- Sunday, September 27, 2015
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The weekend delivered one of the most important nights in television: the Emmys! You all know by now that I'm a sucker for a good red carpet dress, and there were plenty to choose from on Sunday. Whilst Game of Thrones and Olive Kitteridge had a victorious night, some of these actresses were definitely winners in my eyes :)
Emma Roberts - Ahead of her new television series Scream Queens, Emma wore a custom made Jenny Packham gown...so classic and chic!
Lady Gaga - Almost unrecognisable! I went to a TV filming of hers several years ago where she wore a dress made of hair, and a bald cap. So it's safe to say Gaga has come a long way since then, going for the classic black dress and looking demure.
Taylor Schilling - The Orange is the New Black actress stunned in yellow Stella McCartney. Bold and bright but suited her perfectly.
Sarah Hyland - This off the shoulder Zac Posen dress is gorgeous. I absolutely love the colour and the fact that all her accessories were colour matched.
(Images from Getty Images)
Lady Gaga - Almost unrecognisable! I went to a TV filming of hers several years ago where she wore a dress made of hair, and a bald cap. So it's safe to say Gaga has come a long way since then, going for the classic black dress and looking demure.
Taylor Schilling - The Orange is the New Black actress stunned in yellow Stella McCartney. Bold and bright but suited her perfectly.
Sarah Hyland - This off the shoulder Zac Posen dress is gorgeous. I absolutely love the colour and the fact that all her accessories were colour matched.
Maisie Williams - Baby pink Ermanno Scervino for 18 year old Maisie Williams. I love the structure, the shoes, and the understated elegance of it all.
Claire Danes - Pretty dazzling in Prada! This is the way to do sequins without looking like a 80s, 90s disco. Her hair is fantastic too; on days like these I really wish I could pull that off.
Amy Poehler - So gutted she didn't win an Emmy, but she did look great on the red carpet in Michael Kors. And so my love for Parks and Recreation and Amy grows...
Zoe Kazan - It almost hurts my eyes, but in a good way. Optical illusions on a Miu Miu dress? 2 in 1 bonus.
(Images from Getty Images)
- Wednesday, September 23, 2015
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And Fashion Week has officially arrived in London. I miss London already! The most quintessentially British name, Burberry, hit the catwalks again. This time, digital-savvy Burberry had already premiered designs on Snapchat because they're so darn cool. With a 32-piece orchestra, Alison Moyet on vocals, and a front row featuring Kate Moss, Benedict Cumberatch, and Sienna Miller, it must have been a spectacular start.
Colours are pretty minimalistic (black, nudes and gold), with some really pretty gold military-style embroidery, backpacks and netting. And lots of black coats. There's a sense of strength and femininity in the same piece, plus some wildcard coloured items.
Colours are pretty minimalistic (black, nudes and gold), with some really pretty gold military-style embroidery, backpacks and netting. And lots of black coats. There's a sense of strength and femininity in the same piece, plus some wildcard coloured items.
- Tuesday, September 22, 2015
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There have been many James Dean biopics over the years (one notably starring James Franco), and this time it's Dane DeHaan as the free-spirited iconic actor. He gets the mannerisms and daydreamy voice spot on; he's charming and embodies the Rebel Without A Cause star so eloquently. That intense but laidback smoulder...DeHaan is oddly captivating. Dean is still a rising star, and so the journey is tracked in the time before his final films. If you know the story and life of James Dean, you'll recognise the importance of this.
Interestingly, Life doesn't really focus closely on any of Dean's acting nor films nor success. Instead, photographer Dennis Stock (played by Robert Pattinson) is working for Life magazine and desperately trying to capture the essence of this unknown James Dean for a story. It's a man chasing (/stalking) an actor for a photoshoot, not all the glamour on a movie set. It's Hollywood without the actual Hollywood. And to a certain extent, it works. Pattinson's character, Stock, can come across as an obsessed man with a camera, but there are elements of clever awkwardness and the beginnings of a kind-of eventual friendship. There were moments even I felt rather awkward at the gaps in conversation and the weird nature of the relationship - with the sexual orientation of Dean constantly in debate, there are almost flirtatious exchanges on Dean's part. There's definitely some sort of strange chemistry.
The film shows subtle understanding of the golden age Hollywood machine and conforming to it as the only way to success. James Dean was the guy with a passion for acting and desire for individuality; a rebel to the system facing an obvious struggle to do so. Stock, on the other hand, acts as a great tool to help tell the story, and it's clearly a true story as well. Robert Pattinson has moments of understated greatness, but there are scenes where he's playing the world's worst dad and I'm reminded of Kristen Stewart's wooden exchanges in - you guessed it - Twilight.
Eventually, there's a road trip and family time with Dean in his element at home in Indiana - a stark contrast from the bright lights of the red carpet. Each photo captured is a very personal moment, seeming as authentic as possible to the real images. (Just wait until the credits.) There's also performances from Sir Ben Kingsley and Joel Edgerton too, so Life has a pretty impressive list of contributors if you think about it.
Overall, Life is about more than just the Life of famous actor James Dean. At the same time, the film is a pretty flat line - it never really raises the roof and everything is done very quietly. At times I wasn't quite sure if the storyline was actually compelling enough, and I'm still not entirely convinced. If you're very familiar with Dean's body of work, however, you'll be in for a treat and a new perspective. DeHaan's very impressive performance is also a standout one. And hey, if you happened to see James Franco's performance in 2001 too, you'll be able to decide which Green Goblin did it better!
Life will be released in the UK on 25th September. USA will have to wait until 4th December. Oh well, that's Life.
- Tuesday, September 22, 2015
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A brand new Mockingjay Part 2 trailer has just been released. Get goosebumps; it's called 'For Prim' and it's emotional.
I've been a Hunger Games fan since finishing the first book in one night as a teenager (the classic torch under the covers trick). Also, The Hunger Games was one of the first film premieres I ever attended, so it's coming around full circle now!
The final instalment of the wildly successful Hunger Games series is in UK cinemas on 19th November. Tickets go on sale on 1st October. On your marks, set...
- Wednesday, September 16, 2015
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Can I just say how much I LOVE Jenny Packham? Her dresses are simply gorgeous and I struggle not to like them. For her latest collection, she has stated her desire to interlink contrasting masculine and feminine elements into one showstopping outfit.
Fabulous floral prints? Tick. Oscar-worthy dresses? Tick. The embellishments which made me fall in love with her designs in the first place? Big Tick. Packham has packed an English rose garden in her suitcase to New York and delivered once again.
Fabulous floral prints? Tick. Oscar-worthy dresses? Tick. The embellishments which made me fall in love with her designs in the first place? Big Tick. Packham has packed an English rose garden in her suitcase to New York and delivered once again.
This time, all the models on the catwalk wore their hair down and relatively unstyled. Recreate that, and add a bright pop of red/crimson lipstick for a slightly more casual occasionwear.
- Tuesday, September 15, 2015
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Posh or Sporty? Our favourite popstar-turned-mega-designer is back with a surfer-inspired collection for Spring/Summer 16. It's different and bold and beautiful.
With some retro vibes, loud prints, ode to the Great British gingham, and some elegant white dresses in the mix, Victoria Beckham shows no signs of getting boring. You'd even be forgiven for thinking she showcased several different collections. Possibly my favourite element of this range is the flattering, ladylike shape of the skirts and dresses - not quite maxi, but nearly.
The outfits were paired with very simple understated make-up...pretty easy to replicate at home!!
I personally adore the balance of simple colours paired with some bright prints. If you can't wait til next Spring/Summer, simply take a white top or skirt and match with your most patterned item of clothing. Careful clashing is allowed!
I wasn't expecting this collection from VB, I'll be honest, but she captures the laidback effortless cool of surfers brilliantly.
With some retro vibes, loud prints, ode to the Great British gingham, and some elegant white dresses in the mix, Victoria Beckham shows no signs of getting boring. You'd even be forgiven for thinking she showcased several different collections. Possibly my favourite element of this range is the flattering, ladylike shape of the skirts and dresses - not quite maxi, but nearly.
The outfits were paired with very simple understated make-up...pretty easy to replicate at home!!
I personally adore the balance of simple colours paired with some bright prints. If you can't wait til next Spring/Summer, simply take a white top or skirt and match with your most patterned item of clothing. Careful clashing is allowed!
I wasn't expecting this collection from VB, I'll be honest, but she captures the laidback effortless cool of surfers brilliantly.
- Tuesday, September 15, 2015
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Exciting news...
Bev
x
Update: We've changed! It is a new season after all.. More updates to come so stay tuned :)
Update: We've changed! It is a new season after all.. More updates to come so stay tuned :)
- Monday, September 14, 2015
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The mustard yellow is one of my all-time favourite colours, and recently I've been spotting it everywhere. Living in beautiful Italia, I've walked past glamorous women casually wearing full-length mustard dresses and looking effortlessly sunny and stunning. Vanessa Hudgens pulled off a gorgeous backless gown by Galia Lahav at the 2015 Industry Dance Awards. And more recently, Gigi Hadid wore a brighter bodysuit-slash-dress by Emilia Wickstead to the VMAs.
The colour is gorgeous. Which is why I simply had to wear it to this year's Venice Film Festival. Instead of a dress, I managed to find a matching crochet top and maxi dress combo in the same shade of mustard yellow. A perfect match for the red carpet, but equally walking the streets of Venice too.
I'll never get bored of wearing this colour.
In fact, actress Miranda Otto was also spotted wearing a similar shade at the Venice Film Festival premiere of Equals.
If you want to get the look, Mango has a fabulous chiffon dress currently on sale at ASOS.
With all the Fashion Weeks fast approaching, I'll be looking out to see how this colour's styled on the catwalks! Keep your eyes peeled.
- Wednesday, September 09, 2015
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I have some very exciting news... I have moved to Italy! Yup, the home of Beview is now the land of lasagne and gelato. No doubt there will be a shift to some foodie reviews and posts in the coming weeks. Anyway, Italy is currently the home of this season's biggest film festival: Venice Film Festival. I simply couldn't miss it, so this weekend I took a trip to magnificent Venezia and the premiere of Johnny Depp's latest film: Black Mass.
Let's talk more Johnny Depp. Traditionally, he seems to come alive most when fully in character, especially in visual form (Jack Sparrow, Willy Wonka, Edward Scissorhands...you name it). His transformation as Whitey makes you barely recognise him, with the slick receding hair and those piercing ice blue eyes. Then you add that invisible cold, authoritative swagger and you know he means business. You know he's bad, you know he's a terrible criminal; yet Depp's character is truly transfixing. If you're a Depp fan, his stellar performance alone makes the film worth watching, but of course, there are many more credible reasons.
The story is told retrospectively, in a pretty straightforward narrative manner. There's nothing over-complicated about it. Perhaps it seems a little too simple at times, but you have to remember not every film is an Inception plot twist after twist one. You kind of know where the story is heading - especially if you're already familiar with the factual context - but there are still scenes which have you on the edge of your seat.
There's corruption, major question marks on who is 'good', especially when the FBI come into question. How far would you go, what lines would you cross, and would you feel guilt? Edgerton plays FBI agent John Connolly who creates an interesting alliance with Bulger in order to take down the Italian mob in Boston. Of course, I'm not sure many people would consider this a sensible idea, but his character is convinced, and Edgerton is convincing. It's a terrific performance and early reviews are already calling out Edgerton and Depp, even though there are great contributions to the more minor characters played by Benedict Cumberbatch (who nails the accent), Dakota Johnson (who made me feel quite emotional at one point!) and Julianne Nicholson.
Other things worth noting are the excellent make-up and transportation to the 70s - think American Hustle but a lot less glam. There are graphic violent scenes which you'd expect from a gangster movie; I'll warn you I had to do the whole look-to-the-ceiling/hide thing several times.
Black Mass is buzz-worthy. It's chilling and menacing, and I thought the acting was terrifically believable. It's not ground-breaking, however. I doubt it will be many people's 'best' film of 2015, but it's certainly one you'll pin down as a 'good' film. No, it's not flashy; yes, it is understated. It's a solid biopic, and good gangster film. Time will tell if it's a hit with the audiences and academies, but for now I will say it was a great film for my first Venice Film Festival visit and definitely one to watch when it's released later in September.
Watch the trailer here:
Black Mass is released in UK cinemas on 27th November. Other audiences will only have to wait til 18th September. Sorry, UK.
- Monday, September 07, 2015
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