Are All Aussie Actresses the Same Person?

...or is it just me?

Why Christina Hendricks Should Have an Emmy*

* Yes. I know the writers come up with those details.
No. I will not let go of the fact that she was robbed of her award.

Emmy Wear.

The Emmys are over, the winners didn't suck (although I was a bit sad to see 30 Rock dethroned, at least it was by the worthiest of its competitors) and now it's time to talk clothes.

Best Dressed


January Jones is a risk taker.
The woman probably never wears anything that won't cause a stir among fashion journalists the next day. What's remarkable about her, is how comfortable she always looks in avant garde couture. She doesn't seem to plan ahead, it's as if her choices, as futuristic and loony as they seem, just are.
She pays homage to Madonna, the ocean and her own Betty Francis in this asymmetric Atelier Versace. The loose hair and simple makeup allow the intense color to shine through and even if the shoes could've been a little bit better, the overall look is a winner.


From out there to timeless elegance, Jayma Mays is all kinds of perfect in a dark blue Burberry Prorsum dress. The hair is perfect and that Egypt-inspired necklace gives her the perfect finishing touch.


Oh Tina Fey, why didn't you wear this to the Oscars? This Oscar de la Renta black and grey gown, follows most of the rules Tina plays by on the red carpet and works because of that.
She knows what works for her and whenever she leaves her comfort zone, she ends up looking, well uncomfortable.
Gotta love the argyle-meets-hieroglyphics-by-way-of-Tron embroidery.


Anna Paquin is another risk taker, why would the True Blood star wear Armani or Oscar de la Renta to an awards show, when it's so obvious she can be a bit more kick-ass in Alexander McQueen?
The mid length and long tail bottom is an architectural wonder (see how it flows!) and the bolero inspired top is truly breathtaking. She's like a warrior princess in couture.


Dianna Agron might not have the most interesting character on Glee but she sure showed her other female costars how it's done on the red carpet (Lea Michele should really take a cue from her in how to smile naturally on the red carpet).
Her lace Carolina Herrera might not be the most youthful thing for her to wear but the construction is so delicate and elegant that it works wonders with Agron's Barbie-like features.

Worst Dressed

I love Christina Hendricks but this lavender Zac Posen really didn't do her any favors.
The pale color washes out her already too white skin and those feathers near her already prominent bosom look just plain tacky.
Like something out of a trashy Mae West movie.


Sofía Vergara is beautiful but her glittery Carolina Herrera would be more adequate for a beauty pageant than a red carpet.


Heidi Klum seems to have forgotten the rest of her Marchesa gown at home.
We get that she's one of the most beautiful women around and that she has a killer body after giving birth to a million children but this seems like a too desperate attempt to remind us she matters.


I love Julie Bowen but her J. Mendel dress was a bit of a letdown. The details on her hips are stunning but the top makes her look like a wilting flower.
She joked how she was trying to cover up the baby fat (apparently everyone gave birth before this year's Emmys) but that doesn't mean she should've replaced it with laziness.
Bless her for her beautiful smile though.


Do I need to explain?

Twinkle-twinkle little starlet

Heather Morris and the bottomlessly talented Claire Danes are essentially wearing the same thing. Morris looks wonderful in an Ina Soltani golden dress with a perfect black belt that makes her body look Marilyn worthy.
Danes in Armani Privé looks a bit too pale in her own take of the glittery trend...


...but Dexter's Jennifer Carpenter shows them both how it's done. Her glitter isn't golden or silver but a dark metallic and instead of opting for the oh-so-easy strapless cut, she goes with a magnificent one long sleeve version.
Her luscious hair covers the other shoulder and the entire look might be the sexiest thing of the night.

Did you enjoy the Emmys? Who wore it best in your opinion?

Me Too **1/2

Director: Antonio Naharro, Alvaro Pastor
Cast: Lola Dueñas, Pablo Pineda
Isabel García Lorca, Pedro Alvarez-Ossorio, Antonio Naharro
María Bravo, Lourdes Naharro, Daniel Parejo, Catalina Lladó

Films about people with disabilities, mental disorders and all other assortment of "different" qualities, have already won half the battle by dealing with these subjects (See? Even the word "won" seems politically incorrect placed there).
Such films, even those of the lowest quality, can brag about dealing with tough subjects and sparking conversation and debate among the audience.
And how could they not, if we live in a world where the slightest mention of "being different" brings out opinions from everyone.
These movies are also usually relieved of dealing with artistic criticism in the way other projects are, since it becomes impossible to discuss them without turning the disability into a main focal point. Just think about how differently we would perceive the Mona Lisa if we knew she had a terminal disease when she sat down to be painted or how many actors would be award-less if they hadn't played someone with a disability.
In the case of Me Too, the disability is Down's syndrome, the sufferer is Daniel (Pineda), a thirty-something from Seville, who graduated college and leads an almost traditional life despite his condition.
Daniel starts working at the Andalucía Board where he meets and falls in love with Laura (Dueñas), a promiscuous, hard drinking, social worker from Madrid.
Their friendship becomes controversial in the eyes of others. Their co-workers, most of whom refer to Daniel as a "kid", think Laura is just a cock-tease who will leave him empty, while Daniel's overprotective mother (García Lorca) wishes her son would adapt to his condition and begins to regret the way she brought him up.
It's one of those "against all odds" stories we've seen before with the added disadvantage of a chromosomal disorder.
The best thing the movie has going for it, is the fact that it tries-hard and selfconsciously- to make Daniel seem "normal" (this is the word used throughout the movie) and Pineda's charm makes this work to a certain degree.
The actor is known for his personal achievements in the face of adversity, so perhaps he's playing a version of himself in the film. Still, this doesn't diminish his chemistry with the other actors and his interaction with the camera.
He turns Daniel into someone funny and real. He's rarely condescending towards himself and because of this makes it hard for other characters to do so.
Yet despite his best efforts to look past Down's syndrome, the movie often reduces his character's essence to how the disorder affects him and somehow it's impossible to ask, how could it not?
Whenever Daniel does something remarkable, you're almost automatically driven to think he's doing it despite his condition and when he fails, it's hard not to attribute this to the syndrome as well.
His entire character arc is based on a Catch 22 that makes it hard for him to achieve what he wants. But the major flaw in Me Too isn't that it does this with Daniel but that it also does it with Laura.
Instead of letting her become her own, obviously flawed, person, towards the end of the movie we receive a facile explanation to make us understand why Laura fears emotions so much. In a way they compare her emotional insensitivity to Down's syndrome.
It's fortunate for Laura that she is played with such conviction by the wonderful Dueñas though, despite the writing flaws and the filmmaker's tendency to patronize her, she turns Laura into a real force of nature.
The actress plays with her greatest qualities to make Laura someone completely irresistible. Watching her move to the music in a club and then squirm after a random sexual encounter is enough for us to understand who she is. We don't need to know her entire past, and much less have it read to us (quite literally too).
A lot can be said by the mere fact that Laura is often more moving than Daniel. She is so damaged, and often damaging, that her character is the one that stays with you after the credits start rolling.
Unlike Daniel whose pain seems more superfluous (because we never know if his ability to get over things is because of the syndrome or because of his personality...or if these two even are connected) Laura's is more affecting because it will move on with her.
That Dueñas is able of "stealing" the film from someone with a disability pretty much defines what your post-theater debate will consist of.

Style Sunday.

This week, the lovely Drew Barrymore shows us how to make the most out of the same pair of shoes. In her case they're YSL pumps of course but bear with me to see the functionality she finds in a unique color (it's not neutral and it's not extreme either).
First she does casual for a TV show taping in a Richard Chai top, Camilla & Marc trousers and accessorizes with almost nothing but a discreet snake ring and her California girl lovely loose tresses.
Also, is there anyone in Hollywood with a sweeter smile?


Next she takes it to the red carpet with a stunning Malandrino dress with golden embroidery but she gives it an edge with a rocker-chic Balmain belt and the aforementioned pumps.
It's lovely to see Drew work so well with a stylist after being part of some utter fashion disasters.

Do you say yay or nay?

Sheet-y Saturday.

Where we take a look at posters for upcoming features.


I could start making all sorts of snobby jokes about the fact that Ryan Reynolds is in a movie called Buried. I won't.
Instead let's praise the people behind the utterly brilliant marketing campaign for this horror movie. The teaser above is all kinds of magnificent. No title, no floating heads, we can't even see who the star is and yet we are drawn to that little yellow box. Once we see what's inside, there's a pervading, almost perverse, feeling of claustrophobia that takes over you.


If the teaser above wasn't enough, take a look at how they worked with-and not around-the tacky critics' blurbs that usually make posters feel degrading and whorish.
The way in which the words are arranged, gives the poster a tri-dimensional feeling, as if each quote was a step of sorts, perhaps a layer of ground, to get to the center of the concept.
Take a closer look and you'll read stuff like "would have made Hitchcock proud!" (they should've added Saul Bass too). I for one am honestly eager to watch a Reynolds movie for the first time in my life.

Did these images achieve that for you too?

I'm Just Wild About Annie.

I ran into this picture of Anne Hathaway on location and the first thing that came to my head was "OMG she's finally doing the Judy Garland movie!".
In what seems to be late 60's fashion she looks as wonderful as usual (gotta love the bright red lips) but turns out this was for another movie instead.
Anne is currently shooting One Day alongside Jim Sturgess. The film is directed by Lone Scherfig and based on David Nicholls' bestseller. Amazon.com is recommending this book to me all the time and now I know Anne liked it, it has honestly sparked my curiosity.
Any of you read it?