As I was reading Vogue yesterday afternoon, I couldn’t help but notice the numerous references to famous artists and collectors, including historical figures such as Gertrude Stein. Frankly, I was relieved to read a fashion mag cover to cover without stumbling upon the headline, “Prints Charming,” which too many fashion editors have included in recent spreads. However, I was more pleased to read about classic pieces inspiring modern designs that reminded me of the modern art class I took at Western last year, which featured works by Sonia Delaunay, for example.
Recently, French artist Jocelyne Grivaud sought inspiration from famous artwork to create sculptures resembling not only Mattel’s Barbie dolls, but also classic women from the art world.
Sometime after the People’s Choice broadcast and my simultaneous live tweeting session ended, I realized watching the awards show was a waste of time. I hadn’t voted in any of the categories this year. In fact, I waited until the day of to even look at the nominees list. All I knew was that this was going to be a buzz worthy televised event, so I had better watch to stay in the know.
After the credits rolled, however, my response could be summarized as indifference.
There’s usually one winner at each award show, typically a young Hollywood star, who mentions how they’d watched the show growing up and could then only dream about attending, let alone winning and now voila, here they are; it’s so incredible, they boast. I’ve let my dreams of becoming famous on the silver screen subside, with little to no expectations of ever performing or working in a role constituting its own category amongst the likes of Best Performing Actress. Entertainment PR professionals are recognized at less glamorous events, with ironically less publicity.
If it weren’t for the social component of watching the Golden Globes with a group of film-obsessed writers and fans, I wouldn’t have been much more entertained than I was the Wednesday night prior.
Look at how grown up Abigail Breslin is now. Next time you’re surfing YouTube, search for video interviews with her so you can see why sophisticated and articulate accurately describe the budding actress.
I wish a casting director would cast her alongside Emma Stone in an upcoming production! Until then, look for this girl share the limelight with some of Hollywood’s finest looking actors in New Year’s Evenext month!
…Note that because the actors are listed in alphabetical order, her name appears fourth among her co-stars.
Year after year, beauty pageant contestants respond that their goal is to achieve world peace, but none of them summarize how to accomplish it quite like Mr. Simon (Ed Harris) in That’s What I Am (2011). “Human Dignity + Compassion = Peace” is a formula for everyone to take note of, not just Mr. Simon’s middle school students.
In this coming of age story, director Michael Pavone reminds audiences that the so-called strange individuals singled out by cruel bullies are not monstrous creatures who deserve inconsiderate treatment. Kind souls like Stanley (Alexander Walters) and Andy (Chase Ellison) make us wish that ruthless people would become more tolerant of others, without leaving nerds or exceptionally tall students to suffer for superficial reasons.
Some kids isolate themselves in washroom stalls to avoid bullies’ harsh comments, but according to the cool kids’ seating plan at this school, Stanley and his fellow tormented classmates, such as a headgear-wearing girl, must spend their lunch breaks in the dreaded ‘geek corner’. This is the closest thing they have to a safe haven on campus because it is unthinkable for any student concerned with social status to set food in this area of the quad. Given how much people develop at a young age, it is especially problematic when academically-inclined students who should be role models are routinely ridiculed.
Recess violence isn’t the only issue Pavone addresses, as he also portrays attitudes prevalent in the 1960s toward homosexuality. Accusing a teacher of being a homosexual and complaining about the whole world going to hell should not be done in the same sentence, but Andy’s father makes this connection during a rant. His unfair judgment of the award-winning teacher is not the father’s only shortcoming, but unfortunately the entire parent community shares his sentiment. The notion that a teacher’s sexual preferences should interfere with their employment, when no harm has been done, is unjust.
Pavone should be commended for creating a stunning film about growing up. Andy’s innocent stammering while talking to the beautiful blonde bombshell in his neighbourhood accurately captures the awkwardness of youth, especially once combined with his concerns about puberty-induced sweating. The fact that the school has a resident expert on cooties is hilarious. The boy’s role at school becomes troublesome when his advice leads to violence, but his title in itself takes reiterates the innocence of childhood when catching cooties is one of children’s greatest worries.
It is unusual for a film set in the 1960s to dedicate merely two lines of dialogue to racist prejudice and cast an African-American boy as the protagonist’s best friend without any havoc as a result. The setting is refreshing however because so many films made today focus on cyber-bullying via IMs and camera phones, whereas Pavone successfully gets to the core of middle school drama without any text messaging under the desk.
It’s a shame that such poignant storytelling is relegated to limited release because That’s What I Am epitomizes why films inspired by true events raise the bar for all other productions.
The trouble with Oscar statues is that they aren’t packaged the same way Mattel and Hot Wheels toys are – there is no explicit age warning.
As seen in the clip, 15-month-old Lara Egan, the daughter of The King’s Speech’s co-producer, Simon Egan, lost her grip of her father’s Oscar at a celebration on Feb 28, the day after the highly anticipated awards ceremony.
“Like everyone else I was celebrating off in one corner of the garden with some friends when I saw my daughter looking very cute with the Oscar having her picture taken,” Simon recalls.
Immediately after the award fell out of her hands, Simon heard it hit the concrete.
Shortly after contacting the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy replaced Simon’s damaged Oscar with a brand new one.
“I had no idea that they had an ‘Oscar Hospital’ on standby,” he told the press.
Thanks to the Academy’s quick response however, Simon no longer needs to worry about how a damaged award will look on his mantelpiece.
