Overwhelmed

I've been really overwhelmed lately by how many amazing pieces of art are on my horizon. It feels like ever since the release of A GATHERING OF SHADOWS by V.E. Schwab in February, it's been non-stop awesome in my little world of books, film, and television. My creativity receptors have been grand canyons lately, ready for the things I love to fall into them and fill up until I'm no longer made up of cells, but of art. This, combined with being a little too sleep deprived lately, has left me with that overwhelming feeling I mentioned. There is nothing bad about too much good, too much awesomeness, but I've been unable to wrap my mind around it all lately. I'm just in it and, while that's a great thing, I'm a little less in my real world while existing in art. If this was a movie, it would be the scene where I fall into and live in my book. This is all just a dramatic way to say that I am reading, watching, and listening to a lot of incredible things and I don't know how to simply enjoy things, I only know how to love them. And to love them fiercely. So, keep reading if you'd like to know what is currently fueling me...because art is life. It's everything.

• A COURT OF MIST AND FURY by Sarah J. Maas- I'm not even sure I can put into words how much I am enjoying reading this book. When I read A COURT OF THORNS AND ROSES last fall it was actually life changing. It made me realize how much I love a deliciously told story and, more importantly, how accepting I could be for fantasy elements I had always assumed I hated. Faeries!? I never thought a book that was about a faerie realm would be so enjoyable, but Maas wrote the perfect story and it quickly became my favorite YA title of 2015. But ACOMAF? If it continues like it is, it might be my favorite YA ever. I love it that much. I'm getting misty just thinking about it right now. And yes, I realized I sound crazy. I love the characters, the setting, the plot, the seemingly normal sentences that I go back and reread because I realize after they've passed through my mind that they're layered and beautiful and perfect. I love how much tension Maas has written into her story (the book should come with a bucket of ice water) and how much depth is given to every single character in the book. I could gush about this book for a really long time...I already can't wait to reread it. 
• Radiohead- My favorite band. The band that has inspired my own work in progress. Their new album is to be released tomorrow, the 8th of May and the thought of having new music from them in my brain is so exciting. There is something about Thom Yorke's voice that energizes and soothes me at the same time. I love that weird, little man. And I really hope Johnny Greenwood found some weird, random instrument to play on this album. I love that weird, tall man, too.
• Game of Thrones- I don't understand when people say an episode or a season was "not that good". I can't think of a single episode I didn't love because I love the very existence of this show. I love the complexities, the richness of every single shot, the darkness, the brutal plot, Jon Snow and the fact that he is alive (but might turn evil so I'm not getting my hopes up, but I'll still love him forever), and the fact that I can watch these episodes over and over and never tire of them. They are like my favorite songs and it's really exciting to think about watching this show over and over since apparently they don't want to produce it until the end of time. Ugh!
• Tennis- A lot of people are into sports, but I am like, all up in the guts of tennis. I use vacation time to watch Wimbledon. I'm about to spend $1000 on tennis tickets. I forego sleep to get up on other country's time zones so I can watch matches. But, holy cow, it brings me so much joy. And you may be wondering why it's included in my list of creative things I like and, to that I say, have you ever seen how beautiful a well-constructed point is? Or, how beautiful Grigor Dimitrov is? Yeah, tennis is pretty friggin' lovely.
• Beyonce- I didn't watch her hour long video presentation thing a couple of weeks ago and, after the reports about the alleged backstories to her new songs, I wasn't sure if I was going to be into her new album. I was worried it was all about lyrics whereas I more often feel a connection to the music, to the sounds. But I had my first listen and OMG it's so good! I can't wait to devour more of it.
• Justin Timberlake- JT has a new song! And it's so catchy! And good! And not 10 minutes long! Bless. 
• SHADES OF MAGIC series- V.E. Schwab is a genius of words. I follow her on twitter and she is currently working on the 3rd book in the series and, while I get nervous about how often she jokes about killing all of her characters, I also super respect her because I have a feeling she would totally kill them all if it was good for the story. She's the type of author a reader can trust. 
• The Met Ball- Fashion in general is something I love, but most recently, the Met Ball with it's theme of "Manus x Machina: Fashion In An Age Of Technology" delivered a lot of awesome designs. It's fun to see how the designers/stylists/celebrities interpret (or don't interpret) the theme and also to see how their choices are received. 
• Outlander- The beginning of season two has been a bit less sexy and a lot less Scottish, but it's still one of my favorite hours of the week. I am absolutely loving Claire's costuming for the Fraser's time in France and the sets have been so glorious, as well. And, really, I just like any excuse to think and dream about Scotland and hot Scottish men with their hot Scottish accents. 
• "If I Didn't Know Better" sung by Sam Palladio and Claire Bowen from Nashville-  This show is a trainwreck that I can't stop watching and, while the show isn't exactly giving me the artistic feels, this song (and many others these two sing) is SOOOOOOO gooooood! It's kind of gentle and flirty and Sam Palladio sings in a beautiful falsetto and their voices mash up just perfectly. Go listen to it! Be moved!

Golden Globes 2016

As a lover of art, entertainment, and fashion, awards season is pretty exciting for me. While I don't watch every TV nominated (who has the time!?), I do try to see as many of the Oscar-nominated movies as I can. With the Golden Globes essentially kicking off the season, I haven't seen everything just yet, but I'm still going to make my predictions. And by my predictions, I mean, what I want to win. I've never been good at cheering for the favorite if its not also my favorite.


Best Picture Drama:

• Carol
• Mad Max
• The Revenant
• Room
• Spotlight

I've only seen two of these so far (Mad Max and The Revenant-yay, Tom Hardy!) and I hear that Spotlight is awesome, but I have to cheer for The Revenant on this one. I thought it was beautiful and I loved the whole natural light thing. I get that it's more of a cinematography thing, but it, combined with the great acting, made for a stellar film.

Best Actress in a Drama:

• Cate Blanchett- Carol
• Brie Larson- Room
• Rooney Mara- Carol
• Saoirse Ronan- Brooklyn
• Alicia Wikander- The Danish Girl

Yikes, haven't seen any of these. Word on the street (not that I'm on it) is that Brie Larson will win, and I like her, but I would love to see Saoirse Ronan win this. Or Rooney Mara because she is amazing. Oh wait, Alicia Wikander is cool, too. Sorry, Cate, but you won recently so step aside, but not before I can see what beautiful dress you are wearing.

Best Actor in a Drama:

• Bryan Cranston- Trumbo
• Leonardo DiCaprio- The Revenant
• Michael Fassbender- Steve Jobs
• Eddie Redmayne- The Danish Girl
• Will Smith- Concussion

If Leonardo DiCaprio doesn't win this, I'll scream.

Best Picture Musical/Comedy:

• The Big Short
• Joy
• The Martian
• Spy
• Trainwreck

I think The Big Short is amazing for making something so boring (mortgages, not people losing their money) an exciting story, but The Martian was an experience for me. It's so good.

 Best Actress Musical/Comedy:

• Jennifer Lawrence- Joy
• Melissa McCarthy- Spy
• Amy Schumer- Trainwreck
• Maggie Smith- The Lady in the Van
• Lily Tomlin- Grandma

I always want Jennifer Lawrence to win. 

Best Actor Musical/Comedy:

• Christian Bale- The Big Short
• Steve Carel- The Big Short
• Matt Damon- The Martian
• Al Pacino- Danny Collins
• Mark Ruffalo- Infinitely Polar Bear

All about the astronaut here. 

Best Supporting Actress:

• Jane Fonda- Youth
• Jennifer Jason Leigh- The Hateful Eight
• Helen Mirren- Trumbo
• Alicia Wikander- Ex Machina
• Kate Winslet- Steve Jobs

I'd love to see Alicia Wikander win this because that role, and the way she played it, was so cool. 

Best Supporting Actor:

• Paul Dano- Love & Mercy
• Idris Elba- Beasts of No Nation
• Mark Rylance- Bridge of Spies
• Michael Shannon- 99 Homes
• Sylvester Stallone- Creed

I haven't even heard of some of these movies so let's go with Sly Stallone because how cool would that be!?

 Best Director:

• Todd Haynes- Carol
• Alejandro Inarritu- The Revenant
• Tom McCarthy- Spotlight
• George Miller- Mad Max: Fury Road
• Ridley Scott- The Martian

Oof, no idea. Wow! I might just go with Inarritu because I'm still on a Revenant high.

 Best TV Drama:

• Empire
• Game of Thrones
• Mr. Robot
• Marcos
• Outlander

I love Game of Thrones, but Outlander deserves some love, y'all. 

Best Actress- Drama:

• Caitriona Balfe- Outlander
• Viola Davis- HTGAWM
• Eva Green- Penny Dreadful
• Taraji P. Henson- Empire
• Robin Wright- House of Cards

DUH, Caitriona Balfe for Outlander! Times one million!!!!! 

Best Actor- Drama:

• Jon Hamm- Mad Men
• Rami Malek- Mr. Robot
• Wagner Moura- Narcos
• Bob Odenkirk- Better Call Saul
• Liev Schreiber- Ray Donovan

I can't believe Sam Heughan for Outlander wasn't nominated. He is so good! I guess I'll go with Jon Hamm- I love me some Don Draper!

Okay, that's all I'm predicting because I watch very few comedies and then Fargo better win for the miniseries.

GOOD LUCK, LEO, I LOVE YOU!

Frock You: A TV Fashioncast...GIRLS!

On this week's Frock You, Serena and I discussed HBO's Girls, which was very interesting! More than a lot of shows, the four main characters wear more "real" clothes...or do they? Once you start to look closely at what they're wearing, you realize it might be "NY real", but it's not very real for me and my friends.

And do you have a favorite girl? Mine's always been Marnie and, like Serena points out on the podcast, it's probably because she dresses the nicest...or, rather, she looks the most high end, which is what I like most in fashion. Hey, I'm not shy about admitting that!


So, check out the episode here and let me know what you think!

My Emmy Ballot

Not sure if my Emmy ballot got lost in the mail, or what, but here are my choices for Sunday's ceremony.


Supporting Actress, Comedy:

Mayim Bialik, “The Big Bang Theory”
Niecy Nash, “Getting On”
Julie Bowen, “Modern Family”
Allison Janney, “Mom”
Kate McKinnon “Saturday Night Live”
Gaby Hoffmann, “Transparent”
Jane Krakowski, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Anna Chlumsky, “Veep”

I've never seen Getting On or Transparent, I hate Modern Family, and I get bored with The Big Bang Theory getting awards. My vote here is for Jane Krakowski because her humor, at times, was so subtle in that show. 

Supporting Actor, Comedy:

Andre Braugher, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”
Adam Driver, “Girls”
Keegan-Michael Key, “Key & Peele”
Ty Burrell, “Modern Family”
Tituss Burgess, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
Tony Hale, “Veep”

I haven't watched this past season of Girls, but I love Adam Driver and want him to win! Or Keegan-Michael Key because he is hilarious. 

Supporting Actress, Drama:


Joanne Froggatt, “Downton Abbey”
Lena Headey, “Game Of Thrones”
Emilia Clarke, “Game Of Thrones”
Christine Baranski, “The Good Wife”
Christina Hendricks, “Mad Men”
Uzo Aduba, “Orange Is The New Black”

THIS CATEGORY IS SO TOUGH!!!! I'm throwing out Uzo Aduba because I don't watch/like that show, as well as Christine Baranski because I'm only on S2 of The Good Wife. I love Mad Men, but Joan is not my fave. Joanne Froggatt won the Golden Globe, yes? I think she's great, and so is Emilia Clarke, but my vote goes to Lena Headey who really showed such variety in her character last year. 

Supporting Actor, Drama:

Jonathan Banks, “Better Call Saul”
Ben Mendelsohn, “Bloodline”
Jim Carter, “Downton Abbey”
Peter Dinklage, “Game Of Thrones”
Alan Cumming, “The Good Wife”
Michael Kelly, “House Of Cards” 

Another tough one, but Peter Dinklage deserves every award ever for that scene during his trial. But I wouldn't cry if Ben Mendelsohn won because he is incredible, as is Alan Cumming, but that's more a vote for being awesome in life since I'm so behind on that show. "It's Saturday night on Broadway!!! It's Saturday night on Broaddwaaayyyyy!"

Variety Sketch Series:

“Drunk History”
“Inside Amy Schumer”
“Key & Peele”
“Portlandia”
“Saturday Night Live”

 Sheesh, there is some quality tv out there! Can we have a tie? I kind of want Drunk History to win because the entire premise is so genius. Also one time my dad did his impression of Will Ferrell doing an episode and that was Emmy-worthy on its own.

Variety Talk Series:

“The Colbert Report”
“The Daily Show With Jon Stewart”
“Jimmy Kimmel Live”
“Last Week Tonight With John Oliver”
“Late Show With David Letterman”
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”

While I love David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon is so creative that he deserves to win everything. 

Lead Actress, Comedy:

Lisa Kudrow, “The Comeback”
Lily Tomlin, “Grace And Frankie”
Amy Schumer, “Inside Amy Schumer”
Edie Falco, “Nurse Jackie”
Amy Poehler, “Parks And Recreation”
Julia Louis-Dreyfus, “Veep”  

So JLD wins every time she is nominated, right? I love her, but I'm ready for a new winner and I would like that winner to be Amy Poehler. I've never seen (and never will see) Grace and Frankie.  

Lead Actor, Comedy:

Anthony Anderson, “black-ish”
Matt LeBlanc, “Episodes”
Don Cheadle, “House of Lies”
Will Forte, “The Last Man On Earth”
Louis C.K., “Louie”
William H. Macy, “Shameless”
Jeffrey Tambor, “Transparent”  

This is when I realize I don't watch many comedies. I hear Jeffrey Tambor is awesome in Transparent, but since I haven't seen it, I'll vote for Will Forte. 

Lead Actress, Drama:

Taraji P. Henson, “Empire”
Claire Danes, “Homeland”
Viola Davis, “How to Get Away with Murder”
Tatiana Maslany, “Orphan Black”
Elisabeth Moss, “Mad Men”
Robin Wright, “House of Cards”

OH BOY! I like Viola Davis, but I actually don't think her role is Emmy-deserving (don't hate me!). This is another TOUGH category! Claire Danes has won before, as has Robin Wright (?) and Taraji P. Henson is awesome in Empire, but I'm going to vote for Tatiana Maslany because she should have won three years ago! Sheesh! Elisabeth Moss is so deserving, though-ahhhh!

Lead Actor, Drama: 

Bob Odenkirk, “Better Call Saul”
Kyle Chandler, “Bloodline”
Kevin Spacey, “House of Cards”
Jon Hamm, “Mad Men”
Jeff Daniels, “The Newsroom”
Liev Schreiber, “Ray Donovan”

If Jon Hamm doesn't win, I will cry. Am I going to end up crying!? 

Outstanding Comedy Series:

“Louie”
“Modern Family”
“Parks and Recreation”
“Silicon Valley”
“Transparent”
“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”
“Veep” 
 
Oh gosh. Just no Modern Family, please. I'd like to see Silicon Valley win because it would be such a shock:)  

Outstanding Drama Series:

“Better Call Saul”
“Downton Abbey”
“Game of Thrones”
“Homeland”
“House of Cards”
“Mad Men”
“Orange is the New Black”

Games of Thrones, DUH! Listen, if Orange is the New Black beats any of those other shows, I will flip a table. It would also be nice to see Mad Men win, but I don't see it happening, sigh. 


Now, more importantly, who am I most excited to see on the red carpet?? I can't pick just one, so a list will have to do:

• Elisabeth Moss
• January Jones
• Michelle Dockery (my fashion spirit animal)
• Kerry Washington
•  Sophie Turner
• Tatiana Maslaney 

Red Reviews: August

10. Love the color scheme, but what's with that awkward pose? Not only does the upper half of her look odd, but her legs are cut off right below the knee! 

9. This is very "Oh! You caught me!" The softness is beautiful, but I can't stand that pose. 

8. I love the softness of this cover and the way her blonde hair almost melts into the words, but the staring at me pose is more jarring than striking. Beautiful eyes, though! 

7. I think I'd like this better if it was just from the waist up. I'm not sure if it's because of the mom jeans or just that I want it to be more of a close up. But the pop (get it?) or red with the white/gray is so good.

6. Is her top crocheted or chainmail? Because, if chainmail, this shoots to #1 because I am ob-sessed with that stuff! 

5. AMY SCHUMER IS AWESOME! I like her hair a lot on this cover,but I'm not so sure about the color of the dress. I'm just always going to be a fan of darker colors. 

4. Such a relaxed, "Oh it's August and I'm on vacation and not stressed at all" cover. Great colors and such a natural-looking (if not actually naturally) pose.

3. I love how saucy this is. It's very tip-your-hat "G'day!" I'm also a fan of natural frames like what her arm is doing. The shadow behind her body is also exceptional.

2. There is something about this type of pose that I really love. It's the exposed back and inability to really tell what someone's figure is. I can't explain, I just love it. I also like the dress Nicole Kidman is wearing.

1. I've always loved Kristen Stewart. I love her look, her 'tude, her acting, and her modeling. The top in this shot is really pretty and it matches her eyes so well. It's also a nice touch that the Marie Claire matches her lip color. It's interesting that there were so many front-facing poses on August's covers, but this one is my favorite.

Fashion Intel: Game of Thrones 1.2

"The Kingsroad"

Starting off with a bang because this isn't a screenshot of fashion. But I couldn't resist capturing this because of the beauty and grandness of the shot. Game of Thrones loves to show huge scenes instead of pieces of the close ups.

I like Viserys' collar here. He is such a weirdo and stands out because of his hair. and while his outfit matches his surroundings, it does not match the Dothraki. He is so oblivious to everthing: he thinks he is the one in charge here, but he is just this weak link trying to throw around his name to gain power. He would do well to try to get along better with the Dothraki- especially since his sister is one now. Ser Jorah is dressed like he woke up thinking he was in Westeros. He has to be roasting in that outfit.

This is when Cersai goes to check on Bran who is still asleep after having barely survived his push from the tower. Her outfit (or lack thereof) choice here is interesting. Is she wearing the wrap to appear warmer to Cat, who hasn't left Bran's side? Is this her attempt at looking soft, like a mother should?

Breathtakingly beautiful.

 

 

This scene between Ned and Jon Snow is so hard to watch, now knowing what happens. Ned promises to tell Jon about his mother the next time they see each other. This is an interesting scene because it's right before they split in direction: Jon Snow to the North to join the Night's Watch, and Ned off with the King as his Hand. This is the beginning of what will be the show up until now of the Starks all being separated. Fashion-wise, this is the beginning of what is a high point in Jon Snow fashion as he begins to really cement his North look. 

This is another beautiful shot of the crew that's headed to the North. You can tell from their clothes (and the snow on the ground) that it's getting colder and they're almost to the Wall. 

I kind of want to move to the Wall. It's beautiful and cold. If Jon Snow could keep the Whitewalkers away, I think I'd be into getting a condo there or something. Maybe a small house or something. No wait, a condo because an indoor pool would be lovely. 

This is when Cat finally snaps out of her funk and turns into Nancy Drew. She finds a long, blonde hair and puts two and two together about quite a lot of things and comes up with a theory about what happened to Bran. Fashion-wise, she's finally back in a real dress and coat and she's paid some attention to her hair again. She looks ready to battle Cersai. 

This is after Dany's learned from her ladies about sex and how to please both herself and Khal Drogo. I love her hair here, with the braid, but I especially love her dress in this scene because she finally looks like she belongs. 

A lot of House Baratheon going on in this shot with the deer and crown sigil, but also a lot of House Lannister with the golden lion on red. The real reason I took this screenshot is because it reminds me of the Renaissance Fair in Maryland:)

This is the scene when Arya gets in trouble for hurting Joffrey and the solution is to kill Lady, Sansa's direwolf. Joffrey is a little punk, but you have to admit that he always looks qiuite regal. Robert, always the king, ahas a lot of embellishment on his outfit and sweet demure (HA!) again looks softer with her long, flowing hair, yet regal with her dress made out of a beautiful, rich material.

Not a ton of fashion in this episode as a lot of the story is a continuation from episode one. Soon, though, a lot of our major players are going to be on the move and that's when we're going to get some really great stuff!

True Detective 3.4

"Heads Will Roll"

The consensus on twitter seems to be: WHUT?

Vince Vaughn is still freaking out, but is also kind of morphing into a caricature of a criminal. Everything he says is Very Dramatic and has a double meaning. (Cavities, anyone?) He's going all around town trying to call in every favor he has (and doesn't have) to get some business going to bring in money. He even tries to bring Colin F into his new game!  And he's also having even more problems with his girl, mostly about her really wanting a baby. She suggests adoption, but VV so lovingly says that he doesn't want someone's responsibility. Basically children are just little bundles of burden and sin. Cute!

While investigating, Colin F tell Rachel McAdams that she's made the mayor and his buddies angry and should be careful. She is all about the case, though, and keeps on truckin' with her leads. They follow the mayor's (?) daughter to a hookah bar and find out that 1) her mom was schizophrenic and killed herself, but had a shady doctor and 2) her father is a bad man. The detectives get even more info while questioning Rachel's dad again. It turns out the mayor, Caspere, etc. had all been visitors at the hippie place when younger. Not sure what that means, but how convenient that the dad had a lovely group photo of them all. After that, Rachel and Colin head out towards Fresno following the lead of the soil sample reports they had found in Caspere's place. They make some circles on the map and an expert let's us know that those areas are all high in lead and other dangerous stuff. Looks like the land sucked!

Meanwhile, Taylor K has had quite the adventurous night and wakes up at his buddy's house with no recollection of the night before. Things become a little more clear when his buddy embraces him and pretty much says to let himself go and that it won't be that bad. Taylor races out of there and takes a cab back to the seedy part of town where he had been investigating the night before. Of course, his motorcycle has been stolen and while he is busy yelling expletives in the road, a bunch of reporters run after him to ask questions. Colin F ends up saving the day and picks him up. I think Taylor K is really good in all of these scenes where he has to cry. He has a lot of emotional baggage going on, but Colin tells him to get some Pedialyte and it'll all be okay. Later on he meets up with his girl and it's very not romantic when she says she is pregnant and then he proposes. I definitely groaned when that happened. But Taylor does get a good lead on a potential suspect by tracking down a pawned watch that had been stolen from Caspere's and they put out an APB on the pimp.

Rachel checks in with her boss and finds out that there's a sexual misconduct complaint against her for banging a subordinate. She straight up asks if the mayor of Vinci had anything to do with it and says if she was a man this wouldn't be happening. I groaned when she said that, for sure. I guess she was desperate and freaking out. So she's on leave, but can still work on the state case, which is good because they have a lead on where the pimp is!

So they get a big group of cops together and go sauntering down the street with their bulletproof vests on. It's kind of weird how out in the open they are (while a protest is going on nearby) but then they stealthily get into place to enter the warehouse. None of that really pans out, though, because someone starts shooting at them from the third floor. And like, machine gun shooting at them so it's really scary. It turns into a car/foot chase and then another shootout and pretty much everyone but our leads dies. It's a massacre.

I don't understand it, but I think our biggest clue this week is that all of the power players had been at the hippy place years ago. Also, Colin Farrell is the best part of this show. Hands down.

Friends Review: 1.6: TWWTB

The One With The Butt

•  I love when we get to see Joey's acting. It's always a treat. 
• Ross is so the friend who doesn't get the sublte hints to look at a pretty girl. *sigh*
• Wow, the girl Chandler hits on has on such a good outfit because it's timeless! Classic, all black with a statement necklace. 
• Supposedly Joey's play was terrible. I'm glad he finds his groove later on with General Hospital.
• Oooh, this is when Joey gets his agent, Estelle! 
• The NYC shots from above look like they were done with a first version drone.
•  First intro of Yemen?? Love it. Is that why Chandler later in the series tells Janice he is moving there?
• So Chandler's date is married...and has a boyfriend. Wowza!
• This brings up one of those classic discussions among the friends when Monica poses the question to the guys of whether this is their dream scenario too. 
• Oh boy, Rachel cleaned up. Hello to Monica's OCD. She is so weird about things. I love how casual Rachel is about everything.
• Phoebe does a little motion from The Shining to show how crazy Monica is. Good job on a reference! 
• Ross points out that Monica is their mom. Not what most 20-somethings want to hear. (I would- my mom is awesome!)
• Joey got a part in the new Al Pacino movie! ...As his butt double.
• So, I find it really gross that Chandler is sharing his new girl with several others. 
• At Joey's gig, he messes up the shot because he keeps trying to read too much into the part;)
• Chandler does end up having a problem with sharing his girl-thank goodness! 
• Man, Rachel loves the mom jeans in this episode. 
• Aw, Monica can't handle leaving her shoes in the living room. A problem I have never had.

This is an okay episode. It's more about Joey and Chandler than I would like. I prefer the ones that have Ross and/or Rachel with the main plotline. OCD Monica can be funny, but when she is too crazy about things, it's annoying. 

Fashion Intel: Game of Thrones 1.1

Game of Thrones is a show known for its attention to all details. It's a huge endeavor each and every episode to bring to the screen such large and intricate sets to portray George R. R. Martin's story and the costumes are a big part of that. Since episode one, which you will see below, they have excelled in the wardrobe department. I am so excited to dig into this show and to share which costumes I've enjoyed the most. It's a little different when analyzing a show that doesn't take place in modern day because (as much as I'd be into it) they aren't the type of outfits you or I will be wearing in our regular lives. But even in fantasy shows we can find fashion inspiration.

Robb, Jon Snow, and Bran in one of the earliest shots in the show. They all look so young! Remember, they're supposed to be pretty young (Robb and Jon at 17, and Bran is about 10) and with no wars occurring at this point in the series, they're clothing is mostly about warmth since they live in Winterfell, which is a northern area. What I love about these outfits is the kilt inspiration. There is no use of tartan, but the idea is still there yet combined with leather vests and shirts.

Eddard Stark and Catelyn, the Lord and Lady of Winterfell. While Catelyn is pretty basic in this shot- just wearing a pretty basic long blue coat, Ned is totally rocking a huge leather coat with fur collar. He is pretty much wearing an animal as a scarf here. PETA of yore would have a fit.

This shot has little to do with fashion, but it's beautiful so I wanted to include it.

Another gorgeous shot! Ned has set his scarf free and looks much more svelte in just his leather ensemble. These all leather outfits seem like the casual version of chainmail. We also get a better look at Catelyn who is wearing a fairly matronly blue dress and coat. This would be the mom jeans version of a dress in Game of Thrones- comfortable, not too form-fitting, and not something you'd see someone younger wearing. 

I appreciate the detail on Catelyn's coat (cloak?). And her hair is very pretty here. I like the Game of Thrones style of super long hair. This is the moment in the show when the King and Queen have arrived so everyone is dressed to the nines to receive them. Sansa (on the left) is super into the whole ordeal so it surprises me that she would show up with kind of frizzy hair and a light blue dress. Girl, you look better in dark colors, but I guess you won't realize until season five. But when you see the camera pan across the Starks, you notice how...drab they all look. The House Stark symbol is a grey direwolf, but if that's what they're going for, they did it in the most boring way ever. While their looks stand out, their clothes all seem to be more about function than fashion. They're far enough away from Kings Landing to not be influenced fashion-wise. In this lineup, even Sansa's boring dress stands out.

And there is Joffrey. Regal as f***. From head to toe he looks like a prince: burgundy cloak, burgundy leather, and a fur something or other that probably doesn't still have the head on it.

Ummm, so I'd wear this now. This outfit is kind of everything. A tailored red dress and a richly embroidered coat set her apart as the Queen of the land and are also symbolic of her being a Lannister with the use of red and the lion mane-like fur collar. Later in the show she often wears her hair down, but this seems to be her more regal style for their arrival.

Cutting across houses and lands to Daenerys Targaryen who, in her first scenes on screen is wearing a very loose dress in a pale pink color. Surprisingly her creepy brother doesn't make her wear something more form-fitting, but I guess he just checks things out with his hands whenever he wants to -EW! Dany looks very young and innocent in this toga-like dress.

Not sure why Dany chose this dress to meet her future husband. It looks like the lining of another dress, but I guess it's serving it's purpose because it certainly doesn't leave much to Drogo's imagination. I do like the addition of the dragon pins, though.  Also, her brother is a punk and his outfit and hair just make him look more obnoxious.

Khal Drogo is hot.

HOT. A man who can wear eyeshadow. Also love his paint on his body that looks so great against the sea in the background.

I love this shot because it really shows the differences between Dany and Drogo. She is the virginal, young girl on her perfect white horse while Drogo is a savage warrior on a dark horse with a long braid signifying how long it has been since he has lost a fight. I do like her dress here, though. It's a lot more stylish and fitted, probably to signify her new stage of life as a Khaleesi. And huge props for being staged above her brother in this shot. He sucks. He thinks he is in control, yet has no idea! It also must be noted that her white horse  has an epic mane. 

Just a note. While watching, I'm taking note of the fashion that speaks to ME. The screenshots that make me stop and say "wow!" so, I won't be including everything in these posts. A lot of costume choices are very on purpose and, while I'll touch on what I think is the intention, I won't be including every example of such sartorial choices.

True Detective 3.3

"Maybe Tomorrow"

It's okay and all, but still no idea what is going on. I get that Colin Farrell is playing both (three?) sides. I get that Vince Vaughn is freaking out and now going back to his old ways to make back the money Caspere died with. I think I get that Rachel McAdams is our most straight-laced investigator so far. Well, her and Taylor Kitsch, I guess.

Otherwise, here's what happened tonight:

So, Colin F is not dead. Which is good, because I like him. Rachel McAdams shows up to the scene and is pissed he didn't call her to enter with him. While Colin goes off to meet with the Vinci people and get cleared to work, Rachel and Taylor do some investigating on their own and learn that a lot of Caspere calls had come from the Vinci mayor's house. The mayor's house turns out to be party central and we get to meet his hot, young Russian (?) wife and weird son. Rachel does see some land surveying info before they're told to leave because they don't have a warrant. They also open Caspere's safe deposit box where there's more land info as well as blue diamonds.

So, I guess meanwhile, Colin meets up with Vince Vaughn and pretty much accuses him of setting him up at the house because who else knew about it?? Then he meets up with the Vinci people who are pretty pissed that Rachel and the others know about the Caspere house and that they were at the mayor's house asking questions. The mayor is especially pissed at Rachel. Colin tries to get taken off the case, but they're all "Yeah, right, bro." Basically everyone is angry with Colin. He's not even drinking to take the edge off at the moment, which keeps him angry. Lots of anger! The Vinci people tell Colin to lead Rachel towards something else.

Colin and Rachel later visit a film set because they had a lead on the car that Caspere was found in (I think.) The film set visit basically just confirms how deep all of the money stuff goes as well as the hooker parties. Taylor kind of takes over here (or is off on his own, I'm not certain) to ask around that part of town and at the seedy club to see if people had seen Caspere there, which they had. He also has an awkward moment with an old war buddy (?) and it seems like they had something happen between them, but Taylor freaks out when the friend brings it up.

Rachel and Colin stop by his house (is this her leading him on? him leading her astray? or just them making a pit stop) and in the biggest case of bad timing, his ex wife shows up offering him $10k to just GO. She tells him the state was by earlier asking her questions about money and revenge and stuff and warns Colin that it's a matter if when, not if they'll investigate more. He refuses the money (nice moment between them) and he and Rachel go off to question the driver of the film set car who had quit recently. While there and asking questions, someone torches their car and runs off while wearing a Scream-style mask. They chase him, Colin slowly because of his hurt ribs, and Rachel much faster, but the masked man gets away when Colin has to save Rachel from getting hit by a huge truck. Whoa! As a thanks, he asks her what the state has on him, but she says she doesn't know.

Vince Vaughn, while all of this is going on, is basically visiting past business/crime connections and demanding money and/or information on Caspere and his dealings. He seems very on the edge and on edge. He seems so close to spiraling out of control, but he's staying strong so far and he beats the crap out of one guy and it makes me wonder what his background is. He's also got some trouble at home and based on the long camera hold on his woman at the end of the episode, I'm convinced she killed Caspere;)

Oh, and Stan is dead, but I don't remember who that is.

(I'm terrible at recapping this show, but I don't care.)

Red Reviews: July 2015

Time for July fashion mags!

Keep in mind that a few magazines doing June/July issues and won't be included.

9. This cover is fine, but it's just fine. The seemingly spread-eagle pose is a little weird, but her hair and makeup look amazing! 

8. This one was tough, because expression-wise, this is stellar...but those things on her dress are so distracting! I really like Cara Delevingne, though. I'm glad she is everywhere right now.

7. LOVE the color scheme here. So striking! I also like her outfit with the bondage-looking part peeking out from behind the all business skirt and shirt. I have little issue with Kim Kardashian, but I find her figure to be very distracting sometimes. (Not in an oogly eyes way, but because her hips/butt are always on display.)

6. This cover reminds me of American Hustle, which is very very awesome because I love that movie. This is such a tiny detail, but the yellow of allure is what keeps me from loving this cover. I wonder why they chose that color. 

5. This is such a model cover. Could anyone else pull off a white one piece on the cover? Probably not. In comparison to the Allure cover, the Elle in bright pink is what really pulls this cover together.

4. She has a little bit of a "OMG how did I get on the cover?!" expression here, but it seems so genuine. And while I'm not a fan of soft pink, this cover works really well. And, compared to the Vogue cover, the weird things on her dress are not distracting. 

3. I thought this was Robin Wright when I saw it in thumbnail form and even though it's not, the fierceness is still there. Spectacular colors, fresh outfit, and classy pose. I really love this. 

2. Not your traditional cover, but maybe that's why I like it. The colors are soooo pretty and I love how the background and dress are one and the same.

1. Maybe we should put Amanda Seyfried on every magazine since she's been in the top spot twice now. The dress, the pose, the expression, the colors...everything is working for me on this one! Ah-mazing!

What do you think? Let me know here or on twitter.

True Detective 2.2

Everyone is so clear after episode two. Or, rather, nothing is clear now.

Let's dive right in...

We start off with some major Vince Vaughn* ennui. He's laying in bed telling his woman a super depressing story about his childhood and being locked in a dark basement for days and days as his dad was on a bender. He includes the awesome detail of waking up to find a rat chewing on his hand and then killing the rat. Terrible pillow talk, VV. He's kinda freaking out, wondering if he's still in that basement now and how he feels like he's being told to "wake up".

Later on, VV finds out that Caspere died with all of his money figuratively on him. He didn't invest it in the land deals like he had promised. OMG. VV basically has nothing now. He is quick to say he cane get the money back, though. Obviously he's going to have to dabble in the illegal to do this. I guess one of his first things he does is threaten some guy who apparently runs books on Vinci sweatshops? I have no idea. There is obviously a lot of under the table business going on in Vinci: VV has a handle on Colin Firth (lol, I keep getting him confused with Farrell- can you imagine if Mr. Darcy was in this?!), VV has inside deals with city guys, and the city guys are working with other people. It's a lot to keep track of.

So, I guess VV starts to try to investigate Caspere on his own and ends up at a club, interviewing one of the girls. Turns out she went home with Caspere, not to the mansion, but to a seedy little house in Hollywood.

Meanwhile, our three cops are working on the Caspere investigation. We start off with the autopsy, which is pretty gruesome and they show Caspere's penis shot off-whoa. We get to see all of the different precincts trying to fight over the body. It's a little confusing because I honestly am not sure who is playing who. The most honest moment is when they talk to Colin Farrell and he straight up asks "Am I supposed to solve this or not?" Basically they tell him not to turn up any surprises. Allrighty then.

While we get some backstory on our detectives (Taylor's mom is a mess and he won't talk about the war, Rachel smokes e cigs and feels like she was the only one to escape from the hippie commune her dad runs, Colin is VV's little bitch and is about to lose his son), they also manage to do some legit sleuthing. They find out about Caspere's girl from the club named Tasha. They find out there was a $4k withdrawal five days ago and then Rachel figures out, via coordinates from the GPS, that Caspere was heading up north on some days.

Just a note on developments...one of my favorite moments was when Colin tells Rachel all of his dark secrets and then asks abut hers. The conversation ends with him saying that the investigation isn't supposed to work. He asks her to consider why it's just them three working on it and not a big task force. Colin speaks the truth, y'all.

All of the information gathering from the two sides comes together when VV meets up with Colin Farrell at the bar again and tells him about the side house where Caspere took his girls. He tells Colin to go there and hide anything having to do with the land dealings. Colin, who was just told he might lose his kid, pretty much tells VV that he might not have a reason to work for him again. For all of these years, VV has kept Colin under his thumb after the murder of his wife's rapist. VV does a good job of not looking freaked out and tells Colin to not talk like that.

Side note: the song being sung in the bar is "Come On" by Earl King (I think- a million people have covered it, but I think he is the original writer) and it has lines like "So many people live in make believe They keep a lot a dough up their sleeve But my love baby is not the kind that folds Come on baby, let the good times roll."

Now, the weirdest thing happens: Colin heads to the Caspere's house to check it out and there's music playing and a video recorder and then he hears something and you think he's going to  turn around and shoot someone, but...but...the weird bird man shoots Colin! Twice! OMG!

So, here are my questions about True Detective so far:

Is Colin dead?
What is happening?



*I will be using actor names! It's just easier.

True Detective S2.1

So let's start from the end really:

These three cops (Rachel McAdams, Taylor Kitsch, and Colin Farrell) all want to know what happened to Caspere, a city manager who had gone missing. They're also all three pretty effed up in different ways. Let's review:

• Rachel McAdams as Ani
• She's a cop who has family-related issues. Her sister works at a sex-cam house, her father is the leader for some religious institute, her mother's out of the picture, she has cold relationships with men, and she apparently drinks away at least some of her problems.
• Colin Farrell as Ray
• I find him to be the most confusing. He's an alcoholic, pot-smoking (?) cop who has anger issues? His wife (at the time) was raped and had the child nine years ago. Now he wants more time with his son (who is bullied), which at first seems sweet, but then, after he calls the son a "fat pussy" and then later brass knuckle-punches  the father of the bully, I started to think that maybe more time with the kid wouldn't be such a good idea. 
• Taylor Kitsch as Woodrugh
• I think I gathered that he was a war vet? Hence the scars? He also takes being a cop very seriously sand when he gets put on paid leave (for a woman lying that he solicited a BJ to get out of a ticket), he kind of doesn't know what to do with himself. We also find out he has a very randy girlfriend, but he won't ever stay the night. 

Now, we also have Vince Vaughn as Frank Semyon who is trying to cross the line from criminal to respectable. He is closely tied to Caspere because they were in business together (?) with the California Central Rail Corridor, but he also knows Ray from years past when he gave Ray the name of who raped his wife. Is Ray just doing jobs for Frank on the side? Because when an article comes out in the paper saying the city of Vinci is possibly the "most corrupt" around, Frank sends Ray over to take care of it so another report doesn't come out.* Later in the show, Ray shows up with the reporter's laptop and notes and says he took care of. Then he drinks himself to sleep. Frank was also the one to send Ray to the lawyer about getting custody-weird.

I'm curious if the story of the missing young woman who ended up working at Ani's father's institute is part of the story or was just a way for us to find out about Ani's family.

So, why was Caspere killed? His own receptionist says that he had a hold on the "purse strings" for a lot of people. Is it over the rail corridor? Something else? Something related to Frank's past life? The sex-cam house? The bully of the kid? OMG I have no idea. It should be noted, I think, that Caspere's house was filled with really weird art and dildos and some very strange naked woman in milk sculpture thing. Whut? I did have one awesome line in my notes: "Road trip continues. It would so be like me to miss that it's Caspere in the backseat." Lol.

Sooooo what did you think?




*I think? Basically this entire review is one asterisk to "I THINK".

Friends Review: 1.5: TOWTEGLD

THe One With The East German Laundry Detergent

•  So we're still inthe baggy clothes era of Friends. *sigh*
• So they start off discussing the pros of being a male or female, which ends with Ross saying, "Multiple orgasms!" I dunno, being able to pee standing up would be super convenient.
• Chandler has a date Saturday night despite wearing a horrific sweater vest that is only buttoned at the bottom. It's truly terrible. 
• Oh, it's with Janice. 
• Rachel is upset because her father offered to buy her a Mercedes convertible if she moves home. Hmmm...that would be tempting. 
• Ross is super precious trying to set up a 'date' with Rachel to do their laundry. Pro Tip: Don't mentions rats...ever. 
• An ex of Joey's comes in, dressed like Jessica Rabbit and then she taunts him about being "just friends". I do love love love that Joey sets up a double date, but then tells Monica that she's setting her up with Angela's brother. Amazing.
• UGLY NAKED GUY ALERT!
• Why does Ross have a violin on his wall? Like, as a decoration. The dinosaurs in his room are kind of funny, though.
• At Central Perk, Phoebe and Chandler are there to break up with their significant others. Of course, Phoebe's goes super quick and Chandler's is a mess.
• I was always super confused by the mean lady in the laundromat. What is she wearing? That hat...what? Actually, I think I always thought the title of this episode was "...East German Lady" now that I think about it.
• Ross is precious during the laundry 'date'.  "I'll use the...gentle cycle." "Under panty things."
• Did Ross say "whole nother"?! Yuck.
• The restaurant scenes are so funny and they work so well. "My brother didn't even tell me when he lost his virginity." 
• Ew! Angela eats her wings so disgustingly. But even more disgusting to Monica, who thinks they're brother and sister, is how lovey dovey the two are. So funny! She finally figures it out and she and Joey plan on breaking them up:)
• Meanwhile...Chandler is on espresso 32890 so Phoebe breaks up with Janice for him. 
• The moment when Ross spins Rachel around in the cart and then kisses him is perfect. He is so freaked out. It's the best. 

Ross and Rachel, throughout the beginning of Friends always represented the most real aspect of the show for me. Phoebe is just too out there at times, Chandler is a little too slap-sticky, Joey too much of a lady's man, and Monica, at times, is too high strung. And not that real people aren't all of those things, but Ross and Rachel are effortlessly real to me in these episodes. Ross trying to finagle his way into her plan to do laundry is so something I would have done. He loves her, but just can't do anything super concrete about it. It's sweet and that's why he is my favorite character...followed quite closely by Rachel, of course.

The Darkness

For a happy person, I watch a lot of very dark TV.

• The Fall is an amazing crime drama from the BBC that was filmed in and takes place in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It stars the incredible (and incredibly hot) Jamie Dornan as a serial killer who is being tracked by Superintendent Stella Gibson, played by the amazing Gillian Anderson. The first two seasons are comprised of just 11 episodes, so it's very easy to catch up. I actually tried to spread it out and then found myself unable to stop watching the last four or so episodes. It's a slow burn, but so worth it in my opinion. Also, don't be concerned if you find yourself attracted to a serial killer- blame Jamie Dornan. 
• Vikings. Holy hell is this an awesome show. Now in its third season (and each season is 9 or 10 episodes), this is the story of Ragnar Lothbrok, the famous Norse hero who rises to power by raiding England and generally being bad-ass. The scenery is incredible, the acting is sensational, and the story will have you on the edge of your seat. I've seen some reviews that say it's slow, but I never feel that way when watching. This show also has one of the coolest characters on any show I've ever seen: Lagertha. If you don't want to be her, then you're crazy. 
• Pretty Little Liars is probably a surprise show to see on this list of dark series, but have you been watching? It is dark! Season six premiered last night and I felt like I was watching a horror movie. I love this show because it just doesn't care how crazy it gets. You can't watch it and try to reason the plot out- you just watch and enjoy. 
• Game of Thrones- Duh. This show brings me so much joy. I think the very high production value + great acting + great costumes + awesome story lines is what keeps me so obsessed. Oh, and Jon Snow. I feel like the first few seasons were very much "omg who is going to die now?!" as things were set up and now it's just watching to see how things play out. I haven't read the books (I like to read after I watch), but since the show writers are doing their own thing, that doesn't matter as much anymore. I still get nervous every single week that my favorites (Jon Snow, Sansa, Tyrion) are going to die, but it wouldn't be Game of Thrones if I could watch without some dread.
• Outlander has been such a treat for me. I absolutely adore this show. Of course I started watching it because it's about Scotland and a hottie Scotsman, but what's kept me totally engrossed is the story and the acting...not to mention the incredible chemistry between Jamie and Claire. The show, which has some heart-warming romantic moments, is also quite dark at times. There has been some criticism over some of the scenes, but everything is handled so well and so smartly, that I have never had a complaint. 

Red Reviews: June 2015

Time for new magazines!

9. This is a striking cover but once you look at it for too long, you notice that the white starts to blend in with her outfit and her hair looks super weird. The movement is nice, but it starts to be distracting. I love the dress she is in. 

8. A nice cover. It doesn't offend me, but it also doesn't excite me. 

7. I like the very face-forward pose and I even think she looks a tiny bit like Elizabeth Olsen in this stance. The bright red is great for a June cover, isn't it? Pastels are so often used and pastels are gross.

6. Love Anna Kendrick. I mean, who doesn't? I like this dress and the color scheme of the layout, but her expression just doesn't captivate me. I need a little more smirk. 

5. Also love Mindy Kaling! And this dress, and the way it matches the top, is so good. Kind of like Glamour's cover, I need a little more life in her expression.

4. UK Vogue is always knocking it out of the park, in my opinion. I looooove the inclusion of the beach and the full body, but relaxed pose. And orange! Love.

3. Taylor Swift is a goddess. I love her so much and I am SO glad she has grown into such a fashionable, smart, talented person. Major props for this cover and it's boldness of 1) the outfit, 2) covering up of ELLE and 3) the dead space left alone by her pose. (It was difficult to not type "dead space between her legs"-Yikes!)

2. I love Kristen Stewart, you guys. I think she's an awesome actress and her fashion spreads are always great. See how her eyes are really piercing? That's what I want from the other covers. The only negative for me on this cover is the amount of pastel pink. Wow!

1. Everything about this cover speaks to me. The colors are amazing- the icy blue against the soft background. Her hair looks amazing and even has movement in the shot. Her eyes are so beautiful and piercing that I feel like I'm looking at an HD TV. And her pose, which is exceptional and anchors everything together in just the right way to highlight how gorgeous she is. I. Love. This. (Also, definitely pick up this issue because the main spread is beautiful, too.)