Spike Lee’s When the Levees Broke is one of those films a lot of people know they ought to have seen, but didn’t necessarily get around to it when it first aired on HBO. Now coming out on DVD (12/19), this devastating chronicle of the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina serves as the essential, definitive documentation of an American tragedy.
What makes this four-hour, four-part retelling so powerful is that it puts the random images of suffering (and government ineptitude) we all saw on the TV news in context; through eyewitness testimony, and in forensic detail, we learn exactly what happened and why.
Some 100 interviewees made their way into the final cut of this elegiac film: an eloquent, angry, rattled range of New Orleans residents; local and national politicians and activists (Governor Kathleen Blanco, Mayor Ray Nagin, the inevitable Reverend Al Sharpton); and cultural figures (such as Wynton Marsalis).
Unlike most of the media, which lost interest in the city after the Superdome cleared out, Lee and his crew descended on New Orleans three months after Katrina. The result is a documentary with a particularly clear-eyed, long-view perspective on what America really lost when this city went under.
Marie-Antoinette Perfume Revived
The palace of Versailles is set to launch a perfume based on the fragrance once used by Marie-Antoinette.
American Apparel to Be Sold to Investment Firm
American Apparel, the casual clothing chain whose socially conscious manufacturing, sexually charged advertising and snug-fitting T-shirts have generated a cultlike following, will be sold to a little-known investment firm for $382.5 million, according to people briefed on the matter.
Events
What: D&A Show
When: January 6-8, 2007
Where: New York
What: Moda Manhattan
When: January 7-9
Where: New York
What: Accessories the Show
When: January 7-9
Where: New York
What: Accessories Circuit
When: January 8-10
Where: New York
What: D&A Show
When: January 12-15
Where: Los Angeles
What: LA Shoe Show
When: January 15-16
Where: Los Angeles
What: Project Show
When: January 16-18
Where: New York
What: The Collective
When: January 21-23
Where: New York
What: Première Vision Preview
When: January 24-25
Where: New York
If you are in New York, take a moment to go to the preview screening of "God Grew Tired of Us", a documentary about three young Sudanese men who after 10 years wandering in the African wilderness, escaped from Sudan to a refugee camp in Kenya and were later selected by the International Rescue Committee for resettlement in the United States.
Directed by Christopher Quinn, "God Grew Tired of Us", was the winner of both the Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival. Narrated by Nicole Kidman.
The preview screening will be followed by a special conversation with director Christopher Quinn and John Dau, one of the Lost Boys featured in the film.
Info:
Preview Screening and Q&A with Director
Thursday, January 4, 2007
8:00PM - 10:00PM
The JCC in Manhattan
334 Amsterdam Avenue at 76th Street
Limited to two tickets per guest. Call 646 505 5708 to register.
More about the film: www.godgrewtiredofus.com
What happens when someone falls in love but circumstances prevent him from doing anything about it? Like, say, a septuagenarian who falls for a 19-year-old?
You’re probably thinking: It gets creepy, fast. But when the old dude in question is a movie character played by the still oddly mesmerizing Peter O’Toole, and the script is by Hanif Kureishi (My Beautiful Laundrette), the answer gets a lot more nuanced. In the improbable love story Venus (out 12/20), Maurice (O’Toole) is an elegant, elderly actor who becomes enamored of his buddy Ian’s rather uncouth grandniece, Jessie.
Maurice, a matinee idol in his day, is by turns dashing and pathetic, charming and irritating, wise and clueless. This isn’t Lolita: Maurice has enough propriety, generally, to know that he shouldn’t push his luck. And young Jessie, a wary, working-class hard-ass, isn’t shy about slapping him when he does. But at the same time, she’s fascinated and a little bit touched by the attentions of this goofy old chap.
This is a small, smart, poignant film about finding hope through the simple pleasure of appreciating — and being appreciated.
Right from the start, Notes on a Scandal (in theaters 12/27) is a grand, guilty pleasure, thanks to Dame Judi Dench’s fearless, go-for-broke portrayal of the film’s unreliable narrator. “Teaching is crowd control,” Dench’s Barbara Covett says in an early voice-over, and it’s clear this bitter old battle-ax won’t have much nice to say about any of her students or fellow teachers, which instantly makes the movie extremely funny.
But almost immediately, too, it becomes a tense psychological thriller, because Barbara’s obsessed with the naive new art teacher, Sheba, played by an equally terrific Cate Blanchett. And Sheba, in turn, becomes obsessed with a cute, charismatic 15-year-old schoolboy, who’s obsessed with her. And guess who happens to see them hooking up and who then becomes obsessed with using that ruinous secret.
Even if you saw all of this coming (particularly if you read the Zoë Heller novel from which the movie’s adapted), you’ll still be transfixed, because Dench and Blanchett thrillingly dance and duel their way to the finish like women on the verge of something much worse than a nervous breakdown.
Screaming! Slapping! Shoving! An overheated Philip Glass score!
It’s all deliciously, awesomely over-the-top.
New York Magazine recently ran a piece called "Reasons to Love New York Now". As usual a very well written article, but it also made me start thinking about MY reasons to love New York now. After a year and half in the city, it is now the 3rd longest length of time during my adulthood that I have resided in any one place. So there must be a reason why I love New York now, right? I'll think about it and let you know.
In the meantime read some of my favorite reasons from NYM:
Because We Have Four, Yes Four, Presidential Wannabe
Because Nas and Kelis Make Marriage Seem Sexy (although Nas doesn't seem to be aware that Ruby Dee is still alive and kicking)
"C’mon over here, sugarplum,” says Kelis. Her blonde hair swoops up like meringue. She crooks her finger for her husband, Nas, to join us.
The two hip-hop stars grew up here—she in Harlem, he in Crown Heights and Queensbridge. Nas, the hyperliterate rap firebrand, releases Hip Hop Is Dead this week; Kelis, an R&B innovator, is the 21st century’s female Prince. And at this moment, in New York, the pair are in that sweet spot where a famous couple is also a kind of royalty—turning the city into their own personal romantic backdrop.
Because You Don’t Need a Plane Ticket to Go to a Foreign Country
As a New Yorker, you spend a lot of your time not acting like a tourist: not going where tourists go (Rockefeller Center), not wearing what tourists wear (fanny packs), and not doing what tourists do (waddling in slow-moving, sidewalk-clogging herds that suddenly halt for no discernible reason). Yet one of the great joys of living here is that we can all be tourists, all the time. A current ad campaign for Delta dangles far-flung destinations with the tagline “Cheat on New York.” But the thing is, you don’t need to leave the city to do that. You can cheat on New York with New York.
Because Even in the High-Rent Chain-Clogged Heart of Manhattan You Can Still Find a Mom-and-Pop
You cannot get a decaf caramel macchiato with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles at the Inhouse Nosh Cafe. In fact, horror of all horrors, they don’t have macchiatos period. They serve tea and coffee, in the standard hot and iced varieties, as well as toasted bagels, muffins, doughnuts, and all manner of chips, candy, gum, and soda. Then there are the house specialties, like the popular spinach pie (a lovely light crust), brisket sandwiches, blintzes, bialys, knishes, pierogi, grilled chicken in a pita, fillet of flounder, and the latest addition to the menu, vegetarian lasagne. Plus the egg salad is divine. All of this, and a morning-blitz counter staff of six, is crammed into a space no bigger than a studio apartment, festooned with handwritten signs that all but cry out, “We are an independently owned and operated establishment.”
Because It Takes Only 30 Hours to Turn Into Someone Else
Because No One, No Matter How Rich, Talented, and Beautiful, Can Win Our Love Until They Earn It
Because Even in a City of 8 Million People, You Can Still Be Alone
In the rest of America, people crave human contact. Buying a quart of milk may be one’s only conversation for the day, and clerk and customer stretch out the transaction with pleasant chat. In Manhattan, by contrast, the relentless crush of humanity makes solitude into something not to be rejected but to be embraced, even defended. When out-of-towners see us pass each other by with barely a grunt, they mistake our lack of small talk for coldness. Really, we’re exchanging a small, invisible gift: a moment’s silence.
Because Our Real Mobsters Are More Entertaining Than the Sopranos
Because Our Beautiful Young Actresses Can Actually Act
Yes, L.A., your stunning, supernaturally toned, and eerily tanned actresses may demonstrate their range by playing a midriff-baring dance instructor, a midriff-baring scuba diver, a midriff-baring stripper, and a leotard-wearing superhero (Pomona’s Jessica Alba). But our stunning, quite-often-pale-but-still-drop-dead-gorgeous actresses can actually act. In fact, it’s becoming obvious that the world’s best beautiful actresses either speak with funny accents—Winslet, Kidman, Blanchett, Mirren, et al.—or they’re New Yorkers: Streep, Moore, Portman, Connelly, Johansson, Mary-Louise Parker, and Thurman, for starters (Gwyneth, a New Yorker in London, and Rachel Weisz, a Brit in our Soho, diplomatically bridge the gap).
Because Our Socialites, Having Made It Here, Are Making It Everywhere
Because the Next Isabella Rossellini Lives Here (and Happens to Be Isabella’s Daughter)
Every day, impossibly gorgeous girls are plucked from midwestern malls and Russian cafés, Brazilian beaches and small Eastern European towns, and hustled to Manhattan. The burning hope is that theirs will become The Face, and its bearer the new belle of New York—and from here, the world. But this year’s Face belongs to a born-and-raised New Yorker.
Because There’s More to Do on a Single Street Here Than There Is in Most Other Cities
Because We Like to Watch
According to model lore, Canadian cutie Alana Zimmer has never left a casting without a job. These include Self Service, V and Pop. What's more, in her first season, she walked the elite runways of Chanel, Saint Laurent, Burberry, Chloé, Dior, Prada, McQueen and Galliano. While her biggest fan may forever be her mother, who makes a scrapbook of all her pictures, Alana is proving she's the first choice from many an important rolodex.
Agency: Supreme
As a plus sized woman who likes to be fairly fashionable, I am always on the hunt for new shops that may be able to meet the needs of my style and shape. New York Magazine has a great little shop directory on line and I found a few new places to test out.
#1 - Off Broadway Boutique
139 W. 72nd St. New York NY 10023
between Broadway and Columbus Ave.
212 724 6713
Profile
Broadway divas, opera stars, and grande dames of a certain age flock to this Upper West Side institution—a destination since1970—for their fix of bold clothing and vibrant accessories with a strong sense of drama. Owner Lynn Dell scours up-and-coming designer markets in far-off countries like Japan, Denmark and Morocco to compile an eclectic mix of theatrical pieces, most of which are cut in generous, flowing proportions. Up front lie crinkled silks, Issey Miyake-inspired evening suits by Ivan Grundhal and ruched metallic ponchos fit for descending a grand staircase. Two steps down in the back of the room is an in-store consignment shop called Reruns with campy, vintage looks like leopard-print Dior jeans that attract a younger clientele. And since no diva worth her diamonds can forego accessories, there are plenty of options near the entryway; find rhinestone drop earrings, chunky plastic beads, and tiki-inspired necklaces.
#2 - Off-Broadway Boutique & Re-Runs Consignment
139 W. 72nd St., New York, NY 10023
nr. Columbus Ave.
212 724 6713
Profile
Opera singers, cross-dressers, and vintage fiends alike swear by these shops for dramatic looks. Stop by the consignment area for a large selection of Chanel or a leather Versace suit. Then visit the boutique, where you can find decorative hats, ornate jewelry, and loads of other accessories.
#3 - Saks Fifth Avenue
611 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10022
at 50th St.
212-753-4000
Profile
Occupying an entire city block directly across from Rockefeller Center, Saks Fifth Avenue has been one of the city's preeminent high-end department stores since it opened in 1924. The ten-floor luxury behemoth buzzes with a well-heeled hum at the ground level, where cosmetics salespeople stand at attention and perfume spritzers beckon at every turn. Retail extravaganzas can be overwhelming; stop off at the information booth on the 50th street side before ascending to the upper sales floors.
Women's Plus-Size
Saks’ designer plus-size department, Salon Z, features a diverse array of European and US-made designer clothing from names like Dana Buchman and Marina Rinaldi in sizes 14 through 24; along with intimate apparel and hosiery.
#4 - Giselle
143 Orchard St., New York, NY 10002
nr. Rivington St.
212 673 1900
877 447 3553
Profile
A Lower East Side fixture since 1979, Giselle hearkens back to an era when Orchard Street was a historic wholesale dry-goods enclave. Situated among bargain furriers and leather, shoe, and formalwear shops, the mini department store maintains an Old World charm and remains the go-to retailer for neighborhood ladies in search of hefty bargains on traditional—albeit higher-end—looks from designers like Escada, Les Copains, and Laurel. Catering primarily to demure women-of-a-certain-age, Giselle is a neatly organized, four-floor emporium where suits, knitwear, and sportswear are always at least 20 percent less than at larger department stores, and are often marked up to 50 percent off the regular retail price. Although you might see an enthusiastic shopper forgo the dressing room to change in an aisle, Century 21 it is not: All the garments here are impeccably displayed in a range of sizes (4 to 20), and some of the sales staff speak both English and Hebrew to assist the large Hasidic clientele.
#5 - Bloomingdale's
1000 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022
at 59th St.
212 705 2000
Profile
This Eastside art-deco landmark has been serving sophisticated New York shoppers since 1886. One of the city's earliest high-end department stores, Bloomingdale's has since evolved into a more democratic institution where mid-priced products and designers share ample retail turf. Though big-ticket women's collections can still be found, the store now seems geared more toward business people on lunch breaks and the ubiquitous tourists rather than ladies who lunch. Bloomingdale's Soho, which opened in 2004, furthers this trend, eschewing home furnishings and conservative labels in favor of wallet-friendly downtown designers like Ted Baker and Miss Sixty. In the midtown store, enter underground from the 4, 5 train straight into the plus-sized department and 40 Carrots, Bloomingdale’s cafeteria-style restaurant. On the black and white tile-checkered ground level, brave a phalanx of perfume-wielding clerks to browse copious cosmetics and accessories; stylish, affordable lines like Burberry, Michael by Michael Kors, and Kenneth Cole occupy the bulk of shelf space in the notable watch department. In men's wear, visit elegant in-store boutiques for fashion-conscious sportswear labels like John Varvatos and Armani Collezioni. And gentlemen can get comfortable on the women's levels as well—in the well-upholstered lounge chairs strategically placed throughout the selling floor.
11/24–12/24 Get a one-on-one consultation with YSL’s artistic director of makeup at Bergdorf Goodman. 754 Fifth Ave., at 57th. St. (212-753-7300); 10–8.
12/1 Join Kiehl’s on World AIDS Day to help raise funds for HIV/AIDS education. One hundred percent of profits from sales between 5 and 7 p.m. will be donated to YouthAIDS. 109 Third Ave., at 13th St. (212-677-3171); 154 Columbus Ave., nr. 66th St. (212-799-3438).
12/1 Keep your holiday shopping marathon going at FIT’s Style Market, which will feature live music, a runway show, and clothes and accessories from 26 designers, including ekeko, Kendra Roberts Jewelry, and more. FIT's Katie Murphy Amphitheater; Seventh Ave. at 27th St.; Fri. (6–9) and Sat. (12–6). Free.
12/4–12/8 Theory now has stylish ballet flats (from $100), slouchy bags (from $125), and blazers (now $149) on sale. 261 W. 36th St., nr. Eighth Ave., second fl. (212-947-8748); 12/4, 12/6, 12/8 (10–6); 12/5 and 12/7 (10–7).
12/5 LAI’s chic bags, belts, and wallets (all in exotic skins) are normally $500 to $8,000 but are now $200 to $3,000. 12 W. 57th St., nr. Fifth Ave., Ste. 403 (212-245-4675); A.E., M.C., V.; 12/5 and 12/6 (10–6); 12/7 (10–4).
12/7 H&M continues its domination of Manhattan with the opening of its seventh store. The latest location throws its doors open with free T-shirts and 20 percent off all merchandise. 111 Fifth Ave., at 18th St. (212-539-1741). Noon–8.
12/7 Keep your holiday shopping marathon going at FIT’s Style Market, which will feature live music, a runway show, and clothes and accessories from 26 designers, including ekeko, Kendra Roberts Jewelry, and more. FIT's Katie Murphy Amphitheater, Seventh Ave. at 27th St.; Fri. (6–9) and Sat. (12–6). Free.
