An image that is always on my inspiration board!

Stormsneakers

If you are a Star Wars geek like yours-truly then these original ADIDAS Stormtrooper sneakers are a must! My pair are on their way, from the galaxy far far away … aka eBay!lol

The origin

Do you still doubt your Darwinian origin?

Cuz I sure don’t!lol hehe

Gone alone to meet Gainsbourg

A couple of days ago I tried something different! Something my fellow movie lovers have done in years, but somehow I have never. ‘Till now, that is! Namely to go to the cinemas all solo! For the first time in my life I went to watch a movie without a company, and let me tell you that it felt kinda strange but also cool! Hehe, as much as I love a good company when enjoying a movie I have always been fascinated by those who go all alone and are able to enjoy something all by themselves. Some might consider such sight sad, I rather see it as strength! So yesterday I gave it a shot and it worked rather fine, I must say. Even though for the first time I came to understand why all these years my friends kept nagging about people chatting or making sounds around them, while I had never picked up on such things when accompanied by someone. Yesterday even a whisper bugged the hell out of me!lol And the fact that such trivialities did irritate me irritated me even more!lol So that minor disturbance was the only downside of the experience, I think. Also I chose a foreign movie for this historic occasion, in a secluded cinema with only 100 seats (of which about 80 were vacant!lol). I think its harder to watch a blockbuster on your own in a standard size cinema, its like going to a stadium and watch a high profile concert all alone! In such events the more is the merrier, in my opinion. However foreign arthouse films more or less demand your undivided attention. Its like going to a cozy joint or jazz bar, which for me works even better (in many ways, hehe) when I go alone.

Anyways, now to the movie “Gainsbourg” which I was dying to watch and grabbed the opportunity when it against all odds is being shown in selected cinemas here in Sweden. It should be mentioned that this is not a biopic as much as it is a psychological portrait. In the sense that it is based more on fantasy than actual facts, even in terms of presentation and narration. You’ll meet Serge’s alter ego, in a way you would have never imagined! As a result the film is a series of loosely connected songs and scenes from Serge’s life and career, without any conventional continuity or coherence. Much like the style and disposition of the graphic novels of its director. Meaning that if you are unfamiliar with the popular icon and his cultural significance you wont be able to connect the dots that this film offers you. In other words you wont be able to appreciate Gainsbourg if you don’t know Gainsbourg! Ultimately this is Serge Gainsbourg as “imagined” by the illustrator gone director Sfar, but done so rather delicately if not romantically. Despite the fragmented dramaturgy the cinematography is beautiful and the fact that Elmosnino looks like Gainsbourg’s clone does a great deal to give this film’s depiction enough credibility to sell it’s fables to you as facts! Finally the tragic suicide of the young and beautiful actress Lucy Gordon whose performance in the leading role was meant to be her big break in the world of cinema has come to cast a shadow of sadness over “Gainsbourg”. The fact that she hung herself weeks after the film was finished and never got to watch it!

Pixels sprinkles

We have seen what kind of magic amateur directors are creating at home nowadays, remember Fede Alvarez and his epic short film? Patrick Jean’s PIXELS is another perfect example, its pure eye candy especially for us gamers of the 80’s!

Like a wet dream

In case you haven’t noticed I happen to have a thing for the fusion of wood and water. Both in terms of organic union and color combination. Dsquared2 has taken my aesthetic preferences which Gucci Pour Homme II had realized to yet another level with their latest He and She Wood series!

Talk about postmodern design, its juxtaposition of retro and contemporary styles is a wet dream for a design fetishist like yours-truly! Even their rock and wood edition is an eye-candy.

Finding an old friend

This is my dear old friend (and in a way also once my mentor) Salam, paying full attention to a debate without being aware of the scribbling me capturing his profile! hehe. This was done on the back of a script, during an evening seminar on the Middle East back in January 1996. I said my old friend, since I’ve known him a relatively long time, but also since back then he seemed old to the younger me. Even though he was about the same age that I happen to be today!lol Funny thing is that I never showed him this sketch back then, that evening I was so exhausted that as soon as the seminar ended I put away this along with everything else handed out that day in a folder that somehow got lost in time. However recently it surfaced from somewhere and when I finally showed it to him he was literally stunned and struck by all the details of resemblance that I’d manged to capture and put in this rather tiny portrait (the version above is three times bigger than the actual size)!

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!