It's back. Mad Men returns to AMC this Sunday at 9/8c with a two-hour premiere, and I couldn't be more excited. In preparation for the premiere, I've totally been surfing the net for Mad Men party ideas! Okay, I won't be having a party--R's not even here, he's away on business--but a girl can imagine what a Mad Men party might entail, can't she?
Oh boy, I'm definitely going to be one of those old women who has theme parties every month.
What new or returning television series are you looking forward to most this season?
The Toronto International Film Festival kicked off yesterday and considering my lack of preparation to purchase tickets this year (and every year), I couldn't be more excited! Although I missed out on (most of) my top choices, I manage to squeeze by with a few flick tix.
Here are a few of the films I'll be seeing over the course of the week:
Trishna: Self-effacing British auteur Michael Winterbottom sets
his unique spin on Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles against a
contemporary Indian backdrop. The beautiful Freida Pinto stars as the
titular Trishna, a young woman who is seduced by the wealthy son of a
property developer. As the romance develops, their relationship also
becomes increasingly sordid and volatile.
Cafe de Flore: Jean-Marc Vallee returns to French-language
filmmaking with this powerful and unconventional love story
that weaves together two disparate narratives to create a tale
of emotion and destiny. The stories center on a devoted mother
(Vanessa Paradis) of a young boy with Down syndrome in 1969 Paris,
abd a successful DJ (Kevin Parent) who is going through an
emotiomal divorce in present-day Montreal.
Behold the Lamb: Firmly lodged between slapstick and
tragedy, Behold the Lamb follows a dodgy duo--rough, tough
and pregnant junkie Liz (Aoife Duffin) and middle-aged loser
Eddie (Nigel O'Neill)--as they course through the Northern
Irish countryside en route to the weirdest score of their lives.
Hotel Swooni: Kat Beels' debut feature explores the destructive
consequences of living a lie when six seemingly unrelated
individuals descend upon Hotel Swooni, an oasis where the wealthy spend
idyllic sunny afternoons lounging by the rooftop pool. Beels ultimately
exposes the darker picture lurking beneath the surface.
Brit Marling, lead actress, co-writer, and producer of Another Earth. I saw this film over the weekend, and was blown away--it was really good. It's sci-fi meets drama meets thriller. And don't let 'sci-fi' scare you away if you're not usually a fan of the genre--this film is totally worth seeing. Marling's performance is wonderful, the cinematography is lovely, and of course, the screenplay itself is so well-written (so well). This one's high on my list of recommended must-see films this summer.
See here for an interview with Brit Marling about the film.
Okay, so I'm not going to start writing all of my posts in French, but I just got back from Montreal on Friday and the other night, R and I went to see Midnight in Paris, so you can understand why I might be a little smitten with the French--the idea of France, Europe, ya' know?
I was visiting my good friend C in Montreal, Quebec and she's bilingual, so she was able to translate if need be. However, from trying to read signs in French and order food--Je voudrais une poutine grosse = I would like a large poutine (which is all you need to know in Quebec)--I was able to make out a bit of the language. I even did a boxing class all in French, and even if my girlfriend hadn't been there, I think I would've been okay.
I studied French all throughout high school (I also studied German for three years, Spanish for one, and Portuguese for another), but unless you use the language, you lose it. Reason number one why I should make a trip to France.
As wonderful as the language is, though, enough about that. Other reasons why France has swept me off my feet? Well, sadly, a film. I've never been to Europe, let alone France, so my idea of Paris, say, is limited. Yet, if I had to create a collage representative of what I thought Paris was like, a lot of the images in last night's film would have been included. The architecture, the pretty little details of cobblestone roads and ornate decoration, the fine dining, and yet, the elegant simplicity of the lifestyle.
I used to dream of traveling to Japan or Indonesia, but R would always mention how we should make a trip to Paris. While Japan and Indonesia still top my list, Paris doesn't seem like a such a bad idea after all.
I highly recommend seeing Midnight in Paris. I haven't seen many Woody Allen films, so if you're a fan, maybe you wouldn't consider this one of his finer works--personally, I have no idea, but I thought the film was fantastic. If you are interested in seeing it, definitely see it on the big screen. The images alone are gorgeous to look at. The film is romantic and smart, with a light and fun humour.
Gwyneth Paltrow--okay, ever since my friend, Christina, introduced me to Gwyneth's blog, GOOP, I've become a superfan. I don't know what it is, but every time I find out something about a celebrity that's 'normal', so to speak--that's not so 'celebrity'--I get really excited. Really, really excited.
As an actor myself, I find that a lot of the actors I know are only acting. And while there is nothing wrong with this, it's refreshing to meet actors who have alternative interests. Personally, I have so many other things on my plate besides acting, it's sometimes difficult to balance everything--but we make it work, and that's what I love so much about actors who do have other interests. They're busy, too--trying to make a living and hone their craft--but like Gwyneth for instance, they make time to travel, cook, entertain and be entertained, spend time with their families...the list goes on.
So, as it stands, I'm (a little) Gwyneth-obsessed.
First, I love, love, love her blog. If you aren't familiar with GOOP, go now! It's a lifestyle blog that has everything from travel guides and home organization tips to fitness advice and recipes. One of my favourite recipes that Gwyneth shares is for bibimbap--so delicious.
Second, Gwyneth's first cookbook just hit stores. It's called My Father's Daughter and pays tribute to her father through family and family-inspired recipes. I've already ordered a copy on Amazon.com--you should do the same.
Third, in addition to cooking and sharing fantastic recipes, the Oscar-winning mama sings!--check her out in Country Strong, in which she plays a fallen country star trying to make a comeback.Or take a looksie at the video below to see Gwyneth on Glee(love).
Other celebs I'm a big fan of because they aren't all acting, all the time?James Franco and Natalie Portman. I love both as actors, but I also look up to them a lot insofar as they have both attained degrees of higher-education (while working as actors)--as I'm trying to do right now (I'm sure there are other celebs who have, too, but these are all I've got...).
Natalie went to Harvard for psychology while she was filming Stars Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. This past February, she won an Oscar for the her role in Black Swan.
James received his MFA from Colombia in 2010 and is currently working on his PhD in English at Yale University. On top of hosting the Oscars this year, he was nominated for an Academy Award for his role in 127 Hours. He's also a film director, producer, screenwriter, author, and painter--code for: he does way too much.
So, as an actor and a masters student (and cupcake artist / fitness fanatic / entrepreneur / blogger / girlfriend), I often get down on myself for being in school and not focusing on my acting as much as I'd like to be--and of course, not having enough time for everything else. But that's why I love Gwyneth, Natalie, and James. They inspire me to keep pushing forward. They inspire me to do all the things that I want to do. To get an education, to be an artist, to have dreams as a careerwoman.
Don't get me wrong. People in my everyday life inspire me to push forward and be the best person I can be, too--ahem, my parents, my boyfriend? They'realways inspiring me.
It doesn't have to be everything about one person that inspires you. Maybe you're inspired by a particular person's style, their mantra, their talent, their way of life. Who is currently inspiring you?
School. Stressed. Ugh. Me. Oh. My. And it's only Monday--holiday Monday for some.
Here's a short clip from It's Kind of A Funny Story that (sort of) reflects whats going on in my head right now--tambourines, animal-print pleather, glitter, and everything.
On a more positive note, I'm feeling productive today--unlike the past few days, when all I've wanted to do is eat cake and nap with my cat.
So, let's do this. Let's do some research, write a paper, and maybe eat cake, too.
