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Oscar Nominee: Elizabeth: The Golden Age for Costumes

BuzzSugar — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 11:30:36 PST

In the days leading up until the Oscars, I'll be featuring the nominees in the various visual categories. This week, I'll be looking at the nominees for Best Costume Design. We've already taken a look at the costumes in Across the Universe, Atonement, La Vie en Rose, and Sweeney Todd. As a final treat, check out the breathtaking creations from Elizabeth: The Golden Age.

Of all the nominees in this category, this movie provides the most stunningly impressive costumes. The first Elizabeth movie also earned an Oscar nomination in 1999, but ultimately lost out to Shakespeare in Love. For a second time, costume designer Alexandra Byrne has dazzled moviegoers with her lush fabrics and vibrant colors to create the regal fashions of the times. I wasn't a big fan of Elizabeth: The Golden Age overall, but these costumes are magnificent. The brilliant colors and pleasing shapes - especially when paired with Elizabeth's pale skin and bright red hairpieces - look good enough to eat. Byrne truly made creations fit for a queen.

Many more images to ogle from Elizabeth: The Golden Age if you read more.

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Elizabeth: Sloppy But Beautiful

BuzzSugar — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 12:09:23 PDT

Cate Blanchett, in some of the most sumptuous costumes and outrageous hairpieces, can do her best to growl and roar through this follow-up to the 1998 soapy historical piece Elizabeth, but unfortunately she can't save the faulty script and sloppy pacing that is The Golden Age. This is a shame because the more Blanchett and her equally amazing costars (Clive Owen, Geoffry Rush, Abbie Cornish) plunge into this material with all they've got, trying to compensate for the film's many flaws, the more the movie veers into camp. Thus, the mediocrity of this Elizabeth sequel is not Elizabeth's fault. It's everything else, from the uneven direction to the eye-rollingly preposterous "history lite" storylines.

Taking place 27 years into Queen Elizabeth's reign, she is, technically speaking, 52 years old, though you certainly wouldn't know if from looking at the lovely, spry Blanchett. There is a lot going on in Elizabeth's life which starts to resemble a tangled web of melodrama, not unlike an episode of The Young and the Restless. The Queen is now dealing with both a jealous Mary Queen of Scots (Samantha Morton) and a righteous King Philip II of Spain (Jordi Mollà). Add to this mix the roguish explorer Walter Raleigh who needs the Queen's support to continue his expeditions and you've got yourself a slushy spittoon of fantasy/history. To see what I mean,

read more The smart, saucy Queen's getting it from all sides here, strategizing wars and wrestling with her conscience when it comes to approving death sentences. Then, of course, there's her crush on Raleigh who flatters the Queen to her face and seduces her favorite lady-in-waiting, Bess (Cornish) behind closed doors. For a while it looks like the Queen simply can't win, and then, of course, she does, and it's all very neat and tidy. In conversations with other people after the screening, the puzzling question on everyone's lips was "Why?" Why make another Elizabeth movie? It's possible any one of the storylines explored in the film could have made for an intriguing tale. But smashing them all together in one movie simply doesn't work in this case. Thus, there are really just two reasons to see this movie that is so disappointing it hurts my feelings: 1) If your love for Cate Blanchett is so blinding you ignore all other aspects of a film, or 2) to gape at the absolutely marvelous costumes that will surely receive an Oscar nod in '08. Otherwise, rent Elizabeth again and let well enough alone. Source

What's Buzzworthy? Movies With Great Costumes

BuzzSugar — Sat, 29 Sep 2007 14:00:47 PDT

As we ease into October I've been thinking a lot about Halloween and the idea of costuming and masquerade. Many people gain inspiration for Halloween costumes from the clothing they find in movies. For this week's Buzzworthy challenge, let's take a look at those movies that feature some of the best costumes ever. They can be Oscar winners, like Amadeus or Lord of the Rings, or just movies where you admired the costumes, like Elizabeth or even Clueless.

Team members KerryG and tdamji already got us started a while ago by bookmarking a ton of movies with great costumes, so check out their picks, second the ones you also love, and add your own!

Just use Buzzsugar's cool bookmarking tool to bookmark your favorite costume flicks online and tag them with the phrase costume movies. I'll post some readers' picks here next week.

You can also now make a list of your picks. Here are mine:

Cate Blanchett, Clive Owen in Elizabeth: The Golden Age

BuzzSugar — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 07:30:00 PDT

Why you should watch this trailer for Elizabeth: The Golden Age

Cate Blanchett
Clive Owen
It looks gorgeous

This long-awaited sequel to the 1998 Elizabeth, which was also led by Blanchett's forceful presence, will premiere at the Toronto Film Festival in September as their Gala presentation, which is the festival's highest-profile slot. This chapter of Elizabeth's story follows the queen's relationship with Sir Walter Raleigh (Owen), among other highly dramatic things. The movie is in wide release October 12, but to experience this just-released trailer in the meantime,

What to Expect When You're Expecting Set Visit: Elizabeth Banks on Her Fake Bump and Personal Baby Joy

Becky Kirsch — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:05:11 PST

Some of the biggest names in Hollywood will share the big screen in the upcoming comedy What to Expect When You're Expecting, which follows different mothers-to-be as they prepare for the arrivals of their bundles of joy. Cameron Diaz, Brooklyn Decker, Anna Kendrick, and Elizabeth Banks are among the famous ladies who strapped on fake baby bumps to portray different kinds of pregnant women, and Banks's character, Wendy, doesn't exactly have an easy time of it.

I visited the Atlanta set of the film last year, where Banks was shooting a climactic scene in which her character addresses all the woes of pregnancy - in an auditorium with a rather large audience. The hilarious meltdown, which you can see in the opening of the trailer for What to Expect When You're Expecting, includes harsh truths like "I'm calling it: pregnancy sucks." It was great fun to see Banks film the passionate speech again and again, especially since the funny lady mixed up her one-liners from one take to another. What was even more interesting was seeing all of the extras who played the audience members, since the group of women was a mix of actual pregnant women and women rocking fake baby bumps.

I chatted with Banks about her own experience filming the movie, and she revealed that she actually felt like she was in her own little movie, since she doesn't have much screen time with her costars. Banks was refreshingly honest about not having any parenting tips and also admitted that though welcoming her son, Felix, has brought her a great deal of joy, it hasn't changed her stance on how she feels about kids in general. Here's more of what Banks had to say about pregnancy and motherhood:

What inspired you to take this role?
Elizabeth Banks: I cried when I read the script. It has a really great ending: at the end of the movie, everybody has a baby! It really is just a very relatable story for everyone: anybody who is a parent, has considered being a parent, has a baby, whatever. It's just very universal, what happens in the film. We really explore so many great storylines and different paths to getting a child. I had a unique path to getting my son, so I understand how everybody's path to their child is different.

How does it feel to wear the bump?
EB: It's sweaty! [Laughs] I think it's probably a decent approximation; it weighs a good 10 lbs. The boobs weigh about 6 lbs. They are really unbelievable. It's fun. It definitely makes you sit and walk in a totally different way. As an actor, it's a great prop.

How did you change when you became a mom?
EB: I get drunk much faster and easier, and it's a big problem, so I can't go out very much. I find that I underestimated the amount of joy. I'm really learning about my capacity for joy through my son.

To see what Banks had to say about baby fever and her parenting tips, just keep reading.

12 Things You Might Not Know About Queen Elizabeth II

Annie Scudder — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 11:20:35 PST

Sixty years ago today, Queen Elizabeth II started her reign. Each year, the queen quietly marks Accession Day, since it is the anniversary of the death of her father, King George VI, but today, the queen also made note of the celebrations that will come later this year: "I hope also that this Jubilee year will be a time to give thanks for the great advances that have been made since 1952 and to look forward to the future with clear head and warm heart as we join together in our celebrations."

Over the past six decades, Queen Elizabeth has witnessed much change across the world and in her own family, while always remaining a constant herself. To mark the Diamond Jubilee, the royal family will tour the world on her behalf, while the queen will participate in events across Great Britain. To mark her 60 years on the throne, here are some little known facts that will help you get to know Queen Elizabeth II. And if you'd like to know more, check out must read Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch, by Sally Bedell Smit.

See Inside amfAR's Glam Gala With SJP, Cindy, and Heidi

Allie Merriam — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:09:52 PST

The fun continued inside the 2012 amfAR charity gala at NYC's Cipriani Wall Street last night. Host Sarah Jessica Parker, decked out in a pink Oscar de la Renta gown, mingled with friends like Stanley Tucci, who brought along his fiancée Felicity Blunt. Heidi Klum caught up with some other members of the Project Runway family, like Kenneth Cole and Molly Sims. Cindy Crawford made the rounds with Roberto Cavalli and took the stage with Elizabeth Hurley to present one of the evening's honors. The event is a traditional kickoff to New York Fashion Week, which officially starts today. Make sure to stay tuned to get all the updates from the stylish proceedings, including the parties, front rows, and style.

Click through to see Jennifer Hudson, Nicky Hilton, and more inside amfAR's bash.

SJP, Cindy, Heidi, and More Get Glam For amfAR's NYC Gala

Allie Merriam — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:02:09 PST

Last night's amfAR gala in NYC brought out a roster of celebrities and models to toast the AIDS-fighting charity on the eve of Fashion Week. Fall 2012 Fashion Week begins today, but there were plenty of gorgeous gowns on display yesterday. Host Sarah Jessica Parker donned a pink Oscar de la Renta gown, which she paired with a leather motorcycle jacket and white gloves while posing for pictures. Leighton Meester broke from filming Gossip Girl to hit the carpet in Louis Vuitton, while other ladies like Julianne Moore, Cindy Crawford, and Elizabeth Hurley wore Roberto Cavalli. Even Leonardo DiCaprio's current squeeze, Erin Heatherton, stepped out in Cavalli. It was Heidi Klum's first public event post-split from husband Seal, and she too wore Cavalli.The guests were treated to dinner, an auction, and performances from Theophilus London and Janelle Monáe.

There were plenty more gorgeous ensembles to check out. Click through to see Alexa Chung, Padma Lakshmi, and Stanley Tucci with fiancé Felicity Blunt. The fashion world was well-represented with Rachel Roy, Liya Kebede, Lily Donaldson, and a pregnant Julia Restoin-Roitfeld. Whose dress do you like best?

Elizabeth Olsen Poses for ASOS Magazine

Noria Morales — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 07:43:26 PST

Indie film star Elizabeth Olsen showed pretty Spring style for Asos Magazine's latest issue, where she talked about her famous sisters, meeting Woody Allen, and her favorite food in the feature story. Shot at the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens in New York City, Elizabeth sported an Elizabeth and James striped silk blouse and a MiH jacket for the cover. Click the slideshow to see how she wears Asos's Spring offerings, and read highlights from the exclusive interview.

Sugar Shout Out: Make Chocolate-Covered Strawberries in No Time

Lauren Turner — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:55:46 PST