All the boys love Amber Heard!

The latest horror movie princess Amber Heard is probably one of the sexiest and sultriest creatures ever gracing the frames of the genre. Just look at her lustful look! One loses mind and control by the mere look in those hungry bedroom eyes. And that slender and bendy body of hers makes her look like a fragile gazelle, lurking and tempting the lion to hunt her down! Only to realize, when it’s too late, who the actual prey is in this hunt! Much like her role in “All the Boys Love Mandy Lane”. Amber Heard … what a creature!

” …and it was all yellow!”

The spring blooms vividly in bright colors (yes, even here in Northern Europe) and what better way to celebrate this orgy of nature than with an eye-popping scarf of pastel yellow!

The league of distinguished gentlemen

As I’ve mentioned before I’m currently in my sophisticated look and elegant style phase. I have always been fascinated by this classic yet timeless look, however it is first now, at my mid-30’s, that I feel that I have just about the balanced blend of ingredients and measured youth and maturity to pull it off!

The salt and pepper and all other features and details are lined up for an add up. And in my study and self-teaching of the finesses of such classic appearance I have two distinguished gentlemen to look up to, two celebrated actors and two self-made icons of style.

Namely C.G. and G.C.! Cary Grant who was and still is the God of the sophisticated (life)style, not to mention the source of emulation for generations of gentlemen to come! And George Clooney who is the current crooner of the classic style.

A lost sense of wonder

So, is “Alice in Wonderland” Burton’s “Hook” (for those who might wonder what I mean, Steven Spielberg’s arbitrary continuation of the Peter Pan story from 1991 was basically considered blasphemy by the cultural community and regarded as the weakest link in the star director’s career)? Well, both yes and no. It is just as unholy in its development but not as disrespectful to its source material as “Hook” was! Ironically Burton’s take on 3D gets only as deep as a pop-up book, with mainly layered 2D images giving a sense of distance. Similarly he has turned one of the deepest and most dimensional children’s stories into a shallow facade of its philosophical origin. Reduced down to one dimension only! The plot is paper thin and barely holds all the way through, the characters are the same but not as complex. Burton’s “Alice in Wonderland” lacks the desired charm and magic. Ironically those often existing in Burton’s fairy-tales, even though I’m not a big fan of them. Another thing I’m not a big fan of is Burton and Depp as a cinematic couple!

Like I’ve mentioned before Depp is to me one of the most overrated actors in modern cinema, who lacks the versatility that I praise in an actor. He often plays the same type of character no matter who he portrays (he is to play Pancho Villa in a forthcoming biopic but its not a bit hard to imagine exactly how he is going to look and behave on screen) and to make it worse he plays yet another clone of Burton’s imaginary clown (this time a cousin of Ronald McDonald’s?lol). Just compare his Willy Wonka and Mad Hatter. The strongest feature of the movie, which got me to the cinema to watch it in 3D, is its aesthetics and technical aspects. However even in those regards its failed to meet my expectations since its stylistic theme sadly features very little of the lowbrow/pop-surrealism influences that were promised in its initial trailer. Instead it has borrowed its bulk from movies like Narnia and Shrek, which deprive its latter half of any sense of wonder!

A whole different ANIMAL

As the early sense of spring is more or less finding its way to northern Europe I am in need for a more flexible type of clothing. The ANIMAL mustang 2 furlined knitwear is the perfect piece for such usage, since it keeps me just enough warm when I’m outdoors as well as when I’m indoors! As hard as it might be to believe, I can keep it on an entire day without feeling the temperature shift which can be from - 5 to + 22 degrees Celsius! I have always had a soft spot for the charm of organic and ethnic inspired clothings, in particular when combined with the flair of street fashion. A fusion of tribal and urban if you like to call it. So this colorful piece means both cool and comfort for me! As far accessories go, the white case contains my new mini notebook (I just had to get something that contrasted all my colleagues’ cases!lol) and the big bargain boots I think you already know! Hehe, by the way, I think that this particular pic proves my point when it comes to me NOT wearing oversized scarfs!lol

Watching a master at work

If you are an aficionado and collector of film posters or appreciate it as an art then the name of this master shouldn’t be unfamiliar to you. Drew Struzan is truly a master of his art, a legend in the history of cinema. The man is basically one of the few who still draws and paints his posters, and does so in his very unique signature style. Immediately recognizable as his! During the 80’s many movies enjoyed his beautiful artworks as posters, today only a very few get selected for the Struzan treatment! Often epic and fantasy themed movies by those who master their own art. Legendary directors such as George Lucas and Steven Spielberg, those with whom Struzan have collaborated in the past. So far few have witnessed the actual process of his work, he’s been very reserved about it. Almost secretive! Now he has opened the doors to his studio in a DVD tutorial which is, needless to say, a must have for every graphic artist out there! Check out the following clip, even if the man’s name is new to you I’m sure that his art isn’t!

Cartoonish cute

I had to endure the second installment of the Twilight saga on its premier night, thanks to my lovely date who hated when I suggested that the fair and fragile Kristen Stewart looks like a wet little bird or scared little mouse!lol Well …doesn’t she?! This portrait proves my point. She does look like a scared little mouse, in a cute cartoonish kind of way of course! Something drawn by the Disney animators perhaps, hehe. By the way, she is one of the few who’s eyes morph back and forth between bedroom and puppy eyes!

Nothing up the sleeve

I love sweaters (as I’m sure you’ve noticed), they work both professionally and casually. Especially if you live in a cold country like Sweden. I have tens of them, both classics and sweater vests. Plain coloured, pastel coloured, argyle patterned, basically every kind that I’ve come across so far. But I have never had any short-sleeved sweater in my wardrobe, ’til now! The piece above is from the H&M 2010 spring collection. I’m just sorry that it only comes in grey!

I stand erec … corrected!

I’ve never been crazy about leggings and the so called “liquid” ones in particular! But I have to admit, they look good … well alright, REALLY good on some legs!

Fangbreakers

The vampire genre has recently gone through a huge revival, unfortunately mainly for teenagers and through generic dilutions such as the “Twilight” saga, “True Blood” and “The Vampire Diaries” TV-series. Long gone are the days when vampires were respectfully feared and admired, now its time for glittery emo-tween vampires who leave crescent-shaped bite-marks on your neck! Well, basically everything but to wash your dishes and tuck you in your pink fuzzy blanket!lol Yes, its a sad age for vampires and their sun is about to set (or better said dawn?) and I for one pity their fate. Last year the Swedes had a very intelligent and beautiful take on the genre through “Let The Right One In“. A movie which though led by child actors targeted the adult viewers, unlike its upcoming American remake which will most likely target the same lucrative market that Twilight has. Somewhere in despair there was a hope set on “Daybreakers”, which promised to be a hardcore vampire movie and as such had the opportunity to right the wrongs by its unique concept of reversing the perspective on the social pathology of vampires. Although the first 1/3 of the movie was doing exactly that, the latter half lost its solidity due to a combination of weak script, - acting and - CGI!

The initially growing dramaturgy took a blow and went down in the end by the twist of the plot basically being spoiled through a case of poor editing! So clumsily executed that it hurts even without a vampire biting you! Aussies have been involved in the movie and not surprisingly the cast is flooded with some more and some less credible actors from down under. As much as I liked Claudia Karvan in the Aussie TV-series “The Secret Life of Us” she is completely miscast in this role of the female protagonist. Coming across pale and uncharismatic, and it had nothing to do with anemia (got it? vampire genre … blood … lack of it … eh, never mind!lol) Not to mention Willem Dafoe, God bless his talent, proving once again his tendency to make one too many questionable decisions in his career!

Aesthetically majestic

Admittedly I was never crazy about Sade’s voice back when her timeless HIT “Smooth Operator” (not of the song either, for that mater) came more than twenty years ago, but it was basically the female equivalent to Barry White and put the same conclusion to a date that Barry’s songs used to, namely fornication!lol Anyway, the British-Nigerian diva is now back after a decade of being away from the stage and her voice is even deeper and darker (I would go as far as saying masculine) than before.

I can’t really feel “Soldier of Love” musically but the album just couldn’t be more romantic and exotic in terms of artwork and design. The cover image is breathtakingly beautiful! It’s as if time has stood still and Sade is still the queen that she was back in the 80’s! When I think of it, not even back then had she a cover that represented her soulful music so majestically. See the disposition, the composition, the color-combination and the illumination. So elaborately elegant. Even the single enjoys a matching cover.

Bireligiously Djalili!

You know how much I love Omid Djalili! His upcoming comedy “The Infidel” looks like to be the perfect package for this British-Iranian comedian. Religious contrasts, conflicts and confusions have probably never been more personal and funnier than in this British comedy. “The Infidel” bodes a clever yet politically correct twist that delivers this Hollywood-hot-potato theme slightly different and more interesting than what has been done so far.

Rather thought-provoking, if you think about it. A practicing Muslim who finds out that he has been born a Jew! A simple story but a rather complicated theory. I can’t wait to see Omid in the lead role of a movie that finally gives this hardworking artist the break that he deserves. Hopefully “The Infidel” will be that movie!

Sweet chocolate suede

As much as I’m loving our extended white Christmas this year I can’t wait ’til the snow melts away so I get to gear on these chocolate honeys!

Alicia’s eclectic elixir

I’m really enjoying Alicia Key’s latest album “The Element of Freedom”. Always been a big fan of this beautiful and talented girl who to me had the best of all worlds, in terms of style and substance. Both physically and musically. That girl has now grown to be a lady, her music is perfected by experience and the signs of maturity can be heard all over “The Element of Freedom”.

In this album Keys goes back to the eclectic retro style that she touched upon in her previous album, departing from that she blends a soulful elixir, a fusion of the 60’s musicality and 80’s instrumentation in the late 90’s style of presentation! You’ll recognize pieces and bits borrowed from many POP and SOUL songs from those decades. Alicia’s eclectic elixir sounds settled and soothing, becoming its beautiful artist gracefully.

Parkour animation

First time I’m seeing the flip-flap technique being used like this! This is super cool!

No mane for this man!

As much as I am crazy about scarfs I just can’t wear the new over-sized ones! Those are made for tiny thin men, compensating lack of neck and shoulder while when I try them on I look more like a savage warlord with a lion mane around his neck and shoulder, just about to lead his army into the bed of battle!lol

By the way, this post doesn’t qualify to get filed under “Things that I would NEVER wear” series, because unlike those I love these and would have worn them If I only could!

“It only ends once!”

” … Anything that happens before that is just progress!” says a pivotal character in LOST season 5 finale and its pretty much what I hope to become reality as the show is going towards its very end. As you know I’ve been an avid fanatic fan and devote of LOST ever since the show started, but lately I’ve been a bit disappointed in the writers/producers of the show due to the fact that they have done exactly what they had promised not to do and basically lied to the fans in order to keep their loyalty! Now they are delivering on whatever prophecies the cynical critics had predicted from day one instead of their own promises. Something I had come to fear along the path of its labyrinthine seasons. Anyway, I wont go in to details at this stage since I don’t want to spoil it for you and also because I still have a shred of hope left that they will somehow come through this very final season and don’t make me feel completely fooled and betrayed by the end of the show. The following clip is NOT recommended to those who haven’t watched season 5!

In case you are a fan and in need to discuss the show we have had a fun and engaging discussion in the official LOST thread (warning for spoilers!) of our forum. By the way, this show has become such worldwide phenomenon that IRIB (Iran’s state media) is to make its own series officially inspired by LOST! No its not a joke, unfortunately, although it doesn’t take Nostradamus to predict that the result will be!lol ‘Til the day you get to enjoy the Iranian low budget version probably starring Reza Shafie Jam as Jack and Javad Razavian as Sawyer lost on the island of Kish you just have to settle for the original which kicks off again, for the last time tomorrow! If you have missed season 5 and intend to catch up for the final round do hurry and pick up the cleverly deigned and limited edition DVD or Blu-ray set of the season from amazon.

By the way, a fan of the show has designed some really cool posters which I happen to love. They have managed to catch the spirit of the show and represent it with a retro charm. I wouldn’t mind a few of these prints on T-shirts!

For the rest visit his website.

To declare before the turn in …

Friday is long gone on this side of the globe and as I am to retire I had to post this jam before I called it a day! Heard it for the first time tonight and just can’t get the groove out of my head!

On that note goodnight and good morning ...

Wash away your sins in the sanua!

Can the Finns make horror movies? Well last year we saw that the Swedes can make great vampire movies, so anything is possible. I’ve just watched “Sauna“. You might know that the people of the Nordic countries, Finland in particular, love their wildlife saunas. Especially during the winter time when they step out of it just to take a dip in a frozen lakes, before they get back in for a sip of vodka! Its a cultural thing and when a movie from Finland is titled “Sauna” you can’t really take it seriously, let alone as a horror movie!

This movie however surprisingly works! Very well as a matter of fact. It is not the American type of horror movie, with a lot of noise and gore, but rather in the European less-is-more style. Much like “Let The Right One In” and “Antichrist”, which means less action and more suggestion. By suggestively creating a creepy atmosphere and ambiance it crawls under the skin of the viewer and evokes subliminal associations while creating a sense of discomfort and fear! With a lot of help from the great acting, a good story and gorgeous photography, of course. Give “Sauna” a try if you are into this kind of horror. For some strange reason is the entire movie on youtube and has not been removed!?! Unfortunately it doesn’t feature English subtitles, but watch the opening minutes and you get a feeling. Warning for graphic content!

Caught on cam

You’ve been reading (and hearing me a few times) while seeing my pictures here on the blog, but you’ve never seen me in motion. Well, no more sleepless nights for you!lol This clip is a test shot me and my colleagues did for the presentation of a project we are working on about “youth on youtube”. Thought it would be fun showing you guys what the review-master does when he is not here sharing wisdom with the world!lol By the way, if you hear me saying something that sounds like “group sex” then don’t be shocked (even though by now I hardly think anyone who has been a reader of mine would!lol), you are not hearing wrong! Obviously I am saying exactly that! However in Swedish it simply means group six! Yes, sex stands for both sex and six in Sweden. I know, very confusing and one of the reasons why I love Sweden!lol Oh, another thing! The footage is a mirror image! Don’t ask me how this happened but we noticed the technical mistake first after that we had recorded the whole program and someone spotted that my birthmark is on my wrong cheek! D’OH!!lol

Digitally vintage

Who wants to shoot short clips that look and sound like old analogue 8mm footages? I do! I do! I want a Superheadz Digital Harinezumi! Its cheap and ugly-chic! I want one!!

Mos Def doc

I really like Mos Def. The guy has a very likable personality. Very sympathetic and intelligent (though not always equally articulate!). Being both musician and actor he is the definition of omnipotence, to me he is the epitome of the entire American urban culture! Omnivorous and eclectic, even when it comes to his sense for fashion.

His latest album “The Ecstatic” was of a high caliber, lyrically as well as musically. This interesting documentary follows the man on his recent tour to Japan. If you happen to be into cultural fusion I highly recommend you to watch it. I let you to it by quoting something Mos expresses well in this documentary, a point of departure which I personally happen to share:

“I’m into cultures that are fixated on beautiful things!”

Click to watch

Things that I would NEVER wear! (#2)

I like to think that I’m an open-minded guy, relatively in touch with my feminine side and wouldn’t mind unisex clothing, as long as it remains anchored in my masculinity one way or another. Not because masculinity is superior in any way, but simply because I am a masculine looking man! If I had more feminine features I could have pulled this combination off, but imagine a (off course a handsome one but nonetheless) gorilla with a ribbon!lol Now how cute would that be? Well, very cute but not a bit handsome!lol On that note I gotta say these latest lady’s handbag inspired men’s bags that are meant to be carried around hanging on the wrist are just too much! Look at those big round loop handles, someone told me that even my laptop case is supposed to be carried like that! My only answer was that I rather hold it with my teeth ’til my last tooth falls out, before I wear it like that!lol Reminds me of a Friends episode with Joey and his unisex handbag:

Up where we belong

I had been waiting a long time to see this one and am glad to say that it both surprised and satisfied me. Surprised that it didn’t go exactly the way I thought it would and satisfied because I really enjoyed the way it took! I was worried that the Hollywood face of the movie would take over sooner or later, but fortunately the indie heart shone all the way through. Though soaring above the clouds it had its feet on solid ground.

One of the reasons why I enjoyed this movie was because I found Clooney’s character very familiar, its someone I can relate to particularly at this age and phase in life. By now you know my love for realistic takes on life and love and this one took it even one step further! There is a certain pre-wedding scene which delivers perhaps the best existentialistic contemplation and comparison of a life lived alone and one in companionship of another person, for your consideration.

It goes without saying the movie owes much of its credibility to the matching performance and perfect chemistry of Clooney and Farmiga (and her marvelous behind which she proudly displayed in “Running Scared” and now does a follow up to in a barely-embedded *pun intended* nude scene), but in “Up in the Air” we can also witness the blooming of the cute and petite Anna Kendrick into a credible actress!

Something to go gaga for!

If you are a Gaga fan or a collector of limited editions then this is one set to go gaga for! Lady Gaga recently re-released her successful debut “The Fame”, injected with a chunk of remakes along with new material under the title “The Fame Monster”. The revamped (the monster version of “The Fame”) album was initially released as a single-disc jewel-case and a double-disc deluxe digipak, both with different covers (below)! The third edition released last week however is a super set limited to 10.000 copies, all numbered and including a lock of her (wig?) hair! This is one over-priced set at the moment, but the production quality is top notch and needless to say on my to-get list as soon as the price drops a bit.

Who says angels don’t exist?!

If you have ever doubted the existence of angels then let me assure you that they do exist! Oh, very much so! And they come both with and without wings!

I just watched the annual Victoria’s Secret show, this time in HD (I’m praying to the Goddess Victoria, to release these shows on Blu-ray. One day she will, I have faith!) and boy they do exist! In all their skimpy outfits and undersized wings! Voluptuous and glorious!

What I am particularly glad about is that this year, unlike previous years, we were able to see more shapes and sizes among the angels. Not just the fashion industry standard skinny type, an unlikely and unhealthy ideal that had started taking over even this show.

The Dutch beauty Doutzen Kroes (above) is a perfect example, she graced that angelwalk with her ample curves and proved that beauty comes in all shapes and sizes! …and in Victoria’s Secret lingeries, of course!

By the way, in case you have missed the spot directed by Transformers director Michael Bay here it is. It is basically like a Transformers movie, but with babes instead of bots! “Angels! …Transform”!lol

Men in blue

I was already a fan of Scott Schuman, even more now that we apparently share the same taste! hehe