Khusrau Islam
The battle for our screens
In the UK, the Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) market (streaming services) rose from <£1mn in 2009 to £495mn in 2018.
Gaming the system
Big Tech has gripped the video games industry, and they’re squeezing it for all it has. Unfortunately, that means the once multi-faceted industry is...
On deglobalisation and the narrative of decline: are we really looking at a threat to global trade?
In 1989, the Berlin Wall fell. It heralded the third era of globalisation. In terms of trade, the basic premise was that barriers between...
“The world outside our window”: Musings on Marvel
It was recently announced that Penguin Classics would be publishing special editions of certain Marvel comic books. The comics will be part of a...
Ten years of the Dark Knight trilogy
It’s been 10 years since the trilogy that shaped my entire life came out.
Oxford Foundry Launches partnership with FMDQ Private Markets Limited
Last year, the Oxford Foundry (OxFo) announced that they were partnering with FMDQ Private Markets Limited to accelerate Nigeria’s startup ecosystem. In December, they...
Review: Spider-Man: No Way Home
Warning: article contains spoilers
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has a reputation for fun films for casual people. While this doesn’t necessarily detract from the...
Breaking down the Microsoft-Activision acquisition
Khusrau Islam explores the largest deal in the gaming industry to date and its potential ramifications
On 18 January 2021 it was announced that Microsoft...
On Misunderstanding Taylor Swift
"When she does reach pop music, she exerts an extreme amount of control and mastery over commonly used sonic structures. ‘Blank Space’ parodies both the narratives surrounding her and general pop structures. This is done by the marking out of the chorus and the excessive use of four chords that are commonly used throughout music. The basic structure of a song is tripartite: setup, build-up, and climax, often corresponding to the sections verse-chorus, verse-chorus, bridge-chorus.‘Shake It Off’, as basic as it may seem, is one of the most complex songs on the album ‘1989’. This is because each sub-setup, build-up, and climax have their own setup, build-up, and climax. We praise Homer for his ability to expand on his basic structural frameworks: to appreciate the artistry of the compositions, we should look at Taylor’s songs in the same way."
Review: How The Suicide Squad brings the Director’s Cut back to life
“I’m a superhero,” cries Polka-Dot Man in the third act of the film. “I’m not just a superhero movie,” screams The Suicide Squad for the entire 2h12m runtime. James Gunn’s movie perfectly captures the essence of his source material, while also challenging the conventions of Marvel/DC films. Gunn has done this in a year that has seen Zack Snyder’s Justice League released while demands continue for #ReleaseTheAyerCut, but he has risen above these controversies and put his stamp on the project. And so, The Suicide Squad comes as an entertaining breath of fresh air.
