Summer Challenge- The film reviews. Sofia Coppola; a force to be reckoned with.

My favourite adverts on television are the Miss Dior Cherie ones. The flowers, the Eiffel tower, the bicycle and the balloons all contribute to give 3 minutes of pure unashamedly girly fantasy and the ultimate dreamy escapism.

When I found out that Sofia Coppola directed this- a name I had heard many times- I knew I had to find out more about her. With her dad being the famous directer Francis Ford Coppola and her mum being Eleanor Coppola, a set designer, film really is in her family’s blood as a quick Wikipedia search revealed.

So I invited my film loving friend around and we rented out the DVDs for Marie Antoinette and Lost in Translation to see why people admire her so much.

Marie Antoinette

Having seen countless beautiful stills from Marie Antoinette (I would be prepared to say that 99% of teenage girls' Tumblr blogs contain at least one from it) I had high expectations.
Gowns! Puppies! Cake (especially Macaroons) Champagne! Shoes! French Interiors! Literally all of my favourite things!

But that is all that it turned out to be.

Superficiality with no depth.
There are only so many establishing shots of Versailles and scenes of the 'Skins' parties of the 16th century I can see before I long for a more complex narrative, complete with actual dialogue- it felt like the characters hardly spoke.

The audience gets no real sense of Marie Antoinette as a person. We all know how the film is going to end so we want to feel some kind of sympathy for her; being sent away from home to get married at 14 and then getting executed at 38. But it's hard to feel sympathy for a lady who spent ludicrous amounts of money lavish parties whilst the French people were starving (not that the film was that critical of the Dauphine)

So when the inevitable ending came, with the symbolic last shot being the Queen's private room in ruins, complete with chandelier on the floor and curtains in tatters, me and my friend were disappointed that we felt no sympathy for her.

What I loved however was the soundtrack which featured The Strokes (one of my favourite bands) At first it was odd to have a period drama with this type of music for the backing track but it actually went perfectly with Marie Antoinette's Rock'n'Roll lifestyle.

The mix of modern and classical music was just right but what didn't work so well was one shot with a pair of lilac converse amongst all her other satin heels. Now I'm no historian but I reckon I’m correct in thinking that Chuck All Stars were not around in the 1750's. Very odd.

A classic example of style over substance I grew desperate for the storyline to push on and *GASP* less puppies, macaroons, gowns and shoes. Nope I never thought I'd ever say that in my life either.

Visually stunning and every single frame worthy of a teenage girls Tumblr "reblog" it was beautiful to watch but I expected more from this celebrated film about one of the most famous Queens in history.

Lost in Translation

In comparison to Marie Antoinette you can actually empathise with the relatable ‘lost souls’ in ‘Lost in Translation.’ Bill Murray plays Bob, an aging actor unwillingly agreeing to star in a commercial in Tokyo and its here where he meets Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson) who is here because of her photographer husband.
This chance meeting of two strangers out of their depth in this huge city sparks a friendship between the pair.

Sofia Coppola wrote the screen play as well as directed it and it is obvious how she won Best Original Screenplay for it with amazing lines such as:
"I tried taking pictures, but they were so mediocre. I guess every girl goes through a photography phase. You know, horses... taking pictures of your feet."

I mean hasn't everyone done that cliché? I know I have and that's just one example of how you can really engage with the characters and enter their mindsets of loneliness which link to the smart tag line of the film which is "Everyone wants to be found."

This is a funny and sweet film with touching performances from Murray and Johansson who really put life and soul into Sofia's script.

So now I need to see Sofia Coppola's first film called ‘Virgin Suicides’ which on IMDB has the user recommendation "Sopfia Coppola is a genius" and then her new film ‘Somewhere’ which is out later this year and from the looks of the trailer is going to be a good one (and it has The Strokes again! What a bonus)
Just looking at these two trailers shows her versatility and talent as she can switch between different genres, whilst always giving them her own unique spin.

She is definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Beth Ruby xoxo
ps) I have just got home from seeing Inception. MY MIND IS BLOWN. If you haven't already then go and see it now!

J'adore Dior- Sex and the City 2. Harmless fun or offensive drivel?

The Guardian has called Sex and the City 2 the epitome of the “rise of the critic-proof movie” meaning that no matter what the reviews have said about how awful the film is, people will still flock to see it.
So where do my allegiances lie?
Well I love Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte (in that order- I love asking people who their favourite character out of the 4 main girls is. I think it does tell you something about what kind of person they are) and I love the TV series.
I saw the first film and thought it was very bland and disappointing however according to many reviews this new film is supposed to be even worse.
The glorious Hadley Freeman, my favourite columnist for the Guardian (Ask Hadley is simply brilliant. Check it out now) said that “The Sex and the City films have destroyed the legacy of a funny and fantastic TV show.” Then there is the genius review from Linda West which said that Sex and the City 2 is pretty much "a home video of gay men playing with giant Barbie dolls."
The hilarious reviews have put me off but with the fun, the frocks and the friends, it’s just a bit of harmless fun.
I will have to see it before I can judge it properly but at the end of the day it just comes down to a couple of hours of escapism. And call me materialistic to watch it simply for the clothes- especially the J’adore Dior tee which SJP wore, pictured above- but I don’t think there is anything wrong with that.

Have you seen Sex and the City 2?
What did you think?

Beth Ruby xoxo

Current Style Obsession- The Mad Hatter

I was slightly disappointed by the new Tim Burton film Alice in Wonderland.
Looking back I hyped it up so much in my head that the stakes for the film were unbearably high and could never really be met.

It had my favourite director, Tim Burton. It had my favourite actor, Johnny Depp. It had the amazing Danny Elfman creating the soundtrack. It is based on one of the best and the most imaginative children's books ever written. It had Matt Lucas, Stephen Fry and ALAN RICKMAN- Severus Snape is irresistible. And of course the magnificent Helena Bonham Carter and Anne Hathaway playing the two Queens.
So yeah basically an amazing cast. But it was also in 3D and a collaboration with Disney!

The possibilities for the films greatness were endless!

But it just didn't quite deliver, for me.

Sure on one hand it was a snapshot into Tim Burton's undeniably brilliant mind and a directorial wonder with some great performances. On the other the plot was lacking and not as engaging as it should have been seeing that Burton declared "he never felt a connection emotionally" with the book.

Good job then that the costumes were fantastic, they kept me distracted from the not-quite-right plot of Alice revisiting Wonderland.
Colleen Atwood is a genius. I found out through a quick IMDB search that she also did the costumes for Chicago and Nine (remember me raving about the costumes here?) and has won 2 Oscars, so there is no denying she is one talented lady!

I LOVED:
-Alice's little (or big depending on how much of the "drink me" potion she had taken) blue dresses
-The breathtaking corseted gowns in the wedding scene in the beginning, which looked as if they had just stepped out of a period drama

-The heart motif which was on every Queen of Hearts piece (Helena BC was of course, amazing in the role)

But above all else there was the Mad Hatter with his amazing liquorice allsorts bow tie, pocket watch, crazy hat and old beaten up patchwork suit. He look incredible.

Just don't mention that ridiculous Jaberwocky dance...

Beth Ruby xoxo

Chanel short film- Details of the Spring Summer 2010 collection

This beautiful video from Chanel shows the details of the Spring Summer 2010 collection. It is so well directed and set in the same barnyard setting as the collection was on the runway.
All of the models have this calm unnerving gaze which just stares right through you and the short film really gives you a chance to see up close the details of the clothes and how breathtaking this collection really was.

Watch it and play a game of ‘Spot The Famous Model.’
Haha its like ‘Who’s Who’ there are so many amazing models starring in it...

Beth Ruby xoxo

"The guitar's all very well, John, but you'll never make a living out of it"-Nowhere Boy

I went on Sunday night as a pre-stressful school week trip to the cinema with a best friend to see Nowhere Boy. It was brilliant; you get sucked right into the story and really see the points of view of all of the characters.

It’s a biopic of John Lennon’s childhood and teenage years of being brought up in Liverpool by his formidable Aunt Mimi, played by the fantastic Kristen Scott Thomas, and then meeting his free spirit mother Julia, played by Anne-Marie Duff, when he was 16. The film is centered about his relationship with these two influencing figures in his life as they both compete for his love.

But a special shout out has to go to Aaron Johnson who plays the young Lennon role of charismatic and troubled bad boy really well (and yes he played Robbie in ‘Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging’ and my hasn’t he grown since then. Me and Emma couldn’t stop swooning over him in the cinema haha)
Of course a rock n roll film isn’t complete without an amazing soundtrack and the music in this film really transports you back into the 50’s. I am a huge fan of Sam Taylor Wood who is the director of the film. Her exhibition called ‘Suspended’ (it’s worth the Google it if you haven’t heard of it already) really connected with me and is one of the few exhibitions you visit where everything in the room is the same high brilliant standard. She definitely is my favourite modern artist. Incidentally Sam Taylor Wood, aged 42, is also engaged to Aaron Johnson who is 18 years old and is expecting his child. Seeing as he is absolutely gorgeous she is one lucky lady.

Anyway juicy gossip aside here is the trailer:

Beth Ruby xoxo

"You're a world class liar, darling. Go out there and lie for Italy. Lie for Italia."- Nine

I went to go and see Nine last week and I loved it!
It is visually stunning, beautifully shot and very glamorous. I predict some Oscar nominations...

The sexy and stylish film is about a famous director, played by Daniel Day Lewis, trying to come up with a script for a film and being inspired by all the female influences in his life. There is Sophia Loren, his mother, Marion Cotillard, his wife, Penelope Cruz, his mistress, Nicole Kidman, his muse, Judy Dench, his confidante, Fergie, his childhood crush and Kate Hudson a reporter from Vogue.
But of course the costumes are what really steal the show, with all the razzle dazzle of Chicago the director Rob Marshall’s other film. Think glitter, smoky eyes, sequins, feathers, big hair, wigs, cat flick liquid eye liner, red lipstick, heels, lingerie and leotards.
After watching it I can guarantee you will want to move to Italy, star in a film and own a wardrobe full of feather boas!Ciao!

xx

ps) Hope you all have an amazing New Years Eve whatever you are doing!

List Monday- Top 10 Trends of the Decade

Seeing as we are fast approaching 2010 I thought I would sum up the biggest crazes we have seen in the noughties, including the good, the bad and the ugly.

1. Internet and Technology. Where would be be without our Blogger/Google/Facebook/Ipods/Wikipedia/Twitter? It's hard to imagine life without any of them now.

2.The Bob- Made popular this year by Posh Spice putting off her WAGish extensions and now everyone is at it from Katie Holmes to Rihanna. So as far as hair is concerned shorter is definitely better, not to mention chicer.
(Haha I am such a hypocrite I have long hair but don't have the guts to chop it off...)

3. Fake tan- Bleh. Need I say more?

4. 'Thinspiration'- Each decade has a new perception of woman; in the fifties it was the hourglass figure, in the sixties it was waifs like Twiggy, then big hair and hippy flares for healthy looking woman in the seventies, athletic leg warmers and neon for females in the eighties and amazonian glamorous supermodels (including the greats: Linda, Naomi, Christy and Cindy) in the nineties but this decade it will be known for the way-too-thin models. Dare I even say anorexic?
Make no mistake I am a big fan of Kate Moss, Jourdan Dunn, Sasha Pivovarova, Agyness Deyn, Karlie Kloss, Alexa Chung, Coco Rocha, Sophie Dahl Daisy Lowe and Chanel Iman (I could go on) but do you not think that it is time for something different?

5.The Rise of the Vampires- Is it any wonder we love vampires? Even just the word "vampire" has associations with lust, passion, blood, gore and now thanks to Stephanie Meyers, Edward Cullen, the ultimate fictional heart throb. Thanks to the books which have sold millions and now have a cult following and the new adult TV series True Blood which just shows that vampires are not just for tweens. So its no surprise that Vampires are here to stay.

6. Chick Lit- Ever since Helen Fielding wrote Bridget Jones, the best selling author has spawned a whole load of copy cats and even started her own genre. Without Chick Lit we wouldn't have Sex and The City, based on the column by Candance Bushnell and a ton of other films and books.

7. Reality TV- Earlier this year Big Brother said that they were stopping the programme after one more series because the viewing figures were plummeting. We have seen it all in that George Orwell 1984 inspired house and they have had every single type of person imaginable in there. We have seen the "dumb blonde bimbo" (see point 8 haha) the angry middle aged woman, the gay dancer, the '"intellectual student" who says he is going into the house "because it is an interesting social experiment." They cannot shock us anymore.

But of course we can't forget Simon Cowell who seems to be single handedly carrying on the Reality TV rein (whilst infiltrating the music charts) with the phenomenal X-Factor (19.1 people watched the final last night!) and of course the series which brought us Susan Boyle, Britain's Got Talent.

8. The WAG and the 'Dumb' Blonde- Thanks to Jessica Simpson, Jordan, Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie (who interestingly enough tweeted "P.S. I went brunette. I feel smarter already" earlier this week) and films like "Legally Blonde" we have a new stereotype of the girl who wants nothing more than to marry a rich man, own a chihuahua, have big boobs and dress in head to toe pink.

9. Indie Music- The past decade has brought us The Strokes, Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys, The Libertines and Deathcab for Cutie to name a few. For me it is definitely the defining music of the era.

10. Big Franchises- Good 'ol J.K.Rowling didn't know what she had started when she released Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. She went from scribbling chapters on the back of napkins at her local cafe in Edinburgh to being worth more money than the Queen. Soon to follow suit and jump on the merchandise bandwagon was Spiderman, Lord of the Rings, Batman, A series of Unfortunate Events, Narnia etc etc etc. Nice one Harry, Ron and Hermione.

What do you think are the best and the worst trends of the decade? It doesn't have to be one on my list either, just let me know in a comment, I would love to hear what you think...

Beth xx

Latest Obsession: Where The Wild Things Are

Along with pretty much everyone else I am feeling total Where The Wild Things Are nostalgia.
These photographs from this months Dazed and Confused just sum up my current love of all things wild. And Abbey Lee Kershaw looks stunning, her baby-like face is perfect for this shoot inspired by the original childrens book.
Photographs by Daniel Jackson:

Oh and on one of my recent Amazon online Christmas present binges I bought a copy of 'The Wild Things' by Dave Eggers. I read a preview of it in the Guardian the other week which was fantastic and if 'A Heartbreaking Work Of Staggering Genius' which I read earlier this year by him is anything to go by this too will be heatbreaking and genius as well. Can't wait for it to arrive on my doorstep!

Oh and I cannot wait to see the film with my little sister. It looks brilliant.

Beth xx

Live my life on a lullaby...

So excited for An Education, the plot and of course the 60's costumes look amazing.

I need to get the book off Amazon first though before I see the film because I always have to read it before I see it.

Beth xx
ps) Oh and I love this article in The Guardian on Marge Simpson appearing on the cover of Playboy Magazine. Yes you heard correctly my dear friend. Marge Simpson in Playboy. What would Lisa think?

If you haven't already read it then check it out.

5 Stars- The September Issue *****

Just got back from seeing “The September Issue” and it didn’t disappoint.
R.J. Cutler's new film is an amazing insight into the Vogue office and the world of fashion where as the tagline states: “Fashion is a religion. This is the Bible.”
The film documents the 2007 September issue of Vogue as the team put together the single largest issue of a magazine ever published.
It was intriguing to see Anna Wintour, the editor in chief nicknamed “Ice Queen” behind closed doors and I was surprised to see how charming she can be, for example with the designer Thakoon and there is a particularly touching moment when she says her brother (a political editor for The Guardian) and sister (who works in charity) find her job "amusing."
The film actually has lots of funny moments such as when the brilliantly flamboyant Andre Leon Talley declares: "There is a famine of beauty darling! My eyes are starving for beauty!" and also when he turns up to a tennis lesson (on Anna's orders) in Louis Vuitton.
But the star of the film for me had to be Grace Coddington, creative director at American Vogue who is the genius behind the clothes and the photo shoots who has been working in the business for thirty years. She specialises in 20 page editorials which are often romantic and have a picture book like quality to them (she was the talent behind that magical Alice in Wonderland themed shoot)
Grace and Anna started Vogue at the same time and so Grace is one of the few with the courage to stand up to Anna when she is in her formidable business mode. You cannot deny they are obviously a perfect partnership though with Grace's artistic talent and Anna's straight talking drive.
Altogether it is a fascinating look at what it would be like to work in the famous Vogue office with fashions most influential figure.

Sienna and Anna (in her trademark bob and sunglasses!) at the premiere for The September Issue
The finished result of all the hard work shown in The September Issue
Grace Coddington and Anna Wintour



The hilarious Andre Leon talley playing tennis in his designer gear

The Radar- Latest Obsessions

I am off on the train to Bristol tomorrow specially to see the new Banksy exhibition at Bristol City Museam and Art Gallery!
So excited! I am just there for 3 days though so will reply to your lovely comments when I get back.
For now though here is a list of my current obsessions:

1. Christopher Kane for Topshop.

Christopher Kane + Topshop= A match made in style heaven.

His last collection designed specially for Topshop sold out and this one is even better with a whopping 39 pieces including bags and shoes!
The only problem is that even though this special Topshop collection is a fraction of the price of the real thing it is still pretty expensive (or too much for me anyway!) with the price range being from £40 to £160.
Photos were leaked on the internet but then taken off from the Topshop crew before I could save them and add them onto here... So I can confirm there will be a crocodile t-shirt dress similar to his awesome primate inspired ones in his S/S 09 collection but unfortunately I can't get ahold of the photos.
Cannot wait till I can get myself down to Topshop though so I can try something on by my favourite ever designer!

2. Arctic Monkeys new song "Crying Lightning."

3. Paper chain style necklaces a la Louis Vuitton.

4. Whip It Trailer:

5. The Perm.

See ya when I get back...
Beth xx

"Fashion is general. Style is individual."

I am so excited about all the different fashion related movies which are being made or released this year!

In this post I am going to take a look at the many up and coming fashion filled films...

Up first is "Coco Avant Chanel" which in English literally means Coco's life before Chanel. Audrey Tautou (who in the unlikely event that you don’t know her is from Amelie, The Da Vinci Code and the amazing Chanel No.5 commercial) plays the lady herself.
It is the story of Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel's rise from obscure beginnings as a cabaret singer to the heights of the fashion world and the start of a brand worth millions.

It is out in the UK on the 31^st of July and I can’t wait to see it!

Next up is “The September Issue” which is a documentary style film which follows Anna Wintour and the rest of the Vogue team as they pulled together the biggest fashion issue ever in 2007. It weighed 5 pounds and was and remains the best selling issue ever with over 13 million copies sold.
It is released on the 11^th of September in the UK and I am intrigued to see what the famously cold and conservative editor, Wintour, is like behind closed doors.


There are also confirmations of a film being made soon about the famous designer Vivienne Westwood with Kate Winslet reportedly being set to play the great fashion Dame. I am not sure about Kate playing the punk queen but I guess I will have to wait and see.

Also Ridley Scott is set to start directing a film based on the rise and fall of the Gucci fashion dynasty. Find out more information on the film here:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/dec/06/fashion.italy

Finally there is “Beyond Biba: A Portrait of Barbara Hulanicki” which is a documentary out this week on Biba, the brand who brought fashion to the British high street in the 60’s.

I will definitely be seeing all these films as soon as they are out!
It will be fascinating to see all these world renowned designers in a whole new light on the big screen...

"Of course it is happening inside of your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?"

"Of course it is happening inside of your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?" - Dumbledore. Haha I am such a Harry Potter nerd.

I went to see Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince last night and it was fantastic!
The love triangle between Ron, Hermione and Lavender was so funny and Jessie Cave (the actress who played Lavender Brown) was brilliant as Ron’s needy girlfriend.
Even though I am a firm believer that the books are better than the films this is one of the best yet because it is so funny in places and so dark in others.
I didn't like the way they cut so much out of the book and put random bits in which are not even in the original but other than that it was amazing.
Also I think I am in love with Draco Malfoy. Yes I have gone over to the dark side!