Oscar Magic

4 to Inception, 4 to The King's Speech, 3 to The Social Network, 2 to Alice and Wonderland and 10 out of 10 for brilliance! The 83rd annual Academy Awards were not only fun and glamorous, but the winners were definitely the most deserving. I must admit, I expected a different outcome after the Golden Globes, but The King's Speech was without a doubt the "Best Picture" considering all aspects, including cinematography, editing, directing, acting and art direction - a film that kept you gripped, expanded your knowledge and made you laugh every now and again.

Personally, I believe Hans Zimmer has deserved and Oscar for years, but Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross brought The Social Network to magical life. Colleen Atwood knows how to fuse fashion and drama and her long time collaboration with Tim Burton has truly brought beautiful works of fashion art to this world.

Even though there were mixed reactions toward Anne Hathaway and James Franco as hosts (they are not comedians, why should they feel obliged to be funny?), they kept the night going and made it entertaining - it is about the awards, anyway.

The Best Actors and Actresses of the night, Natalie Portman and Colin Firth were the cherries on top. Both portrayed vulnerable characters with flaws to overcome and ultimately stood for that confusing stages everyone experiences in life.

Some Fashion...

The King's Speech

The King's Speech

With: Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter,

Derek Jacobi, Guy Pearce, Michael Gambon, Timothy Spall

Directed: Tom Hooper

Written: David Seidler

Genre: Historical Drama

Running Time: 118 minutes

"Because I have a voice!" the King shouts in utter frustration through insecurity and stammering. He gets one reply from his speech therapist and close friend: "Yes, you do."

The King's Speech tells the story of a powerful man fighting a weakness that limits the use of his own power. A king should be noble, strong and sure. A king should make his people feel secure and proud. How does a king do this if he cannot even communicate? It is the story of King George VI (Colin Firth), the man who went from being Duke of York to king of millions because his brother, Edward VIII (Guy Pearce), abdicated to marry divorcee, Wallis Simpson in the 1930's.

However, George (or Bertie, as his family called him) is haunted by a stammering problem he developed as a child due to neglect and emotional abuse from a nanny. His father, King George V (Michael Gambon) is at the end of his life and the pressure escalates for Bertie to take charge and to speak as a leader. He tries numerous speech improvement methods, including smoking to "calm the nerves," but all to no avail. His loving and sympathetic wife, Queen Elizabeth (Helena Bonham Carter) finds a unique speech therapist in an Australian "commoner", Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush) to help Bertie and even though the relationship has a rocky start, Logue and Bertie soon become close friends. By the time King George VI has to address his country before the start of World War II, he has grown into a King to listen to.

King George VI: If I am King, where is my power? Can I declare war? Form a government? Levy a tax? No! And yet I am the seat of all authority because they think that when I speak, I speak for them.

The film opens on the day of George VI's first live radio broadcast and where the radio broadcaster perfects his voice and diction, George suffers a great embarrassment when his nerves and stammering prevent him from talking to the crowds. The cinematography is constantly utilized to show the pressure of public speaking and the distance George puts between himself and the people he has to communicate with and the production design constantly pulls you into an early 20th century world coming out of one war and moving into another. Criticism has come forward regarding historical truths (for example, King George's first live radio broadcast happened 10 years before portrayed in the film and George and Logue apparently never referred to one another as "Lionel" and "Bertie"), but that does not take away from the incredible story told and the strong, yet unorthodox friendship that develops between two very different people.

Director Tom Hooper is like a conductor in front of an orchestra with this film and he knows who to put in his masterpiece. Colin Firth captures the insecurity and pain of frightened king perfectly without ever falling into self-pity and Helena Bonham Carter plays the strong, ever supporting Queen Elizabeth with expertise. Geoffrey Rush is also absolutely deserving of every nomination and award that comes his way, because playing an aspiring actor who had to settle for a more simple life and then becoming something great because of pure compassion and unique flair is difficult. He perfects the brutally honest, yet humble, personality.

Lionel Logue: [as George is lighting up a cigarette] Please don't do that.
King George VI: I'm sorry?
Lionel Logue: I believe sucking smoke into your lungs will kill you.
King George VI: My physicians say it relaxes the throat.
Lionel Logue: They're idiots.
King George VI: They've all been knighted.
Lionel Logue: Makes it official then. 

                            And The 12 Oscars (Hopefully) Go To:

Actor in a leading role: Colin Firth

Actor in a Supporting role: Geoffrey Rush

Actress in a Supporting role: Helena Bonham Carter

Art Direction: Eve Stewart & Judy Farr

Cinematography: Danny Cohen

Costume Design: Jenny Beavan

Directing: Tom Hooper

Film Editing: Tariq Anwar

Original Score: Alexandre Desplat

Sound Mixing: Paul Hamblin & Martin Jensen & John Midgley

Best Original Screenplay: David Seidler

Best Picture

The Globes, of Course

The 68th annual Golden Globes has probably been the most discussed topic on the web in the last twenty-four hours, but I can't help it - it's where two of passions come together: the film world and fashion. As an actress one finds these awards inspiring, because you get to see and learn from the most increible talent the world has to offer. Some winners you agree with whole-heartedly, but others you wonder about and think: "why?" However, no matter what happens, this is where I usually get to know brand new shows and artists and discover even more about the craft I love so much.

 I've always been a fan of Colin Firth and he executed this difficult role of a stuttering King George VI with pure brilliance. Congratulations!

I'm a sucker for everything ballet, no matter how darkly portrayed. Well done to Natalie Portman for her Black Swan perfomance.

And to those who fell through the cracks:

 Inception was spectacular in every aspect of filmmaking and will always be one of my all time favourite films.

 When Johnny Depp steps in front of the camera, you don't even see a glimmer of Johnny Depp - it's all about the character and I admire him greatly for that. A good actor is believable, a great actor makes you wonder if the actor is even still in there: that's Depp!



As for the fashion: some of my personal favorites...

Sandra Bullock in fairy tale Jenny Packham.

Olivia Wilde in Marchesa with shimmery gold Christian Louboutins.

Natalie Portman in Viktor & Rolf.

Anne Hathaway in Armani Privé.

Julia Stiles in Romona Keveza.

For a complete listing of nominees and winners, go HERE