losing you

More Solange. Just because.

ceremony

This past weekend, I saw a movie called Ceremony, starring Michael Angarano and Uma Thurman. The cast was great and it was enjoyable overall, if a little derivative of films like Wes Anderson's Rushmore in terms of tone and storyline. Actually, it was a lot derivative of Rushmore, but I won't hold that against writer/director Max Winkler. Rushmore is a damn good movie.

What really left an impact on me were the film's visual aspects: the set and costume design, production design, and cinematography. Every shot was beautifully framed and every set was brimming with fun, interesting details and rich colors and textures. I just wanted to jump into this film and wander around in it for a little while.

Costume designer Heidi Bivens outfitted the cast in classic pieces (plaids, stripes, and vintage styles - right up my alley) in deep oranges, yellows and reds, with hints of earthy blue, tan and purple shades. The color scheme perfectly coincided with the film's autumnal beach setting and helped to give it a stylized, cohesive look. I went on IMDb to check out Bivens' other credits and, funnily enough, she was an assistant costume designer on another movie whose costumes I adored (and blogged about), The Baxter.

Below are a few screenshots from Ceremony. It was difficult, but I tried to narrow it down to the ones that I loved the most (so, naturally, I included a shot of bacon & eggs). It really is a gorgeous-looking film. I think it's worth watching for that reason alone.

the baxter

Just watched The Baxter, starring Michael Showalter and Michelle Williams. Really funny. I love Michelle's sweet, understated vintage style in the film.

an education in fashion

The elegant Carey Mulligan as Jenny in An Education. I saw this film last month. It's based on a memoir by Lynn Barber and written by one of my favorite authors, Nick Hornby. The costumes are so gorgeous and really help to visually illustrate Jenny's transformation from a schoolgirl to a young woman. The rest of the cast is great as well. I particularly loved Olivia Williams as Jenny's stern but caring teacher.

breathless

Jean Seberg in À bout de souffle (Breathless). What a beauty.

broken english

I finally watched Broken English yesterday. There are many reasons why I loved this film. First, like most good romances, it takes place in New York (see: Annie Hall). Second, I have a pretty sizable girl-crush on Parker Posey, who plays Nora. I've never seen her in a role like this before. In all the movies I've seen her in, she's been the loud, crazy, quirky girl. In Broken English, she's quiet, guarded, and a bit melancholy. I think it looks good on her. She's someone to relate to. Third, every scene in the film looked beautiful. Nora's wardrobe is enviable, to say the least - all lovely dresses, flowy tops, and bohemian prints. I particularly admired the fact that Parker Posey went bra-free throughout most of the film, proving (to me, at least) that a less-endowed woman doesn't need to wear bust-enhancing padded bras in order to look, and be, sexy. Last, but not least, there is a scene with penguins. That pretty much constitutes an automatic thumbs-up in my book.

The main reason why I enjoyed this film, though, is because it is rooted in reality. Nora seems like a real person. Her best friend (played by Drea de Matteo) seems like a real best friend, rather than a sidekick who exists only to provide sage advice and/or comedy relief. I honestly can't stand most typical romances, in which the two attractive stars only belong together because the plot says so, and at the end they kiss in the rain while the camera spins around them and a cheesy love song swells in the background. To me, romances in which the characters and dialogue seem real and relatable (à la Before Sunrise, Before Sunset, and 2 Days in Paris - all starring another one of my girl-crushes, Julie Delpy) are infinitely more romantic than any of those Hollywood romances could ever hope to be.