Pop 5

The last days of 2010 and the first ones of 2011 have been quite prolific in terms of pop culture consumed. So, today I'm presenting you my Pop 5.

Hotel Chevalier

Hotel Chevalier is a short film by Wes Anderson, a prologue to his 2007 film, The Darjeeling Limited, starring Jason Schwartzman and Natalie Portman. It's a 13-minute long love story, and takes place entirely in a hotel room, which makes me love it even more. You can watch it all on youtube, part 1 and part 2 .

The setting and atmosphere is beautiful, and the chemistry between Portman and Schwartzman works great. When watching this again today for this post, I fell in love all over again with the 1969 song Where do you go to my lovely by Peter Starstedt, which really helps set the mood for this film, although that's to be expected of Mr. Anderson, his films always have gorgeous music. Pure vintage goodness.

-Are you running away from me?
-I thought I already did.

The edge of love

Saw The Edge of Love the other night, and although I didn't really like it, it was pure screenshot material. The film was made in 2008, directed by John Maybury, starring Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy and Matthew Rhys. Set in World War II, it's basically the story of the two women, connected by their relationship to Dylan Thomas.

Cracks

Cracks, based on Sheila Kohler's novel, is a film by Jordan Scott, starring Eva Green. Set in 1934, it gives us a look at the lives of the girls in a prestigious boarding school in Great Britain. More specifically, how the lives of the girls in the school's diving team are affected by the arrival of a new student.

A single man

I realise I'm a little late to the party, but I just saw Tom Ford's A single man a couple of days ago and loved it. It's such a tender, beautiful and touching film, highly recommended. Sadly, loss is something everyone can relate to, so this film really struck a chord. I couldn't resist taking a few screenshots, so hope you enjoy them!



Colin Firth is amazing in his portayal of a professor trying to cope with his partner's death, a restrained yet deeply haunting performance. And of course you couldn't help but admire the ladies' perfect make-up and hair and Firth's impeccable suits. Not to mention his glasses!

So, I guess what I'm trying to say is watch it if you haven't yet. Hope the pictures enticed you enough!

Until next time, stay cool.

xoxo

Anytime soon

-What you need is a woman as your companion.
-Not a woman. You.

You must watch this video at nowness.com . A beautifully stylized short movie by Jean-Claude Thibaut, called Anytime Soon. I'm a sucker for this type of Hong-Kong atmosphere, so I instantly loved this. It stars actor Shawn Yue and model Cara G and it's dreamy, artistic and so, so pretty.

Set in the Tin Hau temple in Hong Kong (a working shrine, where “incense ash kept dropping onto the clothes,” Thibaut says), the film stars one of the city's rising stars, Shawn Yue, fresh from the set of John Woo’s latest swords-and-daggers epic, Reign of the Assassins. Yue plays a film director suffering from the disjunction between the real world and the universe he constructs for his films, inhabited as it is by impossibly perfect women (typified here by model Cara G).

The mood of Anything Soon was partially inspired by the costumes, which Thibaut sourced from the classic Parisian fashion house Hermès—he describes it all as “a bit Gatsby.” Thibaut works from the premise that wardrobe comes first: “You can’t choose the actors, and then afterward the fashion for them. In fact, you have to do it the opposite way around.” Music comes courtesy of Chinese classical musician Bei Bei and London-based producer Shawn Lee, whose collaborative album Into the Wind was released earlier this year on Ubiquity Records.- nowness.com

You can watch it here . Trust me, I've already seen it a dozen times.

Until next time,

xoxo

Non plus one

non plus one final from Tracy ANTONOPOULOS on Vimeo.

Opening Ceremony, the fashion brand, enlisted two new up-and-coming directors to make a short film featuring clothes from their Spring-Summer 2010 line. The video directed by Gia Coppola and Tracy Antonopoulos stars Kirsten Dunst and Jason Schwartzman.

I just saw this, so forgive me if it's old news for some of you. I really like both of these actors, and I especially enjoyed seeing them together in Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette. (fun fact: Gia Coppola is Sofia's niece and Schwartzman's cousin.) The film is sweet, inspiring and fun and it has put me in a retro mood. Love the scenes in the bar, Dunst dressed as an Indian and the yellow-tinted kitchen shots. Both actors look great as a young couple and the clothes are pretty as well! I really appreciate it when a company finds interesting and creative ways to advertise their product.

Hope you enjoy it! xoxo

If you're a bird I'm a bird.

If in some distant place in the future we see each other in our new lives, I'll smile at you with joy and remember how we spent the summer beneath the trees, learning from each other and growing in love. The best love is the kind that awakens the soul and makes us reach for more, that plants a fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds, and that's what you've given me. That's what I hope to give to you forever. I love you. I'll be seeing you.

The Notebook, 2004

Blueberries

I'm feeling kinda blue these days, hence blueberries are on my mind. Blueberry sweets and blueberry movies. Watched My Blueberry Nights the other day, a Wong Kar-Wai film from 2007, the man behind one of my favourite all-time movies In the mood for love (if you haven't seen it do yourself a favour and do it).

It was a really sweet and romantic movie, Jude Law as the leading man had something to do with it of course. His character owns a small cafe, collects strangers' keys and makes blueberry pies that noone wants. Until someone does.

And then I made some blueberry mini muffins. They were small, soft and moist with a lovely hint of berry-ness. Luckily a lot of people wanted them, so now they're all gone.

Thus ends my blueberry story and my blue(berry) phase.

xoxo

You can never have enough cheese

I'm amidst preparations for a craft fair in two weeks, so not much time left to blog! I watched this hilarious video featuring the cheesiest movie quotes and thought I'd share it with you, I'm sure you'll find your personal favourite in them!

Thank you for all your comments on my rings post, I'll blog soon about my earrings and brooches collections, have to make time to photograph them first! Not enough time and not enough light right now I'm afraid.

My days are filled with crafting, and mentally preparing a new limited edition line of necklaces and brooches. Current obsessions include circus peanuts, yearbooks, vintage fabric, nail polish and horses.

Hope all is well with you! xoxo

I don't ever want to be anywhere without you.

I have so much strength in me you have no idea. I have a love in my life. It makes me stronger than anything you can imagine.


Punch-Drunk Love, 2002

All Hallow's Eve

Halloween's tomorrow and although we don't celebrate it in Greece, I'm gonna go ahead and indulge in the scariness of the day. No pumpkin carving, but horror movies and popcorn! Double feature for me, with these titles:

So yeah, pretty standard stuff, not even dressing up! What are your plans for the weekend? I wanna hear stories of your Halloween parties, please let me live vicariously through you!


ps. Thank you all for your get-well wishes, they actually worked! I'm feeling much better, in fact I'm leaving next week for a short trip, so get ready for more photo-heavy posts coming your way!

Lying

image taken from here

Lying is the writing and directorial debut of M. Blash, starring Chloë Sevigny, Jena Malone and Leelee Sobieski and it premiered on DVD in the USA last May. Here's the synopsis from Wikipedia:

A long weekend brings four New York women together in the countryside. Virtual strangers, the women are forced to navigate the depths of social interaction. On the surface all seems placid. But the atmosphere of calm is a facade.
The women are forced to reevaluate their perceptions of each other as one guest turns out to be a pathological liar.

I just saw the trailer, and loved the ethereal, moody feel of it. It reminded me of The Virgin Suicides, and certainly intrigued me. Has anyone seen it?

The trees, like lungs, filling with air.

It didn't matter in the end how old they had been, or that they were girls... but only that we had loved them... and that they hadn't heard us calling... still do not hear us calling them from out of those rooms... where they went to be alone for all time... and where we will never find the pieces to put them back together.

The Virgin Suicides, 1999

I'm too tired not to be with you

We were frightened of being left alone for the rest of our lives. Only people of a certain disposition are frightened of being alone for the rest of their lives at the age of 26…we were of that disposition.

High Fidelity, 2000

Which way is home?

Roslyn: How do you find your way back in the dark?

Gay: Just head for that big star straight on. The highway's under it. It'll take us right home.

The Misfits, 1961