Are you a dirty girl?

I'm going to be completely honest.

Dirty Girl is not the greatest movie in the world.

The dialogue is syrupy. The premise is cheesy. The music is awkward.

But none of that matters because this movie is FUN.

It's kind of like the theatrical version of a strawberry Starburst. It's a unnaturally sweet. It's just a tiny bit sour. It's not good for you at all. But when you look back, you don't regret opening that wrapper.

This 2010 film revolves around Danielle (Juno Temple) who is the ultimate dirty girl. She's a promiscuous little bad ass suffering through high school in the mid-1980s. As if that isn't bad enough, she lives in a little trailer with her crazy mom.

The sassy blonde is forced to partner with a miserable overweight gay kid, Clarke (Jeremy Dozier), for a homework assignment and the two realize they have more in common than they thought: they're both outsiders and hopelessly misunderstood.

When Danielle realizes her mom intends on marrying a creepy religious man, she persuades Clarke to drop everything and cross the country to search for her real father.

There's bad singing. There's dancing. There's heartache. There's realization.

It sorted reminded me of Napoleon Dynamite fused with Mean Girls.

The cast of Dirty Girl is pretty amazing. William H. Macy, Milla Jovovitch, and Mary Steenburgen are just a few of the big names. Plus, I was pretty impressed with the two young stars.

It's important to note the film highlights the struggles of gay acceptance, which is obviously our civil rights movement right now.

It's a poignant little film perfect for a girls night in or lazy afternoon.

I highly recommend netflixing it.

The Strangest Movie You Need to Watch

I fell in love with a movie over the weekend.

As I get older, it seems more rare that I come across films that mesmerize me so much they automatically get promoted to my favorites list.

So, I'm really excited.

The film is called House.

It is a Japanese fantasy/horror film from 1977. It is considered by many critics to be one of the strangest movies ever made.

Half of the people who watch it become obsessed with it. The other half deem it unwatchable because it's just too weird.

While I agree the movie is bizarre, it is exactly that element which makes it so endearing. I don't believe it is too weird to watch at all. It has an easy-to-follow storyline and charming characters and deliciously cheesy and over-the-top special effects.

The movie is a cross between the Powerpuff Girls and The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Or, what an old Disney movie would be like if it got high.

Intrigued yet?

The film revolves around seven adorable giggly teenage girls (with their own distinct personality traits, like the Spice Girls) who spend their school break at a haunted house.

Craziness, adorableness, and creepiness ensue.

The movie was a mega smash hit in Japan when it was released 35 years ago. Especially among children.

It really changed the tone for Japanese cinema at the time. The country had never seen a movie like it before. Critics weren't sure how to review it. Parents weren't sure if they wanted their kids to see it. Studio executives weren't sure if they were happy the film succeeded.

After all, the movie studio had spent the previous two years trying to put the film script on the back burner, hoping it would be forgotten.

When Nobuhiko Obayashi wrote the script earlier that decade, everyone thought it was a joke. No director in the Japanese film industry wanted to touch it.

Frustrated, Nobuhiko used social networking in order to promote his undeveloped film.

 

He spread the word about it to the media. He passed out business cards promoting the film. He released manga and book versions of the script. He even created a pop music soundtrack for the film.

With all the hype and publicity already surrounding the script, the studio had no choice but to allow Nobuhiko to film it himself!

Most of the actors he chose were virtually unknown. But when the film was released, they became movie stars overnight.

And the film to this day remains a cult classic. House is heavily discussed in film classes. It is showcased in independent movie theaters all over the world.

If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend netflixing House.

I think everyone could use a little weird in their life.

Good Girls Gone Bad

There's a dirty, unspoken rule in Hollywood.

If you're a kiddie actress, the only road to a legitimate career is spreading your legs. On film. White powder and booze are encouraged bonuses.

The latest victims of this sentiment are, of course, Disney princesses Vanessa Hudgens and Selena Gomez in the cringe-worthy movie Spring Breakers.

 

 

Vanessa, the once spotless role model of High School Musical fame, plays a sociopathic nympho with an alarming thirst for violence.

 

 

Selena, the former Disney Channel darling, plays a hopelessly confused Christian who cannot for the life of her understand why doing drugs and dancing naked with STD-soaked penises is BAD.

("But we were just having fun!")

 

 

This film is basically the quickest and easiest way for both Vanessa and Selena to tell the world they've grown up, tossed out the Disney halos, and want to be taken seriously as actresses. It is also a hall pass to audition for more serious roles in serious films.

Like, seriously.

"I was getting kind of repetitive in terms of the roles I was picking,” Selena Gomez told Interview Magazine, “and I really wanted to do something that was completely different. It was a mark thing for me — like, ‘This is what I want to be doing.' I want to be taking myself seriously as an actress, and this was definitely a stretch. I mean, I'd never smoked a cigarette before in my entire life. It was really funny — they had to show me how to do it."

I'm not sure what's worse, the fact that these young actresses are so willing to play these sex-fueled roles to prove they're grown up, or if Hollywood is simply not offering any other solutions.

Why does a girl who is famous for being a princess have to act like a slut to change the tone of her career? I'm not saying these girls have to remain innocent their entire lives, but is going from one extreme to the next really the only way to grab attention?

It worked for Anne Hathaway. She has admitted that during her Princess Diaries fame, it was nearly impossible for her to snag serious roles.

That's the reason she made Havoc in 2005. In the indie film, she plays a sexually confused rich girl who cures boredom by hanging out with gang members. Nudity, sex, drugs. No tiara in sight.

 

And guess what? Her next film was the award-winning sensation Brokeback Mountain.

 

Child star Dakota Fanning raised eyebrows in 2010 by starring as vixen rocker Cherie Currie in The Runaways. It was the first film to really showcase the then-17-year-old as an adult.

 

In the edgy film, she wore fishnet thigh-highs and corsets, showed partial nudity, and had a sex scene with Kristen Stewart.

Her career hasn't slowed down since.

And even 20 years ago, Drew Barrymore used the technique to star in Poison Ivy, in which she played the ultimate sex-crazed bad girl.

Today, she's already a Hollywood legend.

But, the good-girl-gone-bad trick doesn't always work.

Remember Elizabeth Berkley?

If not, that's the reason. In the midst of her squeaky clean Saved by the Bell fame (she was the feminist nerd, Jessie Spano) she jumped right into the film role of a shameless stripper who will do anything to get ahead. The movie was called Showgirls.

 

Despite the glorified nudity, sex, and blatantly R-rated content, the 1995 movie was a cheesy, disastrous, and unintentionally hilarious flop. Her career never recovered.

These days, you'll be lucky if you catch her in a handful of CSI: Miami reruns.

So, where lies the fate of Vanessa and Selena?

Who knows.

Both acted pretty well in Spring Breakers, with Selena being more notable.

Vanessa does have some interesting films lined up, especially Gimme Shelter, which centers around her playing a street-wise teen desperately seeking her wealthy father. If all goes well, it could earn some awards for the 24-year-old.

Selena has a few less-interesting films lined up, but her shinier celeb status as Justin Bieber's ex-or-not-ex may help strengthen her showbiz career.

 

It's a toss up.

Both girls are talented and deserve to be carefully considered for more serious films.

I just wish it didn't take sex to make it happen.

Diana Vreeland: The Eye has to Travel

Over the weekend I netflixed a very cool documentary. It is called "Diana Vreeland: The Eye has to Travel."

This short biopic showcases the life of one of the most influential fashion icons in history, Diana Vreeland, who was the fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar and eventually editor-in-chief of Vogue.

From the 1930s until the 1970s, Diana Vreeland WAS fashion.

She was an editor more terrifying than Anna Wintour. She was close friends with Coco Chanel. She brought the bikini to the United States.

She discovered future Hollywood legend Lauren Bacall, was the fashion adviser for First Lady Jackie Kennedy, launched Twiggy's career, and was instrumental in the modeling paths of Cher, Edie Sedgwick, Barbra Streisand, and a jaw-dropping number of iconic supermodels.

She celebrated physical flaws by accentuating models' quirky characteristics. For example, when she featured Barbra Streisand on the cover of Vogue, she focused prominence on Barbra's large nose, which was considered unattractive at the time. The photo shoot was legendary and changed people's perception of the famous singer.

The reason supermodels today are not cookie-cutter perfectly sculpted blondes is based on her direct influence. If it was not for Diana Vreeland, supermodels like mole-faced Cindy Crawford, gap-toothed Lauren Hutton, and wide-faced Tyra Banks would never have made it in the industry.

Some believe Diana's obsession with the imperfect stemmed from her own insecurities. Growing up, the socialite was always deemed "ugly" by her gorgeous wealthy mother.

By the 1970s, Diana was already a living legend. Instead of retiring into obscurity, the elderly style icon partied with Andy Warhol at Studio 54 and flirted with handsome movie stars Jack Nicholson and Warren Beatty in Hollywood.

She died of a heart attack in 1986.


What do you think of Diana Vreeland? Did you know much about her before? Have you seen this documentary?

Book Review: Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.

I swear half of my book list comes from Erika, the fashion and beauty genius behind Cafe Fashionista. She always has the most fabulous suggestions.

A while ago, when I realized she was reading Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M.: Audrey Hepburn, Breakfast at Tiffany's, and the Dawn of the Modern Woman I figured I needed to pick up a copy from the library immediately.

So, I did.

And, as I expected, it's awesome.

The book, written by Sam Wasson, gives a very detailed behind-the-scenes look at the film Breakfast at Tiffany's.

If you love the movie, you seriously need to read this book.

The making of the film is incredibly fascinating and complex. The influence it had really changed the world. Before Holly Golightly and her little black dress, women wouldn't have dreamed of living in a tiny apartment in the big city, on their own, struggling to get by, and being fabulous every step of the way. It truly foreshadowed the independent woman as we know her today.

Plus, the movie created shock waves throughout the film industry. It completely changed Audrey Hepburn's career and created an entirely new genre for young audiences.

As a devout fashionista, I own the Audrey Hepburn box set, so I was able to watch Breakfast at Tiffany's while reading the book. It was fun to jump to certain scenes of the movie after reading all the juicy tidbits about what actually happened during each take.

Of course, I own the novella Breakfast at Tiffany's as well, so it was fascinating to flip through those pages during the chapters about Truman Capote.

Fifth Avenue, 5 A.M. is entertaining and easy-to-read. It'll introduce you to fashion icons you never knew existed, and twist the opinions you had about familiar names.

It's fascinating and delightful and glamorous. Just like Holly Golightly, herself.

Have you seen the film Breakfast at Tiffany's? Or read the novella it is based on?

Anna Karenina

This might come as a surprise to you, but one of my favorite novels is Anna Karenina.

I don't really broadcast this fact because it seems so cliché and pretentious.

But, it's a book that really did resonate with me and made an impression in my life. Plus, I was one of the few who read it for pleasure, rather than being forced to in school. And that always makes a difference. So, obviously, I was counting down the days until the film came out.

Unfortunately, I had high expectations. After all, my heart was stolen by Greta Garbo in the 1935 version. But that film only told a sliver of the actual story. I was hoping the Keira Knightley version would be all that, and more.

Well, let's start out with the positives.

The film is breathtakingly gorgeous. I wouldn't even call it a film. I would call it a work of art. The costumes are dazzling. The production design is spectacular. It flows like an enchanted ballet, rather than a movie. It is set on a single soundstage, rather than actual outdoor locations. It's one of the most unique films I've ever seen in that respect. Very mesmerizing to watch.

But, that's where the magic ends.

The film lacked the one quality that would have made it perfect: passion.

Anna Karenina is one of the greatest love stories of all time. And yet, there was absolutely NO chemistry between Keira Knightley as Anna and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played her young lover, Count Vronsky. Their romance was totally unbelievable to me.

I don't totally blame Keira. She looks divine in the film (although a little young and less curvy than I imagined). But I think Count Vronsky was terribly miscast. I personally didn't find Aaron handsome or charming in this role.

In fact, the only actor who I really appreciated in the film was Jude Law, who plays Anna's reserved and heartbreakingly forgiving husband. His portrayal of an aloof, yet humbled political figure, was actually very touching.

While I thought Keira did an okay acting job in the film, I wasn't blown away. I suppose trying to live up to Garbo was too much to ask, but unfortunately that's what ultimately happens when you take on a role this huge. She just didn't compare. Not by a long shot.

But her beauty lit up the screen, which makes her lack of charisma slightly forgiving.

Overall, I thought the movie was very lovely and ethereal, but disappointing for an avid fan of the book.

If you have money to burn, I would suggest seeing it on the big-screen because it's very beautiful to watch.

But don't expect anything more.

Sex. Drugs. Fame. Fabric.

Six inches of glitter dusted the floor.

Pink disco balls sparkled from the ceiling.

On the crowded dance floor, a gorgeous blonde supermodel gyrated against a rock star. In a dark corner, sitting on a velvet couch, a famous pop artist discussed politics with a flamboyantly gay journalist. A sultry brunette movie star sat next to them, sipping a neon orange cocktail and staring into space, stoned out of her mind.

This was the glitzy, drug-induced, money-soaked, rock-and-roll masturbation fantasy of the 1970s Studio 54 scene in New York City.

This was the world of Halston.

I recently watched a very interesting documentary called Ultrasuede: In Search of Halston.

It chronicles the career of the world's first superstar designer, focusing on the height of his fame during the 1970s.

Halston was born in Iowa and started his career in Chicago, designing hats. His world changed forever when Hollywood and Camelot took an interest in his work. His pillbox hats were made legendary by the brand new First Lady Jackie Kennedy and his haute couture hats were worn by Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany's.

His career escalated into a billion-dollar empire. By the 1970s, there wasn't a supermodel, movie star, or princess who wasn't draped in his long, flowing dresses.

Halston was jaw-droppingly wealthy, blindingly handsome, and fabulously eccentric. In his giant modern New York City apartment, he threw elaborate dinner parties attended by his closest friends, such as Andy Warhol, Bianca and Mick Jagger, Elizabeth Taylor, and Michael Jackson. Most of the time, things got inappropriately out of control, with clothes flying off and people waking up the next morning in questionable locations.

His best friend was the dazzling superstar Liza Minnelli.

Together, his jet-setting group of glamorous, beautiful friends stormed the New York City night club scene. Studio 54 became their home away from home. While hundreds of attractive, shivering people stood in line for hours outside in the freezing winter nights, desperate to be chosen for admittance, Halston and his friends laughed and danced and basked in their fabulousness inside the protected paradise.

They were the most famous people in the world. And they knew it.

I don't want to give away too much, because I think it is really important, especially if you are a fashion blogger, to view this documentary.

Let's just say Halston's contributions to the fashion world were astounding.

You can see the influence of his work in fashion today. His style has never left us.

Halston ran his empire like a homosexual Hugh Hefner. He never went anywhere without his entourage of stunningly gorgeous models. They were like his family. He not only chose all of their outfits, but made them change five times a day, usually in matching or complimentary dresses. With his movie-star good looks and his bevy of long-legged beauties trailing behind him like puppies, Halston always made an unforgettable entrance.

Of course, Halston had no romantic interest in his sexy models. They were merely his background dolls.

He loved men. But not just any men. He craved intellectual, wild, and exotic men. Bad boys.

He was so, so gay.

Unfortunately, a risky business move (ironically, something that would have probably saved his career today) finished him professionally during the 1980s.

Depressed and sick, he uncharacteristically withdrew from his social circle later that same decade. His desire to be fabulous simply vanished.

He died in 1990.

What do you think of Halston?