Nic's Nuances

My blog is an eclectic mix of what I am passionate about, with a primary focus on the entertainment and fashion industries.  It also features articles on those topical global issues which interest me. All articles are written by me and are subject to copyright.

[nickyjohnston]

It is a wrap for the cast of ‘Big Little Lies’, but as the sun sets on season two’s finale it begs the question: is a third season on the horizon?

The long anticipated season two finale of HBO’s award winning hit limited television series ‘Big Little Lies’ (based on Liane Moriarty’s novel by the same name) recently reached its dramatic climax on Sky Atlantic, while making its US debut prior to that.  With this season under the helm of a new director, Andrea Arnold, and with many questions left unanswered at the end of the penultimate episode it seemed dubious as to how the show would match the success of its first season and deliver a fitting finale that would satisfy its viewers.  Yet the culmination of season two, in much the same vein as season one, delivered on all accounts and definitely did not disappoint, drawing in the series’ biggest audience (1.98 million viewers), exceeding the figure set by season one’s finale.  With a stellar ensemble cast led by the show’s executive producers, Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, and with compelling storylines that focus on real issues that are very relevant in today’s current Me Too era, ‘Big Little Lies’ is nothing short of entertainment at its very best, showcasing some of the top roles for women on television to date.

Season two of ‘Big Little Lies’ picks up from where season one left off, with the Monterey Five continuing to guard their secret and lie about what really happened the night of the school’s talent contest when Celeste Wright’s (Kidman) abusive husband, Perry (Alexander Skarsgård), fell to his death.  It also delves deeper into their five characters’ storylines, exploring how Celeste struggles to come to terms with her grief and the abuse she suffered at the hands of her husband, as well as trying to deal with being a single mother, while Madeleine’s (Witherspoon) and Renata’s (Laura Dern) marriages are put to the test and Jane (Shailene Woodley) slowly begins to come to terms with the true identity of her rapist, revealed at the end of season one, and opening herself up to the possibility of dating again.  Notably, Zoë Kravitz’s character Bonnie is given a bigger story arc this season, as she wrestles with her guilt over what she has done and whether to come clean, all the while being haunted by memories from her childhood.  

As for Hollywood Royalty herself, who makes the already impressive lineup read like a who’s who in Hollywood, three time Academy Award winner Meryl Streep joins the cast this season in the role of Mary-Louise (which incidentally is Streep’s real name), the mother of Perry, who comes to stay with Celeste to help her while she is still grieving the loss of her husband.  In as much as her animosity towards Madeline yields much of the standout comedic moments of season two, particularly when taking aim at Witherspoon’s diminutive figure, it is Mary-Louise’s quest for the truth of what happened to her son which provides much of the high drama, with her growing conflict with Celeste regarding who should have custody of Celeste’s twin boys, providing arguably some of the best dramatic moments.  Both actresses deliver outstanding performances as seen in last night’s final episode, when things finally come to a head between Celeste and Mary-Louise, as they face off in a dramatic courtroom showdown, where it is anyone’s guess as to who will win.

In an HBO candid roundtable with the female stars of this world-wide TV phenomenon, each shared how this new season is about these five women who at the end of season one are drawn into somewhat of an unlikely friendship from the lie they have told and how it is interesting to explore that a lie that took ten minutes for these women to make, takes seven hours to unfold.  We see how in the same way that the lie is the one thing that binds these very diverse women together, it is also the one thing that ultimately risks tearing them apart as they struggle to hold onto it and to deal with the repercussions of the dark turn of events that took place that ominous night.  

A mixture of high drama and dark comedy, set in the stunning locale of Monterey, California and with a killer soundtrack, including the opening theme ‘Cold Little Heart’ (by Michael Kiwanuka), ‘the Wonder of Me’ (Villagers), ‘Harvest Moon’ (Neil Young) and the fabulous single ‘Have you ever seen the rain?’ (Willie Nelson, featuring Paula Nelson), one wonders if the show will be able to repeat its awards success that it enjoyed last year when it picked up a multitude of awards for its stars Nicole Kidman, Alexander Skarsgård and Laura Dern, as well as the hit television drama itself, but that is a question that will have to remain to be seen come 2020, as sadly season two premiered a week after the cut off date for shows to be accepted for this year’s Emmy nominations.  However, already much buzz is circulating that Dern is the standout star of this season and will be sure to pick up an award for putting in a hilarious performance of Renata battling rage issues, as she faces losing her millions thanks to her husband being up on fraud charges.  Yet Kidman and Streep also surely deserve a nomination for their performances as two conflicting women - one a grieving mother and one a grieving widow who is also now a single mother, none more so than for their very moving courtroom drama in the final two episodes, as the show continues to shine a very important light on domestic abuse.  And then there is Kravitz who as aforementioned plays a much more pivotal role this season and who could also be in with a chance of picking up a nomination next year.

While it is clear that the friendship between its leading ladies continues to run strong, since the departure of ‘Big Little Lies’ from our screens, the show has been plagued by rumours of disharmony behind the scenes concerning female director Andrea Arnold.  Yet both Witherspoon and Kidman as well as HBO’s Programming President, Casey Bloys, have been quick to deny the rumours that creative control was taken away from Arnold and to praise her talent.   So what about a season three you ask?  Despite the show’s heads continuing to refute the idea that there will be a third season, the closing shot of the five women filing into the police station in the ultimate episode, suggests otherwise.  As much as the fans have not yet tired of the hit show, it would appear neither has its stars, with Kidman recently saying on Good Morning America, “I will go on the record and say I would love that!”  We would too Nicole, but only time will tell if our wish is granted.  However, if the last time is anything to go by, then fans of the show can remain hopeful that we have not yet seen the last of the Monterey Five.

[nickyjohnston]

From the Archives: The ‘Weinstein effect’ which triggered #MeToo and the Time’s Up movement, which is making headlines around the world.

Once credited for transforming the world of cinema by producing and distributing many independent movies including ‘Shakespeare in Love’ and ‘Good Will Hunting’, Hollywood film mogul Harvey Weinstein appeared to have it all - money, power, status and success.  A huge presence on the red carpet, Weinstein’s name became intrinsically linked with award season - accumulating countless nominations and accolades for his movies and box office success and appearing on many a nominee’s thank you list.  Alongside his production companies, Miramax and more recently The Weinstein Company, both of which he co-founded with his brother Bob, Weinstein is believed to be the man responsible for launching many actors’ careers.  It is therefore unsurprising that when in October 2017 news broke that Harvey Weinstein had been accused by a number of these women of sexual harassment and assault, behaviour that is said to have been going on for decades, shockwaves were sent soaring through the entertainment industry.  

It is a scandal that first materialised from a story that was published in the New York Times and has since become more incredulous as the months have flown by, with Weinstein’s accusers (a list that includes some of Hollywood’s leading ladies, the likes of Gwyneth Paltrow, Angelina Jolie, Ashley Judd, Salma Hayek  and Uma Thurman), continuing to come forward with their own stories of harassment almost every day.  Yet, while allegations of Weinstein as some sort of sexual predator made headlines around the world (allegations which he has denied), it would appear that these revelations did not come as a shock to everyone as word soon spread that Weinstein’s alleged sexual misconduct was Hollywood’s best kept “open secret”. 

After the story, which has sparked Weinstein’s downfall, surfaced what has been even more horrifying is the number of allegations made against other leading figures in the entertainment industry that have transpired since.  Allegations which include, but are not limited to, the actors Kevin Spacey, Dustin Hoffman, Ben Affleck, 'Gossip Girl’s’ Ed Westwick, James Franco and more recently Michael Fassbender, celebrity chef Mario Batali, news journalists Charlie Rose, Ryan Seacrest and Matt Lauer, creator of American TV hit series ‘One Tree Hill’ and ‘The Royals’ - Mark Schwahn and writer, director and actor - Woody Allen.  These stories have become known as ‘the Weinstein effect’ and have as a consequence triggered the #MeToo movement which took over social media in the latter end of last year and subsequently the Time’s Up movement, which took centre stage at this year’s Golden Globe Awards and has hereon in dominated the award circuit.

The term #Me Too was first used by American activist Tarana Burke back in 2006 to highlight the ubiquitous nature of sexual misconduct and it was then actress Alyssa Milano, of ‘Charmed’ fame, who following on from the news of Harvey Weinstein urged women to use the hashtag #Me Too on Twitter to bring people’s attention to the gravity of the situation and how many women, not just celebrities, are out there who have experienced sexual harassment or sexual abuse.  It was then on 1st January 2018 that the Time’s Up movement was established.  It is a legal defense fund created by some of Hollywood’s biggest names in film, television and theatre, which include Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Chastain, Nicole Kidman, Natalie Portman, Oprah Winfrey, Meryl Streep, America Ferrera, the creator of ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ and ‘Scandal’ - Shonda Rhimes, Michelle Williams, Emma Watson, Ellen Pompeo, Sophia Bush, Kerry Washington, Eva Longoria, Jennifer Lawrence and Emma Stone.  Its purpose is to offer support to those women who have been sexually harassed or abused and to promote change in the workplace across all industries.

Since these two movements first came to light, the award season has been less about the winners and the fashion and all about girl power and the power of speech.  Who can forget, Oprah’s Winfrey’s award winning speech at the Golden Globe Awards, when she took to the stage to receive her Cecil B. de Mille award, which led to many speculating that she will run for office in the year 2020.

What all of this means for the future of Hollywood is hard to comprehend, but undoubtedly interesting times lie ahead as the women of Tinsel Town have started a very important conversation, one that has been going on for years and one that is bound to be continued for many years to come, to end harassment and discrimination against women.  The time to act is now.

[nickyjohnston]

Sunday’s 71st BAFTA Awards sees ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri’ lead the charge ahead of next month’s Oscars, while the Time’s Up movement makes a noise on this side of the pond.

With the award season very much in full swing and with the Academy Awards nearly upon us, Sunday night saw a number of leading names from the world of cinema, including Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lawrence, brave the cold to come and celebrate yet another year of the British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) at the Royal Albert Hall, in London.  They were hosted for the first time by actress Joanna Lumley, following Stephen Fry’s announcement earlier this year that after twelve years as host he was stepping down.

Martin McDonagh’s dark comedic drama ‘Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri’, a story about a mother who is furious that her daughter’s murder case remains unresolved that she rents three billboards and paints a controversial message aimed towards the town’s chief of police, was the night’s biggest winner.  It continued its award-winning streak, with scooping up five of its nine nominations.  This included a win for Leading Actress Frances McDormand and a win for Supporting Actor Sam Rockwell, making them very much the frontrunners in the race for next month’s Oscars.  The film is also the clear favourite to pick up the award season’s most prestigious award for Best Motion Picture, after it won a BAFTA not only for Best Film but for Outstanding British Film, beating out competition from the night’s most nominated film ‘The Shape of Water’, which picked up a BAFTA for just three out of its twelve nominations, for Best Director for Guillermo Del Toro, Best Original Music and Best Production Design.  The other big winners of the evening were Gary Oldman, who won the BAFTA for Leading Actor for his role in which he undergoes an astonishing transformation as British Prime Minister Winston Churchill in the film ‘The Darkest Hour’, and Allison Janney for her Supporting role in what is considered her stand-out performance as the mother of Tonya Harding in ‘I, Tonya’, which is based on the true story of the disgraced American figure skater.  Both Oldman and Janney, much like McDormand and Rockwell, have been cleaning up all awards season and are also hotly tipped to pick up Academy Awards on Sunday 4th March, making this year’s Oscars possibly the most predictable Oscar race we have seen for some time.  Alongside the evening’s big winners, the BAFTA fellowship was awarded to longstanding British Director Ridley Scott, whose impressive catalogue of films includes: ‘Thelma and Louise’, ‘the Gladiator’, ‘the Martian’ and more recently ‘All the Money in the World’, while this year’s EE Rising Star award was awarded to British actor Daniel Kaluuya who was also nominated for a BAFTA for Best Leading Actor for his performance in ‘Get Out’.

While this year’s BAFTAs followed more a less the same rhythm with Cirque du Soleil opening the award ceremony for a second year in a row with a spectacular performance inspired by Guillermo del Toro’s ‘The Shape of Water’, there was one noticeable difference.  Instead of taking to the red carpet in the traditional parade of colour that has become synonymous with these award shows, in much the same fashion as last month’s Golden Globes, British stars opted to wear black for the evening.  This was to show their solidarity towards their American counterparts, as well as to use their moment on stage to bring attention to the fight against sexual harassment and to the fight for gender and racial equality, propelling the Time’s Up movement once again to the forefront of the entertainment industry.  

As this powerful drive continues to gather momentum, Hollywood has been quick to point out that the problem of sexual harassment and discrimination is not just rife in the entertainment industry and indeed in the US, but is an important issue that affects women across all industries worldwide.  A viewpoint that is clearly shared over here in the UK, with a whole host of British actresses, including Emma Watson, Keira Knightley, Naomie Harris, Carey Mulligan and Emilia Clarke, penning an open letter ahead of the BAFTAs which was published in the Observer, as a symbol of their unity for this cause.  Watson has also since donated an amazing £1 million to Britain’s The Justice and Equality Fund.  Now with the Academy Awards fast approaching, it is to be expected that the colour black will continue to be this year’s fashion staple on the red carpet, as all eyes turn once more to Tinseltown to see how the women will use their biggest platform at the most star studded event of the year, to continue to deliver their strong message that now is the time for change.

[nickyjohnston]

‘La La Land’ or ‘Moulin Rouge’ - which is the best musical?

In 2001 Australian film director, Baz Luhrmann (Strictly Ballroom, Romeo and Juliet), brought to the big screen the sensational movie musical ‘Moulin Rouge’ starring fellow Australian, Nicole Kidman (The Hours, Big Little Lies) and British actor Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, Fargo).  Full of humour, drama, romance, originality, a show-stopping soundtrack including the likes of Bowie, Bono and Lady Marmalade and plenty of sparkle and razz-ma-tazz, ‘Moulin Rouge’ was nothing short of spectacular and was unlike any musical seen before.  It was an instant hit, reigniting moviegoers’ passion for the musical genre, which up until then appeared to be a thing of the past.  Five years on from his success with ‘Romeo and Juliet’, ‘Moulin Rouge’ was surely everything Luhrmann could have hoped for to cement his status as one of Hollywood’s most exciting and creative directors of his generation, securing him eight Oscar nominations including Best Picture and a Best Actress nod for Nicole Kidman, in what was undoubtedly her best role to date.

Fast forward to 2017, enter relative newcomer onto the Hollywood scene,  32-year-old American director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash) who captured audiences’ hearts and critics alike with his extraordinarily stunning ‘La La Land’, an ode to the old Hollywood movie musical, starring the incomparable duo Ryan Gosling (The Notebook, Bladerunner 2049)  and Emma Stone (Birdman, The Battle of the Sexes).  Nominated for an impressive fourteen Academy Award nominations 'La La Land’ is the most nominated film, alongside ‘All About Eve’ and ‘Titantic’ and the most nominated musical. Unlike ‘Moulin Rouge’ which is set in 1900 Paris and is an impossible romance between a penniless writer (played by McGregor) and a courtesan (Kidman), ‘La La Land’ is set in modern day America and tells the story of Sebastian (played by Gosling) a disillusioned jazz pianist and Mia (Stone) an aspiring actress who meet and fall in love while trying to help each other realise their dreams.  One is a love story that from the opening sequence we are told is going to end in tragedy, while the other is a love letter to the city of Los Angeles: full of hope and optimism for all the dreamers out there.  With two extremely contrasting movies, it poses a challenge to determine which is the better musical: Luhrmann’s ‘Moulin Rouge’ or Chazelle’s ‘La La Land’.  One could argue that accolades aside you cannot possibly compare the two as they are two very diverse pieces of cinema.  Yet after a family debate and as a self-proclaimed lover of both musicals that is exactly what I have been tasked to do - to choose which in my personal opinion is my favourite and ultimately which I consider the best musical.  

This is a question I have spent some time mulling over in order to draw my conclusion, after all one cannot refute the fact that both films carry a discernible charm and dreamy quality that immediately draws its viewers in.  A prime example is the bedroom scene in ‘Moulin Rouge’ when Christian (McGregor) is trying to woo Satine (Kidman).  In a matter of moments, true to form Luhrmann transports his viewers from the farcical to the emotional when McGregor suddenly bursts into song with his beautiful rendition of Elton John’s ‘Your Song’, winning the heart of his muse.  Compare this scene with the very powerful tango sequence and there is no question that ‘Moulin Rouge’ is a uniquely wonderful and bold tour de force with an outstanding performance from its leading lady Nicole Kidman who simply shines in her role as the tragic Satine.

But once again, we come back to Chazelle and his beautiful retrospection of movie musicals, inspired by movies such as ‘Les Parapluies de Cherbourg’ and ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, and for me there is no parallel.  Chazelle’s vision is one of perfection and one which stimulates a whole range of emotions and is the reason why I, as one of those dreamers, am so passionate about movies.  For anyone to question that 'La La Land’ is anything but sheer cinematic magic,  makes me wonder what it is they are looking for in a movie.  Both the scene where Chazelle masterfully has Gosling and Stone literally flying through the sky and dancing amongst the stars, and the scene where Gosling and Stone are tap dancing their way through Griffith Park is evocative of that classic Hollywood romantic charm that any fan of the movie musical knows too well and loves, as is the seamless montage at the end of the film, which is simply exquisite and leaves you wanting more.  However, while ‘La La Land’ has an essence of the time-honoured musical, Chazelle also successfully adds his own mark to the genre by skilfully merging the old with the new, setting himself apart from many of today’s filmmakers and making ‘La La Land’ very much a film of its time and yet still one for the ages.  From the unmistakable chemistry between Gosling and Stone; to Justin Hurwitz’s emotionally charged soundtrack; the abundance of colour and the detail with which the colour of clothing in some scenes matches the exteriors; to the movie being split across the four seasons of the year, Chazelle wholeheartedly delivers on every front all the key components vital for producing a best picture.  I have not felt this excited about a movie in a long time and consequently it still remains incomprehensible to me how 'La La Land’, having picked up the award in six of the primary categories at last year’s Oscars did not win the Academy Award for Best Picture.  There is no doubt in my mind that it was the standout motion picture of 2017 and was fully deserving of the award season’s biggest accolade and so to have it not only lose out in that category, but to lose out the way it did, was and still is hugely upsetting and completely baffling.

It is for all the reasons above that while I am still a huge fan of Baz Luhrmann’s ‘Moulin Rouge’, Damien Chazelle’s ‘La La Land’ is quite simply on another level.  It is not only the best of these two musicals and my favourite movie, but it is also arguably the best film that has graced our screens in a very long while and dare I go so far as to say that it is unlikely we will see another film quite like it for some time, if at all.

[nickyjohnston]

From the archives: In a dramatic and shocking finale, befitting any movie, Moonlight outshines La La Land to win the Oscar for Best Picture at this year's Academy Awards.

This year’s 89th Academy Awards was full of all the excitement and the glitz and glamour one has come to expect from Hollywood’s hottest awards show, both with the red carpet arrivals and inside the Dolby Theatre’s auditorium, but it was not without a whole lot of drama too and the shocking upset that no one saw coming that left the A-list celebrities and audiences at home aghast.  

The Oscars is one of the few occasions where the world’s biggest names in showbiz all come together to celebrate the year in film and in a year of so many diverse films up for a nomination this was no exception, with the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Nicole Kidman, Charlize Theron, Meryl Streep and Matt Damon all in attendance.  Hosted for the first time by US talk show host and comedian, Jimmy Kimmel, the evening was full of many memorable laugh out loud moments in particular Kimmel surprising a bus load of tourists in the middle of a tour of Hollywood by bringing them into the auditorium to meet the stars of the silver screen, taking jabs at President Trump and most hilariously of all poking fun at his notorious ‘frenemy’ Matt Damon. Compared to one of the Oscars all time greatest hosts, Billy Crystal, Kimmel pulled off his hosting duties with aplomb, with many hoping this will not be the last we see of him as the Oscars host.  Yet after the dramatic ending to what had up until then been fairly smooth sailing, it is anyone’s guess as to whether Kimmel would want to resume the task of hosting the most prestigious of award shows after a year that made the Oscars make history for the wrong reason.

Nonetheless, before all the drama unfolded and before the evening fully got under way, the star studded event kicked off in amazing fashion with a  show-stopping performance by Justin Timberlake who brought the house down with his smash hit song: ‘Can’t Stop The Feeling’ from the animated film ‘Trolls’, one of the Oscar contenders for Best Original Song, which had the stars up on their feet and ready to party, as Timberlake combined his hit song with Bill Wither’s perfect hit melody ‘Lovely Day’, that saw Timberlake get down off the stage and enjoy a dance with his wife, Jessica Biel, as well as reunite with his former childhood buddy, Ryan Gosling, from their days on the Mickey Mouse club.  This was one of several musical performances of the night, with singer and songwriter John Legend who was both one of the actors and producers of ‘La La Land’ concluding the nominees for Best Song category with a beautiful rendition of ‘City of Stars’ (which was sung by Gosling in the movie) and ‘Audition’ (which was sung by Emma Stone in the movie).  It was ‘City of Stars’ which eventually walked away with the Academy Award for Best Original Song later on in the evening.

The first two big awards, however, of the night were for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, which in a complete turnaround from last year’s #OscarsSoWhite controversy that eclipsed the awards ceremony, both the Best Supporting Actor and the Best Supporting Actress were awarded to actors of colour, with Mahershala Ali taking the award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ‘Moonlight’ and Viola Davis winning the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her role in ‘Fences’.  Both of these wins were two of the more predictable awards of the evening, especially that of Viola Davis who has been scooping up the awards for Best Supporting Actress left, right and centre throughout the award season.

In contrast, the Oscar for Best Actor and Best Actress in a Leading Role were less of a foregone conclusion, with the race for Best Actor said to be very close between Casey Affleck, for his role in ‘Manchester By the Sea’ and Denzel Washington, for his role in ‘Fences’.  Yet, in the end it was Casey Affleck, younger brother of Ben Affleck, who despite the controversy which surrounded his win took to the stage to accept the Oscar for Best Actor, a role which was handed to him by childhood friend, Matt Damon when he was unable to take on the role himself and clearly Damon’s kind act to his friend paid off.  Whereas the Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading role was awarded to Emma Stone, her second Oscar nomination in as much as two years, for her role as Mia who dreams of becoming an actress in the stunning musical ‘La La Land’, beating out competition from French actress, Isabelle Huppert, for her role in ‘Elle’, as well as Hollywood royalty and nominee for the twentieth time, Meryl Streep, for her role in ‘Florence Foster Jenkins.’  This was very much a deserved win for Stone who is outstanding in the musical drama and who put her win down to a: “...confluence of luck and opportunity”.

With fourteen nominations awarded to ‘La La Land’, making it the most nominated film in Oscar history alongside ‘Titantic’ and ‘All About Eve and the most nominated musical of all time, there was never any doubt that this film was the one to beat on Oscar night and the hot favourite tipped to walk away with the biggest award of the night, Best Picture. While up against eight other films in the Best Picture category, it was clear to anyone that the competition was only ever really between ‘La La Land’ and one other film: ‘Moonlight’.  Two very different films, with one paying homage to the timeless Hollywood musical, while the other a daring coming-of-age drama which spans three stages of a young man’s life and the struggles he faces with being a gay, black man in America.  While both films have done well during the awards circuit, it is ‘La La Land’ that has been sweeping the board throughout. Yet, in what has been considered the biggest surprise and upset in the history of the Academy Awards ‘La La Land’, despite being the bookies favourite to win the Oscar for Best Picture, lost out to Jenkin’s ‘Moonlight’, even though only moments before Damien Chazelle beat off competition from Jenkins to become the youngest person, at the age of thirty-two, in the history of the Academy Awards to win the Oscar for Best Director for ‘La La Land’.  

While upsets in the Best Picture category have become power for the course over the years, with the hugely anticipated ‘Brokeback Mountain’ losing out to ‘Crash’ in 2006 and more recently in 2015 when ‘Boyhood’ lost out to ‘Birdman’, it was not just that ‘La La Land’ had lost out to ‘Moonlight’ that came as a shock, but it was the way in which it lost out that was so shocking! The drama unraveled after a mixup over envelopes resulted in presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway reading out the winners of the Best Picture as ‘La La Land’.  It was only once the elated cast and crew of the music sensation were up on stage to accept their award and were in the middle of delivering their acceptance speeches that the error was realised and the news broke that ‘La La Land’ were in fact not the winners after all of the Best Picture Oscar, but that it was ‘Moonlight’ that had won!  In a moment of confusion, as the cast and crew of ‘La La Land’ stepped aside to make room for those from ‘Moonlight’ to take to the stage, it was hard to distinguish between which party was the more shocked, the cast and crew of ‘La La Land’ or the cast and crew of ‘Moonlight’, or indeed those stars in the audience who looked on in dismay, as the ‘La La Land’ camp gracefully accepted the loss and handed over the accolade to the ‘Moonlight’ team.  Since the award ceremony, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PWC) who are one of the largest professional services firm, a top auditor and the company responsible for the balloting process at the Oscars have been held accountable for the mixup and yet people are still finding it hard to fathom how such a blunder happened in the first place.  

Where ‘Moonlight’ are concerned winning the Oscar for Best Picture, especially after a year that was dominated by the #OscarsSoWhite fiasco, in spite of the negative circumstances it won under is an enormous feat and one that should be acknowledged as history in the making.  It is after all the first film with an all black cast to win an Academy Award, the first film by a black director to win as well as the first LGBT film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture.  However, while there is undoubtedly no denying that ‘Moonlight’ are a worthy winner, especially at a time of a very worrying political climate worldwide, it is difficult to fully comprehend how ‘La La Land’ could have won the Oscar for Best Cinematography, Best Production Design, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Actress and Best Director, all of which are key elements towards making a best picture, and yet not pick up the award for Best Picture itself.  Not only that, Chazelle’s ‘La La Land’ embraces everything that the Oscars are all about, it is a true celebration of film and the magic of cinema and for simply these reasons alone it personally should have won.  Instead, despite still being the biggest winner of the evening, winning six Oscars out of its fourteen nominations, sadly it is felt that ‘La La Land’s’ success has been tainted by the horrendous faux pas involving the mixup of envelopes and now instead of looking back in time and remembering ‘La La Land’ for what it is, a wonderful piece of cinema, it is feared that it will now be remembered as the film that for two minutes thought it had won Best Picture, only to find out that they had actually lost out to ‘Moonlight’!

[nickyjohnston]

From the archives: Hollywood’s biggest stars bring a whole lot of glitz and glamour to the 89th Academy Awards

On Sunday, 26th February, a multitude of stars came out in force for the most important occasion in the film calendar - this year’s 89th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre, on Hollywood Boulevard.  Leading the charge was none other than Hollywood’s golden girl Emma Stone, a red carpet favourite, who has been pulling out all the stops all awards season.  Nominated for her role in musical ‘La La Land’ and looking very much like an Oscar winner in a dazzling gold floor length gown by Givenchy Haute Couture adorned with crystal beading and a ‘flapper-esque’ fringing from the waist down, Stone was accompanied to the ceremony by her brother, Spencer, who has been at her side throughout the award circus.  With the finishing touches to her appearance accentuated by bright red lipstick and her flame red hair styled in soft, loose waves down to her shoulders, along with a pair of gold strappy heels and Tiffany & Co. jewels, Stone was picture perfect and without a doubt one of the best dressed of the night.

Gold was one of the most prominent colours on the infamous red carpet, not only worn by Stone, but also actress Charlize Theron who stepped out in a gold metallic Dior gown with a long slit up the front and stunning diamond statement earrings by Chopard, giving her just the right amount of bling to offset her look. As for Justin Timberlake’s gal, Jessica Biel, she utterly shimmered from head to toe in a sexy, skin tight gold metallic Kaufman Franco dress, accessorised with a Tiffany & Co. gold statement necklace and matching gold clutch handbag. While it would have perhaps been better had Biel opted for a pair of stud earrings or small drop earrings and no necklace, given the necklace looked a little over the top with the overall style of the dress, she still managed to pull it off to perfection, making it one of the standout red carpet looks of the evening. With Timberlake on her arm who looked slick in a classic black Tom Ford tuxedo, all eyes were on them as one of the hottest couples at the star studded event.  

Another hot couple on the red carpet were Oscar nominee, Nicole Kidman and husband Keith Urban, who never shy away from packing on the PDA in front of the cameras.  The statuesque Aussie who is certainly no stranger to the red carpet looked sensational, as she wowed in an exquisite nude backless Armani Privé creation, embellished with pink Swarovski crystals, Harry Winston jewellery and Stuart Weitzman shoes, as well as impeccable hair and makeup, landing her on the best dressed list alongside Stone.  Also, chic in Armani Privé, were French actress and Best Actress nominee, Isabelle Huppert, who sparkled in a long sleeved, floor length Swarovski crystal nude gown and Best Supporting Actress nominee, Viola Davis, who wore a floor length, off the shoulder red dress, while actress Emma Roberts channelled old Hollywood glamour in a vintage Armani Privé low cut monochrome dress.

Along with Roberts, former ‘Dawson’s Creek’ alum Michelle Williams nominated for her role in ‘Manchester By the Sea’ also wore a monochrome designer gown with plunging neckline, but instead of Armani Privé as her designer of choice, she chose Louis Vuitton, for whom she is the face of.  In keeping with a very simple, but elegant look for the award ceremony, Williams unlike many of her  A-list counterparts accessorised her look with very little jewellery.  While it was one of her best red carpet looks of the award season, it has to be said that it was a rather disappointing choice of outfit for one of the night’s nominees, and was certainly a far cry from Williams’ fabulous eye-catching yellow Vera Wang dress that she wore to the Oscars ceremony back in 2006.  

Simple and elegant was nonetheless also the order of the day for Brie Larson, winner of last year’s Best Actress Oscar who chose a long, strapless black Oscar de la Renta creation and Alicia Vikander, last year’s winner of the Best Supporting Actress Oscar who stepped out in a long, black lace embroidered Louis Vuitton dress.  While Janelle Monáe, one of the stars of both Academy Award nominated films ‘Moonlight’ and ‘Hidden Figures, was anything but simple in a flamboyant Eli Saab Couture gown and Forevermark Diamonds jewels.  Yet, even though it can be said that her dress definitely had the wow factor on the carpet, this dress personally did not quite meet the mark for a best dressed.  With its pouffed out skirt, it appeared very awkward to walk in and it felt the dress was wearing her rather than the other way round and therefore this is a worst dressed.  Joining her there are Halle Berry, in a one shouldered sheer gown by Atelier Versace, and Scarlett Johansson in a long patterned dress with décolleté neckline by Azzedine Alaïa.  Both these dresses failed to do justice to these two striking actresses and are it is felt more suited for the Golden Globes or Screen Actors Guild Awards (SAG).  It would have been nicer had Berry’s dress been without the sheer black netting down the middle of the dress, which seemed to bring a drab undertone to the overall look of her gown.  As for Johansson, her dress seemed far too casual for what the Oscars are all about and it would have been preferable to have seen her in a more fitted and glamorous dress, such as the lace deep plum gown she wore to the 2011 Oscars by Dolce and Gabanna.

As for the men, while all eyes were on the women to see which designer they were wearing, they were unmistakably also dressed to the nines and killing it on the carpet, with Oscar hopefuls Casey Affleck and Andrew Garfield both looking polished and very smooth in the classic black tuxedo, with Affleck wearing Louis Vuitton and Garfield wearing Tom Ford.  Also, looking sharp in black were Oscar nominee, Lucas Hedges, in Dior Homme, and singer and songwriter, John Legend in Gucci.  Ryan Gosling, who co-starred with Legend in musical sensation ‘La La Land’ and was one of the night’s Oscar nominees, also arrived at the Dolby Theatre in a classic black tuxedo by Gucci.  However, in a break away from the norm, Gosling opted to wear a ruffled shirt underneath his tux by designer Anto, Alessandro Michele, which while an interesting choice by the actor there is no denying it added a touch of flair and contrast to the traditional black tuxedo that most of the other Hollywood A-listers were wearing, showing how men can have fun with fashion every bit as much as the ladies.  And let’s face it if anyone can don this rather unusual choice of shirt and still manage to look effortlessly cool it would have to be Ryan Gosling!

British Oscar hopeful for his portrayal of Saroo Brierley in ‘Lion’, Dev Patel, is another actor who chose to break away from the norm and selected a cream tux to wear by British fashion house, Burberry, a style he pulled off with aplomb, while another Oscar nominee, Mahershala Ali also broke with tradition and opted for a more sombre, but still debonnair look, with a black tuxedo by Ermenegildo Zegna and black shirt underneath.  As for, Damien Chazelle who was hoping to make Oscar history by becoming the youngest ever person to win an Academy Award for Best Director, he kept things interesting with selecting a blue tuxedo by Burberry, a popular choice of colour for the evening in the men’s fashion.

This year’s Academy Awards saw an abundance of colour trending on the red carpet, and while it was great to see some of Hollywood’s elite keeping with tradition and channelling old Hollywood glamour, it was exciting to observe others, both ladies and men, deciding to take it up a notch and push the boundaries of fashion.  After all isn’t that what fashion is all about foregoing people’s expectations and daring to be different?  And yet while the stars, just like the rest of us, may not always get it right when it comes to dressing for the red carpet, one thing is certain about this year’s Oscar fashion and that is, it was anything but boring!

To view some of the fashion featured at this year’s Oscars, click on the link below:

http://oscar.go.com/photos/2017/2017-oscars-red-carpet-arrivals/89th-annual-academy-awards-arrivals-47

[nickyjohnston]

Andrew Garfield is a revelation in his first Oscar nominated role in World War Two drama, ‘Hacksaw Ridge’.

‘Hacksaw Ridge’ is one of this year’s nine contenders up for Best Picture at Sunday night’s Academy Awards.  It tells the remarkable true story of American War hero, Desmond Doss (played by Andrew Garfield, ‘The Social Network’, ‘the Amazing Spiderman’) who enlisted during World War Two as a medic, but who was a pacifist.  His refusal to carry arms led to him being ostracised by his troupe and labelled a coward.  However, when eventually he wins his case to go to war without bearing any arms whatsoever, he carries out many amazing acts of kindness and bravery during the battle of Hacksaw Ridge both towards his compatriots, as well as the Japanese, revealing his extraordinary heroism to his troupe and to the world.  It is a wonderful depiction of the good in humanity and how despite all odds Doss remains true to himself and his beliefs no matter what it costs him.  

It is the first time since 2006, that Mel Gibson has directed a motion picture and it is the first time he has been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director since he was nominated and won for ‘Braveheart’ back in 1996.  While it is unlikely Gibson will walk away with the Oscar this time round, given he faces tough competition from the likes of Chazelle (’La La Land’) and Lonergan (’Manchester by the Sea’), it is good to see that he appears to have redeemed himself after finding himself in recent years at the centre of a few scandals. Alongside Gibson, the star of the film British actor, Andrew Garfield, is also up for an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role.  This is the first time that Garfield has been nominated and again while he faces tough competition from Casey Affleck ( ‘Manchester by the Sea’), Ryan Gosling ( ‘La La Land’) and Denzel Washington ( ‘Fences’), it is safe to say that this is Garfield’s best role to date.  With an outstanding supporting cast, led by Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, Vince Vaughn and Teresa Palmer, as Garfield’s love interest, this war epic is not one to miss.  With gruelling battle scenes that are not for the faint hearted, ‘Hacksaw Ridge’ promises to stay true to the heart of the story.

[nickyjohnston]

Be swept away by the magic of cinema with Damien Chazelle’s stunning ‘La La Land’

It is not every day that movies like ‘La La Land’ come along, but when they do they fill you with such a joy and give you goosebumps that you cannot help but come out of the cinema buzzing and wanting to go and see it again.  With already seven Golden Globes behind them including a Golden Globe for both its leading stars Emma Stone (’The Help’, ‘Birdman’) and Ryan Gosling (’The Notebook’, ‘The Nice Guys’) and its director and writer, Damien Chazelle (’Whiplash’), as well as five BAFTAs and a slew of other awards, ‘La La Land’ is looking very much the front-runner to walk away with the most accolades on Oscar night and deservedly so.  From the movie’s opening sequence, when the actors sing and dance on top of cars on a freeway in Los Angeles, viewers know that they are in for something incredibly special and unlike anything that has been shown on the big screen for a very long time.  

Accompanied by a sensational original soundtrack including songs ‘City of Stars’ and ‘A Lovely Night’ and set over the course of five seasons, ‘La La Land’ tells the story of two young dreamers Sebastian (played by Gosling), a struggling jazz musician and Mia (played by Stone), a struggling actress, whose lives are forever changed when their paths cross and they fall in love while trying to inspire and help each other realise their dreams.  Yet, while the film in part is a beautiful love letter to the City of Angels and pays homage to the old Hollywood musical, none more so than the scene of Gosling and Stone singing and dancing up a storm through the roads of Griffith Park, what makes ‘La La Land’ unique from those classics is that it so skilfully combines the old with the new. And instead of the actors singing and dancing throughout the film as one has come to expect from a musical, there is still a great deal of dialogue for the music cynics out there who are not huge fans of the musical genre.

‘La La Land’ has been a six-year dream in the making for thirty-two year-old Chazelle and comes straight off the back of his success in 2015 with Academy Award nominated film ‘Whiplash’, which while it did not win Best Picture, it did pick up the Best Supporting Actor award for J.K. Simmons, who also has a cameo role in ‘La La Land’.  It also marks the third outing for Stone and Gosling, who previously starred opposite each other in ‘Crazy Stupid Love’ and ‘Gangster Squad’ and now both with their second Oscar nomination under their belt (Stone was first nominated back in 2015 for ‘Birdman’ and Gosling in 2007 for his role in ‘Half Nelson’), they have very much cemented their status as two of Hollywood’s most exciting and versatile young actors to grace our screens as well as one of the best onscreen partnerships there is. Through Chazelle’s absolutely stunning cinematography, the palpable chemistry between this pair literally lights up the screen, that it is hard to imagine anyone better suited to the roles of Mia and Sebastian.

With so many diverse and exciting films up for an Oscar nomination this year, it is anyone’s guess who will eventually walk away with the biggest award of the night, but with ‘La La Land' tipped as the favourite to win, it would surely be a huge oversight and the biggest upset of the evening if it does not.  It may have taken six-years to bring ‘La La Land’ to fruition, but the end result does not disappoint.  Everything that is to love about movies is so perfectly wrapped up in Chazelle’s vision.  It is pure escapism, magical, immensely romantic, heartfelt and as with so many musicals before its time it is bound to be talked about for many years to come.

[nickyjohnston]

BAFTA celebrates its 70th birthday as ‘La La Land’ continues to dominate awards season

Sunday evening was a glitzy affair as everyone who is anyone in Hollywood, as well as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, descended on the red carpet of London’s Royal Albert Hall to celebrate the year in film and BAFTA turning seventy years old.  It was a night of laughs, political speeches, shock wins and of course those joyful moments we all look forward to.

After a spectacular opening by Cirque du Soleil to kick off the ceremony, the first BAFTA of the evening was awarded to ‘I, Daniel Blake’ for Outstanding British film, followed by Tom Holland who won EE’s rising star award. However, it was British actor Dev Patel’s win for Best Supporting Actor for his role in ‘Lion’ that came as one of the shock wins of the evening, as well as one of the most joyful moments as costar Nicole Kidman looked on proudly as Patel took to the stage to collect his award.  Best Supporting Actress, on the other hand, came as no surprise as Viola Davis continued her winning streak by taking home the BAFTA for her role in ‘Fences’.  It also came as no surprise when Casey Affleck, younger brother of Ben Affleck, walked away with the BAFTA for Leading Actor in ‘Manchester by the Sea’ beating off competition from fellow nominee Ryan Gosling (’La La Land’), who was noticeably absent from the award ceremony.  Perhaps less predictable was Emma Stone’s win for musical ‘La La Land’, but now with a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award (SAG) to boot she is fast becoming the bookie’s favourite to win Best Actress at the Oscars later this month.

Alongside Stone’s win for Leading Actress, ‘La La Land’ won a total of five BAFTAs, including two of the evening’s biggest awards, that of Best Director for Damien Chazelle and Best Picture.  Now with the next and final stop being the Academy Awards set to take place in the City of Angels on Sunday, 26th February, ‘La La Land’ is looking very much the one to beat with its impressive fourteen nominations.  Yet, if previous years are anything to go by one can be rest assured that when it comes to the Oscars nothing is a sure thing and we will undoubtedly be in for a few surprises and the possible upset on the awards most prestigious night.

[nickyjohnston]

Why my money is on Murray to win tonight’s Sports Personality of the Year...

It has been without a doubt a phenomenal year for British sport and with an impressive list of contenders up for Sports Personality of the Year in tonight’s coveted awards show airing on BBC One, it is going to be a tough decision for the public to choose who to cast their vote for.  However, for me personally the race for who will be crowned Sports Personality for 2016 is between three people: Jason Kenny, Alistair Brownlee and Andy Murray.

Jason Kenny is a strong contender having won his sixth gold medal in what was the most thrilling and nerve racking keirin final in the velodrome and showing what it means to be cool under pressure during the biggest sporting highlight of this year - the Rio Olympic games, where Great Britain took everyone by surprise by winning 67 medals (27 of which were gold) and as a result surpassing their unbelievable success at their home games back in 2012 to secure second place ahead of China.  

Why Alistair Brownlee is deserving of winning this year’s sporting honour is that not only did he win gold as well at this year’s Rio Olympic games, but who can forget how he demonstrated the true meaning of sportsmanship by not only being an amazing competitor but also for showing compassion for his brother, Jonathan, and stopping to help him over the finish line while they participated in Mexico’s triathlon event?

And then there's Murray who has had yet another unbelievable year and what can certainly be defined as his best to date.  He has become an incredible Ambassador for British tennis, flying the flag for his country literally and metaphorically and has made history time and time again - this year for winning his fifth title at Queens, winning his second title at Wimbledon, for retaining his Olympic title by winning gold again, by making the final in many of this year's matches and winning so many of these tournaments and finally for becoming World Number One and then winning the ATP final tour against Djokovich and holding the number one position!  

One might argue that Murray has already won Sports Personality of the Year twice, the last time being last year and therefore it is time for someone else to win the award, but for me he has been consistently outstanding all year around and he has exceeded all of our expectations, that tonight my money is definitely on him as who I believe will win and who I want to win.  In my view, there is no one more deserving - he has kept fans on the edge of their seats and has delivered some of this year’s best matches and I believe that he has another exciting and thrilling year ahead of him in 2017...just watch this space.

[nickyjohnston]

The EU Referendum is dawning - how are you going to vote?

With one day left until the EU Referendum, the question on everyone’s lips is, “Are you in or are you out?”  

Usually, I steer clear of any subject involving politics and ordinarily I choose to stay mum on which way I am voting, however I have found it alarming the number of people I have spoken to recently who want out of Europe, or who are on the fence and do not know which way to vote, or even worse are indifferent.  Therefore, I felt it was time to speak up and share my view.  I’m not here to discuss each side of both arguments, anyone who has been following this debate will have informed themselves of the facts.  I am simply here to say that there is no doubt in my mind which side I will be voting for on Thursday.  I love being a part of Europe and it distresses me to think that could all change after Thursday.  As someone who fully respects one’s freedom of choice, be it far from me to tell everyone how to vote, so all I can do is strongly urge all of you to think carefully when you cast that all important vote - you only get one chance to do so, so make it count!  

We live in a global world, why do we want to separate ourselves from that?! #Votetoremain

[nickyjohnston]

Hollywood's elite bring their A-game to the red carpet of the 87th Academy Awards

After months of campaigning, the biggest names in Hollywood descended onto the world famous red carpet of the Dolby theatre, in Los Angeles on Sunday 22nd February, for what is dubbed Hollywood's biggest night and the last stop in front of the media circus.  Despite the uncharacteristic downpour of rain, the stars appeared in high spirits as they stepped out of their limousines, dressed to the nines and ready to strike a pose in front of the cameras, as well as eager to reunite with old friends, to congratulate the nominees and of course to answer the age old question of: "Who are you wearing?"

It has been an exciting red carpet awards season, with many of the stars pulling out all the stops and the Academy Awards was no different, with some A-Listers bringing a touch of old Hollywood glamour to the glitzy ceremony, while others opted for a more modern, edgier look.  One such A-Lister who always dares to be different and who has been a definite stand out on the red carpet at both the Golden Globes and the Screen Actor Guild Awards (SAGS) is Best Supporting Actress nominee, Emma Stone. Who can forget her bold and somewhat risqué choice of dress for the SAGS where she looked phenomenal in a black dress by Christian Dior couture? Somehow it is hard to imagine anyone else being able to pull off such a daring choice of gown and yet Stone did it to perfection and as noted yet again at the Oscars where she wowed in a floor length backless chartreuse, sequinned and sheer gown by custom Eli Saab.  With her famous red locks swept to the side in a wavy updo and her immaculate makeup, Stone looked flawless head to toe.  She may have gone home empty handed, but she hands down stole the show on the red carpet, and also off the red carpet when she later slipped out of her Eli Saab number into a more relaxed, but stylish Altuzarra low plunging red sleeveless dress with black and gold detailing and lace trimming at the top for the after parties, cementing her status as one of the most exciting young fashionistas to watch out for.

Another actress who never disappoints with her fashion choices was Stone's costar in Birdman, Naomi Watts who was one of the presenters. Watts took to the red carpet in one of the more bolder choices of the evening - a metallic, beaded dress by Armani, and a black sparkling band at the back of the dress, which showed off some skin.  She accessorised her look with a black Rauwolf clutch bag and Anna Hu jewellery and her shoulder length hair was worn down in loose waves.  While opinion has been divided over this dress, this was a personal favourite and it was refreshing to see something a little different and non-traditional on the red carpet, but which still screamed glamour.  Again, it can be argued that not everyone could pull this dress off, but with the deep plum lipstick to accentuate the look, Watts simply dazzled.

Unfortunately, Watts's best friend and fellow Australian, Nicole Kidman did not quite dazzle in her shimmering strapless Louis Vuitton dress, accessorised with red belt.  Normally, a strong favourite on the red carpet, this look on Kidman sadly fell a bit flat.  The belt while it added a pop of colour to the overall look of the dress, it just felt out of place and the colour of the dress appeared rather too pale on her alabaster skin. This while not a worst dressed, was not one of Kidman's best choices.  It would have been great to see her in a more vibrant colour, like the gorgeous green embroidered Dior dress she wore back in 1997 when attending the Oscars with then husband, Tom Cruise.

An Aussie actress who did, however, radiate on the red carpet was Australian beauty, Margot Robbie - the girl that has everyone talking at the moment and who can currently be seen on the big screen in Focus starring opposite Will Smith.  Robbie was one of the few who hit the red carpet in black.  She wore a sexy floor length wrap dress with plunging neckline and  sheer long sleeves by Saint Laurent accessorised with a fabulous statement necklace and vivid red lipstick and her hair was worn down and parted to one side.  It is hard to believe that Robbie is in fact a relative newcomer to the Hollywood scene as she very much held her own with the big names on the red carpet at the Academy Awards and continued to stun when she later stepped out in a monochrome Dior strapless gown for the after parties.  

To round off the Aussie contingent was last year's big winner in the Best Actress category, Cate Blanchett, who also opted for black by wearing an elegant backless floor length John Galliano dress with small train and a stunning turquoise Tiffany and Co. Statement necklace.  Blanchett is one style icon who does not seem to ever put a foot wrong on the red carpet, however like Kidman it would have been nice to see her in a more colourful and awe-inspiring dress for the evening. However, one cannot dispute the fact that as always she looked impeccable.

With an array of colour on the red carpet, a popular trend was white as worn by Oscar nominee, Reese Witherspoon, Oscar Winner Julianne Moore and last year's Oscar winner for Best Supporting Actress, Lupita Nygong'o.  However, while they all wore the same colour, all three of these dresses were in fact very different.  Nygong'o wore her best red carpet look of the season in a figure hugging, halter neck custom Calvin Klein collection dress, made out of thousands of pearls, which looked amazing against her skin. Julianne Moore who has been a stand out throughout the awards looked exquisite in a strapless sequinned gown by Chanel with floral embellishments and her hair in a stunning updo, completing the look with Chopard drop earrings and looking every inch an Oscar winner. Yet, it was Reese Witherspoon's off the shoulder monochrome dress which personally earned her top honours on the best dressed list with Emma Stone.  With her flawless hair and makeup she was a knock out on the red carpet, exuding pure effortless glamour.

Red was another popular colour trending on the night, worn best by Gone Girl’s ‘femme fatale’ and first time Oscar nominee, Britain’s Rosamund Pike, who killed it in a deep red lace dress by Givenchy Haute Couture, which showed off her enviable post baby figure, and which she paired with Givenchy red open toe strappy stiletto heels.  Having gone with more riskier choices for the Golden Globes and the SAG awards, this was a more timeless look for her and with minimalist jewellery and natural make up, she looked stunning as she let her dress do all the talking.

Also a British contender up for a Best Actress nomination for her role opposite Eddie Redmayne in The Theory of Everything was none other than Felicity Jones who has been dubbed this year's Lupita Nygong'o, after wowing everyone all awards season with her amazing choices.  Here, she hit the red carpet in a silvery grey Alexander McQueen satin floor length creation with intricate beaded detailing on the bodice and a full blown skirt with ruching.  This was one of the dresses of the evening which had an essence of old Hollywood glamour and yet did not somehow quite match up to Jones's dresses which she wore to the Golden Globes and SAG awards.  There is no denying she looked very pretty and polished, but there is a sense that something is missing here and she perhaps needed a more eye-catching colour.

It is however, Scarlett Johansson, who tops the worst dressed list. Her emerald green low cut Versace dress looked completely wrong with the matching sparkly emerald green statement necklace and one drop earring she wore.  With that neckline, it would have been better to have had no necklace and to instead have worn a pair of more dramatic earrings to make what was a relatively understated choice of gown for the Oscars more interesting and to give it the right wow factor.  

Of course, every leading lady needs a leading man, and this year Hollywood's men were mixing it up on the red carpet every bit as much as the ladies and pushing the boundaries of fashion by breaking away from the classic black tux. Out in front were Eddie Redmayne and Benedict Cumberbatch, both nominated this year for Best Actor in a Leading role, both flying the flag for Great Britain and both newly weds!  Redmayne - no stranger to fashion, having fronted for some time the Burberry advertising campaign, looked very debonnair in a blue tux with black lapel by Alexander McQueen, accompanied by his wife Hannah who was also dressed in McQueen.  Cumberbatch on the other hand looked slick and quintessentially British in a white tuxedo, with his wife Sophie looking elegant in red Lanvin and with her baby bump barely visible.  Still carrying a glow from their recent nuptials, they were certainly one of the most glamorous couples to walk the red carpet.  

As for British actor David Oyelowo, who was on hand to support his film Selma, he looked suave in his bold choice of a red tux by Dolce Gabanna, as did master of ceremonies, Neil Patrick Harris in grey by Brunello Cucinelli.  While always one to break with tradition, Jared Leto (who took home the Oscar last year for Best Supporting actor for his role in Dallas Buyers Club) turned up in a baby blue suit, which may have worked if he had not accessorised it with white plimpsols for his footwear and if he had tidied up his facial hair and long locks, which is the same look he has been sporting for some time now.  

Even though it has been said that more men brought a variety of colour to the red carpet this year, which was good to see, who does not love a guy in a traditional black tuxedo, especially when worn by the likes of third time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper, as well as Chris Pine and Ben Affleck?!  

With such a dazzling display of glamour at this year's Academy Awards and visibly more colour on the red carpet in both the ladies and men's fashion, we look forward to seeing what new trends will feature on the red carpet in the year ahead.  And with another year in film wrapped up and the after parties over, their beautiful designer outfits and jewels returned, we will have to wait until next year when the stars get to do it all over again.

[nickyjohnston]

However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope.

Stephen Hawking

[nickyjohnston]

A-Listers come out ahead of the Oscars to celebrate the Independent Spirit Awards..

It was a busy weekend for Hollywood A-Listers, which kicked off with the 30th Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica on Saturday, where Oscar hopefuls Julianne Moore, Emma Stone, Michael Keaton and Ethan Hawke were in attendance, as well as last year's winner for Best Actress in a Leading Role, Cate Blanchett. Considered a more relaxed and low key affair and a prequel of sorts to Hollywood's biggest night, the Independent Spirit Awards, which was this year hosted by actors Fred Armisen and Kristen Bell, is about honouring independent, unique films.  

Continuing her winning streak was Julianne Moore (the frontrunner for Sunday night's Oscar's ceremony) who took home the spirit award for Best Actress in her role as a linguistics professor battling early onset Alzheimers in Still Alice, beating out competition from fellow Oscar nominee Marion Cotillard.  The spirit award for Best Actor went to Michael Keaton for his role in Birdman, while not surprisingly the awards for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress went to J.K. Simmons and Patricia Arquette for their roles in Whiplash and Boyhood.  Best Feature Film was awarded to Alejandro González Iñárritu's wonderfully quirky Birdman, while he lost out in the Best Director category to Boyhood's Richard Linklater.

With the mood set for Sunday's night's Academy Awards, all eyes were also on the fashion - with Emma Stone looking stunning in an elegant Monique L'huillier midnight blue dress with sheer, lace embellishment at the top and paired with patent black Christian Louboutin pumps.  Her sophisticated new short hairdo was worn loose and she finished off her look with smoky eyes and a pale, blush pink lipstick, looking the image of perfection as always.  Jessica Chastain (also a nominee for a spirit award for Best Supporting Actress, for her role in A Violent Year)  looked casual chic in a little black dress by Saint Laurent with long, lace sleeves and Saint Laurent heels and Piaget jewellery.  Like Stone, she also chose to wear her hair loose, with it slightly draped over one shoulder. Black seemed on trend on the night, as also worn by actresses Kerry Washington in Balenciaga, Kristen Wiig in designer Yigal Azrouel and Scarlett Johansson in Bec & Bridge.  While, the ever fashionable Cate Blanchett brought a splash of colour and spring time to the non-traditional pink carpet in a long sky blue Schiaparelli dress with colourful hearts and purple suede Brian Atwood pumps, finishing off her look with pale pink lips, the popular choice for this awards ceremony and in keeping with the relaxed beach setting.  Another stand out on the night in colour and looking ready to party was leading lady Julianne Moore who literally dazzled in a rather surprising, young choice of a short sparkly green and gold dress, with a touch of silver, by Christian Dior Couture with black trimming at the top, and Givenchy black open toed heels.

In the men's fashion, Whiplash's Miles Teller arrived looking effortlessly cool and casual in a brown suit by Ermenegildo Zegna, a white buttoned up shirt and sporting dark shades.  While the men in black included man of the hour Michael Keaton who opted for a black jacket, black open collar shirt and jeans and a pair of aviators and Best Supporting Actor J.K. Simmons who was dressed in a black suit accessorised with a black fedora hat. As for actors Ethan Hawke, his costar in Boyhood Ellar Coltrane and Selma's David Oyelowo, they all looked dapper in all shades of blue, whilst last year's winner in the supporting category, Jared Leto, created a lot of buzz when he took to the stage to present the award for this year's best supporting actor wearing an outlandish embroidered jacket of deep blue, turquoise, white and black which he wore over a white t-shirt and black trousers, finishing off his look with a black scarf, a colourful necklace and a black fedora hat, proving that you don't have to leave it all up to the ladies, but that men can have fun with fashion too!

With so much great fashion on display and many of the night's big winners being tipped for Oscar glory, the Independent Spirit Awards was a good preview of what to expect on the last stop of the award circuit at Sunday night's 87th Academy Awards.

To take a look at some of the fashion worn at the Independent Spirit Awards click on the links below:

http://www.harpersbazaar.co.uk/awards-season/film-independent-spirit-awards-2015-juliannemoore-emmastone-cateblanchett#slide-4

http://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/actor-miles-teller-attends-the-2015-film-independent-spirit-news-photo/464051532

[nickyjohnston]

Wow, it is hard to believe I have been away from the blogosphere for a year now, while I try out a career change.  However, my passion for the entertainment and fashion world never falters and so I am back online to give my views on the Oscars, to weigh in on who wore it best on the red carpet, to review the latest films I have seen at the cinema, as well as other topical issues that grab my attention as and when they happen.

Happy reading!

[nickyjohnston]

Glee's Emotional tribute to Cory Monteith

Last month fans around the world were given the opportunity to say a final farewell to the actor Cory Monteith and his much loved character Finn Hudson as the cast and crew of Glee including Monteith's onscreen and offscreen girlfriend, Lea Michele, paid tribute once more to their friend and costar in an emotional episode entitled The Quarterback, written by series' co-creators Ryan Murphy, Ian Brennan and Brad Falchuk.  The episode came on the back of Jane Lynch's touching tribute to Monteith at the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards held on 22nd September and aired just three months after Cory Monteith was found dead in his Vancouver hotel room after a fatal overdose of alcohol and heroin.  It was the third episode of the new fifth season of the hit TV show, following their two arc episode tribute to the Beatles.

The Quarterback opens three weeks after the funeral of Finn and is a careful exploration of the different stages of grief one goes through and how each character deals with the death of Finn differently.  It is never revealed throughout the episode how the character of Finn is supposed to have died, but instead each character honours their 'quarterback' through song and celebrating who he was to them.  It was the episode that we had all been waiting for with uneasy anticipation, ever since the news broke of Cory Monteith's death, and yet it was with heavy hearts that we watched as the cast and crew did what they do best and honoured their friend through an amazing songlist that featured the cast's beautiful and poignant rendition of 'Seasons of Love' from hit musical Rent which opened the episode, the Pretenders's 'I will stand by you' (which was previously sung by Monteith in Season One of Glee), Bruce Springsteen's 'No Surrender', James Taylor's 'Fire and Rain' and The Band Perry's 'If I die young'.  But it was of course without question Lea Michele's incredibly moving and heart-breaking performance of Bob Dylan's 'Make You Feel My Love', that had everyone in tears.  Michele may have only appeared on our screens for a few moments at the very end of the episode, but as was only to be expected from Michele she delivered an immensely memorable, powerful and emotionally charged farewell to both her onscreen and offscreen love, Finn Hudson and Cory Monteith.   Speaking candidly in her first interview with Australia's TV Week magazine, she has said:"I feel like, for me personally, I have lost two people: Cory and Finn...I feel like what happened with Cory['s death] was [so small] in the scheme of who he was and his life. There was no greater man than Cory, so for the time we spent together, I consider myself very lucky."

Among the original cast members who reprised their roles for this special tribute episode were Amber Riley, Mark Salling and Harry Shum Jr.  However, a noticeable absence from the lineup was Dianna Agron, who played Quinn Fabray head of the Cheerios and former girlfriend of Finn Hudson.  Contrary to reports which suggest otherwise, speaking to the Irish Independent on 17th November, Agron addressed those rumours saying "bad news spreads faster than anything good.  And I think it's such a shame especially involving someone that we love so much, that the good old internet has taken everything that they want to say about it and spread it like wildfire.  I have nothing but love for that show and everyone involved in it."  While Agron did not say why she was not in the tribute episode, it is believed that her absence was purely due to a scheduling conflict, as she has been busy with the worldwide promotional tour of her new movie The Family with Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer, which is currently showing in cinemas.

Since The Quarterback aired on our screens, series creator Ryan Murphy has confirmed that series 6 will be the final season of the popular TV show.  While it is sad to think of this much loved musical series soon ending, it also feels the right time as since the departure of many of the show's original cast members and now the sad passing of  leading man, Cory Monteith, the storylines have rapidly started to digress and are eering towards the ridiculous, unfortunately losing much of what we loved about the humour and musicality of the show when it first began.  It is, however, not without much sadness and regret that we will never get to view the ending Ryan Murphy always had in mind for his characters Finn and Rachel.  He recently revealed that he had always planned the final series to centre around their characters and that the last scene featured Rachel saying something to Finn.  While Murphy did not go on to say anymore, it is believed that the ending he had in mind is the one where Rachel tells Mr Schuester at the end of the tribute episode that she always believed she would stay in New York for a while and then return home where Finn would be teaching at the school and she would walk through the doors to the Glee club and would say to him: "I am home."  Now as the cast of Glee move towards celebrating their 100th episode this season and move ever closer to their sixth and final series without their main man, we will have to wait and see what Murphy has in store for the show's ending and the fate of Rachel.  Whatever he has in mind, we have been assured it will in part honour Monteith and the character of Finn once more.

[nickyjohnston]

Check out my @TorinDouglas interview in @Absolutely_mags Chiswick!  http://issuu.com/zestmedialondon/docs/chiswick_dec_2013/1