We'll See...

I spent the afternoon watching Charlie Wilson's War.  Just heard the news that they killed Osama bin Laden.


It made me think of this quote from the movie:

There's a little boy and on his 14th birthday he gets a horse... and everybody in the village says, "How wonderful. The boy got a horse." And the Zen Master says, "We'll see." Two years later, the boy falls off the horse, breaks his leg, and everyone in the village says, "How terrible." And the Zen Master says, "We'll see." Then, a war breaks out and all the young men have to go off and fight... except the boy can't 'cause his legs (are) all messed up. And everybody in the village says, "How wonderful."

And the Zen Master says, "We'll see." 

My Brilliant Career

It was pure serendipity that led me to stumble upon the film, My Brilliant Career.  Frankly, I am surprised that the reams of fashion bloggers out there haven't jumped on this film like they did with say, Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975).  I have polled the audience and even among my Aussie friends I have not found anyone who has seen it.  Rather than being excited about discovering such a gem, I am disheartened that more do not know it, as this is a film to be relished and loved.

The story plays out quite simply: a young Australian girl has little else to live for in her life than her dreams.  After falling in love with a wealthy man, however, she is forced to choose between love and the dream of a "brilliant career."  The plot line is simple, yet I was captivated by every moment of it.  The main star, Judy Davis, lights up the screen and her chemistry with costar Sam Neill is palpable.  The character, Sybylla Melvyn, reminds me of another auburn-haired beauty, Anne Shirley (of the Anne of Green Gables series).  She is fiery and independent, and I must say, an inspiration to me.  The film seemed to be Anne of Green Gables-cum-Picnic at Hanging Rock-cum-Days of Heaven.   If you have seen the latter two films, then you know how slow-moving, yet achingly beautiful they are, possessing sublime cinematography.  This movie follows suit.


My Brilliant Career is currently available as a Watch Instantly option on Netflix (or you can rent the DVD).  You can also download a free copy of the novel for Kindle, PC, or other device at Project Gutenberg.

Below are some screenshots of the film.  Drop me a line if you end up watching this (or if you've already seen it) and let me know what you think!


XOXO,

Cracks Trailer - HD

I LOVE Zooey Deschanel!

And my best friend loves Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

Maybe she'll go see this with me when it comes out?



XOXO,

Coco Avant Chanel Trailer with Audrey Tautou

Even though I don't understand a word of the French that is spoken in this trailer (no English subtitles yet), I can't help but be excited about the release of this film. It opens April 22 in France, with a yet-to-be-announced date in the US.

The story follows Coco Chanel in her early life, beginning with her arrival in an orphanage where she later learns to sew. It follows her arrival into high society, the birth of the "LBD" (little black dress), and culminates with her first runway show.

I can't wait to see this!

Twilight Review-- The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

I thought I'd write a few of my thoughts about the Twilight movie that was just released last Friday on DVD (and sold more than 3 million in its first day of sales.)

The Good: I don't have much good to say about the film. I did like the casting of Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson, see his April 2009 GQ spread below) and Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart). The acting isn't great, but I don't think these actors had much to work with. Alice Cullen (portrayed by Ashley Greene) is also a nice fit. And, when I stop and think about,I didn't have any problems with the casting of Charlie Swan (Billy Burke) either. That's pretty much all I can come up with.

The Bad and the Ugly: Where to start? The script is TERRIBLE-- some of the dialogue is ridiculous, and the movie is hard to sit through. My sister and I mildly enjoyed ourselves ONLY because there were so many things to laugh at in this movie and it's not supposed to be a comedy, folks! They're bringing in a new director for the sequel, New Moon, which seems to be a wise decision indeed. The exchanges between the characters are excruciating to listen to and the scenes don't portray what we need them to. Bella and Edward are supposed to be hopelessly in love, but we just don't get that from the movie (or their chemistry for that matter). What makes matters worse is the terrible casting. Rosalie Hale is supposed to be one of the most beautiful women in the world. What do we get? Actress Nikki Reed, who is girl-next-door pretty as a brunette, but downright frightening with her awful fake blonde hair in the film. She's also NOT lithe like her character is supposed to be(with a rather large backside, as I noticed in one scene). I think they could have cast a model, or a MTA (model-turned-actress) for the role, since Rosalie doesn't figure largely in the books, and she is supposed to look otherworldly, after all. The rest of the Cullens and Hales are largely forgettable (but maybe future films will show a bit more of their mettle), although, I take issue with the casting of Dr. Carlisle Cullen (Peter Facinelli), who looks really young, and again, has really awful dyed hair. I know brunettes from Jean Harlow to Marilyn Monroe and Lisa Kudrow to Madonna have been going blonde with fairly successful results-- is it too much to ask that they get it right on the set of Twilight? Or better yet, find a natural?

The Book: I just have a few thoughts on the books. I really did enjoy the series, and can attest to the fact that they are quite addictive. That said, the writing and editing can certainly be improved (but who am I to judge?). I guess my biggest criticism is that Stephanie Meyer seems to hold her characters a little too dear. Unlike J.K. Rowling, who kills off some of her most popular characters in the Harry Potter Series, Meyer seems to be unable to part with any of her characters. I realized that early on, which made the plot all too predictable. Maybe I am a bit dark, but having popular characters die (and the mourning process involved) seems to add to the experience of reading. Moreover, although Meyer tries to introduce conflict in the guise of Jacob Black who is fighting for Bella's affections, you never really believe that Bella will actually go for him.

GQ: Robert Pattinson is the cover boy for the April issue of GQ. I thought you might want to see the boy that is currently driving the teen population crazy. He doesn't make a bad Edward. Now, why couldn't they find someone as nice looking to play Jacob Black?

Baz Luhrmann's Australia

I'm obsessed with epic costume dramas which is why I know what I'll be doing this Thanksgiving-- why, going to see the new Baz Luhrmann film, Australia, of course. Here is the trailer for the movie, set in the 1930s.



Here are some movie stills courtesy of AceShowBiz





This is the spread that appeared in the July 2008 issue of American Vogue. I love these costumes!

Defiance

I went to the movies last night and saw this preview for Defiance, a movie based on a true story about people fleeing the Nazi regime living in a forest a la Robin Hood. It looks good, and stars Daniel Craig, Jaime Bell, and Liev Schreiber.