And the nominees are...

The Oscar nominations were announced yesterday. You can see the full list of nominees here but these are the categories I care about:

Best Supporting Actor
Christian Bale, The Fighter
John Hawkes, Winter's Bone
Jeremy Renner, The Town
Mark Ruffalo, The Kids Are All Right
Geoffery Rush, The King's Speech

Best Supporting Actress
Amy Adams, The Fighter
Helena Bonham Carter, The King's Speech
Melissa Leo, The Fighter
Hailee Steinfeld, True Grit
Jacki Weaver, Animal Kingdom

Best Actor
Javier Bardem, Biutiful
Jeff Bridges, True Grit
Jessie Eisenberg, The Social Network
Colin Firth, The King's Speech
James Franco, 127 Hours

Best Actress
Annette Benning, The Kids Are
Nicole Kidman, Rabbit Hole
Jennifer Lawrence, Winter's Bone
Natalie Portman, Black Swan
Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine

Best Picture
Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids Are All Right
The King's Speech
127 Hours
The Social Network
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

I want Mark Ruffalo and Helena Bonham carter to win in the supporting categories because they’re awesome, and do really good work that mostly goes unnoticed. Also, I think they would give great speeches.

What?! No Ryan Gosling for best actor? I’m sorry Jeff Bridges you’re cool and everything but you won last year so you’re being greedy. Also, were you in The Notebook- the greatest film of all time? No, I didn’t think so. It’s great to see James Franco on the list. Go and see 127 Hours if you haven’t. It isn’t easy to watch but you’ll be glad you did. Anyway, we all know Colin Firth will win it. I liked him in The King’s Speech but he should have won last year for A Single Man.

No real surprises in the other categories. Natalie Portman will win and make a cutesy speech about her new ballet fiancé. That’s fine, she’s a very capable actress and this is her moment. I just wish she dressed better. I know she’s pregnant but that’s not an excuse (unless the baby stole her style). Still, she’s not the only one in her category that tends underwhelm with her sartorial choices. I’m especially looking at you Michelle Williams. We forgive you for that Valentino monstrosity at the Globes but this is the Oscars, please get a better stylist or stay home.

Finally, I want Toy Story 3 to win best picture. That film made me feel a whole range of emotions. I honestly didn’t think an animated film could do that but it did. I laughed, cried, got anxious, laughed again then went home and tried to retrieve my baby monkey doll from the storage boxes in the spare room. Pixar, you evil geniuses…

The ceremony will be held on February 27th.

And the nominees are...

A Welcome Addiction

She’s powerful, has an amazing body and hair that stops people in their tracks. Meet dopa, a feisty character with the chemical dopamine as her namesake and the creation of Dubai based graphic designer Dareen Abou Hechme. The first thing that struck me when I met Dareen was her boundless energy. Super animated in her facial expressions and hand gestures, clearly it’s the drive and excitement that comes from doing something that you’re truly passionate about. The more I listened to Dareen, I got the sense that dopa is in fact an abstract extension of her creator.

Inspired by the X-men series and its strong and visually striking female characters, dopa came from Dareen’s desire to create her own super hero with a positive message. What better way to spread the gospel of strength, sensuality and positivity than to emblazon it on a t-shirt? Sounds simple enough but the design process was far from easy. Dareen was adamant that she had to get the right cut and quality while maintaining her designs at an accessible price point. The hard work paid off, the t-shirts and tank tops fit like a glove and are all finished with velvet detailing that adds richness.

Dopa was launched in October of last year and is already gaining favour with several boutiques in the region. Here in Dubai, you’ll find dopa in O-concept and The Zoo Concept store. The collection can also be ordered online through the dopa website.

What’s next? Dareen plans to diversify her portfolio by adding beach dresses, Ipad covers and maybe even something for the boys. Can’t wait!

Dareen Abou Hechme wearing one of her designs

Some fierce stills from the dopa campaign

A Welcome Addiction

Brit Flicks

The British Council, Reel Cinemas and Front Row Entertainment have joined forces to bring us British Film Season. The programming schedule is made up of eight British productions ranging from recent releases such as ‘Never let me Go’ featuring Carey Mulligan (left), to the old favourite ‘Brassed Off’, starring Ewan McGregor and the late, great Pete Postlethwaite. While this in itself is a treat, the added bonus is that an Emirati short film with a corresponding theme will precede each of the British films.

Richard Cotton from the British Council explains that the theme of the project is 'Bridging Cultures' and aims to foster a greater understanding of British and Emirati culture through film. This presents a great opportunity for audiences to go and see films that otherwise wouldn’t find a way onto their screens and will hopefully serve to give the talented filmmakers in the region some deserved exposure.

This is the first time a project of this kind has come to Dubai and if successful, the organisers hope to make it a yearly event. The films will be screened over the next two months at The Picture House at Reel Cinemas in Dubai Mall. Currently showing is ‘Nowhere Boy’, about the early life of John Lennon, which has been paired with ‘Solo’, the story of a musician who has to overcome the obstacles posed by censorship.

A similar project is planned for Abu Dhabi.

Brit Flicks

4 to look Forward to

Dubai Shopping Festival

While there are countless shows and activities going on, DSF to me means 3 things- Amazing fireworks, The JBR Funfair (thanks for my bear Rami!) and shopping, obvs! I’m choosing to ignore the conspiracy theorists who say that the bargains aren't as good as they seem. This is one of the few occasions where I can do some guilt-free ‘investment shopping’ and I won’t let anyone rain on my parade. If you're doing the same, these rules usually keep me out of trouble:

-Avoid malls on Fridays-That’s when the children are out. You’ll regret it. Trust me.

-Don’t buy it just because it’s cheap- I’ve done it and cursed myself 6 months later when I still haven’t worn it.

-Take a friend who knows your style -hours of exposure to fluorescent lighting can make you delirious.

Amy Winehouse Live in Dubai

Oh Amy! I’ve been a fan since ‘Frank’ but it is with more than a hint of trepidation that I will purchase my ticket to go and see you perform live in Dubai. Personal issues aside, Amy Winehouse is a superb vocalist who, like so many before her seems haunted by her talent. Here’s hoping she’s able to keep the ghosts at bay on February 11^th when she performs at Dubai Festival City Concert Arena. General admission is AED 300 and tickets can be purchased from timeouttickets.com and at Virgin Megastore.

MAC and Wonder woman

Just yes. MAC cosmetics has been getting very good at choosing themes and icons on which to base their collections. There was Fafi, Hello Kitty, Disney Villains and now- Wonder Woman! I’m not ashamed to say that I let out a little squeal of delight when I found out. The collection launches in the US in March so hopefully we won’t have much longer to wait. I love that the packaging is covered in bold hues and cool, retro artwork. The makeup itself is inspired by an early 70s aesthetic. Think fresh face with hints of impactful colour.

Adele’s new Album

She released 19 back in 2008 and now we get 21, her much anticipated sophomore album. Follow ups to successful debuts are always difficult but if ‘Rolling in the Deep’ and ‘Someone like You’ are anything to go by, I don’t think she has much to worry about. People tend to put Adele and Duffy in the same box but to me Adele just seems more gritty and real. I guess you can take the girl out of Brixton but you’ll hear it in her voice…

4 to look Forward to