Oscar Night in Review: The Fashions (Pt 1)

I promise this is the last post on Oscar Night 2010. Oh wait. There's 3 more. DAMNIT! It'll never be over.

also: worst & weirdest moments | wonderful moments | complete Oscar '09/10 season

Before we get to the best & worst, I would like to give out a shout out to the blacktresses that were working the red carpet on Sunday. Hollywood is even harder on them their white counterparts (so few roles to go around). So unless they're nominated -- like the Precious girls -- they almost never get any media attention. So let's take a brief looksie. I've omitted Gabourey Sidibe and Mo'Nique because you've already seen the "money shot" and Mo'Nique got plenty of air time (but yes, I loved the Hattie McDaniel tribute with the dress color and the gardenia. I wish more people would do themes.)

Stacey Dash wasn't really there. I stole this from one of the parallel Oscar parties (a little more on those in part two) because I dig the slightly freaky spiderweb vixen dress. Anika Noni Rose (who we're always pulling for) didn't get to sing at the Oscars (boo! producers) so I wanted to feature her. She seems to be doing an inverted take on Carey Mulligan's favored look (the black poofy dresses with color hewhaw appliques on the bodice). Jennifer Lewis, who was also in the voice cast of The Princess and the Frog almost made my worst dressed list. But then I decided I loved that she was dressed as a cartoon super-villain that she made up in her own head "Cruela de Frill". Finally we don't usually see this much of Paula Patton (Precious's "Blu Rain") but there's more of her to be see since she's very pregnant! That's the most orange I've seen since Valentino: The Last Emperor.

BEST DRESSED

From left to right: Kristen Stewart finally looked great. And like the Fug girls said, she didn't have to not look like herself to do it. You have to give credit when it's due, so I have to say that she pulled it off. (I'm more surprised than you are). Jennifer Lopez seemed to be wearing a bubble-wrap wedding gown but it's breathtaking (and we don't normally go as gaga for her style choices as the rest of the media does). I thought Sandra Bullock was wearing silver and then somebody said "did you like her gold dress" and then I had to look again and whatever -- silver/gold/champagne -- it's the color of win. Vera Farmiga is #1 for me because this my berry-colored gown isn't "safe" and it's just BIG and confidently weird and beautiful enough to be an absolute head turner rather head scratcher.

Meryl Streep looked classy and pristine in white but I'm shocked to hear that this is by Chris March (who was always doing very over the top looks on Project Runway). I imagine Molly Ringwald will make the worst-dressed lists (I'm so behind on my interweb readings) but I think it's just weird enough with the curlicue accessories and the bold color and assymetry to be a daring choice that still totally works for her. Elizabeth Banks is as dreamy as she is funny. Are you following her on twitter? Finally, you knew I had to have my goddess in here: Michelle Pfeiffer wore red which is and always has been her very best color. This dress is saved from being too plain (she does always play it elegant/safe, that one) by it's interesting pattern and textures.

WORST DRESSED

From left to right: Virginia Madsen is stupendously beautiful but always look dowdy on awards night. The cut of the waist on Kate's dress is not flattering. That's right, cover it up Winslet. My friend Joe says that Miley Cyrus's dress is "dragging her down from the boobs" haha. I think that's just her posture. But you probably shouldn't be walking red carpets if you can't yet stand up straight. Faith Hill depresses me sartorially speaking...and otherwise speaking. Zoe Saldana looked like she was having a ball so points for that. But this belongs on top of a float or as the trim of a float since it's that type of pinata-esque fabric at the bottom. Different dress up top. For some reason SJP's outfit makes me think she was doing homage to A Single Man's era. I value her status as a fashion icon but I think this might be the worst she's ever looked. (Maybe if her hair hadn't have been sticking out all over the place?) I don't know what kind of fabric Melanie Griffith is wearing but it reminds me of a chain link fence trapped in an oil slick or perhaps the treated hide of The Blob. Hate it. And, oh Charlize... bra stuffing turned inside out? Really?

What did these dresses do to your eyes? And would you rearrange the best and worsts? I know there were a ton more but I can't stare at dresses all day. I had to draw the line at twenty.

Red Rouge Carpet Lineup

More glitterati from Cannes.


No, that's not what Mariah Carey wore to the red carpet. That's her travel outfit on her flight over to attend the very successful Precious screening. This might be the first time I've ever understood one of Mariah's fashion choices. Comfort first when you're high in the sky... even if you're a diva. I included her in this red carpet lineup merely to get my bearings that somehow -- due to Precious -- I'll have to start talking about her now. There are so many singers I'd rather talk about if they'd only make movies (Gwen Stefani, Annie Lennox, Sufjan Stevens, P¡nk, Rufus Wainwright) or learn to act (Madonna).

Remember Bae Doona (waving to the camera) from that Korean monster movie The Host? -- or as the IMDB likes to call her Du-na Bae. Asian names are so confusing on that site -- she's now starring in Hirokazu Koreeda's latest called Air Doll, which is about a blow up doll who develops a soul. Great concept. How many hours until we hear about some American studio snatching up remake rights?

Ben Whishaw and Abbie Cornish got dolled up for the star-studded premiere of Jane Campion's Bright Star which seems to be divisive already. More on that when you scroll down. And finally American funny lady Elizabeth Banks & internationally renowned beauty Aishwarya Rai were photographed together at the Up premiere in different gowns a couple days ago. I guess they're not about to put the brakes on their red carpet chumminess. Here they in different gowns... and this event wasn't long after the other. Imagine how much luggage you'd have to bring to Cannes if you were a celebrity. Three outfits for each day... minimum.

More Cannes chatter
Manohla Dargis @ NY Times on the previously glutted art house market. Is there a silver indie lining in the economic downturn?
IFC Daily Bright Star reactions at Cannes. Is Jane Campion (The Piano) finally making a real comeback? The movie is now scheduled to open stateside on September 18th.
Mike D'Angelo lots of tweeting from Cannes. Hates everything. Or merely tolerates. Only a 50/100 for Jane Campion's Bright Star? Boo. Or "assumed 'Boo' " rather since I haven't seen it. Still, the tweet is funny.


I do support such legislation. Or, rather, a 5 year ban. Needless to say, this ban would not go into affect until after Jane Campion is done returning to us. The cinema needs her.
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Now Playing: Bollywood's Brightest and Hollywood's Darkest

from least screens to most... (links go to trailers)

L I M I T E D
Shadows - Macedonia's Oscar submission in 2007 (also known as Senki) finally sees limited release. It's from the director of Before the Rain and stars Borce Nacev (pictured right) as a physician who mysteriously survives an accident. His mother is apparently a Lady Macbeth type.

Medicine for the Melancholy -an indie about African American 20somethings in San Francisco.

The Class this absolute must see from France reopens now that it's Oscar nominated. I'm sure my own awards had something to do with that release decision, too [snort]. The Class (also known as Entre Les Murs) won the Palme D'Or last summer and hopefully, it can win the golden boy too. I'm not exactly predicting it, though. It might be too subtle and contemporary for standard awards glory.

Luck by Chance -a Bollywood on Bollywood spectacle. Beefcake supplied by "special appearance" superstar Hrithik Roshan and lead actor Fahran Aktar (both pictured, left). But this thing is apparently loaded with star cameos so if you're into Bollywood, you should probably go. Maybe it's like Altman's The Player only with gigantic musical numbers?

E X P A N D I N G
Milk and The Reader have both added 600+ screens this weekend for their widest releases yet. It's a bit strange that Milk, which is the third biggest grosser among the Best Picture nominees, has never hit the 1000 screen mark, making it the BP nominee with the smallest "wide" release.

W I D E
New in Town -Hollywood Cliches Part 1: Midwesterners are so kooky and quaint! Hollywood Cliches Part 2: City folk with big careers are always better off if they move to the middle of the country -- you can find love there! see previous post


The Uninvited -Hollywood Cliche Part 3: Dad or Mom's new "special friend" is always evil! The usually delightful Elizabeth Banks terrorizes in this ghostly horror flick about a teen who doesn't trust Dad's (David Strathairn) new lady.

Taken -Hollywood Cliche Part 4: Revenge is always sweet. Hollywood Cliche Part 5: When someone is wronged violently in a movie they are almost always skilled with the violence themselves since (loop back to Cliche Part 4). Liam Neeson goes berzerk in this thriller when his daughter is kidnapped. This movie has been made dozens of times recently (albeit with different stars and director) but Hollywood never tires of whipping audiences into a frenzy of righteous bloodlust. Has there ever been a movie about somebody who was inept at killing bad guys when they were egregiously wronged?

Any movie plans for you this weekend or are you settling in with DVDs or, god forbid, ignoring the cinema altogether?
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Red Carpet Rendezvous

Little known fact: Marisa Tomei is planning to play Mrs . Roper next. I have nothing to say about Deborah Harry but we were just talking about her so why not include? You know what Diane Keaton needs to do next? A meaty dramatic role like she had in Reds or Mrs Soffel -- but oh right ... Nobody remembers how strong she is in dramas, including maybe Diane herself. Winona Ryder was hospitalized for a mysterious illness this week . Here we go again. I mean this next statement in the nicest least snarky way I could mean it. I honestly thought that Natasha Lyonne was dead. So this year hasn't been as big for Elizabeth Banks as we all were thinking, has it? Still, she looks fab. So does my fab Mad Men cast member Christina Hendricks Yumyum. Is Hollywood going to pounce on her? At the very least, can't they throw her some supporting work in period pieces.

Red Carpet Rendezvous

premiere-ish-ness from the past week or so...


From right to left, just to be backwards: Patty Clarkson at the "Speed the Plow" premiere in NYC (Elizabeth Moss from Mad Men is playing the old Madonna role from the 80s in this David Mamet revival), Elizabeth Banks all old school glam at a W. party, former Goonie and currently ubiquitous stage star Martha Plimpton as well as my movie-retired film experience iconKathleen Turner were also at "Speed the Plow". Parker Posey at some gala or another --we haven't seen her in a while what with the movie career slowing down but she's always worth looking at.

Finally, fragile and slightly spooky Kristen Stewart strikes a pose at the Twilight premiere and Amy Adams attends the Doubt launch.

<-- But did she bring her man? Or whoever it was she brought to the Hollywood Film Festival in mid October. He looks too much like blurb whore automaton Ben Lyons for my comfort. If he's anything like that "critic" run away Amy, run away... Doubt.