On Hold

Hey,

So I've just started college and have much less time than I did this summer, so I'll be be putting the blog on hold until I get settled. Hopefully I'll be back in not to long with fabulous new posts. Bye for now everyone!

-Mariel

The Dark Knight

Things have gotten pretty busy around here, so I haven't had much time to post, but I'm back now. Here's my long overdue review of "The Dark Knight."

It's the night of July 17th, at 10:30pm, only an hour and a half before the special midnight screening of "The Dark Knight" is to begin. The theatre is packed: every seat is filled with Batman enthusiasts, Chris Nolan fans and Heath Ledger fanatics anxiously awaiting the much talked about movie. I mange to find a couple of seats together for myself and my friends. While waiting for it to begin, we talk to the people around us, all equally excited for the new movie, debating the various points and rumors that have been circulating. Finally, the screen lights up. First, there is insane applause, yelling, and cheering. But as the first scene begins, all noise stops and in the crowded theatre there is a simultanious intake of breath: The movie is about to begin.

First of all, I've got to address Heath Ledger's performance. There is no doubt that it is a unique and brilliant one-- he is intensely frightening, chaotic without reason and sometimes eerily comical as The Joker. But that being said, there are other parts of the movie that are equally good. The hype and publicity centering around this film centers mainly on the late Heath Ledger (perhaps even because of his death) and the general public seems to have formed the notion that he was the only really exceptional part of the movie. This is not the case. Every part of this movie worked together to create the masterpiece that it is.

Christopher Nolan's direction and vision are incredible, as is the script by his brother Johnathan. The cinematography is excellent. The use of Chicago as the main filming adds to the dark realism of the film, turning the corrupt city of Gotham not only into a setting, but into a character itself: a motivator for the other characters and their actions. The costume design and make up are flawless. The action sequences are unlike any I've seen. And that's not to mention the performances delivered by the rest of the cast, such as that of Aaron Eckhart, who portrayed Gotham D.A. Harvey Dent, as well as the villain Two Face. Maggie Gyllenhaal is definitely a unique and great choice that gives the 'love interest' role a new feel. Christian Bale, who plays Batman himself, gave a fantastic performance not only as The Dark Knight, but as the complex Bruce Wayne. Even the supporting actors are amazing: Michael Caine as Bruce's butler, Alfred and Morgan Freeman as Lucius Fox, and Gary Oldman as Jim Gorden.

The combination of these components result in a film that is truly remarkable: it's vastly entertaining, suspenseful and frighting, and unique and intelligent. It is without question one of the best movies ever made.

Check out this T-Shirt: I had a friend of mine make it for me just for the movie!

DIY Classic Fashion

Whenever I watch an old movie, I'm completely amazed by the fabulous fashion sense all my favorite stars seem to share: it's classic and flattering, and that's something we have less of these days. In trying to come up with a few new ways to recycle my wardrobe, I thought I'd take a stab at re-creating some of my favorite looks.

   

Inspiration: Lauren Bacall in "The Big Sleep"

My Look: 

Black Tank Top - Smart Set

Sweater - Jacob

Checked Skirt - Vintage

    

   

Inspiration: Katherine Hepburn

My Look:

White V-Neck - Vintage

Wide Leg Pants - Piece X Peace

  

Inspiration: Bette Davis in "All About Eve"

My Look:

Black Top with Transparent Silk - Club Monaco

Black Evening Gloves - Jacob 

  

Inspiration: Twiggy

My Look: 

White Turtle Neck - Banana Republic

Wide Leg Pants - Piece X Peace

Belt - Vintage

     

Inspiration: Audrey Hepburn in "Sabrina"

My Look:

Blue Blouse - Vintage

Shorts - Urban Outfitters

 

Inspiration: Ava Gardner in "The Barefoot Contessa"

My Look:

White T-Shirt - Club Monaco

Black Pencil Skirt - Club Monaco

Belt- Vintage

Scarf - Vintage

Remember, getting a great retro style doesn't mean dressing yourself from head to toe in rare vintage pieces: it's easy to make do with what you have. Take inspiration from a classic look by adding a neck scarf, gloves, or a high waisted belt. 

Favourite Director Picks

There are so many fabulous directors out there, so I thought I'd choose a couple and name my favourite films of theirs.

1) Alfred Hitchcock: Rope

Although "Rope" was a flop when it came out in 1948, it is in fact a brilliant drama way ahead of it's time. John Dall and Farley Granger give amazing performances as two friends who decide to murder their friend David for the thrill and excitement of it, and who then proceed to invite David's family and friends to a dinner party, using his coffin (an old trunk) as a buffet table. Jimmy Stewart plays Rupert Cadell, their old professor and the only man capable of figuring out their scheme.


2)Martin Scorsese: Casino

Scorsese has directed an amazing array of great pictures, and although not the most critically acclaimed, my favourite is the 1995 "Casino". Robert De Niro stars as mobster/casino owner Sam "Ace" Rothstein in this flick about greed, obsession, and power. Joe Pesci plays his best friend and conspirator, and Sharon Stone gives a great performance his beautiful, scheming wife.


3)Tim Burton: Edward Scissorhands

I love Tim Burton! He's directed so many fabulous movies (Beetlejuice, Big Fish, James and the Giant Peach) and they are all so quirky and unusual. It's almost impossible to choose a favourite, but I think I'm going to have to go with "Edward Scissorhands". For those of you who haven't seen it, it's about a young man named Edward (played by Johnny Depp) : the mechanical creation of an aging inventor. But the inventor dies before completing him, and Edward is left with metal scissors instead of hands. When he is "adopted" by a local Avon representative and her family and taken to live in an eerie conformist suburban community, Edward's life and those of everyone he meets are turned upside down .


4)Joel and Ethan Coen: Fargo

Joel and Ethan Coen have a long list of incredible films, among them "Raising Arizona", "Intolerable Cruelty", and "The Big Lebowski", but my favourite would have to be the 1996 "Fargo". William H. Macy stars as Jerry Lundegaard, a family man living in an isolated Minnesota town who arranges to have his wife kidnapped and held for ransom to get money from his father in law. However, the plan almost immediately goes awry, setting off a chain of murders and bringing in pregnant investigator Marge (played by Frances McDormand).



5) Rob Reiner: The Princess Bride

Rob Reiner has directed three of my favourite movies of all time: "When Harry Met Sally", "This is Spinal Tap" and "The Princess Bride". It begins with a Grandfather reading to his grandson from a book called, "The Princess Bride": a magical and captivating tale that and tells the story of two lovers called Buttercup(Robin Wright Penn) and Westley (Cary Elwes), and the evil prince that gets in between them. I grew up loving it and I love it still. It makes you laugh, it makes you cry, and it comforts you when not a lot else will: it's a truly perfect movie.

Who's Your Favorite Director and What's their Best movie?

Movie Review: Wait Until Dark

Year: 1966
Color
Genre: Thriller/Drama
Directed By: Terence Young
My Rating: 8.8/10

This is one of my favorite flicks of all time: it has an amazing cast, a compelling plot with a couple twists and great dialogue: all the ingredients of a top notch thriller.
The film tells the story of Susy (played by the fabulous Audrey Hepburn), a blind woman who's husband, Sam, has recently returned home from Canada.

While at the Montreal airport, Sam agreed to transport a child's doll for a mysterious woman and keep it at his house in New York. What the couple don't know is that the doll is stuffed with heroin, and that there are three men desperate to get their hands on it by any means possible. After Sam leaves to go to work, the men begin to try and manipulate helpless Susy into giving them the doll, their games becoming more and more dangerous until the shocking and dramatic conclusion.

This is Hepburn at her absolute best: she gives a stunning performance as the terrified, sightless Susy. Alan Arkin is also wonderful in this picture as the intensely creepy Harry Roat, the leader of the three criminals. These performances, combined with outstanding direction and excellent musical score make this movie an absolute must see.

The entire movie is available here on alluc.org, so be sure to check it out.

Cool Stuff:
-The film was adapted from a play in which the final scene was performed in complete darkness
-Theaters dimmed their lights to the lowest legal setting while showing this film
-Hepburn was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Susy

What's Your favourite Audrey Hepburn Flick?

The "Femme Fatale" in Film

The idea of a "femme fatale" (which means, "deadly woman" in French) goes back thousands of years, and usually refers to a seductive, beautiful woman who uses her charms to use and manipulate men to their advantage. With the introduction of film noir in the early 1940's, the femme fatale has become an icon: she is alluring and sexy, but incredibly poisonous: she has the ability to drive men to obsession and near-madness, and she will do anything to get what she wants . Here are a few of my favourite femme fatale characters in film over the last 68 years.

By far the most dangerous and attractive femme fatale in the history of film noir is Phyllis Dietrichson (played by Barbara Stanwyck), a woman who persuades a man to murder her husband in Double Indemnity (1944).


Mary Astor as the evil Brigid O'Shaughnessy in my favourite noir, "The Maltese Falcon" (1941).


Ann Blyth as the scheming adolescent Veda in "Mildred Pierce" (1945).


Kim Novak gives an incredible performance as Madeleine Elster in Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 masterpiece, "Vertigo".

Faye Dunaway as Evelyn Cross Mulwray, the apparant femme fatale of Roman Polanski's "Chinatown" (1974)


Isabella Rossellini gives a different take on the Femme Fatale as Dorothy Vallens in the 1986 cult film, "Blue Velvet".


I love Glenn Close as the sexy Alex Forrest, who drives a man to infidelity in the 1987 thriller "Fatal Attraction".


Sharon Stone as the irresistible novelist Catherine Tramell in "Basic Instinct" (1992).


Who's your favourite?

Director Review: Christopher Nolan

My favourite director of all time: Christopher Nolan. The reason I love him so much is because he has never made a bad film. Although his pictures are few in number, they are all brilliant. Here's a review of his movies in what I believe is an order of best to worst.

1) Memento (2000)
I can not praise this movie highly enough. Although it is not my favourite movie of all time, it is by far the most intelligent, wonderfully put together film I have ever seen (and I've seen a lot of movies). Briefly, the film is about a man named Leonard (played by Guy Pearce) who is trying to solve his wife's murder after loosing his short term memory. This movie appears to be a sort of twist-y thriller, but in reality it is a piece of art. The movie is broken up into two distinct time lines: one running forward, and one running backward, and they are divided in such a way that the viewer is forced to identify with Leonard, see life through his eyes, and think with his mind. The brilliance of the film lies in the fact that the viewer must ultimately select the parts of Leonard's story they want to believe, just as Leonard must choose. No other movie before or after it has involved an audience so intensely: I strongly recommend that you see this movie not once, but as many times as it takes you to really figure it out.



2) Following (1998)
This was Chris Nolan's 1st feature film: it was done on an extremely low budget of about six thousand dollars: it's shot in black and white, and the cast and crew are mainly Nolan's family and friends. In spite of these financial restrictions, Christopher Nolan has managed to create a brilliant modern film noir that is ten times better than any multi-million dollar blockbuster. The film tells the story of a young man who has taken to following complete strangers as a way to combat writers block and to pass the time. Because of this strange hobby, he is drawn into the London underworld. With a noir-like themes and a structure that is evidently the framework for Memento, Following is an amazing contribution to Nolan's collection of amazing films.




3)The Prestige(2006)
This, Chris Nolan's latest picture, echoes the choppy style and alternate time lines of his earlier work. It stars Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as two rival magicians in turn of the century London obsessed not only with out-doing each other, but in destroying each other's lives. Events occur in a downward spiral, with incidents of increasing danger and gravity, until one discovers how to play the ultimate magic trick.



4)Batman Begins(2005)
I found this latest version of Batman really amazing, not just as a good "superhero" movie, but as a valid film with solid construction and excellent direction. Chris Nolan goes back in time to explain how Bruce Wayne(played by Christian Bale) became Batman, and how he overcomes various villains prior to the first "super villain" (The Joker). This really is a great movie, because Nolan really explores the characters and gives depth to what used to be cartoon cutouts.



5)Insomnia(2002)
Although the weakest of all his films, Insomnia is still an amazing movie which tells the story of Will Dormer (played brilliantly by Al Pacino), an L.A. detective sent to Alaska to solve the murder of a young girl. While in pursuit of the killer (Robin Williams), Dormer accidentally shoots and kills his partner. After the incident, the guilt of the murder, along with Alaska's famous "white nights" (days with 24h sunshine) cause Dormer to loose his ability to sleep. In this picture, Nolan explores the theme of guilt and the parallels and similarities between cop and criminal.




And if you still can't get enough:Nolan's first short film, "Doodlebug" is available on youtube. Click here to watch.