By Philip Benton @paolobento Edward Snowden and his revelations about the NSA’s surveillance activities were one of (if not the) stories of 2013. The first meeting in Snowden’s Hong Kong hotel room with The Guardian’s Glenn Greenwald was documented by filmmaker Laura Poitras, which provides the main backdrop for the film. The title ‘Citizenfour’ comes from the username chosen by Snowden to contact Poitras when he raises his initial concerns over what he perceives as the US government spying on...

By Jack Peat, Editor of The London Economic  Wealth in a capitalist economy knows no bounds. Nor does inequality, which is why when you hear the top one per cent of earners will pay almost third of all income tax you think, well so they should. It’s one of those things you assume to be an axiomatic component of a fair society. Your contributions in tax should be proportional to what you earn, which means that those who are lucky...

“ I take it, I take it and I flip it.” James Brown Get On Up is a moving and suitably energetic homage to the legend that was James Brown, The Godfather of Soul. Much more than a rags-to-riches tale and avoiding the usual drab pitfalls that standard syrupy colour-by-number biopics fall into, Director Tate Taylor delivers a riveting portrait of a remarkable talent and an extraordinary life. A poor boy born in the rubble, extreme poverty, domestic violence, abandonment...

By Leigh Parsons @Cinimalist What We Do in the Shadows is a new mockumentary film about a group of vampires directed by and starring Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) and Taika Waititi. It is also a strong contender for the funniest film of the year. From its opening fake titles “The New Zealand Documentary Board” the tone of the film is set. Three old vampires, plus an ancient one, live in a flat share in Wellington and bicker about the...

Generation Vain has officially arrived, new research suggests, with men increasingly finding inspiration from stars such as David Beckham and George Clooney when it comes to their beauty regimes. The study, conducted by lastminute.com, found more than a third of men get beauty treatment more than once a month compared to only a quarter of women, with the most popular treatments requested by men ranging from hot shaves (41 per cent) to relaxing massages (33 per cent), facials (16 per...

By Callum Hunter of Write it Quick  Homosexuality is inconsistent with African values - it threatens children, endangers society and destroys the family. This is what we were told back in 2009 by the MP David Bahati – the author of the Anti-Homosexuality Act. It’s what we continue to be told by many prominent Ugandan lawmakers and religious leaders as a new wave of LGBTI persecution spreads throughout Uganda. Indeed, following the introduction of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, sexual minorities inside and outside of...

By Nicholas Figgis The world of politics can be confusing. Fortunately we have liberal media commentators to make sense of things. In his recent piece on the 'Green Surge' John Rentoul of The Independent on Sunday points out that, despite relatively low media coverage, the Green Party has recently experienced an unprecedented boost in opinion polls and membership which shows no sign of abating. Could it be that people like their ideas? Have we become distrustful of the three cheeks...

Sport News 24/7 By Dan McLaughlin @McGloogly @gridirongents @TLE_Sport Whilst it feels like every week there’s a different team that could be a potential Super Bowl contenders, one team is constantly overlooked.  Despite constant chatter about how good the Broncos are or how likely a Patriots vs Packers Super Bowl is, there is only one team that is sitting on a 9-1 record this Season and in doing so are defying nearly everyone's rankings, despite a ridiculous injury list.  So...

Sport News 24/7 By Sean Simara  @Sean_FootyMad @TLE_Sport The quarterback role in the NFL is the marquee position.  He is the heartbeat of the team, the talisman.  All the players and fans look towards him.  This NFL season hasn’t been a great one for quarterbacks but the man from Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers, has been a shining light thus far.  The Packers are currently 7-3 and are tied at the top of the NFC North with Detroit Lions. The Packers...