’t embody the characteristic of the traditional hero. The heists are nevertheless still slick and expertly planned.
Despite its differences from the Marvel traditional movies it still has references to Shield and the Avengers sprinkled throughout the plot to tie it into the comic book film franchise.
Paul Rudd plays a charming human super hero and brings his easy going wit effortlessly into the character. To add to the comedy of Rudd’s natural style, is Lang’s criminal gang with Luis (Michael Peña ) bringing a goofy spin that shows another side to his comic abilities. Michael Douglas’ performance is good and along with his daughter, Hope (Evangeline Lily). Rounding up a cohesive group of characters that interact well. Corey Stoll however lacks the necessary presence to make a convincing portrayal of a villain. An endearing and unexpected character is also created in an ant affectionately known as Anthony.
If its big budget action packed with a large cast that you’re looking for then this isn’t necessarily for you. That said, Ant-Man still took 130 Million Dollars to produce (less than half of what the cost for Avengers). The film surprisingly stands up to its bigger counterparts in its unique smaller scale. All in all the plot theme of the smaller the better echoes the sentiment of the film as a whole.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Jul 24, 2015 | News
Wits athletes excelled in the 2015 USSA tournament in various sport codes
Wits rugby team competing in the 2015 inter-varsity tournament organised by University Sports South Africa (USSA). Photo: Provided
While most students were on the midyear break, Wits athletes were competing in the 2015 inter-varsity tournament organised by University Sports South Africa (USSA).
Wits excelled both on the court and on the field in seven different codes including basketball, hockey, rugby, netball, badminton, squash and gymnastics.
The Wits women’s teams were some of the top achievers in netball, basketball and hockey.
The Wits hockey girls, coached by former South African women’s team striker Pietie Coetzee-Turner, beat out the other universities including the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) in the final where they won 3-0. This secured them a promotion to the A section of next year’s tournament where they will face tough competitors including Stellenbosch University.
The men’s hockey side didn’t fare as well, when they lost their vital 3rd game of the tournament to Nelson Mandela Municipality University (NMMU) 9-1, and could no longer reach the play-offs. This also means that the men’s Hockey team may not make the cut-off for next year’s Varsity Hockey series.
The Wits Netball team made a great comeback and won the B section of the USSA’s. They went on to beat three teams during the round robin section. Attempting to regain their winning streak they went on to beat Durban University of Technology (DUT), but unfortunately lost in the following match to Central University of Technology (CUT Bloemfontein).
Wits women’s Basketball team had to defend the gold they won at the University of Pretoria in last year’s tournament. But Vaal University of Technology (VUT), proved to be their undoing, losing 58-65 and giving them the Silver position.
The men’s basketball team beat UKZN 75-41 but were the recipients of a debated forfeiture ruling after allegedly arriving late for a game. This resulted in them ending the tournament in 9th place.
It wasn’t just the ladies that performed during the winter USSA program, with the Wits Rugby team finishing in 5th position after facing old rivals UKZN and University of Western Cape (UWC) on the sports field.
Although Wits lost during their opening game, they regrouped to defeat UKZN 54-0. This turned out to be a grudge match after Wits was beaten by UKZN in the Varsity Shield final in April. In their final game, Wits finally beat UWC 32-7.
2015 was one of the best USSA’s as far as Wits rugby XV, according to Wits Rugby manager Al Leonard.
In gymnastics the Wits team placed third overall and came home with great results including 12 medals. Among them are Ruan Prestorius who placed first in the novice mini-trampoline while Vhuwavho Matibe brought home the gold in the level 2 rhythmic section.
On the badminton court Witsies Matthew Michel and Tashlin Hamid excelled and were selected for the national squad, while the team placed 5th overall in the A section.
Witsies not only took part in the USSA’s but also played host to the Squash programme where they claimed four victories. But unfortunately came up short against heavyweights, NMMU, UJ, and UCT.
by Tanisha Heiberg | Jun 23, 2015 | Opinion
Photo: Universal Pictures
Directed By: Colin Trevorrow
Vuvu Rating: 8/10
If you’re a fan of the original Jurassic Park films or you just want to see some unsuspecting humans get eaten by ferocious and freakily intelligent dinosaurs, then you won’t be disappointed with this latest iteration of the franchise.
Jurassic World, directed by Colin Trevorrow, shows the new and improved park featured in the previous films that has now a major tourist attraction including petting zoo, dinosaur rides and luxury hotels. Having learnt absolutely nothing from the previous experiences or movies, the powers-that-be create a bigger and “better” hybrid test tube dinosaur to attract more visitors.
The plot is predictable and the new breed of dinosaur has a murderous appetite. Park operations manager Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard) enlists the help of velociraptor trainer and ex-navy employee, Owen (Chris Pratt) to find her missing nephews Zach (Nick Robinson), and Gray (Ty Simpkins), who are lost in the park while the killer dinosaur is on the loose.
The scaly situation plays out in the typical style of its predecessors complete with similar shots, plot line, cliché romantic tension, and the iconic Spielbergesque sound track.
This new installment features numerous holes in the plot and little character development. Occassional humorous quips lighten the often stereotypical character portrayals but the human villains are unconvincing and flimsy with the plot failing to explore the world of the park before the chaos breaks out.
Nevertheless fans of the original movies will be thrilled to continue along this dino-journey with the velociraptor once again taking center stage and proving that size isn’t everything. What counts is the amount of teeth.
Much like the theme park itself the main focus of the film is the dinosaurs with the rest of the film acting as a platform to showcase them through impressive CGI and animatronics.
With action packed sequences, the heroes finding ways to avoid razor -sharp teeth and claws, and terrified bystanders being mauled, thrown and eaten by the gigantic dinosaurs, you are guaranteed to be nervously munching on your popcorn.
If judged as a visually-based adventure fantasy, the movie will ensure an earth -thumping and teeth-gnashing walk down memory lane that you would expect from a Jurassic sequel.
![The Howard College building on the Howard College campus at the UKZN. Photo: Ryan Holder Ryanglobal (Legal Beagles [1]) [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons](https://witsvuvuzela.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Howard_college.jpg)
