Work it out.

Ah summertime.  While many choose to make the most of the beautiful weather by experiencing the great outdoors, and exercising outside the confines of the gym, I will burn my calories through movie watching osmosis.  Ten points to anyone who can name the origin of each GIF.

Zombie engagement

If I ever get engaged, I don't know if I'll have the patience to to endure a photo shoot that's bound to be hours long.  If I do, I hope that I can get as creative as this couple who shunned the once artsy, now typical hipster photo shoot, in favor of something truly unique and memorable.

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J'adore: AMERICA!

I’m proud to be an American, and I sincerely wish some of these items were free.  This post is about a month and a half late, but there are a couple of lust worthy pieces all inspired by Americana that I’ve recently fallen in love with.  I couldn’t wait until next July 4 to share.

Jeanine Payer is a San Francisco based jewelry designer with a significant celebrity following, popular for her engraved pieces featuring memorable quotes or lines from poems.  Her 18K Hepburn ring could easily be mistaken for a signet ring, but this piece is embellished with ten small diamonds around a quote by one of America’s most famous poets: Walt Whitman.  The quote reads, “I do not ask any more delight, I swim in it as a sea.”

I’m a huge history nerd, so in the process of trying to find items to decorate my new apartment I stumbled upon an antique flag dealer who specializes in procuring American flags and political memorabilia from the 19^th century.  My favorite item was the pair of framed McKinley/Roosevelt & Bryan/Stevenson campaign flags from the 1900 election.  For something more moderately priced, there prints from an artist on Etsy of five different presidents each battling zombies, big foot or riding a grizzly bear.

Another great Etsy find is the t-shirt by urban clothing designer Culture Attack.  Though President Lincoln is barely recognizable beneath the eye patch and bandanna, the portrait of everyone’s favorite abolitionist is available on four different colored cotton shirts.  At $26 a piece, it’s a steal compared to the D&G tanks that are equally fantastic.

Though D&G is an Italian fashion house, they have a knack for putting American icons on clothing.  My favorite from this season is the Steve McQueen tank, and the Elvis shirt from last season.  Both are sold out, but LUISAVIAROMA has an interesting selection of Kylie Minogue shirts left.

We Need to Talk About Kevin

Out on December 2, "We Need to Talk About Kevin" stars Tilda Swinton as the mother of a teenage boy who goes on a shooting spree in his high school.  I wish this film was coming out around Halloween, and not the holidays.  It looks so fantastically creepy with numerous laughing clowns sprinkled throughout the trailer, and Tilda's non-existant eyebrows.



Just relax

I love this picture, and cannot wait for the 2012 campaigns to kick into high gear.

Let's not forget her response to the State of the Union on behalf of the Tea Party...

Fall Television Picks

Already scheduled on my DVR: Top Five Returning Shows

Sons of Anarchy –FX (Tuesday, Sept 6)

Last season "Sons of Anarchy" got a bit off track with the club flying halfway across the world in search of a kidnapped baby.  This season show creator Kurt Sutter promises to bring the focus back to the existing tensions within SAMCRO.

  

Community – NBC (Thursday, Sept 22)

A show that’s wildly popular amongst its fans returns this fall to NBC for its third season.  Though it may be difficult to jump into "Community" without having seen the previous two seasons, the show rewards its fans by being uber-meta. 

Parks and Recreation – NBC (Thursday, Sept 22)

I began watching "Parks and Rec" at the recommendation of a friend, and have no regrets adding this comedy to my already packed television schedule.  This underrated NBC show is less quirky than "Community," and has the charm and shine that "The Office" lost long ago.

Boardwalk Empire –HBO (Sunday, Sept 25)

This critic favorite drama returns to HBO one week after the Emmy Awards, for which it has been nominated in 18 different categories, including Best Drama.  If doubters aren’t impressed by the season two preview, then I’m going to assume their favorite show is "The Big Bang Theory."

Walking Dead –AMC (Sunday, Oct 16)

With all the budget cuts at AMC there have been some questions about how the second season of The Walking Dead will hold up, especially with the loss of showrunner Frank Darabont.  If the writers remain unafraid of killing off main characters and making bold plot decisions, season two may be even better than season one.

  

Tell me more: Top Three New Shows
(Previews after the jump)

Phone tapping

Banksy on the phone tapping scandal:

Don't fuck with me, Rodrigo.

There still hasn't been a great comedy out since the original "Hangover."  Some girls wistfully argue that "Bridesmaids" was just as good as Judd Apatow's "Knocked Up," or "Superbad," but I just don't buy it.  "The Sitter" which stars Jonah Hill, looks like it could be one of those unexpected comedic hits.  

The Jersey Turnpike

Season four of The Jersey Shore premiered tonight, and just like The Hills, America’s favorite reality show has become overly produced, and less real.

I've Got A Secret

August Oscar Predix

Back in March I posted a very early prediction of what the top movies would be leading up to the 2012 Oscars.  Now that the summer movie season is winding down the studios will begin to roll out their award fodder, so I’ve updated my top ten list and included three possible replacement choices.

1.) A Dangerous Method (November 11)

You've Got Mail

Long, long ago the only way of communicating with someone over long distance was through snail mail, but today sending a letter has taken a backseat to emailing and texting.  There is still something romantic, sentimental and nostalgic about sending and receiving mail.  It demonstrates a certain level of care, thought and detail that digital messaging just cannot convey.  Through August 15, Snail Mail My Email, an interactive community art project, aims to cultivate appreciation for the lost art of letter writing by offering anyone with access to computer a chance to have their emails transformed into a handwritten letter.

Showrunners

Slated for release in 2012, the feature length documentary "Showrunners" takes a look inside the world of television writers.  The filmmakers interviewed the creators of "Lost," "House" and "Sons of Anarchy" among many others.  It's a film that will appeal to anyone who's passionate about quality television programming.

The Living Doll

Japan is undoubtedly the global leader in creepy robot creations.  The most recent development on that front is the clone doll.  For $1750 CloneFactory will create a 3D printed digital composite of the customer on a twenty-inch doll.  Haven’t they seen the episode of “The Twilight Zone” titled The Living Doll?

J'adore: August

Over the course of the summer there have been a few lustworthy items that have truly caught my eye.

Though the iPad is an electronic, it’s also a functional, sleek accessory.  Just like a bag, shoes or jewelry, the case covering an iPad is a way for the owner to express themselves.  For something basic there’s Apple’s signature black cover, for a more fashionable option there’s Burberry’s leather metallic cover, for a classic look Smythson offers bright crocodile covers.  For iPad owners who want something with a bit of character, Twelve South has created a handmade, hardback case for the iPad that looks like a vintage, leather bound book.  At $69 it’s a bargain.

Handmade in Columbia with fine Spanish cotton, Salua Lingerie’s boyfriend nightshirt is a flattering and comfortable sleepwear option. Each season they offer a number of different designs including dresses, shirts and separates, and unlike men’s clothing, Salua’s designs are lightweight, soft and tailored for women. Whenever I wear this shirt I try to find a reason to stay at home and not change into normal clothes.

Me & Ro jewelry designer Robin Renzi operates her business out of her New York City workroom, and attracted celebrity clientele including Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow and Charlize Theron. The half-inch heart pendent is made of hand-carved fossilized ivory, and set in 18K gold. The necklace is on the pricey end, but be layered beautifully with other necklaces and is a piece that remains in a woman’s jewelry collection for life


An eye-catching t-shirt can easily transform a dull outfit into one that’s chic and interesting.  I’ve recently fallen in love with three different t-shirt designers, one from Argentina and two from France, each with very different aesthetics. French brand Maison Labiche pays tribute to music stars with line drawings of album covers on their t-shirts.  One of their more simple designs features the names of iconic figures in literature, like Gatsby and Holden Caufield, and movie characters like Luke Skywalker. Drug Money Art, is the creation of Argentine surfer Tin Ojeda. Each shirt is hand painted or screened, featuring sayings like, “Beauty is Boring,” photos of Great White sharks, or Ojeda’s drawings.  The young French street brand Quatre Cent Quinze offers a small selection of unisex shirts with eye-popping screen prints.

The small cross body bag has become rather popular over the past year, offering a less cumbersome option for those who like the small compact nature of a clutch, but prefer to have their hands free.  The Mini Miss Wu is Jason Wu’s new cross body bag.  The python purse is available in the three primary colors, but the cobalt is by far the most striking choice.  Diane Kruger was spotted earlier this month wearing the scarlet red mini bag.

Downton Abbey: Season Two

British period drama, “Downton Abbey” is schedule to return to American television on January 8, 2012 as a part of PBS’s Masterpiece Theater.  Earlier this month the show’s executive producers and cast appeared at the Television Critics Association press tour and revealed details of the upcoming second season.

The timeline of season two will be similar to season one, spanning from 1916 through the end of the First World War.  Nearly all of the characters will be returning, with the exception of Gwen and one who has yet to be revealed.  While the focal point of season two will be the affects of the war on Downton and its inhabitants, the plight of Crawley daughters’ love lives will not be far from the spotlight. 

Another Masterpiece hit that’s scheduled to return in 2012 is the updated BBC version of “Sherlock Holmes”, which beat out Downton at this year’s BAFTA awards.

Brave

On Friday, Pixar debuted its twelfth feature film, "Cars 2."  The consensus is that it's Pixar's weakest film, and I have to say I agree.  While Pixar's animation is superior to all other CGI films, the stories that they tell are what make each film so beloved.  "Cars 2" felt recycled, and the new characters introduced were heavily underutilized.  Luckily, the trailer for next years feature, "Brave" has been released and it gives Pixar fans something to look forward to.

Wedding this weekend y'all!

My Kermy...

I'll forgive Jason Segal's work on a CBS sitcom if this movie is good.  Fingers crossed.  I'm not the biggest Muppets fan in the world, but the plot does sound pretty good..  Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) try to save the Muppet Theater from being bulldozed by Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) who wants to drill for oil discovered beneath the theater.  Gary, Mary and Kermit must reunite the rest of the Muppets for The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater.  The only problem is all the muppets have gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate 

Game of Thrones, episode six

Last night was the episode six of "Game of Thrones."  Below is a list of this week's winners and losers.  Be warned there are spoilers ahead!

Winners

Goodbye Oprah!

Oprah ends her show next week.  Among the things that I'll miss most when she's gone: her favorite things episode, her selection of creepy guests who have committed horrible crimes, and her yelling celebrity names...

UPDATE: What?

UPDATE: Stanley the Man Baby made waves with his appearence on The National Geographic Channel's "Taboo," so much so that Sen. Tom Coburn, R-OK, is asking the Inspector General to investigate Stanley's tax-payer funded cash flow.  In Coburn's letter he mentions Stanley's ability to determine what attire and actions are appropriate in public, his skilled crafsmanship used to custom-make adult baby furniture, and his thriving internet support group for other adult babies.

When asked to comment on the prospect of getting his social security benefits revoked, Stanley replied by email with the following:

"You wanna test how damn serious I am about leaving this world, screw with my check that pays for this apartment and food. Try it. See how serious I am. I don't care. I have no problem killing myself. Take away the last thing keeping me here, and see what happens. Next time you see me on the news, it will be me in a body bag."

Even more strange than his behavior, is his belief that people would be genuinely upset that he would no longer be a burden on taxpayers.

Airing tomorrow night on the National Geographic channel is "Taboo," a show that follows people with strange habits.  This particular episode focuses on Stanley, and adult baby, and his caregiver Sandra.  Perhaps "Taboo" belongs on TLC, not on a channel linked to a magazine established in1888. 

Neither Stanley or Sandra work, instead they make ends meet by living off of Social Security.  If Republicans need an arguement for entitlement reform, they should just show this four minute clip on the House floor.  I'm sold.

Social networking in person

An Austrailian comedy show, "Hungry Beast," sent two of their correspondents out to ask strangers the same questions Facebook asks of its users.  What's your sexual orientation?  Are you a male of female?  I plan on doing this at the next cocktail party I attend.

Le Tub

I'm not much of a beach person at all.  I burn easily so I stay out of the sun and away from the ocean.  However, a quick trip to Florida is rejuvenating when it involves sitting in an air conditioned building with a view of the ocean.

During a recent trip I stopped at Le Tub, a restaurant on the intercoastal waterway just outside of Miami.  Their burger was featured on Oprah, during one of her roadtrips around the country with Gail, and it was also voted by GQ as the best burger in the country.  The food was pretty good, but the atmosphere was absolutely charming.  The bar sits facing the water, and the entire restaurant was constructed from flotsam and jetsam floating in the water near the owner's jogging route.

Spring cleaning

The Washington Post has released their annual spring cleaning list of the top then things they’d like to “throw out.”

1. Engagement Rings
2. “Democracy”
3. Smartphones
4. “The Simpsons”
5. Tipping
6. Auto-Tune
7. Leftovers
8. Stability
9. Small Talk
10. Seniority-based firing

I think I could do without five of the things on this list. 

Oh, Rob Lowe.

Rob Lowe says, "Stop. Pooping."

Rob Lowe is as lovable as ever. 

Lowe has been making the rounds for his New York Times Bestseller book, which details his rise from Midwestern boy to Hollywood leading man, and struggles he endured with substance abuse. 

Lowe has had a successful run on cult favorite “Parks and Rec.” 

And last week Lowe inked a deal to star in the film “Knife Fight.”  Though it won’t be a reprisal of his role as “West Wing’s” Sam Seaborn, it will bring him back to the world of politics.  He’ll play a political crisis specialist navigating the October campaign surprises.

Just like Jon Hamm and Justin Timberlake, Lowe has the leading man looks and the comedic chops to set him aside from the rest of the bunch.  Lowe is able to poke fun at himself and go places other actors would be afraid might tarnish their image.  See the above GIF. 

Game of Thrones, episode five

Last night was the episode five of "Game of Thrones."  Below is a list of this week's winners and losers.  Be warned there are spoilers ahead!

Winners

Gary and Ace

By now everyone has seen the live-action "Ambiguously Gay Duo" sketch from this week's SNL.  It was a stand-out for many reasons.  First, Jon Hamm has the jaw line of a leading man, yet doesn't take himself seriously the way Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise do, so he's adept to do comedy.  Second, "The Daily Show's" line up of correspondents from the early-2000's (Steve Carrell, Stephen Colbert, Ed Helms) reunite as the legion of evil-doers in the sketch.  Third, the sketch did not involve Kenan Thompson or any other current cast members from SNL.  Sadly, the quality of the show has gotten progressively worse since Will Ferrel's departure, and this sketch just punctuates that SNL has long since jumped the shark. 

Bridesmaids

It seems that critics and audiences really love “Bridesmaids,” and I’m one of the only people who was underwhelmed by the movie. 

The studio, creators, and cast have been marketing the film as if it’s the “female version of ‘The Hangover’” so I went into the theater expecting to see an ensemble cast get caught up in some far-fetched, incredibly crude hijinks.  Instead,   I got a chick flick hybrid of a Judd Apatow/Paul Feig film.

Chosen to be her best friend's maid of honor, Annie, played by Kristen Wiig, looks to fake her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals that lead up to Lillian’s wedding.  The oddball group of bridesmaids includes the eccentric groom’s sister Megan (Melissa McCarthy), the bride’s married yet love-starved cousin (Wendy McLendon-Covey), Lillian’s innocent and newlywed co-worker (Ellie Kemper), and Lillian’s perfect-in-every way boss, Helen (Rose Byrne).  

Scenes that featured the rest of the bridal party got the most laughs in the theater, and rang true to the Hangover comparisons.  Most notable was the dress fitting scene, where the entire group (except Helen) gets food poisoning while wearing expensive dresses at the bridal salon.  In a normal chick flick you wouldn’t see the women vomiting, and going to the bathroom in a sink, or in the middle of the street while wearing a wedding dress.  If the Wiig and co-writer Annie Mumalo had written more scenes like this, I think “Bridesmaids” would have been a monumental step for women in comedy.

Instead, Wiig and Mumalo erred on the side of caution and marketability by including a whole love interest subplot.  The chemistry between Wiig and O’Dowd is believable, and would enhance the story in a conventional chick flick, but it seems out of place in a movie that aspires to be cutting-edge.  “Bridesmaids” is a great starring vehicle for Wiig, but the best parts of the movie were those that showcased the talents of McLendon-Covey and Kemper.  Additionally, Rose Byrne was heavily underutilized as mega-bitch Helen. 

It wasn’t quite in line with Apatow and Feig’s uber-successful comedies, but at least we’re making progress from rom-coms like “He’s Just Not That Into You.”

World War Z

Zombies are so hot right now.  AMC's "The Walking Dead" was a critical success.  Now, pre-production has finally started on the long stalled adaptation of Max Brooks's "World War Z."  

The book is constructed in a series of short anecdotes, none longer than twenty pages, detailing the global war against zombies.  The story is set in a post-zombie era, as the author travels the globe to interviewing survivors about their experiences before, during and after the war.  The piecemeal accounts come together to give a reader a full scope view of the war, and overall creates a very compelling read.

After finishing "World War Z," I'm very curious to see how the book will be adapted to film.  Part of the book's novelty was the high volume of characters, over thirty, and the broad range of experiences they had, which helped bring the entire plot together.  As a movie, it would be impossible for audiences to keep track of, or become attached to, over thirty meaningful characters.

Set for release in 2012 or 2013, the movie will star Brad Pitt as the traveling author, and Mireille Enos from "The Killing" as his wife.

Which American Girl Doll were you?

Almost every girl I knew as a 9-year-old either owned or wish they owned an American Girl doll.  I didn't know the dolls existed until after I had finished reading half of the books.  My favorite by far was Addy.  Her story was one of survival and endurance.  Naturally, when I found out there were dolls she was my first choice, followed by Felicity.  My younger sister had Samantha and Felicity.  Between the two of us, we had a house full of American Girl accessories.  They lived a much better life than we did at that age.  


A recent article provided a breakdown of what each American Girl doll said about their owner. 

Game of Thrones, episode four

Last night was the episode two of "Game of Thrones."  Below is a list of this week's winners and losers.  Be warned there are spoilers ahead!    

Winners

Philip Treacy in the Sit Room

People say this photograph taken by Pete Souza during the Bin Laden raid captures the raw tension experienced by the President and his advisers as they watched the events in Pakistan unfold.  (h/t Londington.)

First Kiss

Five-year-old best friends share their first kiss, then high five. 

The return of Sawyer

This is just a friendly reminder that Josh Holloway, better known as Sawyer from "Lost," will be on "Community" tonight.  It's the first of a two-part season finale, and even better it's the paintball episode redux.

Summer Lineup: Comic Book Movies

I don't read comic books, but I have a soft spot for movies based on comic books.  Almost always, the dialogue is overly cheesy, but ultimately they're fun to watch, with the exception of "Spiderman 3." Emo Tobey McGuire as Peter Parker was pretty bad.  This summer there's a comic book movie coming out virtually every other week:

May 6: Thor
May 13: Priest
June 3: X-Men First Class
June 17: Green Lantern
July 22: Captain America: The First Avenger
July 29: Cowboys & Aliens
August 19: Conan the Barbarian


Below are the trailers for "X-Men: First Class," and "Captain America: The First Avenger."

Skinny Chris Evans creeps me out.

She's DARK SIDED!

ABC's "Wife Swap" is adapting its format to feature Z-list celebrity moms trading lives for two weeks.  We can only hope to see a meltdown like the God Warrior's on the a 2005 episode of "Trading Spouses."

Hell on Wheels

AMC's "Hell on Wheels" begins production later this month, as the cable channel continues to build its repertoire of quality original programming.  Set just after the Civil War, the show centers on a fomer member of the Confederacy searching for the Union soldiers that killed his wife.  He ends up becoming a part of a dangerous, lawless town that travels with and services the construction of the transcontinental railroad.  The show is set to debut in late 2011.

AMC will challenge HBO's dominance at the Emmy for the next few years with their strong lineup of "Mad Men," "Breaking Bad," "The Walking Dead," "The Killing," and "Hell on Wheels."  How is it possible for the networks to compete with those shows and HBO's "Boardwalk Empire," and "Game of Thrones?"

Summer Anthem

I hate that I like this song, and realize I'm late to the bandwagon.

The year of the documentary

This past week I had the opportunity to see two really interesting documentaries, "The Bully Project," and Morgan Spurlock's "The Greatest Movie Ever Sold."  Review on TBP forthcoming, and Spurlock's movie comes highly recommended.  It's awfully clever, and lighthearted.


Out in limited release on June 24, yet another doc: "Page One: A Year Inside the New York Times."  Any journalist, aspiring journo, or news junkie will be drawn to this film.

Royal Wedding Recap

Prince William's cousin is frightening.  But that hat...

I sincerely hope that the next hot internet meme is the girl in the bottom left corner of this photo.  Grace van Cutsem is Prince William's goddaughter.

What wasn't to love about the wedding?  Kate's dress, her hair, the tiara and mini bouquet.  My favorite part was her make up.  As someone with pale skin and dark hair I can appreciate good make up when I see it.  It turns out the bride took lessons from Arabella Preston, and then did her own make up for the big day.

One of the vergers at Westminster Abbey was so overjoyed by the ceremony that he began doing cartwheels down the aisle after everyone had left.  When I'm having a good day this is how I react.

Royal Wedding

The royal wedding is finally here!

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows trailer. Rejoice.

Let the countdown begin, the last movie of the series is released at midnight on July 15.

Snooki meets 19th century British literature

Since the season finale of Jersey Shore aired one month ago, my Thursday night television schedule has been left with a gaping hole.  Luckily the cast of Broadway's "Importance of Being Earnest" has adapted the Jersey Shore dialogue to the literary stylings of Oscar Wilde.  Amazingly, Algie and Jack are able to make the words of The Situation and Snooki seem clever. 

The Bully Project

Happening right now in New York is the Tribeca Film Festival.  While it's not nearly as big as Cannes, Venice or Sundance, it has gained a lot of steam since its inception in 2002.  "The Bully Project" screened before a full house on Saturday, and has been getting very strong reviews.  Watch the heartwrenching, yet uplifting trailer to see why.

Today, Harvey Weinstein secured the rights to the film, so it's likely to be an entrant for the Best Documentary Oscar next year. 

Oh so British.

The royal wedding is less than four days away and television networks have saturated the airwaves with coverage leading up to the nuptials.  Many reports have revealed that we colonists have more interest in Prince William and Kate Middleton, than our former sovereign nation.  Perhaps Americans are experiencing a little British envy right now.  England is rather quaint with their strict class system and little traditions. 

As a self-proclaimed Anglophile I was happy to read the results of a recent public opinion survey conducted in the U.K.  It turns out I’m already quite British.

Game of Thrones, episode two

Last night was the episode two of "Game of Thrones."  Below is a list of this week's winners and losers.  Be warned there are spoilers ahead!    

Winners