LADIES, Cast Your Votes

 

 

 

 

For tonight's Academy Awards (aka Style Maniac's Super Bowl) I'm heading off to my movie group's "Ballots, Bubbly & Bling" party.  So instead of posting my usual recap tomorrow, I thought I'd let you share in voting on our group's most popular category, which you won't find on the official Oscar ballot. Ladies, please cast your votes for Sexiest Male Movie Star Ever.  Above, some of my top contenders for the prize. Write-ins welcome.

Images via Google.  Conversions to black & white by me.

IT's A GIVEAWAY!

We've had fun celebrating Style Maniac's recent Blog Birthday -- and now it's time for (one of) you to get a gift!  And what could be better than choosing your own?  So, as a thank you for your support over the past two years, I'm offering one lucky subscriber a chance to choose something you love ... books, movies, music, whatever! ... with a $50 Amazon.com Gift Card.

Yes, that's right:   Fifty bucks to spend as you like at www.amazon.com. Here's how: 

(1) Follow or Subscribe Via Email to Style Maniac (options in sidebar).

(2) Leave a comment about what you might choose if you win.

That's it! 

For EXTRA ENTRIES leave additional comments if you:

"Like" the Style Maniac Facebook Page  | Follow @thestylemaniac on Twitter

Enter by midnight EST on 2/14/11. If you Subscribe Via Email make sure you activate the confirmation link sent to you.  One winner will be chosen at random and announced 2/16/11.  Gift card sent in email format and valid only on www.amazon.com; other Amazon restrictions may apply.  Note: Amazon did not sponsor this giveaway.  It's solely my gift to one of you.  Good luck!

Image via LensEnvy on Flickr

I LIKE NEW YORK IN JUNE ... HOW ABOUT YOU?

UPTOWN: Central Park on a glorious spring day ... the dramatic view from the terrace after a concert at Lincoln Center ... Patricia Field's fun and glamorous Sex & The City 2 windows at Bergdorf Goodman ... the bar at Jean Georges Vongerichten's new mouth-watering and surprisingly affordable restaurant at The Mark Hotel.  DOWNTOWN: The style maniacal yellow doors at The Standard Hotel ... the sublime High Line and views of the Hudson River ... brunch at charming Cafe Gitane in the Meatpacking District.

Mark Bar photo by Julie Glassberg via The New York Times. Cafe Gitane photo by Katie Sokoler via The Gothamist.  All other photos by Doreen Creede.

A WEE BIT OF FUN

My favorite variation of The Taming of the Shrew.  The sparkling script and stellar cast never fail to delight--especially Barry Fitzgerald. A Naughton/Creede St. Patrick's Day tradition.  Enjoy yours.

DIVA DVD:  The Quiet Man

STYLE MANIAC's 2nd Annual OSCAR SHOW AWARDS

Sandy and the new producers made Style Maniac's 2nd Annual Oscar Show Awards oh so easy.

BEST OF EVERYTHING: For hair, humor, intelligence, acceptance speech, makeup, dress, career management, looking radiant at 45--and appearing as Barbara Walters' last interviewee and not crying--Sandra Bullock stole the night. (And I haven't even seen The Blind Side yet.)  Bonus points for showing up at the Razzie's the night before to collect her All About Steve bad acting award with grace and wit.

WORST:  The show makeover. Hope those new Exec Producers kept their day jobs. On second thought, any producer that starts the show with a Busby Berkeley musical number, orchestrates the longest Best Actor/Actress nominee introductions in history and then does not bring Lauren Bacall on stage to accept her Lifetime Achievement Award does not deserve a day job in show biz.

HONORARY AWARDS: To smart and stylish Twitteristas Rachel at Rue La La for excellent pre-game coverage;  Lisa Sullivan for smartest Oscar wardrobe and menu; and Lesley Abravanel for overall red carpet and show commentary far more entertaining than the broadcast itself.  Perhaps Lesley should host next year--or at the very least replace the E! team.  Her tweets had me falling off the sofa laughing.  Good thing, too, or I would have fallen asleep in the middle of this snoozefest.

Photo via Just Jared.

MOVIE MAKEOVER: Sex & The City

 

Sex & The City: The Movie | Carrie's Apartment AFTER 

Carrie's Apartment BEFORE

Carrie's Apartment BEFORE

Carrie's Apartment AFTER

Tomorrow night's Academy Awards has me thinking about movie makeovers.  In the decorating division, the transformation of Carrie Bradshaw's studio apartment ranks amongst my favorites. In Sex & The City, the TV series, Carrie's drab living space took a back seat to the fashions.  In Sex & The City: The Movie, locations and decor move center stage, beginning with the search for the perfect Manhattan residence that serves as catalyst for the entire plot and concluding with this apartment makeover marking a return to personal happiness ... and then to happily ever after.  At least at the end of Movie 1.  Who knows what fate awaits Carrie & Co. in Movie 2, coming this May.

CREDITS: Sex & The City: The Movie production design by Jeremy Conway.  Set decoration by Lydia Marks.  Before photos via Honeybee. After photos by Craig Blankenhorn  for New Line Cinema via Casa Sugar.

A GRINCH OF A TIME

Grinch grog, Whoville punch, tilted glassware, twisted trees, acid green and cherry red, disco lights and low overhead ... The Redecorators' recipe for a quick and quirky holiday cocktail party. 

FAVORITE: Parties with a twist

Photos by Doreen Creede.  Grinch Cocktail Party created for The Redecorators Holiday Event at Citibank Chestnut Hill last December.

HOUSE vs. HOME

"We bought a house.

Your mother made it a home."

--My dad

Architecture, decor, neighborhood--all these play a part in turning a house into a home.  But, of course, what matters most are the people inside. That's something my dad taught me a long time ago.  For Carl, the septuagenarian main character of Up, that realization comes only after a flight halfway across the world and many many thousand balloons--and thank goodness, because we get to be a part of his poignant journey in this remarkable and deeply touching movie.

DIVA DVD:  Up.  Teaser trailer via RawkusBixhu on YouTube.com. For the official Disney/Pixar trailer click here.  And don't be fooled by the animation and animals--this movie is really for adults.

LYDIA & VALENTINO

Oh how I wish my Grandma Lydia, seamstress extraordinaire, could have seen this film. Valentino: The Last Emperor offers an intimate, honest and touching look at how a genius' vision and a lifelong partnership can, when all the stars align, combine to make sublime, yet completely wearable works of art that in the end serve one simple purpose: to make women beautiful.

Throughout the movie Valentino amuses, his partner Giancarlo Giammetti charms, their lifestyle wows, their 45-year reign at the pinnacle of fashion amazes. But head seamstress Antonietta de Angelis steals my heart. With her meticulous perfectionism, incredible knowledge and talent, salty personality and unaffected style she could just have easily been Lydia Panini Gatto. At one point, while viewing an ethereal white gown that's practically a character in the movie, Valentino turns to Antonietta and says, "Look. Look at your masterpiece." Even the emperor knows to give credit where it's due.

DIVA DVD: Valentino: The Last Emperor. Watch the DVD Special Feature "The Red Dress" for a wonderful in-depth look at producing a couture creation.

Video via You Tube/3DollarBillCinema. Photo via valentinomovie.com.

THE SEPTEMBER ISSUE

A fascinating look at how crisp, decisive, and completely hands-on editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and her earthy, passionate and funny creative director Grace Coddington produce the world's top fashion magazine--and in turn affect the global business of fashion. Featuring gorgeous couture clothes on the runway but surprisingly little glamour--or histrionics--off.

Now playing in theaters. Image via MovieGoods.com

VIVA LA DIVA

Also returning from summer break: Diva DVD; now with movie reviews and discussions appearing on a random, occasional basis with some current theatrical releases thrown into the mix.

Chace Crawford Confirmed to Lead Footloose Remake

After Zac Efron's backing out drama and numerous speculations, the Footloose remake is now spelling out the name of Chace Crawford to reprise the lead role of Ren (previously played by Kevin Bacon). This news was confirmed directly by the producer Paramount Pictures to Perezhilton.com.

Now that we know who the leading man is, the leading lady will surely be another thing we would want to know. Four young female stars are said to be on the list that is led by Miley Cyrus, Hayden Panettiere, Amanda Byrnes and Julianne Hough. Tween fans might be leaning towards the Miley Cyrus option, but I think Hayden Panettiere should be given consideration too. This Footloose remake is to be megged by Kenny Ortega, the same man who directed High School Musical movies.

Star Trek Rakes in $31 Million in its First 2 Days

Box office ticket sales for the much-hyped Star Trek prequel have jumped up from a decent $7 million on its premiere to a whopping $24 million last Friday May 8. That makes it $31 million in the first two days of this Paramount produced flick starring Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto. The box office sales are also expected to balloon up to $70 million this weekend (UPDATE: Star Trek earned $76.5 million already in its opening weekend, according to AP).

Critic reviews of Star Trek may have helped boost sales of this J.J. Abrams classic. Rotten Tomatoes website gave it 96 percent in positive ratings, while in Marc Bernandin's Entertainment Weekly article, he found this film to suffice each fan's geeky expectations. Bernandin writes that: "Me, I thought it was good. Very good, even. But not great". The greatness it lacked was due to the fact that it was a prequel and you'd always expect that the Star Trek will survive this and that. All in all, it was decent film enough to pull in the fans to watch it. Plus Chris Pine is too good looking to ignore. Here's the Star Trek trailer for those intrigued of what's this movie all about:

THE LAST WALTZ

Sometimes when you hear raves about a film you wind up disappointed when you finally see it. Particularly a movie billed as "the greatest xxx" of all time. Not so The Last Waltz. When I finally watched Scorsese's chronicle of The Band's last concert it not only captivated me but led me down the rabbit hole into an immersion of 70s rock that I knew existed (after all I live with the ultimate 70s rock music fan) but didn't really know.

I watched the movie five times in one week. I could say it had to do with Muddy Waters tearing up Mannish Boy, or The Staples Singers soaring on The Weight, or Dry Your Eyes by Neil Diamond or I Shall Be Released by everyone. I could say it had to do with the baroque glowing red stage set, borrowed from an opera company. I could say it had to do with how Scorsese put me on that stage with Clapton, Dylan, Danko, Helm, Hudson, Manuel, Wood, Mitchell, Young, Starr, etc. etc. All would be true. But really it had to do with Robbie Robertson. There's a reason girls love rock stars and guys want to be rock stars and if you watch RR in this movie you'll know why.

Sayonara, George Clooney.

My husband may have rolled his eyes but he gave me the cd box set as a gift and the fall continued ... into an iTunes exploration of everything Emmylou Harris ... which reminded me how much I love Linda Ronstadt ... to more live Neil Diamond (Hot August Night) and more Van Morrison ... and then to Bob Dylan. Did I know Kevin had dozens of Dylan cds stashed in the basement? Yes. Had I ever listened to every single one of them, night after night, for months? Ah, no. But I have now.

DIVA DVD: The Last Waltz. For movie-inspired music picks browse my Amazon store.

Photos from The Band's The Last Waltz 25th anniversary cd box set.

SHUT UP & SING

Thanks to my sis-in-law Susan for this suggestion, a look at the aftermath of Natalie Maine's off-hand comment about George Bush and the Iraq war at a 2003 London Dixie Chicks concert. The power of the film comes from the trio's response to the resulting firestorm of protests, censorship and even death threats. Banned from many country radio stations and dropped by sponsors, they could have split up, given up or begged forgiveness. Instead they stood up for each other and their band and recorded a blistering retort that caught the attention of an entire new audience (myself included) who had no idea they rank as the top selling female recording artists of all time.

DIVA DVD: Shut Up and Sing

Image from cover of Taking The Long Way CD.

WALK THE LINE

How Joaquin Phoenix did not win an Oscar for this role defies all logic. For the singing alone he deserved it, but his performance was so much more than that. Ditto Reese Witherspoon, whose portrayal of June Carter elevates this movie from music biopic to timeless love story. (At least she snagged a shiny little bald guy to put on her mantel.) The duo sound good enough to listen to sans visuals--check out the soundtrack CD, particularly the song It Ain't Me Babe, plus an album from the real Johnny and June, both feature picks in my Amazon store this month.

DIVA DVD: Walk the Line

MY WILD IRISH SOUL

March movie music madness month continues with this pick, in honor of upcoming St. Patrick's day. Share in the tumultuous rise and fall of a soul band in gritty Dublin. As in the movie, the rocking soundtrack features the actual (and amazing) young actors/singers.
DIVA DVD: The Commitments

MAMMA MIA!

Remnants of the snowstorm still cover the streets and temperatures hover in the teens. So tonight I'm taking a vicarious vacation to the Greek Isles and singing Abba tunes along with Meryl & Co. If watching this frothy songfest leaves you wanting more of the fab four, check out Abba Gold: The Greatest Hits CD.
DIVA DVD: Mamma Mia!

COMING TO AMERICA

A sweet story about immigration, racism, mixed-up morality, hard work, the dangers of black coffee and the power of love. Starts slow but pays off in the end.

DIVA DVD: Sweet Land

81st OSCARS: All That Bubbly & No Fizz

Ah, Hugh, you seem like a nice guy but you're no Billy Crystal. Baz, with all your creativity you give us ... a top hat and tails production number? Why oh why do producers of the Academy Awards try to make the show into a Broadway production with movie montages stuffed inside? And with so much talent at their disposal, why can so few winners give a decent acceptance speech? In the background of laundry list thank yous, even the sparkly Swarovski curtain lost its allure. And when Bollywood in Hollywood can't keep things bubbly you know you're in trouble.

It's got to be hard to put on an awards extravaganza in a recession. But Hollywood movies are big business and one of America's biggest exports. They offer escapism, entertainment and sometimes elucidation and art. Certainly that's worthy of celebration.

Perhaps next time the producers should take a page from Kate Winslet, who embodied modern glamour and class, yet still radiated spirit and personal style. She felt comfortable enough on stage to ask her dad for a whistle so she could find him and chose her YSL dress because she found it pretty and thought her mum would like it.


Other things the Oscars could have used more of this year: Tina Fey and Steve Martin's witty repartee; Ben Stiller; original concoctions like Judd Apatow's short film; emotional surprises such as the Best Actress award. "The best kind of surreal," Anne Hathaway later said to describe the moment she and the four other nominees were feted by five "goddesses" in the business. The presenters' star power could have overwhelmed the award itself but fortunately they spoke directly and sincerely to the nominated actresses and gave us the highlight of the evening.

STYLE MANIAC 81st OSCARS SHOW AWARDS:

BOLDEST JEWELRY: In a minimalist year for jewels, Amy Adams' stunning Fred Leighton necklace takes the prize.

MOST MAGNIFICENT MERMAID GOWN EVER: Anne Hathaway and her Armani Prive gown melted onto the red carpet.

WORST TRENDS: Beige, khaki and gowns that resemble drapery.





PRETTIEST MAKEUP: Most of the makeup looked subtle and fresh, but Diane Lane stood out. (Of course, she'd look good with no makeup.)

SWEETEST SPEECH: Penelope Cruz

CHEESIEST COMMERCIAL ENDORSEMENT: Tom Colicchio for Diet Coke. Mr. "honor your ingredients" shilling for soda? Shame on him.





BEST DRESS: Megan Mylan--not even an actress but winner of Best Documentary Short and thus the reason I can't yet find the designer of her dress.

BIGGEST SURPRISE: Robert DeNiro as a presenter (and a funny one!). And he gave the Oscar to the guy who had the...

BEST OPENING LINE: Sean Penn. But then he took out his notes, glasses and list.




BEST SONG: Queen Latifah's I'll Be Seeing You made the obit feature almost bearable.

SMARTEST MOVE: Peter Gabriel refusing to participate in the dreadful Original Song montage.




BEST ACTRESS: Jennifer Aniston, who managed with good grace to ignore her ex and that gal he has all the kids with sitting smack in front of her.

BEST OVERALL: Kate Winslet (see above). Brains, beauty, heart, glamour and talent.

NEXT BIG TREND: All things India and Bollywood, thanks to Slumdog Millionaire.


SURREAL STYLE MANIAC MOMENT: Imagine my surprise after yesterday's post to see a pre-show feature on the Oscars set designer (and famous designer period), David Rockwell. (See his rendering of the stage above.) His Rockwell Group also designed the Kodak Theatre, site of the Academy Awards ceremony.


Photos via AP, Reuters, Yahoo Canada, Oscars.com and InteriorDesign.net.