Metropolitan Hair

Last night I watched the 1990 movie Metropolitan and fell in love with Carolyn Farina's character, Audrey. If I had darker hair, I think I would chop it into Audrey's cute cropped 'do. I couldn't find many photos from the film where it didn't look all debutanted up (I think it looks better when it's a bit more tousled) but adorable regardless. If you're interested in the film, there's a great review here. It's a quirky comedic look at a group of Manhattan preppies during deb season focused around their after parties where they talk social mobility and deal with Westsider Tom who accidentally falls into their crowd.

Weekend Cinema

If you're looking for something fun to do this weekend, I highly recommend going to your local independent cinema to see this year's Oscar shorts nominees. Last night my boyfriend and I braved the frigid temps to see the animated shorts at a local Landmark theater (they have vegan cookies at the concession stand!). I had no idea what we were in for but it seemed like something different to do, and I'm so glad we went. Each short (they ranged from 6 to 27 minutes in length) had a completely different animation style, pace, storyline (they're not all "kids movies" as some might mistakenly think) and feel.

Bonus - If you're like me and didn't see any of the Oscars and have no idea who won, you can debate which film you thought was best without any outside factors influencing your pick. I won't ruin the surprise for you, but it turns out my favorite was the winner. The cool thing about seeing these shorts is that there's no media frenzy surrounding them, and since you probably haven't seen trailers for any of them you have no idea what's coming next! It's a totally different theater experience. Also great for people with somewhat short attention spans who find themselves a little distracted by the time "feature" length films get started.

Here's a few shots from this year's nominees to whet your appetite...

Day and Night

The Lost Thing

The Gruffalo

Let's Pollute

Madagascar, carnet de voyage

Golden Globes

Did you watch the Golden Globes last night? I only made it through about half of the pre-show on E! Yes, I admit, I watch awards shows solely for the dresses and to see who's had a bad lift or a botched tuck since last year. Initially, I was hopeful for many sparkly frock photos to post this evening, but I was pretty disappointed in the show of fashion this go-round. No doubt there were many beautiful faces and sculpted bodies to be seen, but the outfit choices didn't send me into an excited frenzy. The fabulous Jane Lynch (from Glee) was definitely one of my favorites in this classically cut olive green number, though.

Elegant and timeless. What was your favorite look from the evening? Did your favorite show come away a winner?

This Is It

Photo via The Source

I went to see This Is It tonight, the film that captures the rehearsals and behind the scenes footage from Michael Jackson's never-realized tour, and I am really happy I did. I don't consider myself much of a Jackson fan but I had heard such good reviews that I wanted to see the film on the big screen before I lost the chance. If you are debating whether or not to spend the money to see This Is It in the theater, I say cough up the dough... you will not get the same experience watching it in your living room. It was really fun to hear so many of Michael's songs in one go, and made me remember how much great music he gave to the world. Seeing the level of work and vision that goes into creating a music tour like this one is amazing, and it gave me a new appreciation for Michael as an artist. The close of the movie brought a sadness knowing that all this work and energy was without the grand pay-off, but I still left ready to break into dance, feeling uplifted by the message of Michael's music. There isn't much time left to see it so be sure to check out your local theater times before it's too late!

Man on Wire

After Man on Wire won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature earlier this year, I added it to my must see list wondering how a film about a single, hour-long event could be made into a worthwhile feature length film. Well, last week I finally watched the flick and... wow! The way director James Marsh blends historical footage, present-day interviews, and accurate reenactments of tightrope walker Philippe Petit's 1974 NYC Trade Towers stunt is compelling and awe inspiring. The telling of the story is so well done and doesn't follow a chronologically linear time-line, building anticipation throughout the entire 1 hour and 42 minutes. What really made the film for me is the ensnaring story-telling ability of the movie's star, Philippe Petit, whose french accent just added to his eccentricity. On the surface, Philippe's stunt may seem like the product of a crazy young man looking for attention. That may be true, but the film has a way of drawing the viewer into Philippe's dream world where beauty prevails and the seemingly impossible is the only challenge worth facing. If you're a documentary buff, if you're looking for a truly unique film to escape daily malaise, or if you're watching sitcom re-runs - you have got to check out this movie. Find more information about Man on Wire (2008) here, and click the play button below for the official trailer.

No Impact Man Trailer

It is so fitting that as I blog about simplicity this week the first No Impact Man movie trailer releases!  If you don't know about Colin Beavan's no impact project, check out his website here. I don't know if I am more excited to see the movie or read the book, both of which come out the first week of September. Check out the movie trailer below. 

Food Inc.

I went to the movies this afternoon with my good friend Julie to see Food Inc. and I am so happy we did. The film is a documentary about the food industry in the US. As much as I would like to think I know more than the average American about industrialized agricultural processes and factory farms, the film was an eye-opener for me in many ways. Filmmaker Robert Kenner does a great job of investigating some of the biggest issues of the current food system - including the commoditization of animals, the corporate structure of agriculture, and the political aspect of food safety. What was shocking to me is the extent to which corporations have exerted power over the farmers they contract, the fate of seed cleaners and non-contracted farmers, and the control of regulatory bodies such as the FDA. You can learn more about the film and ways you can act at the Food Inc. website. 

I highly recommend seeing Food Inc. - and if I had my way it would be compulsory for all food-eaters (that means you, dear reader!). We all have a right to be informed about the food we eat, including where it comes from and the conditions from which it arose (especially for any omnivores in the audience). While the trailer below paints a bit of a gloomy picture, the film concludes with an important and optimistic message about the importance of our individual choices at each and every meal. 

Note, Food Inc. is currently showing in independent theaters in Denver (we went to Chez Artist) so you may have to look beyond the main blockbuster listings to find a venue near you. Given the discussion of food, now seems an appropriate time to solicit questions for a post I hope to write in the next few weeks. As many of you may know, I have been vegetarian for about two years now and vegan for the past year and half. Since I get lots of questions about what that means and why I embrace this lifestyle, I'd love to answer any questions you may have. If you'd like to submit a question or concern, just go ahead and leave a comment below this article or shoot me an email and I will address it in the upcoming post. Thank you in advance for your input! 

Movie Night

A rainy day in Denver made for a perfect afternoon at the movie theater. What did we see? Wolverine of course! While neither my mother or I are much for action blockbusters, we both really enjoyed the film. Lots of surprises and heart pumping fight scenes from beginning to end kept my attention (which tends to quickly drift off sometime after the previews show) and peeks of a nude Hugh certainly added to the excitement!  

The best part of the flick? The credits! Along with a few other loyal viewers, my mother and I waited through the hundreds of names flying past the black screen quickly scanning the names for those fifteen familiar letters: Curtis Greenwood. I couldn't be more proud of my brother.