Winter Movies

Upcoming Movies for Winter 2011



I am looking forward to seeing all these upcoming movies, which will (hopefully) reach South African screens around May-July 2011. Or much earlier for those of you with bootleg copies ;)

Pirates of the Caribbean 4: On Stranger Tides

The past three 'Pirate' movies have been extremely entertaining and successful, so we should expect nothing less from the fourth installment. On Stranger Tides sees our favourite anti-hero Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) cross paths with a beautiful woman from his past, played by Penelope Cruz. They quest to find the fabled Fountain of Youth in this seaborne adventure, facing many new obstacles including the feared Captain Blackbeard, a mysterious mermaid and the return of a vengeful Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush). Keira Knightly and Orlando Bloom will be sorely missed in this edition, but Johnny Depp's brilliant comedic portrayal of Jack Sparrow should make up for it.



Something Borrowed

Ginnifer Goodwin and Kate Hudson star as best friends Rachel and Darcy in this new romcom. Rachel is a single New York lawyer who is tormented by Darcy's constant gloating about her upcoming wedding. One drunken night, Rachel gets involved with her long-time campus crush, who also happens to be Darcy's fiancé. This complicates things considerably, with Rachel torn between choosing the love of her life or her relationship with Darcy. Friendship and love is tested in this movie, but which will come out on top?



The Hangover 2

They're back! The gang are back for a second round of misfit adventures, crazy antics and ill-conceived escapades, this time in Bangkok. I can only imagine the hysterical drama that will unfold. Phil, Alan and Doug travel to Thailand to 'safely' and sanely celebrate Stu's upcoming wedding, but naturally, nothing goes according to plan. Expect hilarious and outrageous 'they-did-what?' moments.



Bridesmaids

Simple Midwestern Annie is asked to be the maid of honour at her best friend Lillian's wedding. Although Annie is lovelorn and broke, she has to put it all aside to lead a colourful pack of rich, snobby bridesmaids through expensive and bizarre pre-wedding rituals. How far will one girl go to be the perfect bridesmaid?



Midnight in Paris

As with all Woody Allen movies, I am excited to see this one. It centers around a young engaged couple (Owen Wilson and Rachel McAdams), who travel to Paris on business. The magical City of Lights has a romanticized effect on them, which begs to ask the question, 'Is the grass greener on the other side?'. I'm interested to see Wilson's performance, I never expected him to partake in an Allen movie. Also look out for the beautiful First Lady of France, Carla Bruni, who makes a guest appearance. What I love about Woody Allen movies is that the cities he chooses to film in is as much of an integral character as the actors. I envision this romantic flick to display exquisite views of Paris. 



Love Wedding Marriage

Mandy Moore plays Ava, a marriage counsellor who is newly wed to Charlie (Kellan Lutz) in this upcoming romantic comedy. Ava's life is turned upside down when she discovers that her parents (played by James Brolin and Jane Seymour) are headed for divorce. Determined to have them reconcile before their 30th wedding anniversary, Ava constructs an elaborate plan to get them back together. With all the emphasis she places on saving her parents' marriage, her own marital bliss hangs delicately in the balance. Can she save their marriage without losing her own?

The Wonders Of My World

• Some things are just not fair. Like how Durban experiences 29 degree Autumn days, while the rest of us in Small Town, SA shiver in the 10 degree cold.


• I can't believe that I hadn't discovered the joys of red velvet cupcakes before this weekend. If you've never had one before, try making them with this easy recipe. You can thank me later by sending a batch ;)


• This post was meant to feature the pics I took of the beautiful boutiques and shopping havens at the coast. But sadly my camera mysteriously disappeared in one of the malls, (probably because I was too distracted by all the pretty clothes). It freaks me out that some stranger may have found it and is now holding my photos ransom somewhere on the internet. 


• I've never been scared of watching horror movies, I find them to be laughable and far-fetched. What I am afraid of watching is gory episodes of Doctor 90210, Joburg drivers and anything that Lady Gaga wears and does.


• While some people use hair extensions and expensive medicated hair growth formulas to get thicker, fuller hair - farmtown folk use horse shampoo. Yes, for humans. Strange thing is, it actually works. Don't ask how I know this.


• On a recent family road trip, I found out that it takes about 10 people to change a tyre. One to hold the spanner, another to hold the jack, one to delegate, two who pretend to do the work, three who actually do all the work and a few glamour boys who stand around, refusing to get their designer clothes dirty.


• I used to make fun of people who speak in SMS abbreviations...but now, as hard as it is to admit - I have now become one of them. OMG!  


• I don't get why people wear their sunglasses indoors, at night. Are they afraid that the fluorescent lighting in malls are going to emit harmful UV rays?


• Last night I caught the new Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler movie, Just Go With It. It was really funny and enjoyable, with stunning views of Hawaii. Definitely worth a watch for the Hula dance off between Jen and Nicole Kidman. 


• I'd like to thank Megan from Second Floor Living, who asked me to do a guest post for her blog on Autumn and Winter fashion trends. You can read it here

Romance for Uggos

I saw a sneak preview of Jane Eyre last night. I thought the actors were too good looking for the characters they played but I still liked it. When I read the book, I imagined Jane to actually be, "poor, obscure, plain and little" with dark eyes and hair like fairy person. They did a nice job of trying to make Mia Wasikowska look plain, her hair is certainly hideous but you could still tell by the slenderness of her features that she's actually pretty. I don't know if they even tried to make Michael Fassbender look ugly- he was total babe. Doesn't Hollywood get that Jane Eyre is supposed to be a love story for Uggos? I love this poster by the way.

And now I'll leave you with bit of comedy.

During the movie, I kept thinking about this cartoon and giggling to myself!

The Nitty on these Gritty Costumes...

Maybe I should just get over the fact that True Grit won absolutely nothing at the Oscars but one category I really thought they should have won was costume design. Mary Zophres did such a fantastic job. I read that while researching for historical accuracy, she did not trust old photographs because they were often done in studios and are therefore somewhat inaccurate as far as everyday clothing goes. Instead, she read diaries and searched for old catalogue pictures.

I also read that the the clothing of the day was rather uncomfortable and that she did not adjust her designs to accommodate the actors. She used itchy thick wool, rawhide, and cut the pants high. I think that factor of discomfort is part of what makes the grittiness of the old west so visceral in this movie.

One of my favorite costumes was the medicine man's. Check out what Zophres had to say about it:

"The gentleman they cast was huge — he was 6 foot 4. We couldn't find a bear big enough. You'd think bears would be big enough, but they weren't. I went to a taxidermist in Albuquerque, and on the floor was a bearskin rug with the head. And I was like, "OK, that's going to be his head," because it looked pretty good. And he happened to have some bearskins in a box. So we took those and cobbled four bearskins together to make that guy's outfit because he was so big. We wanted to envelop him in it. When he comes riding up, it looks like he's a bear on a horseback."

I especially liked Matt Damon's costume. He looks so sweaty and dirty in all the leather, yet he and the costume still manage to be somehow frou frou amid all the grit. LaBoeuf is such a lovable, foolish character, I thought his costume was perfect.

And last but not least Mattie's flat brim hat! It transcends her whole personality. The line of the brim cuts her young face and creates an exaggerated brow of determination.

You can read an interview with costume designer Mary Zophres here.

Best Dressed!

I could do a whole list of best and worst dressed for the Oscars but I think I will just show you Hailee Steinfeld. Wow! She is hands down the best dressed. Finally, a young star is dressed age appropriate and the result is that she looks stunning. What a lucky and talented young girl! Not only does she get to go to the Oscars but she is nominated AND she is wearing Marchesa? In my opinion, she should have won best supporting actress. I thought she was fantastic in True Grit.

Would it be weird if I admited to having a girl crush on 14 year old? This girl is winning my heart.

Biatch Wore My Dress: The Oscars

I don't have time to do full run down on my best/worst of the Oscars but I just wanted to drop in and show my fellow zombies my favorite dress of the night. You may remember it from a previous post on Monique Lhuillier's Spring 2011. This is totally the dress I would wear if I were and Oscar goer. I am in love with this dress. The same thing happened to me last year when Sandra Bullock showed up in my favorite Marchesa dress minus the best part (i.e. the giant shoulder bow)! Since I am not invited to the Oscars I guess I shouldn't begrudge the stars these amazing gowns... I just can't help but exclaim, "Hey, that's my dress!" every time it happens.

Isn't it glorious? Too bad her hair and make up are so terrible. Were they trying to make her look dull? I did not even recognize her as Mandy Moore. Mandy, if you are out there I hope you fire your stylist. Everyone else just use your scroll bar to look at this picture from the neck down.

And The Winners Are...People's Choice Awards

In case you were wondering, here is a list of some of the winners at this years People's Choice Awards. The awards celebrate the best of movies, television and music.

Favourite Movie Actor: Johnny Depp (The one and only)



Favourite Movie Actress: Kristen Stewart (Yip, I don't get it either)



Favourite Action Movie: Iron Man 2

Favourite Movie and Drama: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse



Favourite Family Movie: Toy Story 3



Favourite Comedy: Grown Ups



Favourite On-Screen Team: The Twilight Saga: Eclipse - Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner.



Favourite Movie Star Under 25: Zac Efron



Favourite TV Drama: House



Favourite TV Comedy: Glee



Favourite TV Obsession: Dexter



Favourite TV Guilty Pleasure: Keeping Up with the Kardashians (Did they create this award just so The K-Crew would win something?)



Favourite TV Family: The Simpsons



Favourite Family TV Movie: Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam (Are they serious?)



Favourite New TV Drama: Hawaii Five-0 (By the time this show gets to SA screens, it won't be so new anymore)



Favourite Male Artist: Eminem



Favourite Female Artist: Katy Perry



Favourite Song: “Love the Way You Lie,” Eminem featuring Rihanna



Favourite Rock Band: Paramore



Favourite Breakout Artist: Selena Gomez & the Scene



Favourite Pop Artist: Rihanna



Favourite Country Artist: Taylor Swift



Favourite R&B Artist: Usher

The Silver Screen

These are some cool new movies coming out early this year

You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger

Starring: Anthony Hopkins, Antonio Banderas, Frieda Pinto, Naomi Watts, Gemma Jones, Lucy Punch & Josh Brolin

Genre: Drama, Comedy, Romance

As an avid Woody Allen fan, I'm looking forward to seeing this movie, which is out in cinemas now. Anthony Hopkins and Gemma Jones play older couple Alfie & Helena whose marriage falls apart when Alfie leaves to pursue his lost youth and a younger woman. Naomi Watts plays their daughter, Sally who is in an unhappy marriage with Roy (Josh Brolin). She develops a crush on her boss Greg, played by Antonio Banderas. Meanwhile, Roy becomes mesmerized by a mystery woman, Dia (Frieda Pinto) who catches his gaze through a nearby window. Beautiful strangers, tangled love lives and a family whose passions, ambitions, anxieties and affairs lead them into trouble and out of their minds.

From Prada to Nada

A riches to rags story

Starring: Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega, Kuno Becker, April Bowlby, Wilmer Valderrama and Nicholas D'Agosto

Genre: Romantic Comedy, Chick Flick

This is the Latina version of Jane Austin's classic novel, Sense and Sensibility, set in modern day Los Angeles. Two spoilt sisters, who have lost touch with their Mexican roots, discover that they are left penniless when their father passes away. They are forced to leave their luxurious lives in Beverly Hills and move in with their estranged aunt in East LA's Latin district. They have to embrace the culture they had abandoned and adjust to living without fancy cars, clothes and credit cards. They discover romance, the true meaning of family, and learn that a life of PRADA actually means NADA without love, family and community.

Waiting For Forever

Starring: Rachel Bilson, Tom Sturridge, Jaime King, Nikki Blonsky, Riley Smith and Blythe Danner.


Genre: Romantic Drama




This indie romance is a tale of two childhood friends, Emma & Will (Bilson & Sturridge) who have lost touch for a long time. Emma moves away and goes on with her life, trying to make it as an actress in Hollywood, but Will can't forget about her, always believing that they are destined to be together, separated by distance. So, Will chooses to follow her around from city to city, surviving only on his juggling skills. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Emma returns to their hometown, leaving behind her complicated love life and failed TV career. The movie sees the characters having to deal with the realities of life, love and friendship. 

Just Go With It

Starring: Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, Nicole Kidman, Dave Matthews and Brooklyn Decker


Genre: Romantic Comedy

Commitment phobe and plastic surgeon Danny (Sandler), pretends to be unhappily married to meet women. When he finally meets the girl of his dreams, she finds out about his 'marriage', and he lies to her that he's getting a divorce. She demands to meets his soon-to-be ex-wife, before moving forward in the relationship. Danny has to enlist the help of his loyal assistant, Katherine (Aniston) to play the role of his wife. One lie turns into another, and even her kids get involved in the scheming, posing as their fake family. Lies, confusion, cover ups and an unforgettable trip to Hawaii should make this movie a funny one.

The Dilemma

A little knowledge is a dangerous thing

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Kevin James, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly, Channing Tatum and Queen Latifah

Genre: Comedy

Ronny (Vaughn) and Nick (James) have been best friends since college. Now partners in an auto design firm, the two pals are vying to land a dream project that will launch their company. Ronny had always idealized Nick's happy marriage to Geneva (Ryder) for years. Ronny's world is then turned upside down when he accidentally sees Geneva out with another man. He makes it his mission to find out what's really going on. As the amateur investigation dissolves into mayhem, Ronny struggles with the dilemma of whether or not to tell his best friend the truth.

Black Swan: Rodarte Costumes

OK so I do not like scary movies but I would really go see "Black Swan". It seems to be very interesting and it also has an amazing director Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler). But the big news is that Kate and Laura Mulleavy from Rodarte designed the costumes for the Swan Queen and the Black Swan. Costume designer is Amy Westcott. There is also lots of Oscar buzz for Natalie Portman.

-mila and Natalie at the premier.

Photos from instyle.com and fox searchlight.

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An Education

My laptop has been with HP being "repaired" for like two months now (worst service ever!) and that means that I have been without Netflix instant play for far too long. I love Netflix instant because you can watch really bad movies that you would never dare to rent, then if they suck, you can just turn it off and pick something else! Anyway, during this period of withdrawal I discovered that Blockbuster has little to no selection anymore and it really is not worth going there. Most of the time I want to rent a movie from them and they want to sell it to me, but they want to sell me their crappy used copy and for that same price I could probably buy duo good copies from Amazon. Hey Blockbuster, what do you think I am? A sucker? So anyway, last night my housemate and I ended up in Target and we decided to browse the DVDs so that we'd have something to watch when we got home. I really wanted to buy An Education, but it was like 20 bucks and I know it will be half that in 6 months. I do hate waiting though... so I think I will re-live the movie again by creating a couple of style boards, alright then?

This image alone made me want to go see this movie. I talked my boyfriend into it (not a difficult feat) and off we went to the old Del Mar theater. I love going to see movies that I don't know much about. In fact, I knew so little about this movie when I went to go see it that I actually thought Ewan McGregor was going to be the lead man because-- doesn't Peter Sarsgaard look like him in the poster? Sometimes when I am in the theater and they show a preview for something I know I want to see, I will close my eyes so that they don't ruin the movie for me. In my opinion, they really show way too much! On that note, if you have not seen this movie, go watch it and then come back and read this post.

Here is my uncorrupted Jenny styling board. So lovely and innocent. If you want to go with this look find a sweet heart pendant, look for a simple, modest dress and add plaid where you can. You can also keep your eyes out for peter pan collars, tights, kitten heels, and fuzzy sweaters. Be sure to study your Latin and take plenty of tea with biscuits.

Vintage coat, dress, scarves, and locket from Etsy.

 

Here is our temptress. I really enjoyed Rosamund Pike as Helen in this movie. I think her due was lost in the Carrey Mulligan Oscar nomination surprise but I thought she was fantastic. She seriously cracked me up when I saw this in the theater. Plus, she played a pivotol role. David or maybe Jenny herself should ultimately be blamed for Jenny's demise but without Helen there to set the example I don't think Jenny would have been so seduced by David's world.

It's funny the way women can be such powerful influences on each other. I read a study once that said women check out other women more than they do men. I never thought about it before but I think it's true. You can see here that Jenny tries to belong to David's world by emulating Helen. What's interesting is that Helen not only influences her appearance but instructs her how to behave. It's so horrible to be a teenager and not know who you are or who you want to be. Everyone influences you in the worst ways. That is one of the reasons I loved this film so much, I can totally relate.

Here is my ruined woman style board. You can see from the photo in the above style board that before meeting David, she loves to dream about Paris and listen to French records. It's disturbing to see the fruition of Jenny's dream trip to Paris marred by the immorality of David's world. On the surface however, it is a pretty picture! I love Paris and Jenny looks so chic. It's really an easy look to achieve, all you need is a 60's wiggle dress with a interesting print, some Jackie O sunglasses and a head scarf! If you are a guy and you are looking for some elegant 60's inspiration just go with a skinny tie and pair it with a hat and scarf. 

Vintage scarf, guide book, and dress from Etsy.

Another thing I like about this movie is that Miss Stubbs really saves the day. Jenny is rejected when she asks her head mistress for a second chance, proving that the system is worthless but Miss Stubbs is thrilled to help Jenny, which I think illustrates perfectly the value of teachers. The story line is also a reflection of how many of us felt about our teachers, we under valued them, assumed they had no lives and misjudged them only to realize later the impact they had on us. I love the point in the movie, when Jenny realizes that she has misjudged Miss Stubbs and you can see the contrast between Helen & Danny's apartment (filled with ill-gotten goods) and Miss Stubbs apartment, brightly colored and decorated with personal objects that allude to an interesting life outside the classroom. The whole story comes down to a realization of things genuine and things false and the difference in the paths that leads to each.

Images taken from Sony Pictures Classics AN EDUCATION Directed by Lone Scherfig and Written by Nick Hornby.

Make hay while the sun shines..

I finally saw Gilda again the other night.. and fell in love with Rita Hayworth all over again. She is absolutely ravishing, overshadowing everyone in the movie with her beauty. It made me think about today's standard of beauty compared to that of then.. and wish I was born in a different era. Her hair is magnificent, her eyebrows drawn to perfection and her wardrobe.. ah don't even get me started. The sharp shoulders and the low necklines, excessive jewelry, drapery and cinched waists are enough to make a girl want to time travel. Oh and the hair......... must have her hair.

If you haven't seen it, you absolutely must.

Thinking about the movie is making me all depressed.. I miss my own little love story.

x

Enter and rejoice this pedestal where the rainbows hide..

In a daze still, after the kite safari. My sunburn has turned into a bit of a splotchy nightmare.. not unusual for me, the girl with dry and hypersensitive skin. I am gradually switching up all my skin products for the organic variety, alas there is hope for those who struggle with it like I do. So far, the Human Heart Nature organic facial wash, toner and night cream has not triggered any violent outbursts.. and I have dipped into the wonderful world of organic makeup by purchasing samples of Ellana Mineral Cosmetics concealer and foundation. All products are made in the Philippines.. super amazing gift idea too.

Meanwhile, I received the 12 color nail art set I ordered from Ebay and have begun to vandalize the nails on my left hand.. take note, I am right handed so I am forced to stick to one handed nail art.. for now! I was up all night scanning the interweb for more nail art tutorials, so if you know of any good ones, please send them my way!

Lastly, if you haven't seen the movie SPREAD with Ashton Kutcher, you must go out and see it, I am absolutely infatuated with Margarita Levieva who looks like a mix of Shakira, Jessica Alba and Olivia Palermo. Some just have it all, hey?

xxx

[ Image Source - Google ]

"Dann sind wir Helden..."

[Photo stills taken by me] Christiane F. Wir Kinder Vom Bahnhof Zoo

Perhaps its my current semi-somber state of mind that drove me to watch this for the Nth time.. but truth is, I will never get sick of watching it, especially while I am impatiently waiting for the book in German to arrive. My boyfriend asked me the other day, why I never smiled in photos as a teenager. Admittedly, I was a really angsty teen. That is likely why I identify with Christiane F. although the things I took my anger out on were nowhere near as crass as what is depicted in the movie. But she never fails to awaken all kinds of questionable emotions I have tried to disguise, and that is a both beautiful and painfully sobering experience.

On CNN today, I saw that the typhoon had hit Vietnam causing major damage and leaving many dead and homeless. In Samoa, a Tsunami hit and caused similar devastation, while in Indonesia, lives were sacrificed due to an earthquake. All the while, in Manila, people are preparing for the next typhoon coming our way, expected to hit the Philippines by Friday as you can see here - all while scrambling to feed and offer shelter to all those who have lost everything in the floods. While channel surfing, I discover that our beloved [-insert sarcasm here-] president is rumored to have spent millions (billions?) of our emergency funds on international travel in the last year or so. If there is some truth to that, then I demand someone go to hell for it.

In an attempt to turn my anger back into sadness and hope, I urge you to donate to any of the Asian countries affected by these unforeseen tragedies, and let us all join in sending our positive vibes and love to all those who are in need.

♥, dane