WE ARE THE BEST!

GO SEE THIS MOVIE, YOU GUYS!

Set in Stockholm in 1982 and shot in Swedish, We Are the Best! is director Lukas Moodysson's adaptation of his wife's graphic novel about three aspiring punk rock girls. (Allow me to clarify: these girls are aspiring to be in a punk band. They are already punk as fuck.)

I have to admit, I was relieved when I read the NY Times review this morning and learned that Moodysson has been making movies for 15+ years. We Are the Best! feels like a first film, in that it's rough and exuberant and utterly connected to the material, but the acting is so good--his leads were aged 11, 13 and 14 when they shot the film--that I started kicking myself in my seat, thinking "How did he get those performances??"

We Are the Best! opens this Friday in Montreal, New York, Toronto, Vancouver and West Los Angeles, then rolls out to more cities throughout June + July.

Absolutely appropriate for tween audiences, if you don't mind a fuck or two. (Which, if you mind that, what are you doing here?) Be the cool aunt and bring your ten-year-old niece. It'll blow her mind.

Jill Soloway's Afternoon Delight

I've been sitting here for the past two hours trying to write a review of this movie. (Which is terrific, by the way.)

But all that's coming out is a rant about critics, especially male critics, who can't handle an honest portrayal of female sexuality.

Rather than rant, I will just urge you to go see it.

Please, GO SEE IT.

We need more movies with funny, complicated, not-always-likeable female characters. And more movies (lots more movies) written and directed by women.

So, I finally watched Beginners....

Which I liked. Did not love.

The acting was terrific, I just got annoyed by all the voice-over-y, photo-collage-y stuff. It felt like a cop out.

What I did love was the Indian cotton caftan that the mom wears in one of the art gallery scenes. Kicking myself for not taking a screengrab from the dvd, but it looked something like this.....

I probably don't need a second caftan, especially since I still haven't worked up the nerve to wear the first one.

Right?

movie recommends, s'il vous plait

H is out of town, and I've already watched waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay too much HGTV for my own good. Like, way too much. Also this really embarrassing Bravo show I found on demand, Interior Therapy? Embarrassing.

So I've concocted a radical plan to go to the video store this afternoon. (If it's even still in business. I haven't RENTED a movie in at least two years.)

Here's the short list of stuff I know I want to see:

Beginners

Melancholia

I Am Love

What am I missing? What's your most favorite movie you've seen in the last little while??

I know you guys have good taste.

Photo by Jen Gotch

happy spring.

this morning i got up at 4:50am to take my best girl to the airport.

h and i were home by 6:20am, and we did NOT go back to bed. 

instead, i had a second cup of coffee and spent a whole hour with my script. not the new one i've been tearing my hair out outlining, but the old one i haven't touched in 6 months. i've got a rewrite due on april 11, and i've been avoiding it like the plague.

i actually accomplished something. as in: wrote a few lines of dialogue. thought up a few new scenes. 

AMAZEBALLS.

maybe i'm turning over a new leaf.

maybe i really can hold down a full-time job (for the next 9 weeks) and keep up the ol blog and turn in this damn rewrite on time and figure out how to promote my first LA screening.

HAPPY SPRING!

here's to new leaves.

Photo by Michael Graydon via Forty-Sixth at Grace

It Chooses You

A book review from one of my favorite readers:*

Hello fellow Miranda July lover/person I've never met,

I just read her book It Chooses You, a book she wrote about finishing the script for The Future. It was incredibly sad, inspiring, and comforting. I highly recommend it. 

I found it to be a great meditation on process and discipline and distraction and muse-chasing.

I bought it at Skylight at 2pm and just finished it now. And I went to the spa and the grocery store with my husband somewhere in the middle, so it's not much of a commitment. 

Also, I cried.

*Who am I kidding? You are all my favorite readers.

on the Catbird set

I can't tell you how much fun we all had making our short.

Can this man rock jewelry, or can he rock jewelry??

I didn't even notice the heart tattoo when I cast him. (And by "cast him," I mean..... accosted him on the Lower East Side two days before the shoot and made him PROMISE TO CALL ME. Thank fuck he did.)

We ladies almost died when he started trying on wedding bands.

Funny story.

Teepee's mama told me that bananas were her favorite food, so all day we kept trying to use bananas to get Teepee to jump up on the bed and interrupt the smooching.

No go.

That is one polite chihuahua.

It was finally a little bit of leftover BEEF from my nacho lunch that did the trick.

And Anya is adorable, no? I knew we had the right girl when H's friends kept asking him if they could see ALL THE FOOTAGE.

Photos by Cary Tijerina

Sexiest diamond commercial EVARRRRRRR

Or: Short film featuring the sexiest fucking jewelry you've ever seen??

MOOD PIECE?

Whatever you want to call it, I directed it, and I am pret-ty pleased with the way it turned out.

Featuring Anya Skidan, Matthew Green, and Teepee
Cinematography by Jon Edward Miller
Hair + Makeup by Charlie Taylor
Flowers by Amy Merrick
Music by Oceanographer
Jewelry, Props + Styling by Catbird, of course. (Head on over there to shop the video.)

How to....

Except for the cupcakes part.

Fuck cupcakes.

I don't like tea that much either.


Okay, here's my list:

1. make lists (obv)

2. eat (goat cheese on toast! with avocado!)

3. laugh (sure)

4. stay off the fucking internets for a few hours, why don't you??

5. hash out a synopsis with your new writing partner (i.e. ACCOMPLISH SOMETHING)

6. drive to glendale and see my week with marilyn or

7. track down dvds of the wild one and easy rider at the library

8. take a nap

9. take a hike

10. take a hot bath while

11. watching an enthralling ep of selling la

12. sleep the sleep of the just


Words to live by via The Shiny Squirrel

Teepee!

Our little lady (okay Leigh's little lady) is getting ready to be in our movie tomorrow, and she is SUPER EXCITED.

IS IT MONDAY??

New York is kicking my ass.

Last night I consumed 3 bourbons + 1 panini sandwich* and i tossed and turned and tossed and turned dreaming about MODELS.

I know I tweeted it, but I don't think I mentioned on this here blog.... I'm directing a short film in collab with the Catbird ladies.

WOOT!

We shoot this Thursday, which is why I've got models on the brain. A herd of em are coming through my apartment tomorrow to show us their stuff ;)

Photo is of K Mattis
______________________________

*i know. WHEAT WHEATY WHEAT WHEAT. i have to eat it every once in a while just to remind myself, "WHOA. I CAN'T EAT THAT."

What To Wear In Vancouver?

Let's switch the conversation over to RAINGEAR, yes? Yes.

Hi ESB, 

When I got engaged last year and became suddenly interested in the wedding industry, I found your blog and have been reading it regularly every morning since. I neeeeed my morning snark.

Anyways, no real wedding drama to report, just wanted to ask you for some wardrobe advice. I am getting married on October 1st, and guess where we are going for the honeymoon afterwards: VAN-FREAKING-COUVER! Since we will be in the area, and you happened to post about it, the hubs and I are going to come to your film screening on October 7th.

Here's the deets: we are outdoorsy people and are looking forward to exploring Vancouver. Since I planned the wedding I let (begged) my man plan the honeymoon. I think we are going to go kayaking, hiking, skydiving if the weather cooperates, and now also seeing All Ages. Other than that, I am happily oblivious to his plans.

Here's a general breakdown of where we are going:
Flying into Seattle and spending the first night there
Vancouver Island for 3 days
Vancouver city for 3 days
Drive back to Seattle and fly out after exploring the city some

So... since you're obviously going to be there at the same time, what kind of stuff are you going to be wearing? More to the point, what should I pack for the trip? I know the weather will be a bit chilly, so I'd really like to get a sweet pair of flat boots to walk around in but my large calf muscles always seem to crush my dreams of that. That's as far as I have gotten as of now. Clothing and any other Vancouver related advice would be much appreciated (restaurants to check out?)

I'll hold up a No Crying banner for you,
Vancouver Bound

*****

Here's what my friend L had to say about Vancouver fashion:

The thing with Vancouver, is that if you're outdoorsy and you like fashion you kind of have to have a split personality because it's hard to marry the two. A lot of people ride their bikes etc. and it rains all the time. Although I will say that in my neighborhood the hipsters manage to still look fashionable on their bikes (maybe not in the pouring rain though), and they couldn't just hop off their bikes and go hiking — nope that wouldn't work. My two-cents: outerwear is very important and shoes, and a collapsible umbrella (cuz even if it looks like it won't rain, it probably will).

Rubber boots are very popular here, Hunters especially are pretty ubiquitous, but I still like them. Got to get me some after those other stupid ones I bought for $100 got holes in them. Of course early October may not be rainy, but then again it might, but it won't be cold yet. Thin layers are the way to go, no need for warm coats yet. But I've lived here for like 17 years and I still have a hard time getting the temperature thing right. I'm usually overdressed and I get hot and sweaty, but I hate being cold too. You kind of have to be prepared for anything.

L never got around to sending me a list of her favorite restaurants.... She's 8 months pregnant and she's like quilting an entire nursery, so.

But Leanne sent me these restaurant recommends via Twitter:

K SRSLY IF UR IN VAN GET THE BEEF RIB OR KOBE BEEF AT KINGYO. ALSO THE TUNA/AVOCADO CARPACCIO- you will DIE. i'm so jealous. 

also the granville room. super douchey plc but their tenderloin steak is AMAZING, its $22.get it with the potato gratin. 

&the diamond in gastown amaze dumplings&cocktails, also the beef short rib sandwich is unreal. ask to go in the back, they have a secret bar

(Authentic Vancouver fashion photos by/of Leanne herself)
______________________________

p.s. Thanks for plugging my movie! I couldn't have done it better if I'd written in with a fake Dear ESB. And I can't wait to meet you!! And YIKES WHAT SHOULD I WEAR??

HI, my name is L------.

(click photo to view Gameboy, bong, etc. in greater detail)

I made a movie.

If you live in Vancouver or near Vancouver (or you've always wanted to visit Vancouver and f*ck it why not? you've got miles), you can come see my movie at the Vancouver Int'l Film Festival on Oct 7 + 10.

I'll be there. They're doing Q&A's after the screenings and I am frankly a little nervous about em so if a couple of you showed up and maybe waved NO CRYING banners, that would be rad.

Miranda July's The Future

Last Thursday, H and I went to a preview screening of Miranda July's new movie.

We giggled our pants off.

And then we learned in the Q&A afterward that it was supposed to be very sad.

Most of the people there found it sad.

Is there something wrong with us?

Please go see The Future and report back.

p.s. I wore my white jeans and my granny sandals, sure that Miranda would wear granny sandals too and we would meet on a higher plane of granny-sandal-dom and be best friends for ever and ever. She wore platform clogs.

What should Pasty Minnesotans do in LA? (WEST SIDE EDITION: Part 2)

When I first posted What should Pasty Minnesotans do in LA? Paige Appel (aka The Ambassador of Fun) busted me for being east-side-centric.

Hello.

I still wouldn't want to live on the west side. But this series does make me want to cross La Brea a little more often.

Here's Paige on Westwood/West LA + Brentwood:

In my opinion, the west side doesn't go east of the 405, but I have to cover the neighborhoods slighted in the previous posts. I'm breaking it down by location and categories for easy reference in case those Minnesotans can only hit up a few neighborhoods. All of these recs have been tried and loved by me and mine. 

Westwood/West L.A.

Eat.

Apple Pan for the longest running mom and pop burger house in the city. 

Westside Tavern for chicken liver mousse and a great Sazerac.

Native Foods for vegan twinkies and flavorful brown rice bowls.

Junior's Deli for potato latkes and matzo ball soup.

Stan's Donuts for the peanut butter and chocolate filled monster donut.

In N Out near UCLA for the design and burger.

Sunnin for Lebanese amazingness.

Shabu Shabu, Ramen, and Sushi on Sawtelle. 

Diddy Riese for the UCLA student gawking and overrated cookies. 

(Stan's Donuts)

Shop. 

Wally's for wine, handcrafted liquors, and gourmet cheeses.

Children's Book World for a vast curated selection of kids books.

HAMMER Museum book store for art books. 

Buy rare movies at Cinefile.

Buy rare used books at Alias Books

See + buy the most beautiful bonsai trees at the nurseries on Sawtelle

Do.

HAMMER Museum for the best contemporary art shows in the city. See Paul Thek now.

See local live theatre at The Geffen Playhouse.

Movies at The Fox and The Bruin, the dying breed of the huge single screen theatre.

See the Farmer's Classic tennis tournament live at UCLA every July. (ya know, if you like tennis)

See the best midnight movies (aka THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH) at Landmark's Nuart

Fall asleep on a leather couch eating chocolate with sea salt at Landmark's Westside Pavillion

Paul Thek Untitled (Meat Piece with Flies) at The Hammer

Brentwood

Eat.

Tavern for butter crumbed eggs and brisket hash.

Sugarfish for no frills, high quality sushi.

FARMSHOP for a considered, but light lunch in the mart.

Reddi Chick for cheap and good fried chicken and BBQ sauce.

Sweet Rose Creamery for small batch, homemade ice cream. Get the Basil, Salted Caramel or Black Sesame Soy.

Pressed Juicery for fresh concoctions straight from the cold press. Fave is pear ginger pineapple mint.

Osteria Latini for spaghetti bolognese straight from Northern Italy.

SusieCakes for sour cream cheesecake and whoopie pies.

Luxxe Cafe has the best beans and best espresso drinks in the city. (yes, I'm claiming that) Mr. Appel has had the acclaimed versions at Intelligentsia, LAMILL, and the likes and demands Luxxe is as close to Italian coffee as he has ever had in the states.

Shop.

Compartes for geometric and tasty chocolates.

Selima et Benjamin for sunglasses. 

Poppy for well-made, unique, european kids clothes.

Turpan for curated eclectica.

Union Made for Steven Alan-esque menswear. 

Post26 for new and vintage fashions.

James Perse for linen Repetto flats and what else? James Perse.

Diesel bookstore. A disappearing breed of books.

Broken English for interesting jewelry.

Trading Post for a post office straight out of Mayberry complete with unique sundries.

(Broken English)

Do.

Drive up Kenter Canyon to Crestwood Hills Park and on the way marvel at the cluster of Case Study post and beams.

Obviously, go to the Getty. 

Hike Mandeville Canyon.

Have a drink at the top of the Hotel Angeleno for a breathtaking view. 

Walk, shop, eat. See above.

Ride bikes down San Vincente to Ocean Blvd. 

Be sure to catch Part 1 (West Hollywood + Beverly Hills) and Part 3 (Santa Monica + Venice)

Top Photo by Inez Van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin for Vogue Paris August 2011

NEWSFLASH: Smoking Is Not Sexy

Four years ago I took a directing class with Nina Foch, an extremely cool old lady who starred in Spartacus and An American in Paris back in the day, and who was adamant that we not include cigarette smoking in our scenes for class unless we deemed it absolutely necessary. Nina told us it was unethical to glamorize smoking in the movies now that we know what cigarettes actually do to people.

I didn't want to listen to her at the time. Smoking is so sexy, right?

But I've spent the four years since I took that class watching H try to quit smoking. And he's going through hell.

Maybe he looks kinda sexy with a cigarette in his mouth, but his breath isn't sexy. And it's not sexy when he wakes up an ENORMOUS ASSHOLE every morning because he's going through nicotine withdrawal. Or when we have to sprint off the plane or dash out of the movie theater just so he can have a cigarette before he rips someone's head off.

I won't bother going into the health risks. I don't want to consider the idea that H won't manage to quit eventually.

Just. Please. Stop glamorizing smoking, okay? Chill out on pinning and posting and shooting all those sexy photos of sexy people smoking sexy cigarettes.

Do you really want your little sister or brother or your eleven-year-old kid to take up the habit??

Image by Bryan Adams via Sasha Darling via Lizzie & Isaiah

Damn You, Lars von Trier

You put a wedding in your new movie?

Plus Alexander Skarsgård? Plus Kirsten Dunst and Charlotte Gainsbourg?

Now I have to see it. In spite of the reviews. And your bizarro press conferences. And the way your other movies made me feel sort of sick to my stomach.
______________________________

Speaking of wedding movies, who saw Bridesmaids?

omg, you guys

i am pooped.

this week i spent six 13-hour days working on a movie,* and i've got six more days to go. so i'm coding my little brains out trying to sched posts for you guys. (purely for selfish reasons, you understand. if i didn't have your comments to read throughout the day when i duck into the bathroom to pee, i'd go beezonkers.)

Photo by Cary Tijerina
______________________________

*i'm not directing this one -- i'm script supervising, which basically means it's my job to be the obsessive-compulsive on set.

happy halloweenz, you guys

I will not be donning the enormous pink tutu that is inexplicably hanging in my closet.

Instead, I'll be on the mixing stage til midnight finishing my movie. Well, mixing sound, which is very close to almost being the last step to finishing my movie.

Who knew it could take a year and a half complete a ten-minute short?

Anyhoo. I think you guys will dig it.* Maybe after H cuts the trailer/teaser thingee I'll put it up to show you.

(Image from Yen Magazine via Le Fashion)
______________________________

*There are Doc Martens in it, after all. And flannel shirts. And adorable girls with good hair.

May I offer you a movie review?

The Social Network is terrific. And I'm not just saying so because I have personal and ethical issues with Facebook.

Jesse Eisenberg tears it up.* My fave performance of the year.

______________________________

*Also, he is adorable. I'll just come right out and say it: Jesse Eisenberg is the thinking girl's Michael Cera.