Archive for the ‘pop culture digression’ Category

You Know I Have to: Eclipse Review

Friday, July 2nd, 2010

eclipse_official_still_2

I’ve been working my butt off this week and even though I really shouldn’t have taken the afternoon off to see Eclipse, I simply HAD to before the holiday weekend rolled around. I told myself it was kind of “work” in the name of “blog research” to make myself feel less guilty.  I arrived at the theater frazzled with fingers flying over my Blackberry keyboard, but fully tricked out in my Team Edward baseball tee. In broad daylight. On a Thursday. If any of you happen to have thought I was “cool”, I completely proved you wrong yesterday- standing there on Tremont Street, a grown woman of 30 years wearing a shirt proclaiming her love for a 17 year old fiction vampire. Sometimes I even shake my head at myself in disgust.

My friend Sarah and I though by going at 3:30 we’d avoid the chatty, screaming teens- and we were wrooooong.  But despite the constant chatter behind us the movie totally rocked.  By far the best one yet. This director captured the vibe of the books better than any of the previous ones- with a little more depth and darkness and a lot more passion.  And he somehow managed to direct Kristen Stewart in a way that she seemed far less annoying and awkwardly awful than she did in New Moon.  I remember wanting to jump through the screen and throttle her if she did the huffing/pouting/lip biting thing one more time, but in this one I never got that feeling.  Her wig, however, was tragic and a smidge distracting. Actually, all the wigs/hair/makeup were distracting due to the stylists’ ridiculous heavy hand. It’s like “Okay, put down the white pace powder now. We get it. Their dead”.

But lets get down to it. Team Edward or Team Jacob?  Rob looked mighty fine in Eclipse (although he would look mighty fine in a garbage bag)- he even was able to pull off the skinny tie look without me balking, which is a feat. He makes a great Edward, physically,  and I find his restrained portrayal of the brooding vampire to be intriguing, but man do the teen girls LOVE them some Taylor Lautner! Homeboy comes on screen and it’s a deafening howl of hormones! I remember in the books not feeling a whole lot of pull from Jacob, but Taylor certainly adds a warmth, sweetness (and a heck of a six pack) to the character in a way that kind of (KIND OF) makes me partially Team Jacob.  His intensity in the film is really engaging and he makes Rob look a bit wimpy (physically and as an actor).  He makes you understand why Bella is having a hell of a hard time picking between the two fellas, although I agree with Sarah when she says she wants a t-shirt that says “Team Bella is a Whiny B*tch and Doesn’t Deserve Either One of Them”.  The love triangle story is compelling, and while I could do without the obvious “don’t have sex until your married” subplot/lecture, they made this film a bit sexier.  Well, as sexy as a PG-13 movie penned by a  Mormon for 13 year olds can get.

The plot moves really swiftly, sticks to the parameters of the book and the action scenes are good enough that I think guys might actually like the film and not be more inclined to get a root canal than take their girlfriends/wives to it. The newborn clan on vampires are great, especially the gorgeous fella playing Riley,  but I thought that Bryce Dallas Howard was miscast as Victoria. Her face is too wholesome and sweet to convey that her character is such a scary bad ass.  There are some cheesy parts (it’s Twilight after all), but I think I maybe only groaned once or twice- far less than the other movies.   I’m positive the teens behind us thought Sarah and I were lame old hags with our commentary like “Christ Edward, you’re a millionaire, get your undead butt down to Tiffany’s” when we see Bella’s engagement ring. But overall my expectations were surpassed and I really enjoyed it- even is my stressed out state.  I of course am going to go back for a second viewing with some other friends, and perhaps I’ll have a more interesting review then, but until then Eclipse get’s two big thumbs up from this Twihard!

Sex and the City 2 Review

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

**Spoiler warning- I may give away more than you want to know if you have not seen the movie!

3072951.bin

As most of you are/were, I was anticipating the Sex and the City 2 release with intense eagerness, high expectations and gleeful anxiety to be reunited with my favorite friends (fake friends, but still “friends”).  I went Friday night with one of my girls, and after letting it sit with me over the long weekend, I hate to say it, but I was not a fan.  It’s hard to even explain or put into words, but I’ll try. The essence of what I loved so much about the series and the first movie- the “OMG, I’ve so been there” closeness and bravery and humility in topic choice- seemed missing and in the place of that was a whole lotta flashiness, generally unattractive clothes and a smug detachment from the audience that made the series such a phenomenon. It felt like a big, glittery, campy SHOW, and less like a carefully woven tale of the continuing  lives of these four women we’ve grown to care about so much.

Now, there were things I loved, of course.  As expected, Carrie and Big’s apartment was a cool, rich, collaborative  space with fun bits and pieces that delighted the designer in me (did anyone else notice the Forbes & Lomax clear toggle light switches?No? Just me? Figures.) I didn’t love all of it, but the overall feeling I got from it seemed realistic and like it was carefully curated to look like a combination of the both of the characters. And that closet? I die. But it did feel serious, dark and gave off a very somber vibe.  Seeing Carrie waltz into her old renovated apartment made me long for the lively, bold Carrie of yesteryear! I believe I let out an audible “awwwwwww!”. That space continues to be a favorite of mine and in a way, it made me sad seeing it again.  Perhaps that was their intent.

The fashion was up and down- Miranda looked fierce and her wardrobe was the best in my opinion- wearable yet fashion forward.  Carrie had her moments (the full skirt and Dior t-shirt in the bazaar was entirely ridiculous YET beyond amazing), the dress she wore that made Aidan’s jaw drop and her Halston Heritage pieces (which left me wanting to log into Net-A-Porter immediately) all were examples of Patricia Field’s genius- but what on EARTH was she thinking with that lace crown thingy she wore in Standford’s wedding??? I could not believe my eyes! Some of Samantha’s outfits made me want to avert my gaze and I’m having a hard time recalling any of Charlotte’s clothes, which means they weren’t anything special to me. As for that karaoke scene- all I can ask is why? Painful.

Emotionally, I felt it tried very hard to touch on many woman’s issues (the difficulty of motherhood, work stress, menopause, marriage boredom) which I appreciated ,and yet it felt a bit forced.  Kristin Davis did an incredible job portraying the new mother confused by the love  and despair she feels with her current life and her struggle to make everything seem perfect. Yet I found the Samantha storyline to be lacking taste and depth.  I would have rather seen her wrestle with and embrace her emotions regarding getting older as a single woman instead of fighting it tooth and nail while wearing desperate looking outfits. Miranda’s storyline was very unremarkable in it’s complexity, which is a shame since she’s a great actress and handled her heartbreaking role in the first movie fantastically.

As for Carrie, dear Carrie- I was most disappointed by her. I myself am “a Carrie” (according to the bevy of online quizzes I’ve taken) and I’ve always felt such a  connection to her emotional complexity, confusion, creativity, weakness, strength, humor and ability to wear her heart on her sleeve.  When I saw the preview included a reunion with Aidan my heart skipped a beat.  As debonair and sexy as Big is, Aidan is my forever favorite for her. His passion for her was never in doubt and the fact that she screwed it up with him not once but twice broke my heart.  I was happy when she found peace with Big, and seeing that she was bored by him only two years into marriage felt like a cop out for a storyline.  Of course, I identified with her frustration with the repetitive predictability that can be marriage and the HORROR of receiving a gift that renders you slack jawed in shock from it’s complete lack of thoughtfulness. For example, I once got a candle shaped like a pair of flip flops and a stuffed animal (together) for my birthday and immediately started sobbing that my husband-then-boyfriend had no idea who I was. (For the record I hate cutesy candles AND stuffed animals). In both instances, it’s not about the material goods, but rather the communication that the giver understands your passions and personal interests.  The other part that tickled me was the fact that in every marriage there will come a time when you have to frantically wave your arms (even while wearing lingerie) to get the the attention of your tv-zombie husband. Even when you’re Carrie Bradshaw IN lingerie. But that is where my enjoyment ended.

What I missed was Carrie and New York. Carrie and her writing. Carrie and her inner monologue! She seemed different, as lame as that sounds, and maybe it’s because she’s older and wiser, but maybe it’s because the producers didn’t try as hard this time around because they knew this was going to make money no matter what and they could simply phone it in.  Her dalliance with Aidan was so brief and so anti-climactic that I was fidgeting in my seat! His admissions to her about he felt about her, even after they both got married and moved on, had my heart beating faster. But then  this quick kiss, scamper off and selfish admission to Big followed by a big, fat diamond from him to remind her “not to kiss other men” felt waaaaaaaaaay too neatly tied up for me and lacking in the obvious inner turmoil that would most certainly inhabit all involved- Carrie, Aidan AND Big, who didn’t seem to care that much.

I’m interested to hear what you guys think. Perhaps I need to see it again, but I know that I’m not the only one who was let down by this film…. regardless, I actually hope they do NOT make a third and leave us to revisiting the episodes that made this series such a  big part of our lives.

-

You Asked: New Moon Review

Friday, November 20th, 2009

IMG_4104I felt like I was alienating a chunk of readers by commenting incessantly on Twilight so I wasn’t going to post a review, but since so many of you have asked for one- here it is.  Brief, and totally biased, but my take on the latest installment of Twilight.

Midnight on a Thursday and all 13 theaters at the Boston Common cinemas were playing New Moon- and completely sold out. I had spent the hours leading up to it with friends (and the most amazing New Moon red velvet mini cupcakes courtesy of Sweet) imbibing in Culletinis and drooling over Rob’s Vanity Fair spread…again. We got amazing seats, brought a Lululemon water bottle full of wine (totally an oxymoron) and waited….and waited.  Most of the women there were more mature, with a scattering of teens complaining about having tests in the morning and WAY more guys than I ever would have expected. No screaming, no hysterics, which was a delightful surprise.

By the time the movie started I was EXHAUSTED, so I don’t feel like it got my full attention. My overall reaction was this though: Team Jacob? Taylor Lautner was the best thing in the movie, physically (holy sh*t) and acting wise. He’s darling and makes you really root for Jacob- even if you are a die hard Edward fan (ahem!). Kristen Stewart is beyond terrible in my opinion- her whole performace a series of tortured facial expressions and huffing. She does look effortlessly beautiful though. Rob wasn’t great either.  His “swoon worthy” lines seemed  forced and he looked like he was in pain (and those contacts looked extra painful this time around). I understand he’s a brooding, heartbroken vampire who IS in pain, but it felt….awkward.  The special effects are a bit better than the last time, and the wolfpack is pretty darn cool. What was really funny is that while 90% of the theater was “Robsessed”,  when it came time for his big shirtless scene it went silent. No yelping or cat calling, because after spending most of the film watching Taylor run around shirtless you sensed that everyone almost felt bad for skinny, pale Rob (and I love him, and don’t typically dig muscley guys!)

The story is in line with the book,the direction was better than the first and the end makes you want more, but overall I was a little let down.  I didn;t feel any passion in a film that is supposed to be all about passion. Perhaps it was my level of exhaustion, perhaps it was just so overhyped that nothing would impress me.  The books are just so much better, it’s not even funny. I’m going to go see it again when I’m wide awake and perhaps I’ll feel different. Let me know what you guys think!!!

Vamp It Up.

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

I am unabashedly going to geek out so hardcore today over the release of New Moon at midnight tonight!  I’ve got a great event to go to first at Luna Boston, and then a pre-party with some equally excited women at which I’ll change from my “designer persona” duds  into this little number and completely FREAK MY FREAK until midnight when I’ll be in the theaters with throngs of screaming ladies watching the movie! It’s like Christmas morning!

And you thought I was cool….

I did have a reader write me a while ago asking me if I would do a Twilight inspired room post. If any day is appropriate for me to do this, it’s today.  I wanted it to reflect the dark moodiness of the movie, but not the typical “black and red” vampire color scheme.  So instead I chose black, white and deep forest green, which reminds me of the mossy, damp town of Forks (wow, I can’t believe I’m writing this). And what better room to base on Edward and Twilight than a bedroom? (wink, wink) Since Edward is 100+ years old, I wanted the room to have a mix of antique styles from different decades-almost as if they were collected throughout time. Everything has a reference to the book (canopy bed, fur blanket, deer head, etc.) and I think all and all, it looks quite chic and not “Twilight” at all! The perfect room for the grown up Twi-hard who doesn’t want posters on her wall!

The room itself would be very much like Jenna Lyon’s bedroom- creamy marble mantle, black walls and great architectural detail. I’d make the focus piece this antiqued mirrored “True Romance” Neirmann Weeks bed (hey, vampires are loaded so budget isn’t a factor). I’d pop an alabaster deer head above the headboard for a really graphic, unexpected punch. And the room would smell of Diptyque’s Baies Noir candles…

Picture 13Picture 4

Picture 42Picture 48

An antique rug and deep green velvet drapes would create a really rich atmosphere.

Picture 18Picture 26

Simple sleek white with black  Yves Delorme bedding and a faux fur throw (hello Jacob) at the foot and mirrored pillows for a shimmery effect.

Picture 36Picture 22

Picture 15

A mid-century chandelier to add some funk:

Picture 27

Alabaster lamps on top of Moorish inlaid tables giving it an eclectic, cultural look.

Picture 39Picture 36

A antique dresser topped with bell jars covering plants and mosses and tons of candles in mercury holders.

Picture 32

Picture 19Picture 16Picture 44

Wall decor would be varied- a really large format photograph on one wall that looks oh-so appropriate, something modern and abstract on another (this is Amanda Talley) and a Venetian mirror above the dresser (to reflect the Italian component of the book)

Picture 37

Picture 35Picture 38

In a seating area (with large photograph from above hung on wall) a Barcelona daybed  with a pillow in Schumacher’s Shock Wave velvet with a green throw and petrified wood side table.

Picture 9Picture 21

Picture 33Picture 34

And by that, of course, Sapien bookshelves stacked with old books:

Picture 46Picture 47

Of course I had to create a themed cocktail for the party leading up to the midnight showing, so here it is:

Picture 41

The Sparkly Vampire Martini

(a.k.a. the Cullentini, a.k.a. What Will Get Me Drunk Enough To Deal With Hordes of Screaming Teenagers at Midnight Tonight)

1 1/2 shots citrus vodka (you can make it 2 if you want to SEE sparkles)

splash of Chambord

1/2 shot simple syrup

1 shot pomegranate juice (POM is good)

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

rub rim of lemon wedge around rim of glass and coat in sparkly sugar (mine is Stirrings Lemon Drop Sugar Rim)

Shake and pour into glass. Drink enough that when you get to the theater for the midnight New Moon showing you start kissing the Rob Pattinson cardboard cutout on display while your friends laugh/take pictures to post on Facebook.

New Favorite Wallpaper.

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Imperial Trellis? Eh, it’s pretty.

Grasscloth? A classic, you bet.

But if I were going to wallpaper a room right now it would be with these Bruce Weber shots of Robert Pattinson. Yup, I’m jumping deep into teeny bopper mania with both feet (slightly more highbrow seeing as it’s VF not Teen Beat…).  Even if you hate Twilight you cannot deny the beauty of this man.* le sigh*

And get ready for occasional Twilight pop culture digression this month as the release of New Moon approaches (I’m actually going to the first midnight showing- stop laughing).

It’s just GONNA happen, people. My apologies in advance. :)

Picture 3Picture 5

Picture 33Picture 35

Picture 36Picture 38

Picture 37

Pop Culture Digression: SJP, OMG!!!

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009
Carrie Bradshaw, is that you??? Seeing this shot from the production of the second Sex and the City movie just got me really nervous that they may have gone too far by making another one. SJP is just…looking to old to be dressing like this! Don’t get me wrong, I love her and worship (no seriously, worship) the series and the first movie but this just looks painfully desperate!

But I’ll still go see it. Opening night.

**UPDATE: Ok, appears this is a flashback scene. Phew. My love can rage on for Carrie & Co.

Related Posts with Thumbnails