Fashion Friday

I think NYE is a very overrated holiday. No matter what kind of fabulous-ness you have planned, it always seems like it should be better. The ONE thing I do like about the holiday is it's a chance to be as glam and sparkly as I wish I could be in everyday life. The search for the perfect NYE dress is ON. Of course I had to default to my absolutely favorite site for dresses Spool No. 72 (I fawned over their summer dresses last April). Having to pick a favorite sparkly sequined dress is what I imagine picking a favorite child is like! Here are my front runners in order of current preference:

Which one do you like best? :) Also, my dream shoes: 

And a version for more dressed down days :)

Happy shopping (and holidays)! 

Skyfall Sneak Peek

Last night I was lucky enough to see an early screening of the new James Bond movie, "Skyfall." I am a huge fan of the Bond movies. I've watched almost all of them, including the Timothy Dalton and Roger Moore ones. When Daniel Craig was named the new Bond I was a little worried but so far he's done pretty well. "Casino Royale" was a great addition, which "Quantum of Solace" was forgettable. "Skyfall" is back up to the caliber of "Casino Royale."

Don't worry, there's no spoiler alerts in this review. This vague synopsis is available on many other sites. In this film, M and Bond's relationship is tested when her past comes back to haunt her. You can't be the head of MI6 and not make some enemies along the way. One of the things I really liked about this installment is that it provides more insight into Bond's past than anything ever shown before. You get a quick look at the man behind the martini. It also refreshes some classic characters that are staples in the series. And for long terms Bond fans, they sneak in a couple homages to the early years. I always like to see who the automotive for each Bond movie are. This year it's clearly Range Rover/Jaguar that's to some over-obvious product shots.

Craig is more of a rugged action star than previous Bonds, but he can still pull of a tuxedo. And he actually looks more reliable doing stunts than some of the more suave Bonds, like Brosnan. Dame Judi Dench may be old but she still plays the role of M believably. Ralph Fiennes is an addition to the cast and I hope we get to see more of his character. The bad guy is played by Javier Bardem (don't worry, this is not a spoiler. It's never a mystery and every review talks about this). Bardem's character is one of the creepiest bad guys I've seen in any movie in a long time. This may rival his fantastic and scary role in "No Country For Old Men." They both give me shivers. Definitely go see this one in theaters, especially if you're a Bond or Daniel Craig fan. On that note, I leave you with this wonderful advertising fail and a couple good ones of Mr. Craig:

I Went to a Movie Instead of Watching the Giant's Win the World Series

I went with a longer blog title today but it's something I'm not ashamed to admit. I can't watch 9 innings of baseball unless I'm actually at the game. Baseball is boring. But do I wish I had then gone out for the celebrating and rioting? Oh yes, crazy drunk people are indeed the best part of sports. I like going to day games for baseball because it makes it completely fine to be drunk by noon, sitting outside in the sun. Now that is America's past time.

Anyway, the movie I went to see was "Argo," which has been recommended to me by several friends. Not just any friends but the type of friends where I value their taste and opinions. I enjoy movies rooted in actually history, so this was right up my alley. The movie centers around the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis, where a U.S. embassy was taken over in Tehran as a protest to the U.S. harboring their deposed Shah. Everything I've read makes a very clear point to call our that this is "loosely based" on the events that happened surrounding the crisis. If you want specifics on where Hollywood decided to get creative, check out the movie's Wikipedia page. The plot focuses on the CIA's undercover operation to extract 6 embassy employees who escape the raid on the embassy. The title pays homage to the America spy's cover, a casting director for a new sci-fi movie, Argo. Best line of the movie: "Arg go fuck yourself."

The movie is directed by Ben Affleck (who also stars in it). I think people sometimes people forget that Affleck has legitimate film chops, after making a series of movie like "Jersey Girl," "Gigli" and "Daredevil". In the 90s, he appeared on the scene acting in cult movies like Mall Rats and Dazed and Confused. He hit it big when he co-wrote and acted in "Good Will Hunting." He also wrote "The Town," which I actually liked. He co-wrote and co-directed the great film "Gone Baby Gone" which his genius little brother Casey Affleck. One of  the "Argo" producers is George Clooney, so you know the film is going to have some not-so-subtle political moral of the story.

With the clout of Clooney and Affleck, they were able to score some great actors for this film. Highlights include Bryan Cranston, Alan Arkin, Victor Garber (who walked Affleck's wife Jennifer Garner down the aisle when they got married) and Tate Donovan. However, John Goodman really steals the show. With all the reviews he's getting about his performance I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a Best Supporting Actor nomination out of it. I definitely recommend seeing this movie in theaters.

The first Caturday of November

First, as a goodbye to October a little homage to this spooktacular week: HALLOWEEN LOLCATS!

Moving into November, remember: VOTE LOLCAT

Brought to you by: Cheezburger