NEWS
BLOG HAS MOVED
MID WEEK STRETCH
WE ARE ALL JUST KIDS
reading patti smith’s memoir….so great, so inspiring. really makes me realize that life is short and beautiful and worth taking chances for!
820 am pictures
i. am. finishing. edit. on. ‘bark’. just. got. more. notes. will. incorporate. them. fingers. crossed. story. makes. sense. check out my new home: http://820am.blogspot.com/
BOWLING WITH VINCENT GALLO
buffalo 66. one of my favorite films. i love the red boots, and on christina ricci, the white stockings and glitter shoes. check out the tap dancing scene in the bowling alley to song, ‘moonchild’. happy sunday. xo, am
WES ANDERSON AND YELLOW
before the movie ‘darjeeling limited’ (which btw, is a feast for the eyes and ears) is a short film entitled ‘hotel chevalier’. it’s worth watching. wes anderson’s yellow robed-hotel-relationship movie is a perfect fit with his darjeeling feature. i suggest watching both. i had to post this photo because i am really missing paris. i am missing staying in hotels and the photo is so darn pretty; especially on this crisp, slightly overcast, damp, gorgeous morning in southern california. have a great weekend. au revoir, xo, am
COCOROSIE
love these photos. the whimsy, the mustache, the painted faces, the tracksuit and sailor suit. love it all. their music is pretty great too.
SUPERCHICAS
SuperChicas, the super cool movie i’m producing is about Super Girls from….the hood! Foxy looking mamas who fight crime with smarts and cleverness and alot of home-grown boldness.
NEVER LET ME GO OKAY I WON’T
my kind of film! mark romanek’s newest ‘never let me go’ looks so lovely. mark is such a visual director and the storyline is adapted from a book by an amazing writer, kazuo ishiguro, so the marriage of style and story could make for a very, very good movie. we’ll see! i love the muted colors, the wardrobe…and of course the poster! this would be a poster i would choose; intriguing…where are they running to or from? gorgeous..lighting, the pier, muted sunlight peeking through darkness. it’s conceptual…you can’t see anyone’s face or expressions, leaving the audience to form our own interpretation of this moment. let’s hope the film lives up to the pre-release interest!! xo, am photos: indiewire
TOM FORD. INTUITION. COLLABORATION. BEAUTY.
learn about the process of creating from one of the greatest creators of beauty…tom ford. in these video clips he talks about his feature debut: a single man. tom discusses trusting his intuition and how every time he goes against it, it doesn’t work out. And every time he follows his intuition, it always works out. lesson to learn ladies! follow, follow, follow your intuition. always. it’s the only way to love, succeed, thrive and be creative. enjoy the 4 part series of tom ford, his editor joan and composer abel.
WE ALL HAVE ANGEL WINGS
went to an amazing yoga class this morning. soul of yoga. the teacher kept talking about forgiveness and how to live outside of our cluttered minds. he mentioned, more than a few times, that we are all angels. and to let our wings open and soar and guide us along our path. so from one angel to another….have a blessed sunday and let your wings open and take flight!! photos: model emma
BEAUTY & ADDICTION
i’m sure you’ve all seen photos of this horrible mistake of mankind. it’s a true ecological and emotional, financial and spiritual disaster. i felt so hopeless and helpless when i saw footage of oil spewing into my beloved ocean. i love our ocean!! then i read alicia silverstone’s post on her blog ‘the kind life’ and she outlines some things we can do to change our habits and to become part of the solution instead of the problem. check out her blog, it’s a great resource to get moving and change our addiction to oil. lots of prayers to the animals and people who live, work and play in our beautiful, fluid seas.
GETTIN’ JIGGY WITH IT
so many things have happened this last week. the home we wanted to buy fell through, someone outbid us, the screening of my film in new york that i wanted to go to, i wasn’t able to go. disappointments all over the place. i’ve taken this time to reflect on things and realized that life is not so much a game of chance. it’s a lovely adventure and the more i participate in it, with it, the more i will enjoy. i’ve linked to a very cool video from will smith. that’s right, let’s get jiggy with it, will smith, and i know you will love it. photo: olivia bee
LAUREN GREENFIELD
my lovely friend lauren has done another amazing video/photography piece, this time about fashion: the fashion show. it loads better on vimeo, but visit lauren’s site, she’s a force of nature. xo
BANKSY IN LA
this was the best premiere i’ve been to in a while, which is why i had to post it. it was a super fun movie, funny and smart and the footage of a younger shepard fairey and other graffiti artists is so worth it. check out banky’s ‘exit through the gift shop’ when it comes to your town. my friend richard is part of this film…so spread the word! got to wear my vintage faux-fur jacket with long dress and high boots. love dressing up!
BADLANDS
‘little did i realize that what began in the alleys and backways of this quiet town would end up in the badlands of montana’ thus starts the amazing and beautifully tragic story of kit and holly, directed by my favorite director, terrence malick. this is a gorgeous movie, as all his movies are, and i’ve linked to a short video so you can see the film’s uniqueness. the acting is completely truthful, the scenery breathtaking and the wardrobe for both actors great; kit in jeans, t-shirt and cowboy boots, and holly in shorts and ruffled tops, barefooted and in sweet dresses. it’s a feast for the senses. photos: the imagist, ew, the auteurs.
KEVA AND MARION
my brother in law sent me this photo a few months ago during the golden globes. he was off to marion cotillard’s party and i asked him to tell me what she was wearing! he iphoned me this photo of him and marion. keva is far left with curly hair, next to him is the amazingly, sweet and talented ron yerxa who produced ‘little miss sunshine’, next to ron is marion who looks gorgeous as always, and next to her is toby mcguire and his lovely wife. looks like a super fun night. thank you keva!!
TOP TEN FILMS
i started the list of my top ten films, however there are many more films which have influenced my work and life. the first time i saw fassbinder’s ali: fear eats the soul, i was blown away. the stylized way each shot was composed has influenced my work as a director in such a huge way. these are some stills from the movie. the scene in the bar is the opening, it’s brilliant. the scene with yellow chairs is so lonely and visually beautiful, and the postcard/snapshot scene of the newlyweds at their wedding dinner has every element of cinema that i love. i have decided that since i can not list my top ten films, i will embark on a top twenty. i’m sure when i reach twenty, there will be those i didn’t list and then i’ll back to where i am today. if you love movies, watch this film. photo: frame of reference
DO NOT FADE ORLANDO DO NOT GROW OLD
so this gorgeous movie, orlando is directed by sally potter and is number 10 in my top ten movies of all times. the story is so dreamy and it’s about love and time, and aging and youth and sexuality and connection. perhaps i am such a tilda swinton fan that i would say this about all movies she stars in, but this one…this one is king. or queen as you might say. also, it’s worth seeing quentin crisp play the queen elizabeth. genius casting.
BIG HANDS I KNOW YOU’RE THE ONE
i haven’t posted anything about the winter olympics. partly because i am boycotting because of canada’s seal hunt policy, and partly because i haven’t had time to watch. go, go, go, go. so much going on right now!! more on all of the cool stuff later! irene wust from netherlands just won the women’s speed skating gold. she’s the one in the red/white/blue. the other photo is of canada’s speed skater christine nesbitt. i just love that women can look gorgeous and athletic and healthy and hot with any body size and shape. no undernourished here. just strong, healthy athletic physiques. this makes me want to get out my running shoes and start training!
TWITTER ME, TWITTER YOU
TILDA SWINTON
this actress is amazing. i remember being a young girl and watching the movie ‘orlando’ which stars tilda swinton and i walked out of the theater, mesmerized(click on orlando link and be inspired!) she always follows to the beat of her own drummer. i just watched her again in michael clayton and she lets it all hang out. tilda is not trying to be beautiful for the camera or suck in her belly or get her good angle, she is truthful in the moment and delivers an amazing performance. a quote from tilda about her unique style: “I never had an aspiration to look like a doll, which is fortunate.”
SOMETHING TO KEEP YOU GOING
CLEAN FACE, CLEAN BODY
i have been doing a mini-detox this week. i am drinking 64oz of green drink every day for four days now and my skin looks and feels like butter. my eyes are clear and white, my skin is so soft and my face looks ridiculously clean! there are so many ways to clean your body and care for your body. you don’t need to be harsh with it. here are some starts: ph miracle, veg source, food inc,
A SNIPPET OF PERFECTION
keeping with the red and black theme that prevailed with my sundance posts, this is from the set of our movie ‘perfection’ which you all MUST see when it screens in your town! it’s rob poswall our director of photography and a snippet of the band ‘the damned’ and of our director christina beck and a snippet of my spinal tap tshirt in the mirror. there are a lot of mirrors in this movie. watch a teaser from first week of shooting.
THE ROMANTICS
galt niederhoffer is an amazing woman. we met in ny at ifp and had a chat about writing and movies and how lucky we are to be creative people with big, full lives. galt is a wonderful example of a woman graciously and fiercely putting her work into the world, whether as novelist, producer and now film director of the sundance film ‘the romantics’ galt is a force. here she is(in the red dress) looking gorgeous with her lovely cast, including katie holmes.
THE IMPERIALISTS ARE STILL ALIVE!
zimbio photos. fellow ifp lab gal, zeina durra(pictured w. french actress elodie bouchez) directs her first feature and it premiered at sundance. it’s funny and sexy and smart and deals with racial tensions post 9-11. the talented vanessa hope produced it. check out the trailer, you will love it. yeah zeina and vanessa!
I LIVE IN FANTASY
starting the new year by going back to my top ten list of movies. pans labryinth is definitely on my list. this is a fantastic movie for so many reasons. the story is compelling and uses the power of fairy tale, myth and the supernatural to explore evil and greed and war. it sounds heavy and dark and a bit depressing. it is. and it is not. pans labryinth is filled with so much imagination and is told from the point of view of a young girl, that it merits watching if just for visuals. when trauma happens, when we are subjected to deep wounds, we often create a world, or worlds where we have control over the situation. this film looks at that. how our fragile, magical self copes with the harsh reality of evil. it isn’t a film for everyone, however, if you are open to seeing another world, open to magic and darkness, and fantasy, this is a great one.
HAITI IN BLACK AND WHITE
haiti has had it’s share of tragedy these last few years. keep them in your prayers. photos from the hurricanes in ’08. pulitzer prize winner patrick farrell.
RED CROSS, DRS WITHOUT BORDERS AND OTHER LOVELIES
i’m sure you’ve all been seeing photos of the devastation in haiti; and probably many of you have already donated money to haiti relief organizations. whenever things like this happen, i am always brought back to how connected we are. everyone of us. and while i am obsessed with film and literature and fashion, the truth is, many people in this world are suffering. they don’t have the luxury to create. they barely have the ability to subsist and most of those suffering(in all parts of the world) are children. an overwhelming amount, are young women. so it’s important, as women who have opportunities, to understand our role in the world. it is up to us to give back. to help where we can, not just monetarily but in our art, with our movies, our language, our stories,our very lives. let us be the kind of women who help make change. click on links above to help/text/donate. xoxo (photo: doupex/getty)
VIVIENNE WESTWOOD
vivienne westwood continues to inspire. art and culture are antidotes to propaganda. ‘if art is alive, the world will change. no art, no progress.’ she is a true artist, in everything she does. her hair, her clothes, her vision. some photos from cyclelicious.
MY FRIEND ESTHER
esther photography is my post for today. esther is a dear friend and an amazing photographer and casting director. she loves interesting people, real faces, life, beauty, uniqueness and raw talent. her instincts are incredible and i trust her for casting ideas without hesitation. more about esther later!
FRENCH WOMEN ROCK
we had a film screening of our movie ‘perfection’, it went really well. we got great notes from friends and now it’s back to the editing room. film is a completely collaborative process and i’m always amazed when a film is finished and it’s great. hard to do, and totally worth the pursuit.
charlotte gainsbourg is a fantastic actress, i just watched her in nuovomondo. just look at her style. the first photo is from cannes film festival. increible! why is it that some european women, don’t feel the need to cut up their faces and their bodies to achieve ‘perfection’ like so many american women do? they are not perfect, no one is, and it seems they accept themselves and celebrate their uniqueness. this makes women more beautiful and all the more likeable. this is on my mind because our film deals with plastic surgery and cutting.
A QUEEN
queen raina is the epitome of modern-day royalty. she is fashionable, young, smart, educated, involved in politics, and uses the internet to help with her humanitarian causes. she has started a youtube channel which she opens dialogue for peace worldwide. she is a style and personal icon of mine. follow her on twitter
THE GODS WAIT TO DELIGHT IN YOU
this year i started my blog and what a lovely year it’s been. i have found an outlet to post and share some of my favorite photos, news stories, people and ideas. it’s been inspirational to visit other blogs and see what creative, wonderful things others in this world are doing. i’m impressed. so as this year comes to a close, i’m sending you my love; and may 2010(and beyond) be the best, most interesting, wonderful years for you yet. life isn’t always fun, it’s not always easy. in fact, it’s not supposed to be. but there is always light. be on the lookout for the light. i leave you with a quote from charles bukowski from laughing heart.
‘your life is your life. don’t let it be clubbed into dank submission….be on the watch. the god’s will offer you chances. know them. take them….’ you are marvelous! you are truly, truly marvelous! happy new year my friends.
A SINGLE MAN
my newest favorite film: a single man. tom ford’s directorial debut and it’s stunning. the movie is based on a christopher isherwood novel and apparently it was financed by tom ford himself. if you love fashion, if you love images and beauty, this is a movie for you.
BRITTANY MURPHY RIP
trying to be beautiful. trying too hard to fit an image you didn’t create. brittany murphy was found with medications in her system. she was thin, dieting, losing her way. please take care MY FRIEND. you are my friend and i’m in this with you; because we’ve all been given this bill of goods, sold ideas of what is right and beautiful and worthy of love. YOU are worthy of love. period. end of sentence. you, my friends, are worthy of your love. this holiday season make a pledge to yourself to treat yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit with love. nurture it. feed it. exercise it. express it. keep it clean. share it with the worthy few. check out lauren greenfield’s site.
sorry this isn’t a happy, merry, holiday photo and post. i just think it’s important to remember what’s important. not the shopping or did he or she buy you what you want. or are did we get enough presents, or did we eat too much. who cares! who the fuck cares. love yourself through it. it’s the only way. blessings to you all and happy, safe, loving holidays to you.
ANNA WINTOUR
if you haven’t seen rj cutler’s ‘the september issue’ it’s worth renting for the holidays. it’s a glimpse into the lives of anna wintour, grace coddington and entire the vogue team. i really liked it and because i know rj, the filmmaker, i went to see it in the theater, paid my money, got my large popcorn, coke and licorice and had a great time!
PERFECTION ON SCREEN
these photos were taken from inside the chelsea theater where our film Perfection screened. see the theater row lights on the floor! it was such a lovely experience to see the images on a big screen with an audience. coming soon in 2010 to a theater near you…Perfection!
BODY IMAGE
my friend lisa is a dancer and she’s amazing(with katy perry and bette midler!) she takes great care of herself, her body, her spiritual life & her marriage. when i told her i was posting photos and discussing body image, she loved it. she said her body weight goes up and down and like all women she struggles with body stuff too. how do we learn to love and care for our beautiful bodies? it doesn’t matter whether we’re skinny or heavy, old, young, flabby, firm. it doesn’t matter what has happened to us in the past, it doesn’t matter about the crappy-ass choices we’ve made. loving ourselves is an action. it’s eating real food(not candy and bread, alcohol and sodas), drinking water and low sugar juices. it’s eating salads and soups and fresh veggie wraps. when i started my healing, i began slowly walking and hiking, feeling(for the first time) the connection between myself and nature. it was a long healing and it continues to this day, but our bodies are worth it. cutting oneself, eating bad foods, eating too much, getting wasted, starving oneself, smoking…can all be changed. trust me, they can. women are so powerful. take good care of yourself…like lisa. wanted to share this with you all.
VIRGIN SUICIDES
the virgin suicides is one of my favorite novels and is written by jeffrey eugenides. sofia coppola adapted the book which is about five sisters, the mysterious lisbon sisters, who commit suicide one by one; leaving behind them a wake of wonder, loss and confusion. the book is told from the point of view of neighborhood boys who loved them, idolized them and struggled to get to know them, all the while sensing these girls were slipping out of their reach. it’s a beautiful, beautiful film and these images are gorgeous. sofia’s eye is so feminine and strong. today, i really needed to see something lovely. listen to tracks from film.
HOLIDAY = NO HAM
another reason why becoming a vegan is a great choice! olga samuels.
CLIMATE CHANGE: NO HOAX
there is so much news at the moment about copenhagen and climate change. google the word and you’ll get an array of info. i have no answers to this global problem. the only thing i can think of is to eat less meat. or no meat at all. how does this relate to climate change? direct emissions of methane from cows and pigs is a significant source of greenhouse gases! methane gas(animal gas!) is 23 times more powerful than carbon dioxide as a global warming gas. less animals, less gas in the air. less meat we eat, less animals bred for food. this holiday season, buy/prepare one less meat dish. or go veggie all the way. the planet will love you forever.
WOMEN WRITING, DIRECTING & ACTING!
andy ostroy, the widower and founder of the adrienne shelly foundation awarded our film ‘perfection’ with this year’s grant. my director christina beck accepted the award which was presented to her by the always funny, cheryl hines. adrienne shelly’s passion in life was to make movies. she was funny and quirky and spunky and super smart. she believed that women could create their mark in film, as actors, writers and directors. and she, like in our movie, did all three! women can do anything, girls can do anything. adrienne directed the movie ‘the waitress’!thank you adrienne shelly foundation and ifp.
GARBAGE PATCH
i love the ocean. i love animals. this business of plastics and polluting our world-wide waters is unacceptable. the first photo is from the los angeles river. the second is what’s known as the garbage patch. a patch of garbage floating in the pacific ocean! these are the steps i take to help…small ones and if we all take small steps…this can change: 1. no more plastic water bottles! i use only thermos’ and/or a glass bottle i’ve had for years. 2. no buying any new toys! 3. recycle all my plastic items. 4. buy vintage or used whenever possible. this is a mess and it’s hurting our beautiful, adorable, amazing, magical planet. there is so much more on this topic, and i’ll post links and photos again.
DON’T YOU LET ME GO
lykke li. sometimes, when i’m writing, especially something visual, a movie, a scene, i write to music. when i was writing the script for ‘water street’ i listened to her song ‘tonight’ the acoustic version. it’s haunting, raw, naked, sad and desperate, and somehow freeing. listen for yourself, tweet me, email me, let me know what you think of this song, this gal, this expression of self.
COLD WATERS
as you know i love water. my next movie is about a girl and boy who live and die in the water. water is a powerful natural force and it reminds me, especially ocean water, that life ebbs and flows. water goes in, it goes out…and to fight that is useless. life goes in, it goes out. water also reminds me there is something fluid about nature. water moves easily(except when frozen) around and over obstacles. another great lesson. move effortlessly around, under, over your obstacles or perceived roadblocks. i am drinking a tall glass of water now. enjoy your beautiful day! jeff holt pic.
SURFING, SKATEBOARDING SO MUCH FUN
i haven’t been feeling well lately so i haven’t gone out much. my brother goes surfing everyday…i’m so jealous. i miss being active, out in the water, swimming, surfing, being in nature. it’s so therapeutic to be outside. even walking my dogs on the trail feeds my soul. at least i can do that.
photos: phil holden veganfusion
OLD SCHOOL
i have owned these clarks for over 10 years. before i became vegan. now i try to never buy leather or suede. but i love these shoes. i was being driven to the airport and glanced down and saw my old faithfuls…..had to take a picture of them.
MY HAIR HAS LOOKED LIKE THIS
TRADITIONAL BEAUTIES
LOU DOILLON
i love when people look different. when they have a look that is soley their own. when they embrace the gap between their teeth, or their crooked nose or their height or weight, or color of their skin, or their age. it’s so attractive to be at peace with the parts that make us different. sometimes when i see photos of lou doillon, she looks quite odd, asymmetrical, then i look again and all i see is beauty. we can strive to be okay with who we are, as we are. because there is no more ‘traditional’ beauty. it doesn’t exist. skinny isn’t traditional, tall isn’t either, young isn’t nor is silky, long hair. it’s a changing world and the more we each embrace our supposed imperfections and not try to adapt to the trends, the sooner the we will all understand that each of us is beautiful, exactly as we are. apparently this photo was cropped as lou is topless for an ad. i like this version much better! tweet me or email me what you think is beautiful and unique. it could be yourself, a friend, the sky, a broken down building, your dog, your scars, a mother, a graveyard…it doesn’t matter as long as it means something to you.
FREEDOM FROM FEAR
the amazing aung san suu kyi has been under house arrest in burma for more more than 12 of the past 20 years. she is a believer, a follower of peaceful non-resistence and the stories she tells in her book, voice of hope, tell of confronting those who want to kill her and how she addresses these hostile, negative forces. she is a teacher to learn from. she shows how women can be strong, woman can make a difference, women can be the change, women can confront powerful forces that want us quiet or complacent or even dead. they want our spirits dead. and she shows us how we don’t have to fight them using our precious energy, we can use their own energy against them. powerful women. powerful world. “The only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear.” aung san suu kyi.
THE REAL GIRL
lars and the real girl. one of my top ten movies of all times. the costumes in this film are brilliant. the story, the directing, the quietness and loveliness and humanity are amazing. anyone interested in fashion/film wardrobe, will love the subtleness of kirston mann’s talents. i won’t say too much about about this movie, except to say it makes me happy to be alive.
PLASTIC SURGERY ANYONE?
robyn peterson, the amazing actress in our movie ‘perfection’ plays an aging model who can’t face the fact that she’s getting older. ‘perfection’ is a movie about how far women will go to hurt themselves, through plastic surgery and self-injury(cutting) to feel good about themselves. robyn is a knockout actress. see my next post about robyn’s one woman show which played at edinburgh and in london’s west end. when her show goes up again, i’ll post so all the fashionistas(and lovers of great theater) can go watch this talented lady!
CUSTOM VANS IN THE MAIL
came across this photo shoot on gnarlitude.com. i just custom ordered a pair of vans and so did my nephew. his are white with peace signs and checks and mine are camoflage with pink and brown and all sorts of other stuff. love these photos, especially the vans with holes.
YOUTH IN REVOLT
this is the newest film from director miguel arteta, who i loved working with on my first feature film, star maps, where i played a character called ‘letti’ that was pretty damn sassy. youth in revolt is a book and the film should be fun. chuy chavez is the director of photography who shot both star maps and chuck and buck so i know it will be beautiful, because chuy is…well, chuy is an angel with lighting.
JACKSON
jackson davis…the sexy, sweet and super talented actor that plays ‘tommy’ in our movie. he is so good in our film. he’s also on the webseries lonelygirl15 /LG15: The Resistance. you may be wondering…do his guns really look like that? well, if you come see our movie ‘perfection’ you get to see jackson with his shirt off and you can decide for yourself! photo: adam bouska
NYC. MY FRIEND. HIS HOME.
where i stayed in nyc. my friend bruce’s place. gorgeous and warm and filled with incredible art. he’s an art collector and has some unique pieces, much of which have been donated; insuring that one of bruce’s legacies will live on for years….in the rooms of a lovely museum.
LE GRAN BLEU
top on my list of top 1o favorite movies: le gran bleu. i saw this film in paris when it first came out and i was a changed person after watching it. there is something about this movie that lifted me from my small, myopic, teenage world and cracked everything wide open. i walked out of the theater and viewed the world completely different, with new and better eyes. i have always loved the water, the ocean, dolphins, swimming…anything having to do with the sea, but this movie is much more than a love story to the sea. it is a story about god and life after this life, and dreams and nature and going back to where we come from. make sure you see the european version with soundtrack by eric serra. not the usa version with bill conti music. the usa version is edited down and the ending changed!!! which is horrible…i mean, how can you change the ending to a luc besson movie or any great director’s movie by 180 degrees? it becomes an entirely different movie, a different film-going experience. again, i reiterate….watch the european version w. subtitles if you can. not the american-weinstein-scissorhand cut, cut, cut version, which totally sucks.
FILMMAKERS AT ACE
christina and me/perfection, melissa and russell/the tested
the ace hotel in new york just opened at 20 w 29th street! the hotel is gorgeous and they serve the famed stumptown coffee, which i must attest is one of the best cups of joe i’ve ever had. rob from the ace was really helpful and his friend jimin is poet so we all spoke about hotels and writing and my next movie which is called ‘water street’ inspired by the late poet james merrill. go to the ace, even just for a cup of coffee and hang out in the lobby, totally worth it.
LIFE UNDERWATER AGAIN
isn’t this photo amazing?! if i could live underwater, i would. check out yvette’s other works…
FUCK YOU TOO
short and oh so wonderful. a ps. to my top ten films is the short movie ‘wasp’ by andrea arnold. it is 26 minutes and it’s raw and truthful and heartfelt and very, very simple. the story of a poor, young mother with four kids who reconnects with an old boyfriend. it’s heartbreakingly lovely. the kind of film i want to write, the kind of film i want to make. check out the little one on the right!
70′S FASHION, POLITICS, FAMILY
any child who has it all…any girl who lives a great, privileged life: a big home, nannies, private school, great wardrobe..and then suddenly, one day it’s all taken away. who can she blame? who caused this mess, this upheaval of her fashionable life? this isn’t one of my top ten but i loved the look of this film and the acting of the young kids. it’s a beautiful, complicated coming of age film set in paris: blame it on fidel.
GET BUSY LIVING OR GET BUSY DYING
numero six on my top ten list of best films: shawshank redemption.
first of all, tim robbins is wonderful in this movie, second of all, morgan freeman is amazing too. third of all, it’s a beautiful story about forgiveness and hope and redemption. it doesn’t get any better than this.
THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE HOME
number five in my top ten list of favorite films. this is such a beautiful movie! i can watch it over and over and over the rainbow. visually it’s incredible, the storytelling and characters are timeless. and of course, the music..and it’s scary. if you want a variation of this film, you can always sync up the film to pink floyd’s‘ album ‘the dark side of the moon’ and have the most sober trip of your life. both versions of watching this classic movie work for me.
IFP IN NYC AGAIN
i’m off to nyc again. this time for the ifp film week, a week full of film programs, speakers, screenings…it will be a blast. of course i’m thinking about our film and my other writing & film projects, but i am also thinking about what to wear. i will be in work meetings during the day, then at night at the rooftop films screenings in brooklyn. i love this outfit. and though i cannot pack my doggy, i can pack a super cute, short summer dress and sandals. i’ll throw in some high heels and my navy blue boy blazer and that will be good for business meetings. can’t wait to see a clip of our film on the big screen! if you live in ny, please come to watch movies under the stars with us! stay tuned and i’ll post the date, time and place.
SMOKIN’ ANGEL
took this still from the set of the movie ‘a day in heaven’ directed by david valdez and written/produced by philip hr gunn and produced with the other gunn brother darren rm gunn. their scenes were shot in the new mexico state penitentiary where the 1980 riots happened. it’s a strange, creepy, deserted place. the movie looked great though!
GREY GARDENS
so here is fourth on the list of my top ten films: grey gardens, the maysles brother’s 1975 film about little and big edie beale. the fashion has been copied over the years and now hbo has a fictionalized film starring drew barrymore. it is a dream of a movie.
MY FRIEND GARY
i went to college with the guy who took these lovely photos. dream-like, nature, muted colors…just my style.
THE NATURE. OF WAR. A LOVE STORY.
photos from kismatics.this is perhaps my all-time favorite film: thin red line. war movies and men in combat, blood, guts and heroism, are not usually at the top of my list, but this movie…this mister terrance malik…brings the reality of war to a poignant and mystical level. thin red line is as relevant today as when it was made. i watch this film and think about young men and women in iraq or afghanistan, i think about the civilians in those countries, i think about the soldier’s families back at home; it’s all the same. every war, every combat. we’re all in this together. if you love images(clearly i do if you read my blog) and if you love nature, and if you are willing to be open to the humanity within yourself and others…this movie is a dream. it’s a love of mine.
FELLINI
number three on my top ten list of films: fellini. i know he is not a film. however, three of my favorite films are made by him, so i put them together as one. la strada. la dolce vita and 8 1/2. they are different, but they all have an honesty to them and a neorealism that influences all the work i love and aspire to. i would also add nights of cabiria, except i didn’t love the film as much as i loved giulietta masina in the film…mambo!
TREE HUGGER
i grew up in the countryside. i had pet goats and sheep and dogs and rabbits. there was also an avocado orchard and creek next to my home, so i roamed barefooted in the creek, catching guppies and frogs, then letting them go. one day a company bought all the acreage next to our house and within a few months….bulldozers showed up. they lined the dead end street with their engines running…and began to rip into the orchards and barrel over the creek. i was so deeply effected and horrified, that i threatened to chain myself to a tree. i couldn’t find a chain, so i grabbed a tree and held on. the bulldozers started up the next morning…and i was forcibly removed from the tree i was hugging, by adults. mainly my parents and neighbors. i was ten years old. beautiful blog
ATTICA! ATTICA!
this movie influenced me in so many ways. first off…al pacino’s acting. it was exactly this style of acting that made me realize i wanted to be an actor and to be as truthful as i could be in my work. i wanted to take my characters seriously and not judge them and wanted to commit in a way that everything i had inside was on the screen. second, the story(a true one). it’s crazy and heartbreaking. a man robbing a bank to help…someone else(no spoiler alert). third, mr. lumet. need i say more? i loved the way he shot the film, it is honest and simple and beautiful in it’s unfolding of the storyline. dog day afternoon, second of my top ten.
TOP TEN FAVORITE MOVIES
in no specific order i am going to list my top ten films. i could post all the films that have influenced my life: inspired my writing, my work as an actress, as a filmmaker…and there are many. so here is the first film on my top ten list: billy the kid.
i really like this movie, but more than the film itself, i fell in love with billy, the main character. he’s honest and lovely and i dated a boy like him in middle school whom everyone thought was not popular enough for me. he was my first ‘boyfriend’ and we had a blast together. we laughed all the time, about silly, stupid, real stuff. he was the sweetest boy i had ever met and he was very, very kind to me. now, twenty years later, i married a man as kind to me as my first crush was. sweetness, isn’t it?
LAUGHING AT THE MOVIES
MOTHERS
watched the documentary tierney gearon: the mother project. it was intense. it follows the photographer tierney gearon, whose work is controversial because she has photographed family, mainly her children, sometimes in the nude, and published them. i found the movie to be disturbing and at the same time, i feel i understand where she’s coming from…as an artist, as a child who was abused/neglected, as a person working stuff out through art…. in short her work is about mothers, daughters, children, images, family, abuse, neglect, beauty and love. all the elements i’m interested in.
PARIS HILTON IN LEBANON
reuters. this photo typifies a certain perception and a certain reality that surrounds america. paris hilton partying in lebanon. maybe she will bar hop to isreal next, we can only hope. to me she just stands for america…is she exchanging money? it typifies much of the stuff we are: materialistic, consumeristic, rich, flashy, fun, white, party, greedy, light, jewels, fashion, money, sex, celebrity…i think that’s why this photo struck me as iconic. happy, happy weekend!
ANNETTE O’TOOLE AND ANNETTE M
ladies in red. annette o’toole and yours truly, annette murphy. a friend sent this to me last night. it was the last film i did as an actress and it’s called ‘temptation.’ i played a tv sitcom star with a sordid past and a video tape with me in a compromising situation is found and leaked to the press. the movie deals with the paparazzi and fame and an alleged sex tape…it’s as relevant now as it was a few years ago! cute outfits, no? sometimes i miss acting, especially when i get to work with great people.
25 NEW FACES…FILMMAKER MAGAZINE
congratulations to ifp alums eleanor and ron! look for their film ‘stranger things‘ which looks really beatuiful.
WHO ARE THE MODS?
We Are The Mods! If you are in Los Angeles….Saturday July 18th, get tickets to see the film on the big screen at the DGA. PS. I just heard We Are The Mods won audience award at OUTFEST. Congrats to E.E. Cassidy and our very own, talented Rob Poswall!
IRAN: THE INDIVIDUAL
STR/AFP/Getty Images
AP Photo
IRAN: THE COLLECTIVE
IRAN: ALL THE LADIES IN THE HOUSE
A supporter of defeated Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi. (OLIVIER LABAN-MATTEI/AFP/Getty Images) I’m really impressed to see so many women…brave, beautiful, daring, outspoken women in the streets of Iran protesting this injustice. What can we do to help? 1. post photos and info daily about what’s happening on your blogs&websites. 2. tell all your friends to post/discuss/disseminate/sign petitions so these women, and all the protestors have global support. 3. amnesty international 4. email people.
(REUTERS/Stringer)
A supporter of defeated presidential candidate Mousavi is beaten by government security men. (AP Photo)
TO WRITE LOVE ON HER ARMS
LOOKING LIKE A DEER
WAS I A WOLF IN A PAST LIFE?
i went for a hike a few months ago with my dogs and came across two coyotes. they stared at me. i couldn’t keep their gaze…i got scared. i ran away. my dogs ran after me. i got home, it was dark. i took a shower, ate dinner and went to bed. in my dreams the coyotes came to me, friendly, unafraid, they introduced themselves. now they are in my heart, part of my tribe: thin mint and pepper mint. i’ve looked for them every day since.
IF THIS HAPPENED TO YOU….
movies can be so much fun…they can also reflect back to us about our world, right now, this climate, this minute, the things we struggle with and the news of our times. russell and melissa. photos by brigette starr.
CUBA ON MY MIND
Just love these photos. Cuba is one place I want to visit….anyone want to go with me? annette@annettem.com
TAKING TO THE STREETS
wondering why we, americans, did not take to the street when the bush/gore election was stolen? i remember thinking the exact same thing: where is my vote? xoxo,am
DETAINED IN IRAN
my friend frank evers posted info on james longley, a filmmaker who is reporting about journalists being detained in iran.
A LADY FROM MY CHILDHOOD
i remember corinne day, the photographer, from when i was younger…she was/is amazing.
IFP MOVIE
jt o’neal director/producer/writer directs traci lords in the drama-dy au pair kansas
GIRL POWER
amy seimetz and adele romanski behind the movie ‘City On A Hill’ are powerhouses…they edit, direct, act & produce.
BEAUTIFUL WORLD/STRANGER THINGS
Two more talented filmmakers. I will try to post stills from their film…
I SEE DEAD PEOPLE
i’m a big paranormal, supernatural fan, so i’ll be looking for matt osterman’s team to finish up and get their film phasma ex machina into the theaters…xo, am
FELLOW IFP LAB FILMMAKERS
I’ll be posting photos & info on filmmakers I met in NYC. The Myth of Time: JaguarX and Scorpion’s first epic feature.
IFP FILMMAKERS
So much to blog about from my week at IFP Rough Cut Lab in New York. I’m tired, inspired, hopeful and thoroughly educated about DIY, film financing, deliverables, press, etc.., etc….
There were amazing filmmakers at the lab with us and Scott Macaulay, Gretchen McGowan and Amy Dotson organized a week of panelists and mentors that really gave, so generously, of their time and experience. The biggest take-away was to just do it!
OFF TO NYC
Okay, these photos have nothing to do with me going to NYC but I found them on a super cool blog, these french gals have so much style. Enjoy! I’ll post photos from my trip as soon as I land! xo, am
LOVE AND ROCKETS…LOVE THEM
Whoa, Nellie #1 (1996, Fantagraphics). Gilbert and Jamie Hernandez’s art is so amazing. L&R…one of my all-time favorites! Dig the names: Xochitl and Gina!
