GlAM GAB: ECLIPSE EXCITEMENT

The sexy, brooding and romantic vampires hit the big screen again in the third installment of the Twilight Saga: Eclipse. It is sure to be action packed, with a werewolf- vampire face off, and give you twi-hards a full dosage of the Bella-Edward-Jacob love triangle. To get everybody in the Twilight mood I wanted to do a Glam Gab of the stars at the Los Angeles Premiere. Our leading lady, Kristen Stewart, opted for a white Elie Saab asymmetrical mini dress with nude Christian Louboutin pumps. Kristen’s dress is young, modern and interesting. Unfortunately, she does not have poise or the attitude to rock this look and she looks completely uncomfortable. Our main man Robert Pattinson looked super cool in a maroon Gucci suit with a dove gray shirt and slate gray tie. This guy can do no wrong even if he wore a paper bag. The other eye-candy in the film, Taylor Lautner, is the epitome of sleek and chic in a two button gray Gucci suit.  This cast is young and fun to watch at every appearance they make....can't wait to see you all at the midnight showing! 

Posted by Lauren Wilson 

Knight and Day

I decided not to do a full post on this movie because to be honest it didn't really deserve one. Remember when I said "The A Team" was the perfect action comedy...well this movie isn't. There was no chemistry between Cameron and Tom at all and rather than thinking about how good of an actor Tom is, I could only see him as the man he has made for himself in the public. It was hard to make the difference between real Tom and actor Tom, which is really sad. My advise to him, cool it with the press Tom and get the acting career back up to beat. The story line was a wreck, it was choppy, cheesy and to be blatantly honest, very boring. One scene where Tom slowly walks toward Cameron in slow motion through firing bullets to give her a kiss even made me cringe. I will give Tom the huge credit for doing all of his own stunts though. I watched the behind the scenes of some of his stunts and was truly amazed by what he does. And now for Cameron. I think its time for Cameron to accept the roles that she should be taking as she gets older. Sorry to say, but she can't keep pulling off the 20 year old ditsy blonde anymore. It just doesn't look right. She did such an amazing job as a mom in "My Sister's Keeper" and I would really like to see her tackle more challenging roles like that in the future. With such big names for one movie and such great promotion press, I was expecting another great action comedy but was quickly disappointed.

I give this movie a C.

Toy Story 3

Now here is a movie I think everyone can agree was highly anticipated for its return to the big screen once again. I am happy to report it lived up to the name it has made for itself. Toy Story is back for the third time and it kept me laughing throughout and maintained that connection with the same characters we have all known to love. I went with a friend Blake who was nice enough to get us both tickets for the 3D experience of the movie. Seeing it in 3D definitely gave the scenes more depth and better placement, however, it was not entirely necessary. So, see the movie whichever way you want and you will still get the same result from this iconic story.

THE GOOD: Well, I must admit there is only good for this movie. I am sad that the movie did not come around Oscar time because I could definitely see it nabbing the Best Animated Feature Film award.  The same characters we know and love came back ever funnier and more charming than ever before. The dinosaur had me laughing throughout with each of his lines and the Latin Buzz had the entire audience laughing out loud. This movie was refreshing in how it put a new twist on the same characters but in a modern yet compassionate way. This movie truly showed the bond this group of toys have made with one another to really make the feeling of a third journey together real. What I admire most about the film is that parents can take their kids and actually enjoy the film themselves which is pretty rare. Such comedic humor included the introduction of the Ken Barbie doll, countless witty remarks poking fun at popular culture stigmas and of course the green alien toys still saying, “The Claww.” SPOILER ALERT! What was the most special and unique part of the entire film was one of the final scenes where this group of toys discover there is no way out of a slow moving conveyer belt that will kill them if they do not escape. When they realize there is no way out, each toy grabs each other’s hand and a close up to each face zooms in as they look at one another with pure admiration and love. It is a magical moment between this group of characters who have been through so much together and regard how they truly do love each other. Of course, the green aliens swoop in with a comedic twist just in the nick of time but this scene left the audience appreciating the bonds that have been developed by the characters through three movies.

To all my readers, get out there and see Pixar’s newest genius. I give this movie an A+.

The A-Team

Finally, the first movie in so long that I actually enjoyed, the A Team! I know this movie is definitely not Oscar worthy in any sense, but if any of you are in the mood for some good action and some good laughs, this is the movie for you.

THE GOOD: The dynamic between the four members of the A Team made the humor witty and the action even more fun. The story line was of course unrealistic, but it is a movie after all. It was so enjoyable to watch and the action kept you on your seat throughout the movie. And yes, even Jessica Biel did a good job in this movie and the chemistry between her and Brady Cooper was believable and worked well in the movie.

Overall, in terms of action comedy, I give this movie an A and recommend that all my readers go out to see it. There are no formal critiques for the film because at the end of the day it is just an action comedy that yes, won’t win tons of awards, but it kept you laughing and entertained throughout. I took it for what it was and now recommend you all to go see it!

GLAM GAB: SATC 2

The ladies are back! When I heard that there would be an SATC 2, I was weary on what the potential plot points would be, but I could not contain my excitement about what these four fashionistas would be sporting with the help of uber-stylist Patricia Fields. After viewing the film, I was left empty and unsatisfied. While the plot was completely lackluster (see Whitney’s critique) I felt robbed of these ladies flair for over the top, but somehow still workable, NYC style. In true Griff’s Guide fashion, I have decided to break it down into the good, the bad, and the ugly.    

THE GOOD: What girl doesn’t want to raid Carrie Bradshaw’s closet? While the “heaven on Fifth” penthouse closet that we saw in the first film was gone, Ms. Bradshaw, or should I say Mrs. Preston, left us with some inspiring looks.  Let’s take her first look, a crisp white Halston Heritage dress (which SJP is now a design consultant for); it was cute and flirty, and even quite restrained for a now more mature Carrie. The wow factor came in a pair of gold glitter Christian Louboutin pumps, which were absolutely fabulous and so utterly Carrie. Few can forget the scene in which she slips into her Dior newspaper slip dress, a throwback to the glory days of the series. When the crew heads to the Middle East, Carrie is the only character that is able to translate her true New York City girl style into an outrageous vacation in a foreign land. She is right on par when she arrives in the Middle East in a flowy,  short one shouldered Halston dress with a glitzy, and location appropriate, turban. The list goes on for her vacation style: her exotic take on harem pants and a fabulous statement necklace that even has a veiled middle eastern women in awe, another Halston maxi dress in a vibrant shade of orange which she wears while contemplating a tough decision. It is relaxed, easy and appropriate for the scene. And my all time favorite, a purple Zac Posen crinoline paired with another Dior classic, the J’adore shirt, worn in an Abu Dhabi market. We all know that Carrie is the fashion maven within the series, but we can’t ask her to be the only one lugging the Prada luggage through the Middle East! 

THE BAD: Preppy and pretty Charlotte in New York was out in full force during the first few minutes of the film that took place in New York. She looked quite the UES (Upper East Side) mother in a cotton candy pink Dior skirt suit finished off with a Lady Dior handbag and Christian Louboutin sling backs. I enjoyed seeing her try to juggle being a mother and a New York women all at the same time, in a vintage cream Valentino nonetheless, only to have her daughter smudge red paint all over the creation. On their adventures through the desert Charlotte was not a complete fashion faux pas. She looked chic and true to character when she arrived in a red and white striped a-line dress.  I was less pleased to see her looking like a cowgirl-gone hippie when the girls decide to go on a camel ride. Honestly, would charlotte ever be caught dead in red leggings?  Next we have Samantha, always the queen of exaggerated and extreme fashions, she looked herself when she wore a body hugging black cut-out dress in the opening scene, or even when she wore a sparkly Versace mini dress to a premiere, the same one that teen queen Miley Cyrus, in a cameo appearance, wears. Her wardrobe went from flashy and fabulous to downright ugly. A crazy Aladdin-esque hat? Cheesy. 

                                                                        

THE UGLY: Miranda should stick to sleek and understated city duds that embody  her rather serious demeanor rather than sparkly in-your-face pieces. A sequined green, collared maxi dress in a club or a rainbow striped, dare I say it, moo-moo? I doubt a high-powered lawyer would have picked that out of some thrift store bin.  

All good things must come to an end, and while these ladies have defined a decade and a city, it may be time for them to kick off their Louboutins for good. 

Posted by Lauren Wilson 

Sex and the City 2

I had a lot of anticipation before actually seeing this movie. Being an absolute fan of the actual series, I was disappointed by the first film when it finally came out. I liked the first Sex and the City movie, however, didn’t love it because it lacked so much of what made the series so unique and loveable. Overall, when I heard they were coming out with a sequel, I assumed it would again disappoint and boy was I right.

THE GOOD: I must say Carrie really out did herself in this movie. She was finally back to the character we all loved from the series: cute and quirky, unlike the sullen depressed Carrie we all watched in the first one. She looked great throughout the film and was the only good acting to be seen. One unique aspect that I really liked was the relationship that developed between Charlotte and Miranda in this movie. They have never seen eye to eye: Charlotte the preppy optimistic one and Miranda the workaholic pessimist. In this movie, however, it was enjoyable to watch the new relationship Miranda and Charlotte have made with one another over being mothers. These polar opposites finally formed a new friendship that truly showed the evolution of these two characters. There was one great scene in the movie that all true Sex and the City fans must have loved, especially me. One iconic scene takes place in the movie where just as in the very beginning of the series, Carrie stands looking down from her apartment window and sees Mr. Big sitting in his iconic town car looking up from a half cracked window up to Carrie. She then comes down in the memorable dress that she wore in the episode when Carrie confronted Natasha, the newspaper Dior. This scene made you feel like you were right back in the best times of the series.

The UGLY: Skipping right to the ugly, I must say it was the rest of the movie. During the movie, I must have checked my phone ten different times because I was so bored and the strained story line was pathetic to watch. This movie was truly a ploy to make money from the iconic series, which caused the writers to squeeze anything they could to try to make some type of narrative. The entire movie was outrageously overdone and entirely ridiculous. They seriously were so desperate for a story line that they sent the four women to Abu Dhabi and had them run themselves into random dramatic situations that were so stupid. SPOILER ALERT! For instance, Carrie loses her passport and when she realizes the situation, of course entirely dramatic, she goes back to the market and the passport is right there. It was so pointless and even more unrealistic. And then somehow, they get into some brawl in the middle of the market and out of no where disguise themselves and run into some Indian women who secretly wear Louie Vuitton under their clothes. Seriously? That’s what I was saying the entire time. What was the most disappointing to me was the story line between Carrie and Aiden. Of course, the trailer depicts it as this huge story line causing fans to be beyond excited for the return of our favorite past love Aiden. But when it finally came to the movie, her and Aiden go to dinner, kiss, Carrie runs away and that’s it everyone. I couldn’t believe that’s what they chose to do with a story line that could have been amazing for all the viewers to see. I was thinking maybe Carrie would secretly be pregnant and realize her mistake? Nope. That was it.  Overall I thought the acting by the main characters was atrocious, I couldn’t believe it! Miranda was not even close to her original character; I had no idea who she even was. A perky overly excited Miranda? I don’t think so. And what I couldn’t believe was how terrible Charlotte’s acting was. And where were all the men we loved from the series? The whole series was about the relationships the four women had with their men in their beloved city and neither the men or the city were even in the movie! Also, they teased us all at the beginning of the movie by bringing Smith back, however, it was just a minor phone call to Samantha that did not result in anything. Also, the ending left me saying is that it? Mr. Big just forgives Carrie, gives her a black diamond ring in thanks for her kissing her ex boyfriend and they all lived happily ever after.

Overall, thanks so much to all the producers of Sex and the City for ruining the series I loved so much and completely botching any story line it had left in it. I give this movie a D.

Letters to Juliet

This was one of the worst movies I have ever seen. You had no connection to the characters, not one of the characters had chemistry between one another, the acting was atrocious, Amanda Seyfried's outfit choices were awful and unflattering even though she is beautiful and the story plot was completely unrealistic and cheesy. I am a fan of Amanda Seyfried and this was a terrible career move for her to say the least. Lets hope she makes some better career choices in the future.

I give this movie an F.

GLAM GAB: "Iron Man 2" Gwyneth vs. Scarlett

The leading ladies of “Iron Man 2” are also fashion icons in their own rights. Gwyneth, known for her classic and subtly on-trend  frocks, and Scarlett who has been named the blonde bombshell of our generation, are both exciting ladies to watch on the red carpet.  Therefore, it is no surprise to hear that glam gab would compare these two fashionistas as they strut their stuff throughout the Iron Man 2 press events. Not only are these two compared on the red carpet, but even gossip mags have tried to pit these two stars against each other. Claiming that Gwyneth was jealous of Scarlett’s dramatic weight loss for the film or that Scarlett acted like a diva on  set. I am not quite sure what to think of all the drama, but I am happy to sound off on their red carpet appearances. First, we have the two stars at the Los Angeles photo call. Surprisingly, both of these ladies showed up in similar grey toned, slim-fitting dresses. Gwyneth looked sassy in a Victoria Beckham Spring 2010 collection dress paired with Georgina Goodman Love Sandals. On the other side of the rink, Scarlett lent some sex appeal to her RM by Roland Mouret Artemis dress paired with pewter Christian Louboutins. While I do love how Gwyneth took a risk with a fun shoe, her sandals spell out the word Love on the side; I must say that Scarlett takes the cake on this one.  I love the dove grey color with her bouncy blonde hair and I applaud her for incorporating a subtle dosage of a strong shoulder. Next, we have the Los Angeles Premiere. Interestingly, they both wore Armani Privé. Scarlett wowed in a sculptural cocktail dress from the Italian designer made out of a gorgeous iridescent fabric, while Gwyneth opted for an edgier look, pairing a chic blazer with a new go to evening piece, shorts.  The verdict on these looks, a tie! I absolutely adore how Gwyneth did a fresh and chic twist on the suit, she is absolutely glowing and she seems so at ease, but I hate the shoes. They are heavy and seem completely out of place with the entire look. Scarlett is incredibly modern in this Armani number and I love how she paired it with accessories that do not compete with the dress and that her hair is softly tousled in an up-do.  All in all, each of these fashion forces did me proud!

By: Lauren Wilson 

Iron Man 2

Due to finals and a crazy filming schedule with Anthony Zuiker who I am currently interning for, I have been putting Griff's Guide on the back burner and its time to change that. Beginning with the first of many movies I have seen since my long absence, here is Iron Man 2.

The Good: Robert Downey Jr. did not fail to live up to his epic role as Tony Stark yet again in the sequel of Iron Man 2. I truly believe no one else could play that role. He has nailed it each time and perfected it even more the second time around. Gwyneth came back as well this time and gave another great performance as Pepper. What I liked about this film was what they chose to do with her character. Normally in comic book stories, there is always the damsel love interest who is constantly saved by the leading super hero. However in Iron Man 2, Pepper's character has truly evolved from this stereotypical role and has become a strong powerful woman who takes over Tony's entire multi million dollar company. Of course she still holds onto the typical role to some point but I really enjoyed the character she played and how she made Pepper this new character to watch. I surprisingly also enjoyed the role played by Scarlett Johansson.  I will admit I actually think she is a horrible actress and point blank do not like her. However, I respect how she lost so much weight for the movie and completely rocked it in that jump suit in this new vixen role in the new movie. The action and special effects were amazing once again and I think an even larger budget was given to this film and you could definitely tell.

The Bad: Don Cheadle came back to replace the role of James Rhodes. The original actor that played the role was far better than Don Cheadle and it definitely ruined it for me having this character replacement. I have one request for sequels, bring back the same characters! The new actor definitely threw off the entire movie and made you hate the character rather than like him. Also, the previews had me beyond excited for the role played by Mickey Rourke as Ivan Vanko. He did a good job but not a great job in this role. I could barely understand him and didn't think his character as a whole was as cool and innovative as it was advertised. Overall, Mickey just didn't give me the amazing/creepy character I wanted.

The Ugly: SPOILER ALERT! The end fighting sequence was very disappointing. It was far too short and very anti climactic. The good guys won a little too easy the second time around. In the first movie the end fighting sequence was realistic in how it developed and took time in winning the end battle. Also the biggest disappointment I had was the overall realism in the story plot. One of the biggest reasons I loved the original Iron Man was because of the careful and realistic development of both the characters and story plot. The development of Tony Stark from a playboy to a hero as well as the building of the actual suit was realistic and carefully developed in a way to understand the real story of Tony Stark and how much work it truly took. It made you connect with the character even more and provided the audience with an immense satisfaction when Tony prevailed with each success when creating his alter ego. This is the crucial aspect that was missing from this film.

Overall I came into this movie as an absolute fan because I loved the first movie. I came in with a lot of expectations that were sadly  not fully received. I give this movie a B+.