The Book Review ~ Grace

Read: 16th January 2013

Rating: 5/5

Grace Coddington’s memoir is the book every Vogue reader has wanted. I hunger for a glimpse behind the glossy pages lapping up “The Devil Wears Prada” “The September Issue” “Bill Cunningham’s New York” and “Through the Editor’s Eyes” all I have ever wanted to know was in this book! The mysterious red head you see in the front row at every show... this is her... this is it... in her own words. Away from a camera. It is the memoir any fashion savvy woman is interested in. I adored it... every word!! 

Starting from childhood, through her modeling career and concluding with her work at American Vogue - the memoir tells you everything you could want to know about Grace... and Anna Wintour herself who has a chapter all to herself. 

The book is so conversational that you just felt like you got to know the read Grace, as if she were across the table chatting to you. It is the perfect biography. It keeps you interested. It tells you what you want to know eliminating all the stuff you don’t want to know. AND what an AMAZING story Grace has to tell. A brilliant woman in job and in life. 

A great book! THANK YOU GRACE FOR SHOWING US THE WORLD WE ALL WISH TO LIVE IN!

The Movie Review ~ Lincoln

Seen: 26th January 2013

Rating: 4/5

DANIEL DAY LEWIS DANIEL DAY LEWIS DANIEL DAY LEWIS DANIEL DAY LEWIS. What else can one say about Lincoln. Daniel Day Lewis kidnaps you for 2 and a half hours! The script is written for him. Anyone else and this movie would have flopped. It is long, it is slow and it isn’t that interesting. It is very Greek in the fact that most of the main events happen off-camera. The reason you cannot move and stay hooked is Daniel Day Lewis. He produces this beautiful, caring, wonderful man in his portrayal of Lincoln. He is touchable and relatable. Everything about what Daniel Day Lewis is Lincoln, he posture, his walk, his voice. It is amazing how he transforms into Lincoln. 

Sally Field is fine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt is fine, Tommy Lee Jones is wonderful. You just dismiss everyone because of Daniel Day Lewis!! I fully believe Daniel Day Lewis’ acting was met by only one other cast member and that was Gulliver McGrath. He was absolutely brilliant. His reaction to the death of his father was just heart-breaking. That is an actor to keep your eye on. 

Daniel Day-Lewis has the oscar hands down! It is his movie! Good movie... a classic!

The Movie Review ~ Les Miserables

Seen: 31st December 2012, 3rd January 2013, 22nd January 2013

Rating: 5/5

I haven’t loved a movie this much in a long time. I am a huge musical theatre fan. I have seen Les Mis 5 times on the stage ranging from West End - to - Broadway Across Canada. I have also been in 2 local amdram productions of Les Mis. So to say I know the musical is an understatement. I have to say though. I prefer the movie to any stage production I have seen. Tom Hooper captures everything about Les Mis perfectly. The desperation, the passion, the heartache and the romance. Victor Hugo’s novel is a piece of literary brilliance. Claude-Michel Schonberg’s musical is a classical masterpiece. Now Tom Hooper’s movie is pure cinematic genius. 

The cinematography of the film is breathtaking, beginning with the Victory being pulled into dock all the way through to Javert’s dice with death opposite NotreDame and of course the barricade. 

As for the cast! First off to have the original Jean Valjean as the Priest was FANTASTIC. Hugh Jackman was wonderful but everyone was overshadowed by the heart-wrenching performance of Anne Hathaway as the fated Fantine ~ The Oscar is yours my dear! My favorite Broadway star Aaron Tveit shone, as did the rest of the students. It was very clear throughout the movie who was a stage star and who was a movie star... none more so than Samantha Barks who was simply gorgeous as Eponine. Sacha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter were hilarious as the comical interlude however, you could not help but notice the similarities of their acting to that of their parts in Sweeney Todd. The children who are often overlooked onstage were definitely the best of the cast in the movie little Gavroche played by Daniel Huttlestone was AMAZING and darling Cosette, Isabelle Allen again adorable. I will make a clear definition between Baby Cosette and Grown Cosette- Amanda Seyfried was awful. Yes she looked like the perfect Cosette but the moment she opened her mouth to sing all was forgotten. OUCH!! I will stand to defend Russell Crowe. His singing may not have been the best but he WAS JAVERT. His acting and appearance was spot on. You felt his desperation. His acting was brilliant enough that you could overlook the Backstreet Boy performance of Stars. I leave Eddie Redmayne till last. Having been a big fan of his acting since Tess I was worried about his ability to sing Marius... I needn’t have worried... WOW! 

I have seen the movie three times and I still sob loudly and uncontrollably. It is brilliant. So well acted. So well put together. Bring on the Oscars.