Cuttings

A Mighty Heart documents a significant and harrowing snapshot of Mariane Pearl's life; the few months in 2002 in which she and husband Daniel dominated headlines worldwide. Mariane (Jolie) was expecting their first child when Daniel (Futterman) was kidnapped in Pakistan while researching for The Wall Street Journal. He was eventually murdered by terrorists, the proof horrifically captured in a film that his widow will never watch. It's a difficult story to retell, especially as those events are so recent, but Mariane wants this story out there; she's still an inspirational font of positivity. (read more...)

Lagerfeld Confidential: Karl Lagerfeld is an icon of the fashion world. Even if you can't place the name, you will surely recognise his mostly monochromatic signature style, the grey ponytail that sits at the nape of his neck, and the ever-present sunglasses that serve to make him appear even more enigmatic. Fittingly, on Day 3 of London Fashion Week, I attended a screening of Rodolphe Marconi's documentary on this stalwart of the international fashion industry, in the hope to learn more about the man behind Chanel's creative direction. (read more...)

Originally premiering in the UK in June 1978, The Shout is an unsettling film based on a short story by writer and poet Robert Graves, showcasing outstanding performances from its recognisable British cast. Polish director Jerzy Skolimowski (most recently seen acting in London Film Festival opener Eastern Promises) visually depicts a picture-postcard vision of England close to that portrayed in Sunday evening TV stalwarts - all picturesque summer days, set in the open fields of North Devon, with cricket being played and communities attending church. (read more...)

The Ramones: It's Alive 1974-1996: From early scratchily-taped performances at legendary venue CBGBs, to playing on British stalwart pop shows like The Old Grey Whistle Test and Top of the Pop, this is a fantastic DVD box-set that compiles a huge stream of live highlights of The Ramones' long and varied career. The main event is the brilliant New Years Eve 1977 concert at the Rainbow in London, playing out in its full glory. There's more than four hours of unreleased footage and rare performances to jog your memory of the decades they were together, or to discover for the first time if you're a younger fan. (read more...)

The Golden Door: Emanuele Crialese directs an enchanting story that follows a southern Italian peasant family and their quest to leave their homeland for the New World at the turn of the 20th century. America is the place Salvatore Mancuso has been dreaming about; where money grows on trees (at least in doctored photographs) and rivers that are full of milk flow freely through the hills. Vincenzo Amato gives a charming, endearing performance as Salvatore, a hopeful farmer wanting to take his two sons and elderly mother to a better life. (read more...)

The Hills Have Eyes 2 // Scissor Sisters: Hurrah! A Year of Ta-Dah // The Darjeeling Limited Soundtrack


Stepping Out: Jewellery Making Workshops: Striking jewellery pulls an outfit together. It can make a Primark dress look positively Pucci or take you from understated elegance to rock chick in a matter of seconds. Imagine being able to make your own! Jewellery designer and creator Claire Aristides knows all the tricks and so much more; this stylish, friendly and laid-back lady not only creates her own beautiful designer jewellery, she also holds regular courses in order to pass her knowledge on to all who are interested. Held in Clerkenwell Workshops, the day-long creative course not only imparts wonderful wisdom but also gives you the chance to take away your first self-designed and created pieces to wow your friends and family with! (read more...)

marmaLADYa Loves: London's Beauty Boutiques: Stocking well-known and less familiar potions, lotions and pomades, London's beauty boutiques are the place to buy the tools to primp, preen and pout your best all year round. (read more...)

Stepping Out: Race For Life: Like many great ideas, my friends and I first pondered this one in the pub, whilst inebriated enough to think that running just over three miles would be no problem at all. The next morning, hungover and confused, the declarations came back to me… and although the reasons for doing it hadn't vanished (that we all know one or more close friends or family members who have battled Cancer) the reality loomed before me. I was out of shape, for one thing and running continuously for a minute, (let alone twenty to sixty minutes) was really quite laughable. (read more...)

Books: The Nylon Book Of Beauty: Edgy American women's magazine Nylon, brings us page upon page of alternative beauty inspiration to showcase a variety of eclectic looks that readers can recreate for an everyday face or a glam disco visage. If you're looking for tried and tested products then turn straight to the first chapter; Counter Culture. Nylon's beauty team have collected a group of "emblematic" products, from cheap and cheerful Rimmel to the luxury of Guerlain. These are the products you can rely on; twenty tubes, pots, tools and bottles that will never let you down. Then, in High Notes, the reader is taken on a journey through the past century's ten most provocative perfumes from the unisex fragrances teens experiment with to the musky, sultry scents of the most adult of aromas. (read more...)

Music: Patti Smith @ The Roundhouse: There is no black and white to Patti Smith. An outspoken artist, poet, writer, actress and singer; she exudes intelligence, thought and creative edginess that popular female singers of today either hide or are frustratingly lacking in. Smith's many talents and opinions have earned her staying power that seems elusive to many female singers. Now 60 years old, she has brilliantly retained the fiery attitude and incredible talents that made her name in the seventies as I found out at Camden's Roundhouse last week. (read more...)

Music: Cat Power @ Kentish Town Forum:
She may be the next face of Chanel and one of the greatest singers around but Cat Power is still delightfully modest. Cat Power is in vogue right now... and, literally, in Vogue this month (straddling a tuba) alongside Beth Ditto, larger than life lead singer of The Gossip, Bat For Lashes and Regina Spektor as part of a photo spread celebrating fabulous breakthrough female musicians. At the beginning of the month I was lucky enough to enjoy my second evening in her presence; last November I watched the American singer at the Roundhouse in Camden as she played with the Memphis Rhythm & Blues Band. That night I felt as if I had experienced a different kind of gig from any I'd been to before. The crowd was respectful; almost nervous that if people did something wrong or didn't cheer loudly enough they would frighten her away. And perhaps they would have, as Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) is notorious for the intense and unpredictable stage fright, which has led to her live shows gaining a reputation for being rather erratic, a little shaky at times, but undoubtedly never boring. (read more...)

Film: This Is England: Mixing humour, warmth and unflinching, wonderfully observed realism, Shane Meadows has created a British film that you simply must see. The complicated social landscape of Falklands-era England comes alive in this film thanks to flawless performances from the main cast and fantastic attention to detail. This Is England centres on young Shaun Fields (played beautifully by newcomer Thomas Turgoose) who, having recently lost his father in the war and become outcast from others at his school, finds acceptance from a skinhead gang of older boys and men who mould him in their image. (read more...)

Interview: Claire Aristides: Australian Jewellery designer Claire Aristides has built up two stunning and popular ranges from her base in Clerkenwell, EC1. She shares her journey so far and plans for the future with Beth Squires.
Why do you think you have such a passion for creating and designing jewellery?
I've loved jewellery from an early age. My family was lucky enough to travel with my dad's work, so I have travelled to some amazing places since I was three years old! We visited Mediterranean countries - which were so different from Australia - like Greece and Spain, where women have always adorned themselves in stunning jewellery like turquoise necklaces and coral rings with Grecian gold or sterling silver. My mum had a ball on these trips buying beautiful jewellery at the markets and that has stuck with me ever since. I'm also the youngest of four girls, so I was always watching my older sisters trying out jewellery as they got ready for parties. Plus I've always loved working with my hands and being creative so it has been a part of me for a long time. (read more...)

Flying The Flag: Eurovision 2007: We may not be winners but we'll always have Wogan. Hurrah for Eurovision! Once a year the British public gets to decide on a musical representation of this country; a band or singer who can show the rest of Europe exactly what we're made of. Last year it was Daz Sampson, a 32-year-old "rapper" who took to the stage resplendent in stonewashed denim, his hair gleaming with wet-look gel. This year the UK voted for the cartoonish pop group Scooch, whose act consists of two men and two women cavorting around in flight attendant costumes, singing suggestive lyrics to a sub-par-Steps backing track. (read more...)


Lucky You:

For Huck Cheever (Eric Bana), playing poker is not just his living, but also his life. His father L.C (Robert Duvall) has twice taken the title of World Poker Champion, yet following in his father's footsteps is just one of the factors contributing to Huck and L.C's troubled relationship. A chance meeting with beautiful Billie Offer (Drew Barrymore) finally causes Huck to question his values and the lifestyle he is used to in Las Vegas. All this and more takes place in the run up to the 2003 World Poker Championships.(read more...)

Waitress: A film that looks set to become an indie classic; Waitress is a warm, kooky comedy about a pie-baking diner worker who embarks on an affair with her charming doctor when she discovers she is pregnant by her insecure husband. Keri Russell (best known for MI:3 and TV's Felicity) plays the title role in the last film from young writer / director / actress Adrienne Shelly, who heartbreakingly died before this film gained acclaim as a Sundance selection in the US. Russell carries the film beautifully, playing for laughs as easily as she induces the audience's tears, and always reflecting a familiar feeling of reality in the surreal turns the film occasionally takes. (read more...)

TV Preview: Cape Wrath: New US TV import Cape Wrath (Meadowlands in the US) is a suburban set drama where nothing is as it seems... but that's where the similarities with Desperate Housewives end; this show is far darker and more brutal, with more complex and curious characters than most shows can dream of. The blindfolded "Brogan" family provides our access to the community of Meadowlands, as they are chauffeured into the area as part of a witness protection program."It was one of those 2am flashes of inspiration that just happen sometimes", Cape Wrath's executive producer Matthew Arlidge explains. "What if an entire community was made up of people in protective custody? Wouldn't it be the most paranoid place on Earth" (read more...)

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