HappyThankYouMorePlease

This is a film about a guy going through a quarter-life crisis. He has quirky friends, meets a whimsical pixie girl who fixes him and they fall in love. Roll credits. If the premise sounds familiar it’s because it’s pretty much what happens in Garden State. This isn’t a bad thing, I really liked Garden State. Josh Radnor (Ted from How I Met your Mother) stars in, writes and directs the film and from what I’ve seen and read about it, it looks like he’s done a decent job. Is he the new Zach Braff? Probably not, but the cast looks great (Hi Buster from Arrested Development!), the dialogue is sharp and the soundtrack is all indie and cool. It’s likely that it'll get released here on DVD later in the year.

HappyThankYouMorePlease

Brownies make it Better

I was browsing one of my favourite feminist blogs yesterday and I came across this ad for Sugar in the Raw. It was originally published in a food magazine called Bon Appétit. Regardez…(click to enlarge)

Obviously, the staunch feminists were all up in arms about it but they need to chill. Yes, I could definitely sit here and wax poetic about how the ad talks down to women, trivialises the emotional fallout out of a break- up and glosses over the seriousness of infidelity, but I won’t. In a month (yes, month) dedicated to rosy-cheeked weapon wielding toddlers and gaudy displays of affection, it provides some welcome comic relief. Who cares whether or not these brownies can fix you when you’re broken in the heart. The fact is it’s pretty funny and extremely effective because I’ve been craving that brownie since I laid my eyes on it.

Brownies make it Better

LCF in DXB

The London College of Fashion has just announced the brand new programme of short courses that they’ll be bringing to Dubai from the 13th to the 27th of May. For the second year running they’ll be offering courses that cover all aspects of the fashion industry from design and styling, to brand marketing and buying. The courses last from 1 to 5 days and are all taught by highly accredited industry professionals.

I’m proud to say that I was part of the inaugural batch of LCF students last year. I completed the fashion journalism course, led by Paul Tierney, a freelance writer with credits in The Independent, Love and POP. The course itself was very informative but more than that, it was great to spend time with a group of people who were truly interested in fashion and were prepared to put in the time and energy needed to hone their skills. There’s no ‘winging it’. You actually have to earn your certificate.

Cheap they are not, but if you book your course before the 1^st of April you’ll get a 10% discount on the booking fee. I put the money I saved last year towards buying a new outfit. It is fashion school...

LCF in DXB

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...