This is definitely the year of Lupita. The Oscar-winning actress has been names People’s Most Beautiful. A win not only for Lupita, but also for diversity.
On the cover of @peoplemag's #MostBeautiful!!! pic.twitter.com/FqFhlv1TRq
— Lupita Nyong'o (@Lupita_Nyongo) April 23, 2014
Do you think People made the right choice?
Rebecca puts herself through hell on earth to share the stories of people about whom the world would like to forget. The disregard for her own safety, however, puts a significant strain on both her marriage and her family life. When she is nearly killed tailing a suicide bomber, Rebecca’s husband, Marcus (Game of Thrones’ Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) gives her an ultimatum. She must choose between her life’s work and the family she loves.
A Thousand Times Good Night is not the story of a working mother trying to balance her job with her family. It’s a look at the life of a woman who must make an impossible choice between the essence of her self and those she loves most. I’m sure an academic paper could deconstruct this as a feminist work, but I’ll just say I appreciated that the main character is a woman, but more importantly, she is a human being, and who better to give such a raw performance than Juliette Binoche? I’ve never seen her in a role she didn’t seem born to play, and as usual, she gives the audience all of herself. She is unafraid to show a woman the way she really looks, acts, and feels. Though, let’s be honest, even when her character is supposed to look unkempt and harried, Binoche still exudes natural beauty.
This film was a seamlessly powerful look at both the world most of us are guilty of ignoring and what it can do emotionally to those who dare to watch. The screenplay (written by director Erik Poppe, Harald Rosenløw-Eeg and Kirsten Sheridan) does an excellent job of providing a balance between the two worlds. When the story jumps between the war zone of Afghanistan and Kenya and Rebecca’s more peaceful home in Ireland, the scenes shift naturally.
The images throughout the film also serve the balance between the world of the living and that of the dead. From several incidences of white, flowy barriers between characters and the ocean that Rebecca treads during her near-death experiences, we watch Rebecca drift between the two worlds. In fact, one of the most open conversations in the entire film occurs when Rebecca and her daughter, Steph (Lauryn Canny) sit on opposite beds, separated by white mosquito netting. This physical barrier somehow makes it easier to share their feelings, as if the netting will keep those freshly exposed words safe.
Finally, the score is simply breathtaking. It’s beautiful, haunting and ephemeral. As if some of the situations and images aren’t moving enough, the music comes in at just the right moments and in just the right key to push said emotions to the edge of your eyes and down your cheeks. The film premiered at the Montreal film festival last year and is currently making its way across the globe (look for it in the UK on May 2). So while this may seem like a fangirl post for this movie and Binoche in general (maybe just a bit), you really should give it a shot if comes your way.
A Thousand Times Good Night from director Erik Poppe and starring Juliette Binoche and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. Premiered at the Montreal Film Festival last year and will be in UK cinemas on May 2nd.
Alessandra Ambrosio looks absolutely gorgeous in her Diesel ‘DenimEye’ glasses. We don’t know what we want more: her style, the weather or a ticket to Coachella. Sigh.
I recently attended the 50 Kisses screening event at BAFTA. It was also to celebrate 50 Kisses getting into Guinness Book of Records as the film with the most co-writers. The writers of 50 Kisses gathered at BAFTA to celebrate the news that they had collectively entered the Guinness Book Of Records for the most co-writers on a feature film. The video, from 50 Kisses and director Chris Jones, is below. Congratulations all. It was a great event and we also caught up with British actor Jon Campling and film distributor David Wilkinson.
Technology usually makes things easier, but when it comes to dating, things are now more complicated than ever. Sure access is easier: Twitter and Facebook has given all of us the chance to stalk. Not that we would, of course.
But with access comes more problems: we know a lot about people just from their social media, but also nothing at all.
As the He Texted: The Ultimate Guide to Decoding Guys
‘You’re a busy, intelligent, modern woman. You stay on top of work e-mail. You “like” all the baby photos your sister posts on Facebook. You found your dream job through LinkedIn. But when your crush texts you “Sup?” every few days, yet never asks you out, what the hell does that mean?
These days, dating is more confusing than ever. Friending? Following? Liking? Poking? Linking? LOLing? WTF? In an era when FaceTime is no longer the same as face-to-face, it’s no wonder you can’t tell if he’s into you or just really into his iPhone.
This hilarious and essential guide from the founders of HeTexted.com—with totally straightforward guy sight from the HeTexted Bros—will help you autocorrect your digital dating life, from decoding your Facebook friendships, to reading the intentions behind guys’ perplexing texts, to deciding when—if ever—you should text him first. It’s He’s Just Not That Into You for the digital age and What to Expect When You’re Expecting . . . a second date—all in one invaluable package!’
I found this book entertaining, interesting and full of great information and advice. It reminded me of a He’s Just Not That Into You for the modern age. The book comes from the creators of HeTexted.com, which consists of Lisa Winning and Carrie Henderson McDermott. Lisa has worked in start-ups all of her life and Carrie bravely left her job at Glamour magazine. And with great success: He Texted is an indispensable guide to dating in the modern age.
There is a lot of amazing advice for decoding texts and avoiding modern dating pitfalls in this book from different sources, including some men. It is fun to read and will help you through the minefield that is modern dating.
He Texted: The Ultimate Guide to Decoding Guys
For racing fans, Hunt Vs Lauda: Grand Prix’s Greatest Racing Rivals is a documentary between two legends. Even for those who are not, it is still fascinating.
The victory duel for the 1976 Formula 1 World Championship has become the stuff of legend. The spectacular battle for supremacy that raged between Austrian Niki Lauda and ‘True Brit’ James Hunt has never been equalled and now this amazing story is told in a fascinating new documentary Hunt Vs Lauda: Grand Prix’s Greatest Racing Rivals.
After almost burning to death in his car at the Nurburgring track, Lauda came back from the dead and fought Hunt all the way to the last race of the season…But this film is no simple tale of driver-versus-driver: both men had their demons, but the forces that threatened them most were bred from the insane circus that surrounded them.
This powerful documentary originally aired on BBC4 and is now out on DVD courtesy of Delta Leisure
Told through unseen footage and exclusive interviews with the team managers, families, journalists and friends who were in the front row it captures the heart of the 1970s and the season that changed Formula 1 forever.
This documentary is inspiring and breathtaking. We even felt emotional a few times. A truly stunning documentary with lots of great stuff we had never seen before. A must-watch.
‘I did not want to start the race at the Nurburgring…I did so out of loyalty towards my firm and my friends. It was not a good compromise for me’ Niki Lauda
‘Niki was the only bloke who could get half his face burnt off and come out better looking’ James Hunt
Title: Hunt Vs Lauda: Grand Prix’s Greatest Racing Rivals
Cert: 15 Cat.
Running time: 52 mins approx.
Hunt Vs Lauda: Grand Prix’s Greatest Racing Rivals (BBC Official) [DVD]
As any other student, I suffer from procrastination. We all know the deadlines or projects are due soon, and yes it is always soon, but we keep doing everything but whatever we should. As a master student, assessments fill up my schedule, which means I spend a lot of time on my computer doing ‘research’. This particular research brought me to the American series House of Cards.
House of Cards stars Kevin Spacey (American Beauty & The Usual Suspects) as congressman Frank Underwood in his pursuit of power at Capitol Hill, Washington DC. It features corruption, homicide and sex.
It sounds like many other dull political series produced for the supposedly politically interested audience; however, House of Cards captivates the audience on another level. It is not about politics, of course the premise is American politics, but ultimately the series is about power and how to use it.
Frank and his wife Claire, Robin Wright (Forest Gump), spare no means in their quest for political influence. Frank comes across as extremely calculated and ice cold when it comes to almost everything in life. Spacey’s controlled voice and persona is extremely manipulative and in many respects arrogant in his conversations with his peers. Furthermore, there are montages in every episode where Frank speaks directly to the camera, which sounds unusual and perhaps a bit intrusive, however, after a few episodes these montages quickly become favourites. These scenes give the audience the rare opportunity to understand how Frank actually considers and calculates his options and decisions.
Although Claire does keep an elegant and gracious façade as a beautiful career woman, she appears just as cold and ruthless as her husband. Despite her inhuman behaviour she shows a very few times that her almost cruel decisions touches her.
(Spoiler alert)
The marriage between Claire and Frank appears as calculated as their respective characters. Their relationship and its development will keep you wanting more even if you don’t find politics illuminating. They are both having affairs, and they are both aware of the other’s sexual encounters. If that is not unusual enough, their intimacy is never portrayed, although their affairs are heavily covered. This questions whether their marriage is based purely on reason and not on passion? That Frank is at least bisexual is insinuated several times during the two released series. Besides sharing loving memories with an old school mate and having a threesome with his wife and their bodyguard, Frank states the amazing statement after having sex with Miss Barnes, Kate Mara, that Everything in the world is about sex, except sex. Sex is about power. Read into it what you want. (Spoiler ends)
As an audience, we never question the couple’s power to manipulate the people around them, and that might be why they are so interesting. How can Claire sack almost her entire staff she has worked with for many years without showing any emotions? How can Frank stand up to the President and go against his direct orders without showing any sign of insecurity? And how can a marriage possibly based purely on reason and not passion function in a world where emotions don’t exist?
Together they make many sacrifices to rise in power, but they never reconsider or look back. They are as a couple so focused and determined to reach the ultimate goal that their Machiavellian perspective leaves no time to be human.
They are fascinatingly not like ‘us’, but somewhere inside us, we want to be like them. It is this fascination with a mysterious political society hidden behind closed doors where very few powerful people are making world-changing decisions that makes this brilliant series so addictive.
House of Cards have been nominated for several prestigious awards, including Golden Globe’s Best Television Series (Drama), Best Actor, Best Actress (Winner, Robin Wright) and Emmy’s Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Actor, Outstanding Actress.
It is possible to watch House of Cards series 1 and 2 on Netflix.
Barbican Art Gallery, London
Exhibition dates: 9 April – 25 August 2014
Media View, Tuesday 8 April 2014, 10.30am to 3pm
“I am impressed by the way Annie Kevans captured the different types of beauties that have been my inspiration and my muses from my grandmother to artists like David Bowie and Boy George.”
Jean Paul Gaultier
British artist Annie Kevans has been commissioned by exhibition curator Thierry-Maxime Loriot to create a series of works for the exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Gaultier: From The Sidewalk To The Catwalk. Exhibited for the first time at the Barbican Galleries from 9th April to 25th August 2014, then to the National Galleries of Victoria in Melbourne (17th October 2014 – 8th February 2015) and Galeries Nationales du Grand Palais in Paris (1st April – 3rd August 2015).
On Kevans’ new series, Loriot says: “Annie Kevans’ work caught my attention years ago when I saw her fantastic oil paintings ‘All The Presidents Girls’ at Volta in New York. As she is a great storyteller who works in series, I thought she was the best artist to create these eye-catching and delicate portraits that tell Gaultier’s story about his muses and inspirations, all great characters, these paintings translate well the humanist message in his work. I am delighted Kevans is now taking part in the exhibition tour.”
Annie was delighted to be commissioned to create a series depicting Jean Paul Gaultier’s 30 muses, as well as 2 paintings of Jean Paul Gaultier himself, for the touring exhibition already seen by more than one million visitors. The artist sees the series as an exploration of creativity. Annie Kevans said: “In fashion, and in culture in general, we always wonder where ideas come from. I think it’s wonderful that Jean Paul Gaultier is able to honour his muses and their creativity which has inspired his own. I think we’ve all been influenced by Jean Paul Gaultier’s ideas, from his celebration of the unusual to his subverting of the familiar. The strong social message in his work is very inspiring to create works that reflect society and celebrate different types of beauty, without following the fixed standards of beauty presented by the fashion industry – all genders, body sizes, skin colours, religions and ages are included in his world.”
The Muses are:
Tanel Bedrossiantz
Christine Bergstrom
David Bowie
Boy George
Naomi Campbell
Lily Cole
Tim Curry
Agyness Deyn
Beth Ditto
Jourdan Dunn
Karen Elson
Aitize Hanson
Farida Khelfa
Fredérique Lorca
Madonna
Françis Menuge
Kate Moss
Kristen McMenamy
Kylie Minogue
Erin O’Connor
Rossy de Palma
Jade Parfitt
Gaultier’s Grandmother Marie
Micheline Presle
Stella Tenant
Andrej Pejic
Anna Pawlowski
Stéphane Sednaoui
Dita von Teese
Amy Winehouse
All works are oil on paper and 40 x 30 cm.
Annie Kevans has also produced a painting of Jean Paul Gaultier and a copy of this is available to buy as a limited edition print through the Barbican.
ANNIE KEVANS
Born Cannes, France, 1972
Lives and works in London
www.anniekevans.com
Since graduating from Central St. Martins in 2004, when Charles Saatchi bought her series of 30 paintings of dictators as young boys (Boys), Kevans has had solo exhibitions in New York, London, Vienna and Antwerp. She recently received excellent reviews when her Boys were shown in the Paper exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery. Annie Kevans is known for her series of ‘portraits’ (not always based on real documentation), which deal with difficult issues, often presenting us with alternative histories in an attempt to explore ideas which impact on current culture. With the series Girls she looked at the sexualisation of childhood and with All the Presidents’ Girls she portrayed US presidential mistresses throughout history. She has been a finalist in the Women of the Future awards and the Jerwood Drawing Prize and her work can be found in major collections including the Pallant House Gallery, the Saatchi Collection and 21c Museum, as well as the personal collections of Stephen Fry, Marc Quinn, David Roberts, Adam Sender and Jean Pigozzi.
Currently, Annie Kevans’ work can be seen in Politricks at Beursschouwburg in Brussels, in War and Trauma at Museum Dr Guislain in Belgium and in All About Eve at Fifty One Too in Antwerp. Her next solo exhibition will be opening at the Fine Art Society in London on 13 May. Women and the History of Art will feature portraits of successful female artists from the past 500 years, many of whom have been all but written out of art history.
In the first major exhibition devoted to the celebrated French couturier, we invite you to explore Jean Paul Gaultier’s fashion world. With his avant-garde fashion creations and cutting-edge designs, Gaultier has shaped the look of fashion over the last 40 years. His reputation for witty and daring designs and a ceaseless interest in society, identity and a beauty borne of difference has earned him a place in fashion history.
Gaultier is fascinated by world cultures and countercultures, conceiving a new kind of fashion in both the way it is made and worn. Through twists, transformations, transgressions and reinterpretations, he not only erases the boundaries between cultures but also the sexes, redefining the idea of androgyny or subverting fashion codes.
This theatrically-staged exhibition brings together more than 190 cutting-edge couture and ready-to-wear garments including iconic costumes for film and performance from the early 1970s to the present day. The infamous conical bra and corsets Madonna wore during her 1990 Blonde Ambition World Tour are showcased alongside stage costumes designed for Kylie Minogue as well as pieces created for the films of Pedro Almodóvar and Luc Besson’s The Fifth Element.
Gaultier’s rich collaborations with renowned artists and photographers such as Miles Aldridge, David LaChapelle, Pierre et Gilles, Peter Lindbergh, Herb Ritts, Stéphane Sednaoui, Cindy Sherman and Andy Warhol are also shown together with footage of catwalk presentations, concerts, music videos, films, dance performances and Gaultier’s cult television show Eurotrash.
