Dolce and Gabbana Spring/Summer 2013 Runway Show

Dolce and Gabbana is giving me unrealistic expectations about Italian people. Shame on them. Unless Italian women do indeed browse the local farmer's markets in silken hair scarves and perfectly defined eyebrows? Do they make a quick run to the bakery in intricately printed shift dresses with matching handbags? If so I need to plan my escape across the Atlantic. 

But that is what I actually really loved about the show; although the outfits were shown on the runway, and not really what I would describe as ready-to-wear, they transported you to a real place; they felt authentic. I could easily envision a seaside town in Italy, the houses piled up one on top of each other on a steep hill that sloped down to meet the water, and I could envision these models as real people that were going about their everyday lives there. I truly appreciate fashion that is like that; gorgeous, well-designed, inventive and creative, but not preposterous. Fashion that flatters the models and that feels as though it could be worn off the catwalk. So let's give a hand to Dolce and Gabbana because they pulled that off perfectly. 

(Sidenote: At the end of the show Dolce and Gabbana came out, and that was the first time I realized they were men. I have been shamed. I can no longer call myself a fashionista. But, in my defense, I just always thought of them as some kind of non-corporeal entity, okay?)

In any case, I went through and picked some of my favorite looks from the show. However, basically every look in the show was one of my favorites, so I'll really try to pare down, but this may run a little long. Also, these may or may not be in chronological order.

There were quite a few looks like this, but this one is definitely one of my favorites, and is also a good example of the baroque prints that were used, as well as the saturated colors mixed with the neutral tans and browns. I love the crew neck top with the cinched waist, and then the loose skirt; it's a shape that feels classic and that is flattering. I also like the length of the skirt. I feel like the length of skirts often determines the age of the look, and the lengths used in this show were perfect; they weren't too young, but they weren't old either. They brought to mind a woman who is mature and that has her life figured out. Almost timeless, I guess. Or maybe I'm reading too much into it.

This has got to be one of my favorite looks of the whole show. I have such a weakness for those little pantaloon bottoms that kept showing up throughout the show. Okay so auto correct is telling me pantaloon is not a word. WELL I DON'T PLAY BY YOUR RULES AUTO CORRECT. *collects self* The silhouette is really great, and again the waist is getting defined, which I appreciate because it's the most flattering thing to do with clothes in my opinion. I also love the stripes; they're done in a way so as not to look Parisian, but instead distinctly Italian, and I have no idea how that is pulled off. It's also not shown here, but the sleeves are slit up the sides, which creates a great flow when the model walks. This outfit gets a gold star.

This is one of the outfits in the show that I would wear in a heartbeat. I love the way the black and white stripes are done, the black not being too harsh and the white not too bright. It's also very flattering that the stripes were put horizontally on the bodice and vertically on the skirt to elongate. I'd love to know what the material is; it looks from the pictures like the fibery paper of an expensive card. 

I've fallen for the silhouette of this outfit. The A-Line jacket over the matching top is perfect, and it's so classic. Pairing it with, well, basically no pants was actually a very good move in my opinion, because putting anything on the bottom would cause the top to look too boxy and the model voluminous. And again with the black and white stripes, ya gotta love 'em.

For some reason this skirt struck a chord in me. I literally squeaked when I saw it, and the thing is I have no idea why! I mean, it definitely doesn't stand out compared to the other pieces, but something about the way it's fitted from the waist up until the rib cage and then flares into an A-line for the bottom section came across really well on the runway. It also had really good movement; it flounced. 

Let us just take a moment to appreciate the matching sunglasses. They brought that little touch of glamour into my life that I had no idea I needed. But the dress is also perfection. I would honestly never think of putting brown with red like that, and when I first saw this look I was dubious. But then as I looked a little more I realized that it actually worked, which really surprised me. The dress itself is a little bit understated, but in a good way because there is such attention to detail in the pleats on the skirt, and the way the top is darted. The length worked well with the V-neck but longish sleeves; all the outfits in this show were balanced so as not to seem young or old, so where there was a short skirt, there would often be longer sleeves, and vice versa, which I appreciated.

So. These. Uhm. Well.

I really wasn't much of a fan of these two dresses. I think they interrupted the feel of the show; the classic, Italian seaside scene. They were a little overworked in my opinion, and the first looks a little too crafty for my tastes. 

This dress introduced more of the color palette that the show transitioned into; the burlap color with these gorgeous prints. I took note of this dress because of the fit; the tight torso with the tight bust was something that I hadn't seen in the show before. The way the dress ended mid-calf balanced it out though, and kept it looking too young. I like that you can get an un-interrupted view of the print on this dress. I hadn't realized that the faces weren't Renaissance style, which for some reason I expected, but the style they were done in added a bit of a fun and artsy quality.

This poor chica was mid-blink when her picture was taken. She still looks fabulous though. This look accentuated the beachy vibe in my opinion; the sheer fabric brings to mind a cover-up, and the high-waisted bottoms underneath bring to mind an old bathing suit. I would also like to use this picture to address the wonderful silk scarves that were used in the models' hair and that coordinate wonderfully with their respective outfits. It's a small touch that adds a lot of personality to all the outfits. On the topic of accessories, I actually disapprove of the bag in this outfit, as well as the earrings. I don't really love the colors with the clean blue and white of the dress. However, this is a rare occasion of me not liking the bags. Most of the outfits I thought they were spot-on.

This is bringing back the burlap theme that was introduced in one of the aforementioned dresses. I love the shape and the fit of this, and the graphics on the front, and this is a case where I think that the accessories all work perfectly. This is one of the very few ensembles I would describe as cute.

OKAY THIS IS GETTING REALLY LONG FEEL FREE TO JUST SKIM BECAUSE I'M ACCIDENTALLY WRITING A NOVEL SORRY!

I really am a sucker for crew neck, defined waist, and flared skirt you guys. It's just such a classic silhouette and it looks so great on pretty much anyone. And I love that Dolce and Gabbana takes advantage of that and uses it a lot. I honestly can't stand these runway shows you see where these models are wearing things that are downright unflattering on their bodies! And I know that may be somewhat of an antiquated view to take, because designers are experimenting with new shapes and fashion has turned more and more into being about art and statements instead of dressing women in beautiful things that look good on them. In any case I love the color scheme for this. Again with the brown! It always seemed like a tricky color to pair with things, but Dolce and Gabbana have found the exact right shades to work together.

The green of this outfit is glorious. My mom told me when I was just a wee thing about "Italian Colors". Italian Colors are superlative to all other colors. Italian colors are the royalty and all other colors the peasants. But it actually is true; all the colors in this show are distinctly Italian, and they are all gorgeous. The hues are neither bland nor garish, and they work so perfectly together. The tote that was paired with this dress is perfect, bringing in the brighter green and saturated blue. My complaint is the length, though. It just seems one or two inches too short, even though I know they were going for very short. 

These shorts and shift-shirt ensembles showed up a few times though out the show, and I fell in love. The pattern of the shorts with the pattern of the top works well together, and the brightness of the accessories bring out the bright spots in the design. I'm not so sure how this would look on someone who isn't a size triple zero, though. It sort of hangs on the runway models, and that looks good, but it's not the kind of look that can be filled out without losing it's appeal.

THE BLOOMERS ARE BACK! They make me so happy. The red on top of the burlap worked very well, and I love how the bloomers were paired with the cropped jacket. The shoes match perfectly. 

Well that's not flattering...

This was the perfect piece to finish off the show. The basket weave is gorgeous, but still quaint and completely goes with the rest of the show even though it's amping up the wow factor a bit. The black sheer draped over it worked so well to lend elegance and airiness to the stiffness of the cage. I really liked the contrast between the two materials comprising this look; it's elegant and beautiful, but strong and true to it's roots. 

This was really a great show in my opinion. It felt very authentic and classic, using flattering silhouettes, and it was so, just, ITALIAN, which of course I love because I'm Italian and wildly nationalistic. The accessories were right on point, boosting outfits up just that little bit more that they needed, and the clothes themselves were masterfully designed with love. Bravo Dolce and Gabbana!

All Photos from Vogue.Co.Uk
http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/spring-summer-2013/ready-to-wear/dolce-and-gabbana

Electro Swing: A Love Story

A little tidbit about myself; I play the alto saxophone religiously. Therefore I listen quite a bit to jazz, bebop, blues, bossanova, and my favorite: swing. That's why I shed a few joyous tears when I discovered Electro Swing. It's a legitimately perfect genre of music concocted from swing tunes and styles, played with big band instruments, and club beats as well as synthesized sounds. I seriously haven't been able to pry the headphones off my ears ever since I found this music.

Bambous by Caravan Palace

I picked this song first because it was the first electro swing song I fell in love with. In case you don't like nonsensical rabies-infused vocals I'm pretty sure this is the only song I've found that features them, so don't be quick to write off this genre. In any case, Caravan Palace has officially been crowned my favorite band. They're from Paris, and have a few albums out, and the more I listen to their music the more I like it.

Je M'Amuse by Caravan Palace

This song is my current favorite. The melody is very Parisian sounding, which I like, and the way they mix it up with the heavy synthetic bass sounds provides an interesting contrast that still works perfectly.

Brotherswing by Caravan Palace

The Dirty Side of The Street by Caravan Palace

Okay I'm dancing.

Jimmy's Gang by Parov Stelar

I'm pretty sure Parov Stelar is the most famous electro swing composer. Something he does more than Caravan Palace is focus on club beats, and I'm pretty sure he has more instrumental riffs. IN CASE ANYONE HAS SPENT THEIR ENTIRE EXISTENCE LOOKING FOR THAT SONG FROM THE BING RESTAURANT COMMERCIAL THIS IS IT I FOUND IT. Am I the only one that does that? I hear a song in the background of something and then I dedicate my life to finding it. In any case I spent a whole morning looking for this one. It was infuriating.

Catgroove by Parov Stelar

I picked this one up from my brother, and although I strongly disagree with most of his music choices I very much approve of this one.

Bad Boy Good Man by Tape Five

Tango For a Spy by Tape Five

Cool Cat In Town by Tape Five

Rum'n'Cocacola by Tim Tim

This is one of those songs that makes life seem happy and perfect and relaxed while you're listening to it. It describes itself as electro swing, but it comes across as a little bit reggae to me, which creates a very unique sound.

That Swing by Soul Square

These are only some of my favorites, but I'm still discovering the genre. If you like the above, I recommend making a Pandora station for either Caravan Palace or Parov Stelar(That's how I found most of these.) 

The Scenic Route (Please Vote!)

The Seventeen Magazine short story contest deadline is fast approaching(the 13th) so I figured it was prime time to whip up a little five hundred word confection. The link to the page where you can heart this is http://figment.com/books/539860-The-Scenic-Route A heart counts for a vote, so please heart heart heart away and get your friends to heart as well- I win quite a bit of moolah if I get the most votes :) BTW

Can I just say that shaving a story down to 500 words from 548 is the most frustrating process I have ever had to go through. I was literally about to throw my computer out the window. Along with my dog if she kept breathing on me. ANYHOO I titled it "The Scenic Route".

I was an overachiever: the worst kind. The kind that's forced into it. My mom wasn't; she played hooky during  high school, opting for rides in rich boys' cars, outings with people now famous, and  adventures that are the stuff of stories. 

But that's all she has now, those stories. Those stories to tell at the dinner table, to guests on holidays. So I can understand; she wants me to have what she didn't after youth is gone. I want that too, but not like this. Not with the constant tightness in my chest reminding me I'm not good enough. I feel as a hiker would, climbing the steepest of mountains and being unable to see the peak. Do they keep ascending, never to reach their destination, or do they turn back and live with the regret of  having given up on all their work? Neither option appeals to me. 

And so now I look at the contest forms on the wall, the e-mails open in my inbox. I look to the pens and journals stacked under more important papers, the words, lyrics, verses in them drowned out by the concise statements of documents. I look to the dust-coated keys of my piano, not stroked for so long because the imperfect chords and melodies they sing have no place on my resume. And lastly I look to my pin board, and the pictures I displayed there. The verdant greens of forest trails, the muted blue seascapes. Quotes from poets  long gone, their words still alive in my mind. Backwoods cottages tucked away in the moss. 

These places I have never been, these people I have never met. But others have, which means these aren't dreams, but realities. They could be my reality, too, if I work for them. And I want to. 

It's not that I don't want to achieve; I do. When I see an A on my paper, I can't help but be proud. I want to enter contests, I want to win. But so easily an A can turn into "not an A+", an entry can turn into "not good enough to win". What were positives in my eyes turn to negatives in those of my mother. She sees the empty space instead of what is there. 

I don't know how to please her; I'm not sure I ever will. But I have figured out how to please myself. I neither want to continue climbing straight up the mountain or take the easy road back down. What I want is to take the scenic route. I want to forget about the peak and enjoy the mountain itself. I want to travel along those richly-hued forest paths, I want to look out and see the blue of the ocean. I want to come to understand those quotes I know by heart, and I want to be able to stay awhile at a little stone cottage amid the moss. I want to enjoy my life as I live it.

Playlist For a Snowy Day

After many fortnights of freezing temperatures but only half-hearted snowy slush, finally, FINALLY, a blizzard has struck my town. Hail the precipitation gods, for they have answered my prayers. My school declared a half-day, but everyone's response to that was pretty much:

So, from what I hear, only like 3% of the student body actually attended. I was part of the 97% who had better things to do. Like get up at one in the afternoon. And eat cheesy eggs. And wear legwarmers.
...and blog.

Anyways, I've been having a pretty darn cozy day, and I've been playing music pretty much continually. I put together a playlist for any one else out there who's sheltering from the cold.

1.) Same Love by Macklemore

My friend introduced this song to me a few days ago at lunch, and I seriously have to try not to cry every time I hear it. I usually hate the idea of listening to songs because of their lyrics, because I always think of all the Taylor Swift fans that are like, Ermahgerd y'all, Taytay totally, like, GETS me, ya know?!?! But this song just has such a good message; it's just so touching and says everything that I would want to say. I'm also really touched by the fact that it's by Macklemore; I wouldn't think the same guy that did Thrift Shop would do this, but that just goes to show how much of a stereotype there is in music. Just listen to the lyrics.

2.) Your Song by Ellie Goulding

I just love the simplicity of this song, the piano, and Ellie's voice. I love the lyrics, too. They seem so natural to me, like someone would really talk. My favorite line is If I was a sculptor, but then again, no. Or a girl who makes potions at a travelling show. This song just makes me feel warm and soothed.

3.) Shiki No Uta by Nujabes

Yes, I realize that I've put this song on my blog three times now, but I honestly listen to it so much I feel like I'm justified in posting it so much. It's such a great song, R.I.P. Jun Seba.

4.) Dirty Laundry by Bitter Sweet

To be honest I was going to put this really good song from an anime on here, but then I realized that people I know might stumble upon my blog and that I wanted to keep a little bit of my dignity, so I used this instead. I still love it. It's so...sleek, sexy, jazzy, I don't know, it has a mood. It's moody! There we go.

5.) Cats On Mars by Yoko Kanno and The Seatbelts ft. Gabriela Robin

Oh my gosh this song. I literally start giggling for no reason every time I hear this. It makes me feel like a four-year-old again. Just give this song a try. It grows on you like crazy. And the title is just so perfect. It honestly feels like I'm on a planet where everything is made of play-doh and there are cartoon cats everywhere. AKA the best feeling in the world. This song just makes me so happy.

Henri Bendel Is Beckoning With New Arrivals

So guess what I found in my inbox today? That's right. Henri Bendel New Arrivals. I knew that I shouldn't. I knew that it would only send me into a downward emotional spiral. But I did. I'm not proud of it, but I clicked. And Oh Lord. They've outdone themselves again. Amongst the mixed squeals and sobbing, I felt the need to express my suffering and ecstasy through poetry. I warn you. This may be the most jam-packed with feels poem I have ever written. Also the worst. Also, don't even try to look for a rhyme scheme.

It's just one click away,

the feel of unwrapping presents on christmas day

but why do I have to pay

and why is my birthday so far past May?

Pages upon pages of leather and silk goods

there's a handbag for every one of my multiple moods

A crystal bow headband, a purse for the train?

Perhaps a fine scarf, in a deep purple stain

Bendel, that rascal, he taunts and he calls

He seduces with luxury items you simply cant find at the malls

Look here, a deco bow bangle

Look there, a floral luggage tag!

My emotions I must wrangle,

my shopaholism makes my spirit sag

The prices send me reeling

but I wont consider stealing

I'll simply eat my cares away

and hope to own these items, some place, some day.

I really hope college admissions don't find that.

But it would be selfish of me to keep all that luxury to myself, so feast your eyes!

 The Jetsetter To Die For Drawstring

The Bamboo Stripe Barrel

The No. 7 Small Blocked Barrel

Disturbed Stripe Graphic Hatbox Wheelie

Tied Crystal Leather Headband

I refrained from including the prices so you wouldn't have to suffer as I have suffered. 

OST Obsession: Samurai Champloo

Let me paint you a little vignette of my night:

Gilly Hicks sweatpants, sailing team sweater, no socks as usual. My pompom dog lies under my desk, my saxophone abandoned on the floor. I hold a Ticonderoga in my hand, printer paper in my lap, and my eyes filled with the hope of drawing a self-portrait that didn't make me want to cry. The Samurai Champloo Soundtrack fills the room with it's mixture of piano, beats, hip hop, and soulful melodies. So basically, I'm grooving out. 

BUT I DIGRESS.

I watched this show a while back---like, a year maybe? And although I fell in love with the show I didn't really appreciate the soundtrack as much as I should have. For you people out there who aren't otakus and actually have lives instead of sitting at home and watching anime, let me enlighten you as to what exactly Samurai Champloo is.

Awesome.

Would perhaps describe it.

But the plot is:

A teenage girl named Fuu is a waitress at a restaurant in like, Edo? era Japan. (Not so great with the Japanese history, don't take my word.) You presume she has no family. And she kind of has an attitude. 

Some sword-wielding hooligan named Mugen with puffy hair and super-skinny legs is in the same town. He wanders into Fuu's restaurant and says he'll take care of some thugs that are causing trouble for 50 dumplings. He ends up getting 100 dumplings and slicing up a ton of baddies in some cool samurai/break dance fusion style of fighting. It involves a lot of spinning on his head, in any case. 

An elegant wandering samurai named Jin is in another part of town. He wears glasses, in case you wanted to know that. He confronts some guys that are being big ol' bullies and basically the point of the scene is so you know he's super awesome too, except in a very refined way.

Jin ends up in the restaurant. Events occur. Some pyromaniac sets the place on fire. Jin and Mugen are caught and to be executed at sunset, and Fuu saves them. Thus begins the plot, where they have to accompany her to find the "Samurai that smells of sunflowers". Whatever that means.

IN ANY CASE.

The whole aesthetic of the show is this very cool, funky, hip-hop vibe going on while the story takes place in basically the olden days. It works, believe it or not. And this theme translates over to the music. Actually, I almost feel like the whole point of the show is to set the stage for the music. There is almost never a scene where there isn't music playing. So the music is this very cool hip-hop style, and it lends a very interesting feel to the show. So I searched Grooveshark for the music and picked some of my favorites from the dozens of songs in the show's OST.

1.) Shiki No Uta

I would just like to say that this was the only song of the OST that I added to my Grooveshark when i first watched the show. It's the end theme, and the rising and falling, plaintive vocals pair really well with the beat. I just can never get enough of this song.

2.)Deeper Than Words

3.)Kujaku

(While the drum is nice if you want to get to the actual riff skip to 38 seconds.)

4.)Sanctuary Ship

5.)Aruarain Dance

So I forgot about this one, I found it a few weeks ago on the Champloo tumblr tag. Someone extended it to be like an hour long and changed the tone, they call it the homework edit, so if you're doing your homework it is actually really nice to listen to in the background.)

So there are so many more great songs on the Samurai Champloo soundtrack, these are just a sampling. The show is so great as well, it's very stylistic. It's directed by the same guy that did Cowboy Bebop, which is one of my favorite shows, and it has the same kind of focus around music to set the mood. Sorry for my complete lack of eloquence in this post, I'm hungry. 

....Because that makes sense.

"The Fall" Review

I recently watched the movie The Fall directed by Tarsem and starring Lee Pace and Cantinca Untaru. I can honestly say that this movie is now settled solidly up on my favorite movies list. It premiered in 2006, and mainly fell under the radar, which was quite a shame. I personally found it at the end of a long journey of Lee Pace fangirling that led me through Breaking Dawn and Pushing Daisies, and deposited me at this movie.

This movie is really what I would call a work of art in all aspects of the phrase. The costume design, the music, the landscapes, the character development, I thought everything was right on point. The story takes place in 1915 in Los Angeles, the era of silent movies. The main character is a stuntman name Roy (Lee Pace) who winds up in the hospital after breaking both his legs while doing a stunt. Alexandria (Cantinca Untaru) is a five year old immigrant who broke her arm when she fell picking oranges, and therefore winds up in the same hospital as Roy. The two meet by chance and Roy forges a fake friendship with her, designed to manipulate her to attain pills for him so he can go through with suicide; he's heartbroken after losing his girlfriend to the star of the movie. As incentive Roy offers to tell her a story, and here is where the other dimension of the movie is introduced. Roy weaves a grandiose tale of five bandits, all seeking revenge against the invidious Governor Odious, who wronged all of them. As Roy tells the story Alexandria envisions it, drawing on familiar faces and objects to create the fantasy world. The movie switches back and forth between the epic story and the mundane hospital, and as the movie goes on, these two dimensions become more and more entwined and bleed into each other. 

A strong point of the film was how the subtle feelings and relationships in the hospital were played out more obviously in the story Roy was telling, the strongest case for this being the relationship between Alexandria and Roy. The attitudes of the characters towards each other in the beginning seem disinterested; they're both stuck in the hospital and likely bored out of their minds. Roy soon begins to see her as a tool to get pills, but you realize very soon that Alexandria is beginning to see him as a father figure; she tells Roy that her father is dead. There is a moment in the movie where she asks Roy why he narrates the Red Bandit in an accent, and he informs her that it's supposed to be her father. She tells Roy that she wants the Bandit to speak like him, and shortly after the bandit removes his mask and  you see that she envisions him as Roy. Although throughout quite a bit of the movie Roy seems to see her only for what she can do for him, Alexandria's view of Roy grows, coming a time in the movie where she tells Roy that she is his daughter in the story. After Alexandria falls and hurts her head trying to get morphine for Roy, he comes to her room drunk and finishes the story, having all the characters die. He is about to make the Red Bandit die, but Alexandria protests, and this is the scene where Roy seems to accept Alexandria's view of him; he tells her that the Red Bandit isn't really her father, and she tells him simply that she loves him. This love seems to heal his broken heart, and he gives up on suicide. What I found out after I watched the movie amazed me: almost all of Alexandria's parts were unscripted. To me it made the whole movie that much more sincere.

I may have died a little at this.

 

 The costume design in the movie was done by  Eiko Ishioka, one of Japan's most well-known graphic designers. The saturated colors and eye-catching designs of the outfits in the fantasy story are a sharp contrast  to the dull and plain outfits in the hospital, and they contribute a great deal to the artistic quality of the film, as well as to the personalities of the characters themselves. I kept noticing throughout the film how well the palettes of each of the character's outfits went so well together, and how they complemented each other.

The outfits of Nurse Evelyn never ceased to amaze me. They are completely fitting to the story Roy is painting and Alexandria imagining; over-the-top in the most elegant and beautiful way. I also love the fact that they call attention to themselves; so often in movies the outfits are supposed to go subtly unnoticed, simply blending with the scene and not getting in the way of anything that is happening. The costumes' roles in this movie were to add to the visual beauty, not to go unnoticed, and I loved that.

A fun fact I noticed only the second time I watched the film- the armor of Odius's men is the same as the gear of the man working the X-Ray room in the hospital. This is a perfect example of what I love about this movie; ideas taken from real life are swirled around in a five-year old's head and spit into this story she's imagining in the way she really feels about them. She was afraid of the X-ray operator, and so that fear was amplified in the story. This happened with the feelings of both characters, enabling you to really feel like you could understand their feelings so much better because you were seeing them portrayed through a different medium.

I would just like to quickly say that I thought the music selections for this movie were perfect. There doesn't seem to be an official sound track for the movie that I can find, but I do know that the theme song was Beethoven's Symphony No. 7 in Allegretto. It seemed an odd choice to use Beethoven as a movie soundtrack, but it fits into the movie so perfectly; it adds to the grandiose air of the story. I would also like to note this scene:

The way the music kicked in, echoing what Nurse Evelyn was saying almost as if she was singing the lyrics, was just a gorgeous touch. I loved how the music in the movie really interacted with what was going on, and I love how the camera zooms out a few times. I'd like to note that Tarsem is a music video director, and I thought that he really brought that aspect to the movie in an interesting way.

I could honestly go on and on about this movie for hours and hours and pages and pages, but I would just like to reiterate that it really is one of my favorite movies. I went online after I watched it, and read reviews about, and I was honestly so surprised because people were, like, HATING on this film. That's why I wanted to write this review in the first place- I wanted to contribute my positive thoughts on the movie. It's obviously not a typical movie: it's not supposed to be. I feel like to watch it you have to relax your view of what a movie is; like I said before, I consider this art. The costumes, the settings, the actors, the music, it's all coming together to create something beautiful and stunning, not to just support a story line. I felt like the movie was equally about those things. To me, it seemed like something made out of love, something that didn't want to be mass marketed, something that was created for the sake of bringing something beautiful into being, and I completely respect that. Because of these things, I felt a sort of sincerity from the film that I don't feel from other works. I could feel Tarsem in every single aspect of the piece, and I didn't mind that in the least.