Karl Lagerfeld and a Chain Saw

In the words of the annoyingly entertaining Rachel Zoe, I die. Actually, what I mean is I would die for any piece in the Chanel Spring 2010 RTW collection. Plus, the fake tattoo jewelry (check out the legs and wrists) and the white criss-cross tights rock. Karl Lagerfeld is literally the most amazingly talented designer ever. Every single piece of his is gorgeous, unique, complicated and wearable.

 

I’m also obsessed with Victor & Rolf‘s 2010 Spring RTW collection. How could I not love designers who will take a chain saw to turquoise tulle? Yes, some of it is a little over the top, but I don’t care what anyone says, I’ve fallen head over heels. 

 

True love. 

Quelle Vie

I’m sitting here at work at 10:30 PM on a Wednesday night, well on my way to working a 15 hour day. Yesterday was a 13 hour day.  And let me tell you, that’s NOTHING when you’re working on a movie.  

It makes me wonder how people do this on a regular basis.  I mean, I don’t have a family to go home to or take care of – how do people who do work this way? What kind of life is this? Sure, when I worked at the agency there were long days, but I still left when I finished my work. Here, I spend most evenings waiting for the last person to leave the office (since I have to be here as long as someone’s around). Am I crazy to think this whole process is illogical? Why does the crew get a 12 hour turn around and I have to work until 11:00 PM (or later) and come in the next morning at 8:00 AM just because I’m a PA?

I know it sounds like I’m venting, but it’s really more than that. I do not think it’s okay to work unreasonable hours for unreasonable pay just because this is Hollywood. There are unions for every imaginable job on a film set except production assistant. Oh, that’s right, we don’t deserve any rights because we’re young and eager and will do anything to work on a movie.

And you know what, that’s true. There’s so many people around me who are thrilled to work those unreasonable hours for that unreasonable pay. It just makes me think that I’m not cut out for this. No, not that I can’t handle it (because I have no doubt that I can). But why would I want to? I’m surrounded by PA’s who want to do this and who have a goal in this industry. If I wanted to do this, wouldn’t I be more excited instead of just praying I get to go home soon?

I guess I just really don’t know what to do with my life….

“You’re so lime jello and you don’t even know it.”

I went to see Jennifer’s Body today with low expectations. I figured it was the safest way to have a good time. I was definitely right.  

 

Uhh did they steal the True Blood poster?

 

If there’s anything I hated more than watching Diablo Cody make a guest appearance on 90210 (yeah, I watched it..), it’s having to sit through 1 hour and 44 minutes of her ‘young and hip’ dialogue. Diablo, we get it, you write quirky dialogue. For the love of god, move on.  

Luckily, the annoying dialogue is limited. Unfortunately, when it is there, it takes you completely out of the story (I mean, why is Megan Fox calling someone lime jello? I don’t get it).  

Enough bashing Diablo Cody. Everything else in Jennifer’s Body is surprisingly entertaining. This comedy/horror film actually works. No, it’s not really scary, but it’s fun. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but Megan Fox is perfectly cast as the high school bitch turned boy-eating demon. Plus, this is her best acting yet (seriously). And I must mention that Amanda Seyfried is the driving force in this film.  

 

Basically, you should only see this for the following reasons:

1. To watch Megan Fox and Amanda Seyfried making out (if you’re into that)

2. To laugh at the ridiculous dialogue

3. If you like the whole ‘not so good but therefore great to watch horror’ genre, which so many of us looovveee

 

All in all, I truly did enjoy it…but I am a pretty big fan of #3 above.

Sumimasen!

Just a few random photos from Japan, just click to make them bigger. Please excuse the fact that I’m a hot mess – it was toooaaassstttyyyy there.  

 

haha japanese porn

view from lindsay’s yokosuka apartment

japanese toilet control panel – thats right!

yokohama

bagel and bagel!

crazy subway system

we stumbled upon a japanese beach

daibutsu

japanese garden

me, linz, and daibutsu (aka big buddha)

best ramen ever!

I had the most amazing time visiting Lindsay.  We spent most of our time in Yokosuka (where she lives), but also visited Yokohama and Tokyo.  It was beautiful and I ate the most delicious food! Seriously though, the best part was just hanging with my best bud again.

Like Kurosawa I Make Mad Films

In two days, I’m going to Tokyo.

 

Woohoo Tokyo!

 

In honor of my journey, here’s a list of just a few of my favorite Japanese films:

 

Rashomon (1950) – Akira Kurosawa‘s film that marked Japan’s entrance into world cinema.  Led to the coining of the term ‘The Rashomon Effect’. Pretty sweet. 

Seven Samurai (1954) – What is there to say – one of the most famous films ever. If you haven’t seen it you must. 

Battle Royale (2000) – Controversial film about a group of young students are left on an island and told to kill each other until only one student remains (hmmm social commentary?). Dark and funny. I absolutely love this film please watch it!  

Ringu (2002) – One of the first films of the new genre J-Horror, which led to dozens of remakes of Japanese horror films in the U.S. (i.e. The Ring, The Grudge, Dark Water).

So do yourselves a favor and watch some of these movies. You might see what I discoverd long ago – East Asian cinema will take you to a whole other (beautiful) world.

“I’m not me!”

Rob Zombie sure knows how to scare people. After seeing House of a Thousand Corpses, I thought I’d never watch anything directed by him again. But then I saw his remake of the horror classic Halloween. Zombie honored the original film while delving further into Michael Myers psyche. And this is why I was interested in seeing Halloween 2.

To be honest, for fans of the original 1970s version, it’s hard to take the idea that Myers has a motive. The thing that makes him such a terrifying killer is that he has no plan – he literally kills everyone. But in H2, Zombie really explores what makes Myers the way he is.  

Now, I’m really torn. I loved seeing Michael Myers as a kid in Zombie’s first remake.  It’s fascinating watching his sessions with Dr. Loomis. On the other hand, I only want to see grown up Michael Myers doing what he does best (killing, obviously). Unfortunately, H2 attempts to humanize Myers by helping us understand his adult mind, which really just takes the audience out of the moment.  

Despite this, H2 is a beautiful example of a modern day slasher film. The cinematography is breathtaking – yes, this is possible in horror films! It’s also as gory as French new wave horror (i.e. Ils, Frontieres), so be prepared to look away.  

Scout Taylor Compton reprises her role as Laurie Strode and brilliantly portrays a young woman dealing with the aftermath of being brutally attacked and nearly killed. And let me tell you, she makes fucked up look good.

All in all, horror fans will love seeing Michael Myers back in action. For the rest of you…. think long and hard if you want to experience the most brutal stabbing scene I’ve ever seen.

“That’s a bingo!”

Last night I got to see an industry screening of Quentin Tarantino’s new film Inglourious Basterds. Finally, an industry perk!

I’ve been waiting to see this movie for years (yes, Tarantino’s been talking about making it for that long). When every other assistant at my old agency raved about the script, I refused to read it because I wanted to be surprised…and I sure am glad I waited.

 

For a WWII movie, there is very little ‘war’ in Inglourious Basterds. Don’t get me wrong, there is plenty of violence to go with the lengthy dialogue that Tarantino is known for. What some may mistake for a slow moving plot is actually the longest and most drawn out example of suspense that I have ever seen.  Christoph Waltz plays the most terrifying Nazi imaginable in some of the most suspenseful scenes in the film.  Without making any real or direct threat, Waltz makes it clear that he knows all your secrets and will destroy you for them.  

Brad Pitt complements Waltz as a Lt. Aldo Raine, a more, uh, jovial Southern man.  Still terrifying though.  He leads a group of Jewish-American soldiers whose only goal is to kill Nazi’s.  Pitt brings an element of dark humor to Basterds, in true Tarantino fashion.

 

Holding her ground alongside Pitt and Waltz is Mélanie Laurent, making her U.S. debut as ‘Shosannah’, a beautiful (and ballsy) French Jew. 

 

Unlike some of his previous movies, Tarantino builds a coherent plot, while keeping all of his complexity. He draws the audience in with a crazy interesting story, hilarious and witty dialogue (i.e. the title of this entry), and an ending that makes you think “If only WWII really ended this way…”

Mean Green Pink Lighting Machine

So it’s finally time for the obligatory outfit post. I know, I’m sooo L.A.  

I decided to kick it off with some of my favorite things:

I

victoria's secret burnout tee, DIY cut offs, guess maeve ankle boots, mr. kate bow ring, mr. kate screw you necklace

 

 

 

I 100 % love wearing neon colors (clearly). Victoria’s Secret actually makes some great basics like this burnout tee.  I wear it constantly.

Of course most of my jewelry is by Mr. Kate! I’m completely obsessed with everything she makes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

victoria's secret racerback tank, AA mesh bodysuit, mr. kate screw you necklace, mr. kate bow ring, flea market sunglasses

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Again, wearing Mr. Kate jewelry….I’m just in love.  

Ignore the out of control hair – it was a million degrees at the Rose Bowl flea market. And yes, I am holding a giant pink sparkly lighter. The best part of a flea market is you find the craziest things.

One thing I really love wearing are American Apparel bodysuits. They’re great under tanks, tees and dresses – literally the best layering pieces.

“This isn’t Paris. This is hell.”

My DVD player died a few months ago, and I’ve been too busy to get a new one until yesterday.

Which meant… I could finally watch my Netflix!

Julie Delpy’s film 2 Days in Paris has been sitting on my desk for two months just begging to be watched.

First of all, I love Paris. Any movie shot in Paris automatically gets extra points from me. Second of all, Adam Goldberg is a freaking genius. So I was obviously excited to watch this movie.

Delpy not only directs, but stars in this story of a couple who spend two days in Paris before returning home to New York.  Jack (Goldberg) has a hard time dealing with Marion’s (Delpy) family, who are…. very French.  He has an even harder time dealing with the fact that they keep running into Marion’s ex-lovers.

The best part of this film is that it’s real.  I’m not talking about realism or Italian neo-realism or film theory or any of that.  What I mean is, this film shows a romantic relationship just as it is (at least in my experience).  

For Jack and Marion, love is not perfect, sex is not perfect and life is not perfect.  Actually, nothing’s perfect.  They experience jealousy, doubts and temptation, but not in the standard ‘Hollywood’ dramatized way.  Jack’s experience in Paris is not magical (as many people would expect).  But it is real.  

For the first time in a long while, this film took me to a place that I completely understand – a real relationship, a real city and a real life.  

Watch 2 Days in Paris and get a glimpse of the real lives of two fantastic characters.

Nerds and Super Heroes and Trekkies OH MY!

I’m back from Comic Con and all I can say is INSANITY!  

Seriously, it was complete chaos.  I was literally squeezing my way through crowds of people the entire time.  But it was really amazing. People were dressed up in the most phenomenal costumes. Unfortunately, my camera died after two pictures, but I have some video!

On the way to Comic Con….

Since I have some mysterious connections to the comic book world, I got into the convention center as vendors were still setting up in the morning - 

 

Now just imagine these hallways packed with people so tightly you could hardly move!  The only time there would be a slight break in the crowd was when a celebrity would walk through with cameras following them.  

Alas, the food at Comic Con is not so tasty.  Hence my, uh, delicious lunch - 

 

I definitely did not feel so great post-fries.

Annnnddddd coolest video ever!

Hopefully I will have some more pics soon, including a very, very important one.