After a brief hiatus, Monthly Muse is back! We pick three things that have inspired us, from art, design and branding, to food, drink and beyond… Welcome to the November edition.
1. The Wild Robot
Alex writes:
I’m not a sci-fi fan, but The Wild Robot has had so many five-star reviews, I was intrigued to check it out. Featuring the voices of Lupita Nyong’o, Kit Connor and Pedro Pascal, and with a beautiful blend of old-school style animation with modern CGI detailing, I was utterly charmed.
Beyond the stunning visuals and laughs, this film packs an emotional punch. Roz, the robot protagonist, crash-lands into this lush, painterly world and adopts a scrappy little gosling called Brightbill. Roz’s journey from programmed helper to loving mother is really touching and there’s an honesty in the way the film deals with the themes of life, death and relationships.
It's a beautifully executed, heartfelt film that captures the essence of classic Disney animations and the brilliant WALL-E. I too am giving it five stars!
2. Dark Arts
This month we’re loving the new look of London-based coffee roasters Dark Arts. Building on its occult-inspired past with the concept of ‘joyful nihilism’, the new identity and packaging designed by Not Wieden+Kennedy is enigmatic and enticing.
Coffee packaging is often very tricksy with tens, if not hundreds of varieties and flavours to factor in. Dark Arts’ solution is a beautifully sleek generic black box with a window, a generic branded coffee bag and then each coffee has its own subversive artwork printed on a card that slots into the box to act as a front face.
Simple, effective, engaging and very collectable – kudos!
3. Nice Rice
Who knew that rice has the second highest carbon emissions of any food globally? Only beef is worse! It was news to us too until we discovered Nice Rice, which cuts carbon emissions by 49% – a huge saving!
The traditional method of growing rice in flooded fields creates the ideal conditions for bacteria and decomposing organic matter to release methane. Fortunately, introducing new sustainable farming practices can cut emissions, improve soil health and restore biodiversity.
Rice is a staple food for 3.5 billion people globally and a hugely important, healthy option in Western diets – imagine the impact of change!
Nice Rice is the first brand to bring sustainably farmed rice to the UK. What’s more, it pays farmers a premium price to encourage others to adopt these new practices. It tastes great and is an easy swap, so we’re definitely on-board!
Find Nice Rice at Ocado and Waitrose.
