The Great Gatsby Trailer

Loving everything about The Great Gatsby official trailer released today.  Another adventure for the senses from Mr. Luhrmann...
 

Beauty and the Sword

This week the CBS Sunday Morning show remembers the lives of two very interesting contributors to the creative world - master swordsman and fencer Bob Anderson, 89, and photographer Eve Arnold, 99.  Anderson choreographed many memorable sword fights in Hollywood films, while Arnold is best remembered for her work photographing Marilyn Monroe.

The Great Gatsby on Set

2012 is shaping up to be a great year for the movies.  When I heard that director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge, Romeo + Juliet, Australia) would be revamping the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic, The Great Gatsby I was dying to see some on-set stills.  I'm a big fan of the 1974 adaption with Robert Redford and Mia Farrow, but I think the casting in this new installment is great - DiCaprio and Mulligan are really channeling Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan.   


The wait is over - here are some photos of Leo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, and Carey Mulligan on set in Sydney Australia from this past Friday...

Above photos courtesy of Celebuzz (via INF Daily)

Style Storyteller

This weekend I finally got around to seeing The Rum Diary with Johnny Depp, based on the novel by Hunter S. Thompson.  Intrigued by the trailer, and after reading some mixed reviews, I wasn't sure what to expect.  Although I found the storyline a bit slow at times, I left amazed by the stupendous job on the costume design.  


The 60's era tailored suits donned by Johnny Depp and Aaron Eckhart and the stunning dresses worn by Amber Heard, are the handywork of Colleen Atwood.  The three time Academy Award winning costume designer has designed costumes for many other of my favorite films, including Edward Scissorhands, Big Fish, Alice in Wonderland, The Tourist.

Watching this movie I was reminded of a quotation I posted a while back by Ralph Lauren, "Every time I design clothes, I'm making a movie".  I think the story in The Rum Diary was driven by the visual cues from the disheveled yet dapper Depp to the impeccably dressed Eckhart.  Clearly, Atwood hit the nail on the head by effectively creating story lines for the characters through their personal style, and by creating an atmosphere that I really enjoyed.  I also liked the array of vintage sunglasses that appeared in the film, and I have to give credit to the set designer for a great job as well.  Overall, The Rum Diary is definitely worth seeing.

Above images via Film District © 2011

Most recently, Atwood has taken on the task of wardrobing the fantasy world in Snow White & the Huntsman starring Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, and Chris Hemsworth.  The costumes in the trailer look fantastic and prove that Atwood is one of the great style storytellers - take a look...

Hyde Park on Hudson

Check out these photos of Bill Murray as FDR that just surfaced from the upcoming film "Hyde Park on Hudson".  The film will recount the visit of the British King and Queen to FDR's vacation home in 1939 and the love affair between the president and his distant cousin Margaret Stuckley, played by Laura Linney.  Olivia Williams will play a really convincing Eleanor Roosevelt and the King and Queen by Samuel West and Olivia Colman.


I am a big fan of Bill Murray and am glad to see that he will be coming back to the big screen in high style in this film, as well as in the highly anticipated Wes Anderson film, "Moonrise Kingdom" - both slated for next year.  If these stills are any indication of how the movie will turn out, then it is going to be amazing.  The period wardrobes and sets are superb and the casting looks spot on - I can't wait!

Images by Focus Features via Huffington Post

Watch This: Class

1983 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.

Here is another great film from 1983, full of humor, scandal, and a healthy dose of 80s preppy style.  I just watched this the other day and was thoroughly entertained.  I love 80s movies and this one is especially cool because it features some of the great teen actors of the decade before they became famous.  Along with the future "Brat Pack" actors Andrew McCarthy and Rob Lowe, John Cusack and Alan Ruck can be seen as fellow classmates, as well as Cliff Robertson as the school's headmaster.

Rob Lowe as "Skip" 1983 Orion Picture Corp. Photo by Jim Zenk

Jonathan (McCarthy), the inexperienced freshman, becomes roommates with the wealthy and suave Skip (Lowe) at the fictitious prep school called Vernon Academy.  After many failed attempts to prove himself to his classmates, Jonathan takes a trip to Chicago in search of a love interest.  Coincidentally, the flirtatious woman he meets at a bar ends up being his roommate's mother.  As you can imagine, things can only go downhill from there.


This is Andrew McCarthy's film debut, who would co-star again with Rob Lowe two years later in the 1985 classic,  St. Elmo's Fire (another great film).  Class may not be the wittiest comedy of the 80s, but its an enjoyably awesome preppy time capsule worth watching.

The Royal Tenenbaums' House

Ever wonder where the townhouse from The Royal Tenenbaums is located?  Look no further, the Pop Pilgrims over at the A.V. Club take us on a sneak peek of the process behind finding the perfect locations for the 2001 film and filming on location in New York City.  I will definitely be checking this locale out!





As always, check out other cool pop culture videos and much more at theavclub.com!

Famous Films in Famous Places

If you happen to be around northern Texas tonight, you should stop by the Royal Theater in Archer City to see a screening of The Last Picture Show (1971) at 9:15pm.  This evening wraps up an awesome month long project by the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema called the Texas Monthly Rolling Roadshow.  All month the project has paid homage to the 10 greatest Texas films ever by screening them in the locations where they were filmed.  And the best part, is that admission is free!  


Shown in 35mm and preceded by a reel of vintage trailers, you can rediscover these classic films on the big screen and journey back in time.  Check out their website for future dates as the Rolling Roadshow screens "famous movies in famous places."





All of the trailers for the selected movies are on the Apple website and each films' poster was  re-imagined by artist Jason Munn.  Simple and to the point, but really visually striking - they're super cool.  

Munn has designed many other posters, which you can see on his website.

Watch This: Risky Business

I've been enjoying my time off by re-watching all of my favorite preppy 80's movies.  First on the list - Risky Business.  Put together a young Princeton bound teen, played by a young Tom Cruise, and a weekend of debauchery while Mom and Dad are away, and you have a foolproof Prep plot.  Oh and throw in a Porsche for good measure. 

Image via Movieart

This film put Tom Cruise on the map, and you can see why as he perfectly channels his character Joel's angst, which lends to some hilarious interactions throughout the movie.  


Along with arguably one of the most famous dance scenes in 80s movie history, it has a really great soundtrack, and a plethora of quotable one liners - not to mention the prominence of Ray-Bans and Sperrys.  I love this film because of its message that sometimes in life you just can't care and do something totally off the cuff.

It's a summer fav.

"A Slacker's Odyssey"

Image via Wahdodem

What do Sean Bones and Norah Jones have in common?  For one they both have a talent for great music, but they also star together in a really wonderful indie film from 2009 called Wah do Dem.  Max (Bones) is a total slacker from Brooklyn who wins a cruise to Jamaica with his girlfriend Willow (Norah Jones).  Days before they are set to depart, she dumps him and he sets sail alone.  We follow him as he navigates the island and encounters the local population, which is both funny and endearing.  All of which is set to a vibrant soundtrack that really captures the island spirit.  Watch the trailer...  

For those of you who don't know Sean Bones, I will provide a righteous sample of his music.  This Brooklynite blends a refreshing mix of reggae/pop and indie rock, which I quite enjoy.  Be sure to check out his album RINGS which includes a duet with Norah Jones called "Turn Them" featured in the movie.  "Let's Do Somethin' Else"...    

P.S. This looks like so much fun!