BuzzSugar

Oscar Nominee: The Duchess For Best Costume Design

BuzzSugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 15:30:26 PST

As we gear up for the Oscars, I'll be featuring the nominees for Best Costume Design. It's a big year for this category as the films nominated represent vastly different historical periods. Be it 18th-century England or San Francisco in the '70s, these films include some gorgeous threads. Today's featured movie is The Duchess.

Oh lucky, lucky Keira Knightley! She plays Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, and while the dramatic life of this charismatic woman was probably what drew her to the role, I'm sure the movie's lavish period costumes were a nice little bonus. Who wouldn't want to adorn herself in such gorgeousness? There's 18th-century costumes and then there's this movie: The wigs, the jewelry, the dapper menswear, the exquisite detail . . . The Duchess is a frenzy of beautiful period costuming - and I can't get enough of it.

To see a gallery of the costumes, just

View 15 Photos ›

Photos courtesy of Paramount Vantage

What to Netflix: Weekend Edition!

BuzzSugar — Sat, 27 Dec 2008 13:30:58 PST

Usually the new DVD releases hit stores (and Netflix) on Tuesdays, but there are a handful of big releases out today so I thought I'd alert you. Today, just like I do each week in What to Netflix: New DVD Tuesday, I'm sorting through the best of the batch to suggest some additions for your queue.

The Duchess
I'm glad this sumptuous movie is out on DVD because it's so beautiful to look at. The costumes in this period drama starring Keira Knightley and Ralph Fiennes are gorgeous and the rest of the movie is pretty good too.

Knightley plays Georgiana, wife of William Cavendish (Fiennes), the Duke of Devonshire. While their relationship grows bitter in private, Georgiana starts to become quite popular in public and immerses herself in the world of politics and high society. As her husband puts other women between them, Georgiana finds herself falling in love with a young politician, Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper). However, the threat of scandal proves too great for the Duke and Duchess, and a relationship with Charles is forbidden.

Special features include a featurette titled, "Georgiana in Her Own Words," the making of the movie, and a costume diary.

Two more up next so

Ghost Town
Aw, Ricky Gervais. This comedy wasn't the smash hit that someone of his talent deserves but it's an easygoing and sometimes bittersweet comedy all the same.

Gervais plays dentist Bertram Pincus, an ornery, solitary man who comes out of a medical procedure to discover that he died briefly during it. His momentary death gives him the ability to see people who have died but who are still hanging out on Earth because they have unfinished business. One such restless soul is Frank (Greg Kinnear) who needs Bertram to prevent Frank's widow, Gwen (Tea Leoni), from remarrying. This is a good pick for something to watch with the family if you're still hanging around with them til the New Year.

Special features include commentary from Gervais and the making of the movie.

Eagle Eye
This is one of the most intense-looking DVD covers I've seen in awhile. In fact it's kind of stressing me out, which is about the right vibe for this movie. I actually thought this movie was rather thrilling, even if the actual stuff going on in the plot is a wee bit preposterous.

Shia LaBeouf plays Jerry Shaw, a slacker with low ambitions and little money. The sudden death of his estranged twin brother Ethan sets off a series of baffling occurrences for Jerry, starting with a strange woman contacting him on the phone just as he's being set up to look like a terrorist. Oh, this is only the beginning, though! Michelle Monaghan is also in this movie and she and LaBeouf make a surprisingly adorable onscreen pair.

Special features include a gag reel and a photo gallery.

Box Office: It's a Chihuahua World and We're Just Living in It

BuzzSugar — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 08:30:48 PDT

If the photo below were a Caption It contest based on this weekend's box office results, my entry would go something like: "Well Leo, there's no easy way to say this so I'm just going to come out with it. We got beat by the little talking dogs. Beat bad."

That's right, Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua was No. 1 for the second weekend in a row followed by the horror flick Quarantine. Ridley Scott's Body of Lies, which came in third, was expected to do much better "based on its star power alone" but the combination of mediocre reviews and the fact that audiences continue to eschew Iraq War-related movies probably worked against a successful opening weekend. Eagle Eye and Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist rounded out the top five respectively.

The new sports film The Express came in at No. 6 followed by Nights in Rodanthe, Appaloosa, The Duchess, and City of Ember at No. 10.

Photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

The Duchess: Oh, the (Beautifully Costumed) Drama!

BuzzSugar — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:30:41 PDT

Of course The Duchess is dramatic. Georgiana Cavendish, the Duchess of Devonshire, led a dramatic life and she herself was a dramatic - and smart, and charismatic - woman. I really liked this movie, but I might have liked it more if it were a slightly broader examination of the Duchess. I don't mean that they should have included more years in her life (I think that would have been a mistake) but the vast majority of the film is about her romantic and reproductive woes. She was a daring, intelligent, and remarkably influential woman during a time when women were expected to be anything but those things. While I liked this sweeping period drama, I might have enjoyed less soap opera and a tad more substance.

The costumes, however, cannot be disputed, for they are devastatingly gorgeous. I would watch this movie over and over with the sound off just to feast my eyes on the clothes. Dressed to perfection in every scene, Keira Knightley plays Georgiana, who marries William Cavendish, the Duke of Devonshire when she is just a teenager. The marriage is soon strained as it appears that Georgiana will only bear daughters. While the relationship grows bitter in private, Georgiana starts to become quite popular in public and immerses herself in the world of politics and high society. She's a natural charmer and trend-setter, though her husband puts more and more distance between them, choosing other women over his wife. Before long, Georgiana finds herself falling in love with a young politician, Charles Grey (Dominic Cooper), but the threat of scandal proves too great for the Duke and Duchess and a relationship with Charles is forbidden. There's much more to the story, but I won't spoil things for you. I can still share some thoughts, though, so

Knightley strongly carries the film with her focused, honest portrayal of the brightly alluring yet unfortunate Duchess of Devonshire, and if she veers into melodrama it’s because the material clearly calls for it. She’s still a relatively young actress, which I think people sometimes forget, and while she still appears young onscreen (with that permanently youthful bounce in her step, a fresh energy to even her most morose scenes), there is so much potential there for her to mature into a truly phenomenal performer. She acts with her entire body, conveying emotion in the tiniest details: her whole frame rigid with rage, a coquettish tip of her head and a sidelong glance, the utterly distraught balling up of one fist . . . these things inform our understanding of Georgiana's emotional landscape.

Most of the time I cringed and tsk-tsked at the wretchedness of this poor young woman’s life, as the story is basically a long string of relationship issues and anxiety over pregnancies. There are countless historical movies that, if they center on a woman at all, focus on the pressure to conceive a male heir, the havoc this wreaks on a marriage, and the power plays that arise between the women who can conceive and those who cannot. This is understandable, given the nature of society back then, and yet here’s a story with some built-in political drama as well, with a fearless, deeply inspiring female protagonist. I would have appreciated more of that story. That said, I was riveted to this movie, intoxicated by the costumes and just as smitten with the Duchess as the rest of England seems to be. It’s a beautiful and sad film that is well worth seeing.

Photos courtesy of Paramount Vantage

How-to: Keira Knightley's Eyes at The Duchess Premiere

BellaSugar — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 07:00:11 PDT

At the premiere of The Duchess in London, Keira Knightley wore bronzy eye shadow and an inky lined eye. This is not a big departure from the makeup she wore to the Pirates 2 premiere in 2006, so this is clearly a look she's fond of. Want to get it? Find out how when you

Brush foundation on clean skin to get an even, matte finish.
Use a brow gel and pencil, if necessary, to tame eyebrows and create a strong shape.
Take a non-shimmery bronzer and brush it over the eyelids, extending further toward the outer corners. Run a smaller brush along the bottom center of the eye.
With a black pencil, line the top and bottom eyelids all the way around.
Curl lashes and use a black mascara with a small-ish wand, like Max Factor Volume Couture Mascara ($6.99).
Brush the same bronzer lightly across your cheeks.
Use a rose-colored neutral lipstick, like the universally flattering NARS Dolce Vita ($24).

Source

First Look: The Duchess Starring Keira Knightley

BuzzSugar — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 14:15:22 PST

I fully believe that Keira Knightley is well-suited for period pieces, and I certainly have faith in her ability to play a controversial historical figure, as is the focus of period drama The Duchess. Yet I wonder if Keira herself will be enough to make this movie better than just your average ho-hum period piece, as today's teaser trailer doesn't seem to stretch much beyond ordinary stuff.

This new teaser trailer for the fall 2008 release is itself rather average. There's a big reveal of the Duchess of Devonshire (Knightley), some alluding to bearing an heir and then an impassioned line from the Duchess about not wanting to battle her heart, before the brief glimpse of a love scene. So far, it's no Atonement, but I'll be curious to watch a full-length trailer when that comes out.

To check out the teaser trailer for The Duchess and tell me what you think,

Source

Keira's Caught Kissing Her Friend

PopSugar — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 06:41:44 PDT

Keira Knightley was all dressed up in her 18th century costume on the set of The Duchess. Her boyfriend Rupert Friend helped her umm, let's say, relax in between sets. We just think it's hilarious to see him looking so sloppy in his many layers, puffy scarf and ugly hat while she is picture perfect. That said, they certainly look very happy together.

To see more of Keira and Rupert making out just

View 10 Photos ›

Bauer-Griffin

Keira Will Play The Duchess

PopSugar — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 00:01:52 PDT

Keira went casual in an adorable green Topshop dress while strolling through London yesterday. A few months back Keira claimed that she may quit acting entirely but if that's the case, it won't happen anytime soon. In addition to the upcoming The Best Time of Our Lives, Keira has just signed on to do another project called The Duchess. In the film, Keira will play Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire, who has been compared to Princess Diana. Looks like Keira will have to play dress up in fancy gowns and tight corsets like she did in Pirates of the Caribbean.

View 5 Photos ›

Bauer-Griffin

Obama Hangs With the LA Galaxy, The Duchess Has a Perfect Spot, and The New French President Moves In

Lizzie Fuhr — Sat, 19 May 2012 04:00:52 PDT

This week was booming with activities around the globe! Outgoing French leader Nicolas Sarkozy and first lady Carla Bruni welcomed the incoming President Francois Hollande and his partner, Valérie Trierweiler. In Windsor, the Duchess of Cambridge got some quality time with Prince William and Prince Harry, and in Japan, the Sanja Festival took over the streets of Tokyo. Back here in the US, President Obama hung out with David Beckham and the LA Galaxy. See that and more in the week in pictures!

Kate Middleton Dresses Up For Drinks and Lunch With William and Harry

Allie Merriam — Fri, 18 May 2012 13:19:24 PDT

Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was the lucky lady hanging out with both her husband, Prince William, and his little brother, Prince Harry, today! The trio attended a reception in London's Waterloo Chamber ahead of a lunch for visiting monarchs at Windsor Castle. Kate Middleton wore a dress from Emilia Wickstead, a pale pink coat-style frock that costs nearly $2,000.

At the meal, Harry, William, Kate, and Queen Elizabeth mingled with kings, queens, and heads of state from 26 countries. William and Harry's cousins, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, were also on hand to chat with dignitaries like Monaco's Prince Albert and Princess Charlene and Jordan's King Abdullah and Queen Rania. There may be protests in England this evening, though, as some aren't thrilled the royals included the King of Bahrain, who's accused of committing human rights abuses during a recent period of unrest in his country. British fare was served to Kate, William, their family, and guests, starting with a poached egg tartlet and then a main of Windsor lamb. This evening, William's father Prince Charles is hosting a dinner reception with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall.