My Dearest Darlings, I am submerged deeply within your culture though am bizarrely separated from it. I exist in another dimension, a dimension that operates alongside your own, I occasionally burst through the membrane that separates you from I, and emerge resplendent with a golden otherworldly glow surrounding me, this aura maintains me for a short time until I must return to my own exotic world which is not above, beside or beyond but entwined betwixt and amongst your own. As this blog has reached it's first birthday I, as promised have been assessing this peculiar position. I have, what you could call a 'cult following', a small amount of loyal followers that keep up to date with my meanderings, you enjoy the sensation that you belong to the 'in' crowd. This gives you a sense of superiority over the normal cyber surfer who is yet to happen across my words. If and when my identity captures the Zeitgeist and more see fit to gaze upon my commentaries your sense of superiority may increase as you will be amongst the first of my loyal followers and for this I sincerely thank you. However if I am to maintain this humble collection of ruminations I feel I should bring in new audiences, as I am sure you agree they deserve to be a party to my idiosyncratic ponderings.
So I hereby announce that I will be endeavouring to offer a few new elements to this beautiful blog. The first; My Fabulous Film Reviews! I have frequently mentioned film stars throughout my posts but have never commented on specific movies. My tastes are varied, not surprisingly I am fond of the Golden Oldies, with stars such as Monroe and Dietrich though I also have an interest in films of a more serious nature. For now I am going to focus on cinema that seems to get the most cultural attention and attempt to explore the hidden meanings otherwise lost on you, the simple minded that repeatedly, blindly and obediently flock to Movie Theatres to see what you are told to see.
A film that has garnered much attention of late is 'Confessions of a Shopaholic'. This film is a member of the much maligned and generally derided 'Chick Flick' variety. Something that is deemed suitable for 'all' female kind to love and enjoy and there lies its first failing. Visually the film references many of the depictions of femininity that are currently ubiquitous, 'Sex and the City', 'Devil Wears Prada', and 'Ugly Betty' heavily influence the look, script, casting and story line of this film though with little of the charm of 'Sex and the City'.
Isla Fisher plays the main character Rebecca Bloomwood, who like all the main protagonists in the projects mentioned above is a journalist, her career development appears to be her main motivation though in this case it is to climb out of a deep and profound debt accrued from endless shopping sprees paid for with various credit cards. The plot attempts to thicken as Bloomwood accidentally secures a job writing for a financial quarterly, surprisingly run by a handsome and eligible bachelor played by Hugh Dancy who is miraculously heir to his own fortune. It is the watery eyed Hugh Dancy who looks the most uncomfortable in his role as 'Eye-Candy', I found Isla Fisher surprisingly charming though she failed to embody the intelligence needed to make the character even remotely believable, I suspect this was more down to the writing than her performance.
Regrettable tropes litter the film, there is the kooky best friend, an occasional appearance by a hilarious gay character and perhaps most derivative of all the haughty fashion magazine executive bitch played by Kristin Scott-Thomas. The thinly veiled and clumsy message of the film is as obvious as the inevitable happy ending and leaves little room for imagination.
This film and the ones like it reduce female experience to the pursuit of validation through expressing themselves in an idiosyncratic and original way however all of these portrayals fail to properly show the character's potential depths. A first sentence may be narrated only to trail off as if the writer has immediately lost interest, this depiction is perhaps symptomatic of the current trend for bloggers, columnists, and journalists who endeavour to needlessly gain popularity of which of course this is one. Though rather than attempt to reveal the process of revelation and epiphany of writing the female writer is depicted as a relationship and shoe obsessed vacantly glamorous socialite. This is in stark contrast to the majority of men who are depicted as serious business men or earnest deep thinkers. The female despite being happy in the work place is really only after social acceptance which then gives her the self confidence to (Louis Vuitton) bag her 'Man'.
So if a passable, occasionally amusing, formulaic and derivative 'chick flick' is what you seek to numb your pitiful brains then this is absolutely ideal for you.
Happy Viewing My Darlings,
Ms Coco LaVerne X