Stylin'.

The future of fashion: transforming t-shirts. Watch in Full Screen.

Misery.

Never been a fan of Pete Doherty, but I like this song. Watch in Full Screen.

Sammy.

All credit due to the owners of this photo.
Meet Samantha Ronson. Twin sister of Charlotte Ronson and young sister to Mark Ronson, she is more than just Lindsay Lohan's (maybe) ex-girlfriend. While still much of a mystery, her hatred for the paparazzi gives her an effortlessly 'badass' demeanor. 

Apologies.

Tinashe's cover of Vampire Weekend's A-Punk. Watch in Full Screen.

Tuesday.

Just finished watching Chris Nolan's Inception, and after seeing it for the fourth time, I'm still speechless. The incredible amount of depth that went into this film is something that is incomparable to any sort of film that has been released in the passed ten years. Of course, not being on the same level as movies pre-seventies, that is not to say that it is above or below them either. It seems to me like Inception is the type of film that is capable of grasping the audience with something that cannot be beaten in modern day cinema. What is that thing? Hell if I know. If I did, I would be in Los Angeles making a name for myself. However, I do pick up some things about the movie that really make me giddy. While I am not going to talk about movies for two days straight, I will be focusing today's entry on what it is that makes this movie so good. This may reveal some things that expand through the film industry as well. The first thing I'd like to make note of, and which is something that very few people take appreciation in, is incredible attention to detail. Many products which we as consumers effortlessly ingurgitate are created just for that: consumption. The food industry is an ideal showcase to this. While many people have a supreme appreciation for food, despite quantity, many times people are turned on by the quantity as opposed to the quality. Prime Example: Le Big Mac. A combination of lettuce, white buns, imitation beef and imitation cheese. It is literally fake food, and yet I wouldn't think twice about rolling up to the McDonalds drive-thru and ordering one with a side of fries. This is because it's filling, easily produced and cheap. It has no detail, no individuality. It has been produced to have no individuality, and that's what makes it fast food. On the opposite side of the scale, we have the fine cuisine that many of us rarely have the opportunity to try, because of it's individuality. The reason that many of these places charge so much for such small quantities should be obvious by now. It takes effort to make these dishes. From the what they're made of, to what they look like, every part of these dishes are made to order, which makes them completely authentic. While the dining industry is just one example, we can use just this small aspect of what makes movies like Inception so great and apply them to just about anything. 

Ralph Lauren Black Label
All credit due to the owners of this photo.

Let's look at the fashion industry. (Yay!) We can easily compare two brands much like we compared McDonalds to fine dining. We can go with my favorite clothing brands, Ralph Lauren, versus another brand, US Polo Assn. USPA clothing has been around long before Ralph Lauren, which only adds insult to injury when declaring that Ralph Lauren products trump USPA products. Let me be the first to tell you that there is absolutely nothing wrong with USPA clothing. In fact, many of their styles are reminiscent of RL in many ways, and because of that it is admirable in its own degree. However, what makes RL trump USPA is, you guessed it, the attention to detail. Ralph Lauren clothing has been designed to fit a specific image which has changed only slightly changed in its 44 years of existence. In fact, a fancy bit of information is that Ralph Lauren was in fact hired to style the cast of the movie The Great Gatsby, which anyone who knows anything about fashion knows is an incredibly well dressed movie. This defines the artisan from the craftsman. Being able to see something for what it's worth, and then expound upon that detail to make it better. If a sword is meant to be sharp, then take the aspect of it's sharpness and make the sharpest sword there is. If a movie is meant to keep you watching, then take the aspect of it's intrigue and make it the most intriguing movie there is. This is what Inception has done, this is what Ralph Lauren has done, and this is what five-star eateries have done. One can only hope that we can do the same with whatever craft we have decided to pursue. They have taken their craft and perfected it. 

Burberry ad. Guess what they make? Hint: They're all wearing one.
All credit due to the owners of this photo.

That's why they all cost so much damn money...

Brew.

All credit due to the owners of this photo. Check out these new brews from Newcastle! 

Monday.

Today was a rather unproductive day at home. My day literally consisted of starting a new workout, reading some blogs, talking to a few friends and downloading music. That means that don't really have much to talk about today, but after missing two days this weekend, I can't start to fall into the habit! For that reason, I'm going to write a BS entry about one of my favorite things: international film. While I am not the most avid filmhead, I know a good movie when I see one, and I know that most of the movies that I've seen from other countries are pretty darn good! In fact, my favorite movie, Prague, is an indie from Denmark that has crazy amounts of drama, suspense and love. While the reason for being my favorite movie is not hidden in it's country of origin, I still love it nonetheless. I highly suggest that if you get a chance, to get it from Netflix and watch it with a friend who knows how to appreciate subtitles. Yes I know, most people don't like international movies because they don't like reading subtitles. It makes sense, it's hard to read both emotions and words at the same time, I agree. However I feel that in many other languages, even in Danish, emotions literally explode off of the screen. I've seen a few American movies where the acting has been good enough to allow the script to flow from the page and into an imaginative reality. However, only a few. Even my most loved American drama's have trouble making their scripts seem as authentic as many international actors and actresses. Perhaps it's the mystique of having a language that I am unfamiliar with spoken in such a powerful tone that really draws me in. However, it's not just the acting that really reels me in, we obviously have great actors here in the US, but also the stories as well.

Screenshot from the french film Angel-A.
All credit due to the owners of this photo.

I attended the Cleveland Film Festival a few years back, and had the pleasure of seeing a very simple Japanese movie. While the name escapes me (it's been like, five years), I do recall the story. It was about a big shot photographer who comes to visit his family in his one-horse hometown after his mother's death. While there, he is reunited with an old flame who he had once had feelings for. However, it would turn out that his older brother, who still lives in the town has also developed feelings for this girl. No doubt a typical love triangle, the story turns sour when the three are out for a walk, and the main character moves ahead of the group for some reason. At this point, the older brother confronts the girl, explaining his love for her, only for him to reject him. We are then presented with a slight twist in the story: her demise. Though just in time to see, it turns out that the younger brother witnessed it all. From this point on, the movie becomes a tragic confrontation for the young man. Having to choose between keeping his family together with the protection of his brother, or getting revenge for the girl that he had begun to love. While I'm sure this doesn't sound all too unique, it is driven home with a very unique cinematography and excellent scenery, which is something that we are honestly lacking here in the states. Movies all seem to be the same thing for the most part. It's as if cinema has become a creature of habit. If it breaks away and does something different, then we hail it as one of best movies out. Hell, even if it doesn't do anything different, it will still be hailed as one of the best movies out. (Avatar?) Well I'm not going to stand on my soap box and pronounce all American movies trash, but I will say that it's good to ground oneself with movies that you'd never expect. Get a good insight into the cultures that populate the world. What better way to do that than watch a movie? If you can't speak, read or understand the language, then watch a movie, throw on the subtitles and learn to multitask, because otherwise you're missing out on something spectacular.

Artwork from Akira Kirosawa's Yojimbo.
All credit due to the owners of this photo.

You haven't lived until you've seen an Akira Kurosawa film. 


P.S. That being said, most people won't like Akira Kurosawa films. Haha.

R.I.P.

Red.

All credit due to the owners of this photo.
Meet Florence Welsh. When I imagine an angel's voice, it sounds peculiarly like hers. Beautiful woman.