In which we take a break from shopping to gaze at pretty pictures and read about things that caught my fancy this week.
This weekend I saw and fell in love with An Education, in which Jenny, a plain sixteen-year-old, is transformed from Oxford-bound cellist at an all-girls prepatory to enviably chic girl about town, zipping around 60’s London in Peter Sarsgaard’s beautiful red Bristol and keeping company with a crew of fun-loving, fast-living, art-world dilettantes. The gorgeous period wardrobe filled me with want for everything from the decidedly unsexy school uniforms to très Parisienne cocktail dresses and coats that would make Holly Golightly weak in the knees. The interiors, covered in wallpapers that would’ve faded into loveliness by now, were positively swoonworthy. From the kitchen to the classroom, I loved it all. The acting is spot-on, with Sarsgaard’s rakishness and practiced seduction playing beautifully to Carey Mulligan‘s adolescent naivete. Rosamund Pike is delightful as a pretty but dim gadabout, convinced that academia will turn Jenny into an ugly troll, and Emma Thompson is perfect as Jenny’s tough, unempathetic headmistress. Skip the melodramatic trailer -- the film is a lot more subtle than the preview implies -- and do download the soundtrack (Mel Tormé’s "Comin’ Home Baby" is my fave). Some stills:
Speaking of precocious adolescents, Dakota Fanning looks all grown up in her recent Teen Vogue editorial. Refinery29 has the scoop. Having already played muse for Marc Jacobs, the child star, now 15, is the fashion world’s latest debutante. With her delicate, still child-like face, wan complexion, transparent blue eyes, and slender limbs, I can see her gracing the pages of many a glossy. While she looks lovely and is fully entitled to age as a normal human being, I find it a bit worrisome. Will she go the way of fallen teen actresses before her or take the Emma Watson road to likable, preternaturally chic co-ed? As intrigued as I am by her foray into the fashion world, I’m more interested in her choice of film roles. I’m hoping her career trajectory more closely resembles that of Natalie Portman than LiLo.
She's playing a cougar, already?
That's more like it.
I can’t believe I only just discovered yogurt, so late in life. My morning routine now involves La Yogurt’s strawberry flavored goodness, of which I am a steadfast consumer, but I’d be willing to switch over to this just for the lovely packaging. Via {frolic!}:
Has anyone else noticed that the Vena Cava girls have great film recs on their blog? Add these to your Netflix queue, stat.
P.S. - Yes, I’m aware that Sunday was yesterday, but I choose to view the delay as a sign of a good weekend.
Photo credit:
1-4) www.sonypictures.com
5 & 6) www.teenvogue.com
7) www.elseachelsea.typepad.com/frolic
I loved that film too. I thought the actors who played the parents also did an amazing job.
ReplyDeletethey were! i thought the dad in particular was pitch perfect.
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