The Jane Austen Book Club adaptation is no Bridget Jones Diary (it lacks consistent wit and a mischievous Hugh Grant, for starters), but it is a light-n-frothy chick flick with a half dozen or so happy endings and Hugh Dancy in bike shorts. Unlike disappointments such as last year's drippy Kate, Cameron, Jack, and Jude flick, The Holiday (we know we deserve to be punished for even seeing that movie in the first place), JABC is actually sweetly entertaining, if a bit silly and predictable. Emily Blunt's wardrobe is to-die-for and Maria Bello and Amy Brenneman look like real adults you'd want to befriend rather than plasticized, airbrushed actresses. If you examine the film too closely, you're bound to find flaws; but keep your expectations low and your cliche-o-meter on silent and you'll be just fine.
Style Bubble led me to this adorably eccentric Vatements Little Dress necklace--and many more like it--available from Etsy. I couldn't carry it off, but maybe one of our loyal readers can. If so, do send us a pic as proof of your incredible panache!
A FIDM Grad won an Emmy on Sunday for Best Costume Design for Masterpiece Theatre's Jane Eyre. The costumes from the miniseries, along with many other nominated television shows, are currently on display in FIDM's Museum & Galleries in downtown L.A. Details on the FIDM blog, here. (File under "when worlds collide." I am the managing editor of the FIDM Blog.)
A friend of mine who works for the Hallmark Hall of Fame production company told me that Jennifer Ehle (the definitive Elizabeth Bennett in my opinion) is starring with Amber Tamblyn in their next production: The Russell Girl. I believe Ehle is playing Tamblyn's mom in the film, which is currently in production in Toronto. She's got blonde hair, now, by the way, and get this: IMDB says she and Colin Firth had a relationship while filming P&P. This is stunning news to me (that some of you may have already known), but I'm floored. How could I never have known this?
C'est incroyable! San Francisco's Legion of Honor Museum will be exhibiting "88 pieces of the finest furniture, paintings, and sculpture from [Marie's Petit Trianon]. It is complemented by watercolors, prints, and drawings of the house and its innovative landscaping..."
Scenes from Tim Burton's Sweeney Todd have been cut because they aren't "family friendly" enough, reports Cinematical. But just how gruesome is it? Well, the film crew, who have probably seen it all, apparently had to take frequent breaks to keep their nausea at bay. Could an uncut/unrated version of the film be far behind? --Kim
Leo DiCaprio and footballer-turned-actor Vinnie Jones are teaming up on a biopic about legendary Irish king, Boru, who led his people to victory against the Vikings in the 11th century. DiCaprio will also play a young Teddy Roosevelt next year in The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, based on the book by Edmund Morris and directed by (go figure) Martin Scorsese.
Hear more of the true story about Jane Austen and Tom LeFroy in this radio interview with JASNA president Marsha Huff. (And yes, this post is really just an excuse to post a pic of McAvoy...but still, it's an interesting interview!)
We all know Cate Blanchett can pull off full body armor in any form (right), but when I saw this poster (left) for Elizabeth: The Golden Age as a full page ad in the L.A. Times on Sunday morning, I damn near jumped off the sofa, bowed in obeisance and pledged my undying allegiance to a piece of newsprint before charging off to battle. Release date: Oct 12!
Seventeen year-old Harry Potter star Emma Watson will play the orphan Pauline Fossil in a BBC Adaptation of Ballet Shoes (still from the set at left). Lucky girl.