Scarlett at Comic-Con

by Alison Zeidman

Despite the protests of some die-hard comics fans, in recent years San Diego Comic-Con has turned into an event for more than strictly comic book-related showcases, events, and panel discussions.  The convention has become a choice venue for promoting movies and television shows like Glee and True Blood, and in 2010 Comic-Con was also the hot event for stars to debut their newly chopped hair.

Scarlett Johansson was in attendance for the official announcement of 2012′s The Avengers, in which she’ll be reprising her Iron Man 2 role as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow.  Marvel Comics fans were thrilled to see the full lineup for the movie (also starring Robert Downey Jr. and Samuel Jackson), and fashionistas everywhere flipped for Scarlett’s amazing new haircut!

Scarlett at MTV Movie Awards

Scarlett’s sophisticated, sexy new look totally exudes power and confidence—exactly the qualities she needs to be a member of the world’s greatest superhero team.  It’s a piece-y long bob, and for the convention Scarlett had it styled into fantastic messy-on-purpose waves.  It’s quite possibly the greatest “oh, I wake up looking this fabulous” hairstyle ever created, and an invigorating change from the long bombshell curls (like she wore to this year’s MTV Movie Awards) that we’re used to seeing on her.

Scarlett may have gotten more attention and hair-envy than any other celebrity at San Diego Comic-Con, but she was by no means alone in premiering a big hair change on the convention red carpet.  Jena Malone and Emily Browning, two of the stars in the soon-to-hit-theaters Suckerpunch (also starring Vanessa Hudgens and Abbie Cornish), showed up with even shorter hair!

Jena at Comic-Con

Jena’s been experimenting with short hair for a while, but this look was still quite a change for her.  The shorter styles we’ve seen on Jena in the past have gotten pretty daring, but at Comic-Con she looked prim and demure.  Her new hair is still a little unconventional, but definitely much more tame.

Emily at Comic-Con

Emily went for a more dramatic change than either Scarlett or Jena, and the result is absolutely stunning.  Both the new cut and the new reddish-blonde color are extremely flattering.  The style really showcases her lovely doe eyes and gorgeous cheekbones, and the color illuminates her beautifully pale skin.

Scarlett, Jena, and Emily are always beautiful, but now with these new haircuts, they’ve definitely picked up some major style points.  Shorter hair suits all three of these girls, and hopefully we’ll see them with these looks again soon!

Dermatologist and allergy-tested, waterproof, smudge-resistant and fragrance free, Smart Cover’s concealing crème goes on smoothly and blends easily for light touch-ups or complete opaque coverage in a range of natural skin tones to make sure you look just as flawless as the stars walking the red carpet. In fact, it’s a staple in many Hollywood makeup artists’ kits for use on the hottest celebs on and off screen (think tatted-up leading ladies like Angelina Jolie and Megan Fox or picture-perfect Reese Witherspoon and Julia Roberts). This revolutionary makeup is recommended by dermatologists and plastic surgeons around the world, and for just $29.75, it’s available in a ten-piece Smart Cover-Up Kit that includes several shades of light to dark concealing crème, color corrector to neutralize deep pigments first, moisture primer lotion, a vitamin beauty stick, a cover stick, blending sponges, a camouflage brush and a travel case, all to make it super-easy for all you on-the-go gals looking for a quick way to cover anything serious or small and have it last all day. So whether you’re looking to hide your new tattoo at a job interview or just want to flaunt clear, blotch-free skin for a fun day at the beach, Smart Cover’s got you, well, covered!

Soon Sam gets fed up and the downward spiral begins. He finds out that his next-door-neighbor and best friend’s older brother, Yosef Zimmerman (Justin Bartha) has been importing “medicine” from Europe and making money to support his family. He recruits Sam who brings along his friend Leon (Jason Fuchs) and they travel to Amsterdam to help Yoseph. At the end of the trip they find out that what they were doing was not helping heal the poor but smuggling ecstasy.

This story is long and complex but it is interesting to see how easy it is for someone who has always been good to become bad. Sam’s discomfort with his new job slowly fades away and he soon becomes the  best in the business, even surpassing Yoseph. However, when he finds that he has gotten himself in too deep, there is no way for him to get out of this dangerous business.

Courtesy of First Independent Pictures

At the end of the movie, you learn that this story was inspired by true events in the late nineties when Hasidic Jews were recruited as mules to smuggle ecstasy from Europe which gives it a dose of reality. A very interesting and intense movie, it won’t be for everyone but the story will consume you and make you wonder about how quickly it is for a person’s life to change.

SunStyle LA

Before today I was a spray tanning virgin so when Blush was invited to an event at Sun Style LA salon in West Hollywood, I decided to give it a try.

I’ll admit that I was a little nervous about this whole spray tanning thing as I was afraid of looking like an Oompa-Loompa. I also didn’t want to look like a completely different person and when you are as fair as I am, it’s a distinct possibility. Luckily while I was waiting my nerves were soothed with mimosas and a manicure, compliments of Recess.

Then it was time for the spray. I’ll admit that I was closely monitoring those that went before me and watched fellow fair-skinned ladies turn into bronzed beauties. My personal tanner, Alex, was amazing to work with and really catered to me by giving me clear direction and was also so excited that it was my first time.  At first I had qualms about going completely bare and having someone getting so up close and personal but after a few minutes I relaxed as we laughed and chatted.

The spray that they use at SunStyle is called Infinity Sun and is a multi-treatment system that is all natural and chemical free. Translation: you know how you can smell when your friends tan or put on sunless tanner? Infinity Sun has no scent (and trust me, I keep sniffing myself) thanks to the absence of all those nasty chemicals. Even better, it also normalizes the Ph balance of the skin and nourishes it with essential vitamins and nutrients. Infinity Sun also has acelebrity following as founder Veronique Munro sprays Jessica Alba, Mandy Moore and the ladies from the “Girls Next Door.”

My Before and After

Though I’m still getting used to seeing myself this tan, it certainly ups your confidence level as I find myself struttingrather than walking just to show off my tan legs. Another benefit? The tan does have slimming effects and hides imperfections so you can be bikini ready in no time. Just don’t forget to lather on the sunscreen because although you look tan, you still will burn!

Party in the name of Paper and H&M

Last night all the young hipsters (Los Angeles’ + celebrities) gathered at The Standard Hotel to celebrate Paper Magazine’s 13th Annual Beautiful People Issue, featuring The Gossip singer Beth Ditto, and the launch of H&M’s Fashion Against Aids collection.

View from the VIP room

The views, the fashion, the people, the music and the drinks were d-i-v-i-n-e! Samantha Ronson (you know, Lindsay Lohan’s ex lady lover) was the DJ and she was great! I really liked everything she played and it created a really chill, but fun vibe. Up in the VIP room I saw Hugh Hefner’s  twin ex-girlfriends, Karissa and Kristina Shannon, who were actually very pretty! They were also very tall, I literally had to look up to see them, even in heels. Sigh. However, my favorite celebrity sighting of the night was American Idol runner-up Adam Lambert! He is actually featured as one the “beautiful people” in the issue. The night ended with a wonderful performance from the band Nikki and Rich who sound just like how they say they sound, “Lauryn Hill meets The Supremes while hanging out with Alicia Keys listening to Outkast ‘Hey Yah’.”

All in all, it was a very fun, very LA night!

Adam Lambert

Sophie (Amanda Seyfried) decides to travel to Verona with her fiancé Victor (Gael Garcia Bernal) for a sort of pre-wedding honeymoon so they can spend time together before wedding craziness and the opening of Victor’s new restaurant sets in. From the start of their travels it’s easy to see that they are not on the same page as Victor only wants to meet with suppliers for his restaurant and Sophie just wants to explore Verona with her fiancé . Victor will remind you of that boyfriend you had that just never really listened but ultimately, his intense nature and love of food produce some of the funniest lines of the movie.

After Victor leaves once again to meet with yet another supplier, Sophie decides to explore Verona by herself and stumbles upon the Casa di Giulietta where women of all ages write to Juliet for advice. An aspiring writer for the New Yorker, Sophie is fascinated to find out that a group of women who call themselves Juliet’s Secretaries actually write back to every single letter from the wall. While helping collect letters one day, Juliet finds a letter written from Claire (Vanessa Redgrave) to Juliet about her beloved Lorenzo (Franco Nero) from 50 years ago and decides to write back.

Upon receiving Sophie’s letter, Claire decides to come to Verona along with her very hot grandson Charlie (Christopher Egan) to find her Lorenzo. As a hopeless romantic and with the insight to see a chance for a story, Sophie asks to accompany Charlie and Claire on their search for Lorenzo. Travelling through the Italian countryside, each hopeful Lorenzo creates humorous encounters as Claire charms them all.

Besides the obvious romance that unfolds in the story which I’ll try not to give too much away, what’s really special is the bond between Claire and Sophie. Having lost her mother at a young age, Sophie quickly develops a relationship with Claire that is really heartfelt. What also adds to this movie is the chemistry between the characters. Although I love Seyfried, she had horrible chemistry with Channing Tatum in Dear John but she remedies this here as her chemistry with Egan is goosebump worthy.

The two love stories in this movie give the film depth and create twists and turns beyond your average romantic comedy keeping it fresh, sweet and full of romance. You’ll get swept up in beautiful shots of Italy and trust me by the time the credits are rolling you’ll be ready to dust off your passport and take your own romantic adventure.

Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics

… This movie a chance. Please Give is a movie about guilt and what happens when it becomes all consuming. Based on one New Yorker’s similar story, Please Give explores what it’s like to have so much in a world where so many have so little. Yet this isn’t a Michael Moore documentary, instead it simply tells the story of one New York family and their next door neighbors. Kate (Catherine Keener) and Alex (Oliver Platt) live in a beautiful New York apartment and run a store on 10^th avenue that sells furniture they have bought from the children of deceased parents. Not surprisingly, these children are often in a hurry to sell the furniture because they “don’t have time for this” and Kate and Alex make a huge profit. Their job basically consists of the morbid reality of waiting for people to die, including their next door neighbor who is 94, from whom they have already bought her apartment in order to expand their own. Also intermixed in the storyline are the granddaughters, Rebecca (Rebecca Hall) and Mary (Amanda Peet), whose interactions with the primary family add depth to the story.

Courtesy of Sony Picture Classics

What’s great about the characters is that they make you think about your own life, and whether this world is really creating selfish individuals who only care about themselves, along with a significant socio-economic  gap. For example, Kate and Alex’s daughter, Abby (Sarah Steele), who may look familiar from her interactions with Little J on Gossip Girl during the Cotillion fiasco, wants more than anything to buy a pair of $200 jeans and acts like a spoiled brat when her mother won’t buy them for her. While I admit that her tantrums are a little annoying, they are dead on for a teenage girl who has spent her life getting everything she wants. In an age when every kid over the age of 8 has an iPhone, it really brings to mind the question of what are we really teaching kids these days? And in an age where everyone has everything, how do you raise unselfish children?

Another issue the film brings to the forefront is the issue of homelessness, as Kate cannot pass a homeless person without giving money because she feels too bad. This issue of guilt is continuous as we see her attempt to find a volunteer job in the city. But be it reading to the elderly or recreational activities with children with Down syndrome, Kate can’t stop crying and feeling, you guessed it, guilty.

There are some other interesting storylines that I won’t give away, but all in all this film is one that really makes you think about your own life and society, in a good way. Though some of the casting seems questionable (Oliver Platt seemed like an odd choice, and you’ll see what I mean when you see the movie) and some of the storylines seem underdeveloped. Regardless, do yourself a favor and see this film that will leave you walking out of the movie theater thinking about how you want to become a better person.

Shawn, courtesy of cwtv.com

The red carpet was full of young celebrities like Mena Suvari, Ashley Scott (NCIS), Naturi Natughton (FAME), Madeline Zima (Californication), Kayla Ewell (Vampire Diaries), Candace Cameron Burr (Make it or Break it) and Nicholas Gonzalez (Melrose Place).

Also from Melrose was Shaun Sipos who plays David, whom I had the the pleasure of interviewing. He told me that in the rest of the season we’ll see ups and downs with him and Lauren and there is “a question about whether you can forgive someone and live with their faults.” Shaun also revealed a spoiler that the season will end with a storyline about a stolen painting that involves him, Ella and Amanda which will result in one of the three going to jail! In talking about his cast mates, he says that they all get along really well and even though he hasn’t seen them in a while due to his travel schedule, everyone still texts and calls.

After the red carpet it was time for the show! It began with Civil Society, a menswear line that showcased classic menswear with an edgy twist as men wore suiting separates and classically handsome looks. Shaun was most excited to see this line as he says he grew up thinking men should dress in suits daily and has always liked classic styles.

Division-E showed their classic cotton-jersey shirts and dresses that looked effortlessly chic paired with leggings and boots. One of the interesting pairings I noticed was wearing over the knee socks with booties which created a less dramatic version of the over-the-knee boot and is a trend to try in the fall.

Zanerobe featured cute mini dresses for the girls and a lumberjack type look for the boys and all the models carried sports equipment down the runway. Finally, Buffalo David Bitton rounded out the show with lots of black leather and layering and although those leather skirts and jackets are in the back of your closet for now, don’t retire them yet, as you’ll be wearing them next fall.

Apart from watching all the gorgeous clothes go down the runway I was distracted by the Zanerobe model who wore a grey wool toggle coat and a feather headdress. Yet the cheers from the crowd weren’t as much for his outfit, as they were his amazing abs. (Plus, doesn’t he look like a young George Clooney?) Another man distracting me was Shaun as I spotted him across the runway cozying up to former Pussycat Doll dancer, Rachel Sterling. I tried to capture it on the left… but hey, I’m not paparazzi!

Amanda Seyfried at the Oscars

Glamour is back. How do we know? Hair Styles? Clothes? Shoes? Well, perhaps they are strong clues, but at the Academy Awards many of the women as they were introduced to give an award or came up to accept one, fetchingly lifted their skirts to come up or down the stairs. It is often little clues like this that let us know that elegance, driven into seeming history by overdone everything in the ’80s and grunge in the ’90s has made a stunning comeback.

Not that the runways have demonstrated this up until recently. Last October’s post-apocalyptic, underwear on the outside, bleached eyebrows and blow torched hair were not fashion, they were art. This season showed a lot more of that elegance. Even Alexander McQueen’s (RIP) looks were stunningly elegant, with his slightly outre touch that will be missed dearly. Galliano for Dior came out with some surprising feminine diaphanous blush colored fabrics, very unlike his usual hard edge looks. Armani and Marc Jacobs for Vuitton were deliciously classic. Hair was mostly soft and did not take away from the clothes, but complemented them.

It seems that the Red Carpets have pre-trended these looks. Strapless ball gowns, sans bling, hair neatly up, back or over one shoulder were the majority of the looks at the Golden Globes, SAG and (with a few exceptions, you know musicians) the Grammys. Why this return to elegance and glamour? One could say it is just recycling, that everything that could be done in fashion has been done, so where to go but back in time? It isn’t an exact replica of a 50s or 60s Academy Award, but the women really pulled it off. The colors of choice were strong blues and blushes with lightly done makeup. No raccoon eyes or overdone eyeshadow. Lips were also more natural, showing the trend towards softer looks for the face.

A Look from Alexander McQueen's Fall 2010 Collection

Now that Spring is here, invest in some new colors for your lips and eyes. While it may seem natural to go lighter with the hair in the spring, a bit of deeper shade will show off softer make up more. Even blue eyeshadow, banned by the cognoscenti for years, if not too strong and over done, can be lovely. Even a slight smudge with it around your eye (not a dark color, think more periwinkle) for daytime, then a little more cobalt at night can be gorgeous. And who doesn’t look good in blush tones? Softer on the forehead, a bit heavier under the cheek bones and jaw line.

Have your hairdresser work with you on how to put your hair back or up. It is surprisingly easy. At the office all day, softer tones in make up, hair down or professionally pulled back, then comes that call, “meet me for a drink.”.Stronger on the blush color, more smudge around the eyes and up goes the hair, and off you go.

Stuart Gavert is a phenomenal hair guru, the owner of Gavert Atelier in Beverly Hills and did the hair color on the Twilight cast.

The most intriguing part of seeing Alice In Wonderland was getting to know the characters and understanding each one’s point of view. Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter was no disappointment to his resume. The most interesting part of the character was Johnny Depp’s outlook on him. Let me just say that Johnny Depp in this role is absolutely GENIUS. The Mad Hatter is definitely mad, but also sweet and brotherly to Alice. The depth of the Hatter is what really got me. He’s sad, crazy, dark and tormented, yet his outlook is so light and hopeful.  Johnny brought a tragic nature to the Mad Hatter’s background of the character that we’ve never seen before with Alice In Wonderland. Where did this tragic nature of the character come from?

Johnny Says:

“Well I think that part of, I mean there’s that whole, ‘hatter’s dilemma’ which that was really where the term ‘mad as a hatter’ came from the amount of mercury that they used in the glue to make the hat. Everything was damaging, so I mean in terms of the Hatter looking in from that perspective of a guy who’s literally yea, damaged goods, you know, physically damaged, emotionally and a little obtuse and kinda taking that and deciding that he should be just as opposed to this hyper nutty guy. He should explore all sides of the personality at extreme levels. He could go from one second being very high pollutant and a lot of levity and then strayed into some dangerous potential rage and then tragedy. It was interesting trying to map it out.”

Before the production started Johnny was ready to play pretty much any character in the film. When Tim came to him with the role of the Mad Hatter his reaction was classic. He says:

“To be honest, he could have said Alice and I would’ve said yes. Ya I would’ve done whatever character Tim wanted, but certainly the fact that it was the Mad Hatter was a bonus. It was a great challenge to try to find this guy and not just be you know a rubber ball that you heave into an empty room and watch it bounce all over the place. But just to find that part of the character, but also add a little bit more history or gravity to the guy.”

A lot of the actors had read Lewis Carroll’s book version Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland before starting the movie and some of them had not. This had an impact on where the actors would take the characters and what images they wanted them to bring. Johnny was no exception, except he’s come across many influential versions of Alice in his life. He says:

“Even though you can’t quite place when the book or the story came into your life, I do remember vaguely maybe roughly 5 years old reading versions of Alice in Wonderland. The thing is you always know the characters. EVERYONE knows the characters and they’re well defined characters. Which I thought was fascinating because most people haven’t read the book but they definitely know the characters and reference them. For me, I went back maybe only a year prior to Tim calling me and I had re-read Alice In Wonderland and Through The Looking Glass. What I took away from it was these very strange, cryptic, nuggets that he’d thrown in there. And those things I was intrigued by them and fascinated by them as they were asking questions that couldn’t be answered almost and making statements that you couldn’t understand. Like ‘I’m investigating things with the letter M’. That took me through a whole stratosphere of possibilities and doing a little research and finding that the M was mercury. And ‘why is a raven like a writing desk?’ Those things just became so, so important to the character and you realize that the more you read it like if I read the book again today, I’d find a hundred other things that I missed the last time. So it’s a constant changing.”

This movie is really a dream world to be seen and I absolutely loved it. Lucky for me did I not only get to attend the press conference but I got to meet the masterminds behind the movie. Now ready for the most amazing part? Here it is.

Yes! I got a hug from the man himself, Mr. Johnny Depp. Ladies he’s everything you can imagine and more. He’s very well put together and his mannerisms are very Jack Sparrow-ish. Just a bit more toned down than the pirate personality. Johnny Depp is by far, one of the most gracious and amazing celebrities I’ve come across. And no, I still haven’t showered.