I would happily live in any Wes Anderson movie. Plus, I've had a serious crush on Ralph Fiennes since I first saw The English Patient. I can't wait to see The Grand Budapest Hotel.
I'm so excited, in my opinion the fifth season couldn't have started in a better way. I love the dynamic between Don (Jon Hamm) and the new Mrs. Draper, Megan (Jessica Paré). In many ways she is so much better suited to Don than Betty ever was and seems unafraid to challenge him. Add to that her fearless performance of Sophia Loren’s Zou Bisou Bisou at the unwanted surprise birthday party she throws for Don. This girl has some spunk. Later, when the excessively private Don sulks about her turning their intimacy into a show she doesn’t let him get away with it and makes it clear she feels her love for him and efforts are unappreciated, which in time forces Don to explain to her why he reacted the way he did and she seems to understand him.
I think the first two episodes clearly show this main difference between Don’s relationship with Megan compared to the one he had with Betty. In explaining he strengthens their bond instead of pushing Megan away the way he did Betty. Maybe Don is becoming better at relationships or maybe he simply met his match in Megan. Either way, I can’t wait for this week’s episode.
I saw Drive and of course it was just as terrific as I thought it would be, truly a modern film-noir. Carey Mulligan is great and Ryan Gosling is even better. The dialogue is like a series of intense Haiku poems where every word vibrates with multiple meaning. The suspense is complete until the last frame and every scene leading up to it is a visual manifesto to director Nicolas Winding Refn’s brilliance.
The soundtrack is in itself a work of art, Cliff Martinez has managed not only to give the movie additional depth by letting the music strengthen the often dark and ambivalent mood, but has also created a soundtrack that can stand alone with its sweeping electro 80's feel. I haven't felt this way about a movie soundtrack since Pulp Fiction, which coincidentally shares several other ques with Drive apart from a fantastic soundtrack.
See this movie. Until then, listen to the tracks below.
I presume I am not the only one desperately trying to cope with Mad Men withdrawal. I haven't been this obsessed since I discovered Levis 501's in seventh grade. I find myself constantly searching for reliable substitutes, The Hour and The Nifty Fifties have thus saved me from complete deprivation. The highly anticipated Pan Am might do the trick although the series seems to lack Mad Men's cynicism and darkness, which I think is at least part of what makes Mad Men great. Matthew Weiner notoriously prides himself in depicting the era the way it really was.
Since it was announced that Mad Men wouldn't return until early 2012, I have found myself obsessively collecting a whooping stash of pictures from previous seasons and of course seasons one to four on DVD. I thought I'd share these pictures from season one to help all you Maddicts cope.