Caught: Divergent Filming on the Streets of Chicago

{the following paragraph should be read in your best "fan girl" voice}
OMG you guys! I totally had a "Catbird" sighting. Ahhhhhhhh! I was even able to snap a quick pic of the Abnegation village before security made me put my phone away. I. Was. Dying. Now I'm completely psyched for the movie and considering re-reading the book for like the 20th time.


Translation: The film adaptation of Veronica Roth's novel Divergent is being shot in and around Chicago this summer. In an attempt to keep things under wraps during filming, Divergent has been given the code name "Catbird" by the studio. But they aren't fooling anybody. Thanks to a heads up from a generous friend {Thank you, Cait} I found out about a set being constructed near her building and was able to stalk it like a 13 year old girl.


If you haven't read the first two books (what is your major malfunction?) these nondescript houses are probably incredibly uninteresting to look at. But, if you're a closet fan girl, like me, you'll recognize them as clearly Abnegation. Divergent is set in a dystopian Chicago where the population has been divided into five factions. Abnegation is the faction in which the main character Tris was raised.

It turns out she's a South Loop girl.

Shailene Woodley as Tris photo source: EW, image credit: Jaap Buitendijk

I intend to keep my eye out for more filming as the summer continues, but I'm pretty excited to have crossed another item off the Summer To Do list.

Divergent is scheduled to open on March 21, 2014. 

(for those keeping track that is a day before my birthday... happy birthday to me)

Have you ever stumbled on (or purposefully sought out) a movie shooting on location?

Red Carpet Worthy

Oscar's amazing red carpet looks didn't stop at the Dolby Theatre. A few of my favorite looks on Sunday night happened at Vanity Fair's after party.

I can't decide which part of Leslie Mann's Andrew Gn gown I like the most. The color? The beaded neckline? Those elegant sleeves? Please don't make me pick. I love it all.

Source: huffingtonpost.com via Molly

Would you look at beautiful Natalie Portman in Dior? I want to wear that dress. And those earrings. And that face.

Source: redcarpet-fashionawards.com via Molly

Um, Anne Hathaway why didn't you wear this Saint Laurent to the awards ceremony?

Source: fabsugar.com via Molly

Do I love Diane Kruger in this Giambattista Valli? Or am I just in love with this beautiful moment with Pacey? Either way, she looks stunning!

Source: richesforrags.tumblr.com via Molly

And I've saved the best for last. Marisa Tomei's delicately beaded jump suit is the stuff of my dreams. I worry you're going to mock me for loving this. But, I mean, come on, it's gorgeous.

Source: vanityfair.com via Molly

Go ahead. Lay it on me. I can handle it.

Do you hate the jumpsuit?

Red Carpet Moments

Am I the only one with post-Oscar let down today? I'm so sad it's all over!

As always, the Oscar festivities did not disappoint. This year I even had the pleasure of spending some time with the Chicago Blogger Network at Nellcôte before settling in to watch the show. It was my first orange carpet experience (more on that to come...) and I hope it won't be my last!

Now, let's get down to business. Admittedly, I haven't studied the red carpet looks as closely as I'd like. I have a date with my DVR and the Fashion Police tonight. But a few looks jumped off the screen while I was mixing and mingling last night and I just HAD single them out.

Naomi Watts in Giorgio Armani was divine. Obviously, the neckline is everything. It's so modern and sexy and unexpected. She was undoubtedly one of my favorites of the night.

Source: nytimes.com via Molly

Jane Fonda in her glam Versace made me want to scrounge up one of her old exercise videos and put it to work. Clearly this lady has done some things right! To quote my brilliant friend Reen, "She looks so great at 50... oh, wait, she's 70!"

Samantha Barks was stunning in Valentino and stunning on stage during the Les Mis cast performance. It was so nice to have someone up there who was singing and not screaming. (Can someone please tell me why they were all screaming?) Barks is a talent and a beauty and she almost makes me think I could sit through Les Mis. But I think instead I'll just look at pretty pictures of her in this fabulous Valentino gown.

Source: instyle.com via Molly

Source: instyle.com via Molly

Oh, Amy Adams, you are a stunner. I wasn't sure about this over-the-top Oscar de la Renta gown until I saw this picture. She and that dress are irresistibly lovely. The muted color, the fitted bust, the abundance of frill and froth and that smile... I can't believe I doubted her for a second.

Source: eonline.com via Molly

Stacy Keibler's Naeem Khan masterpiece was even more fetching than her arm candy. Even with that beard Clooney looks good.

Source: nytimes.com via Molly

The delicate bead work on Sandra Bullock's Elie Saab was exquisite. And a girl can never go wrong with Harry Winston. Side note, you gotta love a woman who can pull off this look.

Admittedly, Jessica Chastain was one of the ladies that I was most excited to see. I've been less than impressed with her red carpet selections this season and I was hopeful she'd change my mind last night.  This Giorgio Armani did not disappoint. She glows! Why couldn't that tie have happened in the best actress category?

Source: eonline.com via Molly

Source: eonline.com via Molly

My favorite gown of the night seems to be a popular selection. Jennifer Lawrence looked every bit Hollywood royalty in her Dior Haute Couture. I'm a sucker for ballet pink and Miss Lawrence made it sing. I'm head over heels for her (barely visible in this picture) delicate necklace and her makeup and hair were impeccable. She definitely had a red carpet moment.

Source: eonline.com via Molly

But tell me, who did I miss? 

Who should I keep my eye out for when I re-watch the red carpet coverage?

AcadeMolly Awards 2013

It's AcadeMolly Award time! Here's my take on the best and worst (that I've seen*) of 2012.

Best Cinematography
Moonrise Kingdom - Robert D. Yeoman
Skyfall - Roger Deakins
Life of Pi - Claudio Miranda
The Dark Knight Rises - Wally Pfister
Beasts of the Southern Wild - Ben Richardson

 Moonrise Kingdom

I would have loved Moonrise Kingdom even if the script was bunk - it wasn't by the way. Each frame is a piece of art capable of standing alone. Humor, beauty and tenderness are expertly communicated visually. Yeoman's intensely stylized shots are a feast for your eyes.

Source: davidmerryweather.wordpress.com via Molly

Best Production Design
The award formerly known as "Best Art Direction" is now called "Best Production Design."

 Life of Pi

David Gropman (Production Design); Anna Pinnock (Set Decoration)

One nominee. One winner. From the opening credits to the final frame, Life of Pi is a stunner. Vibrant colors pop off the screen from the opening credits until the final frame. The stunning beauty of this film is even more impressive considering a sizable percentage of the scenes take place on a raft. This is easily one of the most beautiful films I've ever seen.

Source: screenrant.com via Molly

Best Adapted Screenplay
Argo - Chris Terrio
Beasts of the Southern Wild - Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin
Life of Pi - David Magee
Silver Linings Playbook - David O. Russell
Bernie - Skip Hollandsworth and Richard Linklater

 Silver Linings Playbook

Silver Linings Playbook surprised me. I saw it early at the Chicago Film Festival. I saw before I knew what to expect. As long as I'm being honest, I saw it because it had a killer cast. But Silver Linings Playbook surprised me. It is so much more than just an incredibly smart romantic comedy. It has a dark side. Be warned - it will stick with you.

Source: vulture.com via Molly

Best Original Screenplay
Zero Dark Thirty - Mark Boal
Moonrise Kingdom - Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola

 Moonrise Kingdom

Once again, Wes Anderson does not disappoint. Moonrise Kingdom is clever, humorous and touching. Anderson and Coppola have created characters that manage to be delightfully quirky and surprisingly relatable. Undoubtedly one of the most original, unexpected and entertaining films of the year.

Source: khaalibakar.com via Molly

Best Actor
Bradley Cooper - Silver Linings Playbook
Bernie - Jack Black
Daniel Day-Lewis - Lincoln
Jared Gilman - Moonrise Kingdom

 Daniel Day-Lewis

I'm not going to lie to you. The other actors listed were really fantastic. The problem is Daniel Day-Lewis made a movie this year. He's impeccable. He disappears into a role like no other working actor. He is a genius. Period.

p.s. I didn't really like Lincoln

Source: liveforfilms.com via Molly

Best Actress
Quvenzhané Wallis - Beasts of the Southern Wild
Jessica Chastain - Zero Dark Thirty

 Quvenzhané Wallis

She was five when she was won the role of Hushpuppy and can now be called the youngest Oscar nominee in history. But I assure you, she isn't winning the AcadeMolly award because of her age. Wallis is a gifted actress who delivered a compelling performance.

Source: ibtimes.com via Molly

Best Director and Best Picture
I've mentioned this before...if a movie is good enough to be called "Best Picture" surely the person in "charge" should be nominated as "Best Director". I'm sure there are lots of reasons why this doesn't happen. Some of those reasons are practical, some are artistic and some are political. But these are MY awards so I get to make the rules.

Life of Pi - Ang Lee
Argo - Ben Affleck
Zero Dark Thirty - Kathryn Bigelow
Beasts of the Southern Wild - Benh Zeitlin
Moonrise Kingdom - Wes Anderson
Silver Linings Playbook - David O. Russell

 Zero Dark Thirty - Kathryn Bigelow

I knew how the story was going to end and I still had sweaty palms through the last 30 minutes. I'm staunchly opposed to torture but this film made me stop for just a second and reconsider. Heck I was rooting for the people doing the torturing! There's a list of reasons why I shouldn't have liked this movie but not one entered my mind for the two and a half hours that it captured me. It made me think. It grabbed me. Zero Dark Thirty is brilliant. Whether it's 100% fact or purely a work of fiction, I don't care. This is an entertaining film.

Source: salon.com via Molly

Now it's Your Turn!

What did I get right? What did I get wrong?

 

*I'm kind of bummed that I didn't get a chance to see The Master.

Netflix should be delivering it next week.

After the Fact

It was a dark night last night...and not only on the SAG red carpet.

Sadly, the freezing rain in Chicago messed with our satellite and kept me from watching the red carpet coverage. Dark, dark night indeed.

Thankfully, the magic of the interwebs allowed me to see a handful of the lovelies after the fact.

Source: news.instyle.com via Molly

Source: news.instyle.com via Molly

Source: news.instyle.com via Molly

Source: news.instyle.com via Molly

Source: news.instyle.com via Molly

Source: news.instyle.com via Molly

Source: eonline.com via Molly

Source: eonline.com via Molly

Did I miss one of your favorites?

A Surprising Night at the Golden Globes

Last night's 70th annual Golden Globes telecast was full of surprises.

I was surprised how genuinely I adored Michelle Dockery's Alexandre Vauthier gown.

Source: i.huffpost.com via Molly

I was surprised that Kristen Bell's Jenny Packham made me reconsider pregnancy for 3.2 seconds. And then I re-reconsidered.

I was surprised we didn't see more "oxblood." Though Naomi Watts in Zac Posen definitely set the bar pretty high.

Source: huffingtonpost.com via Molly

I was surprised - wait, no I wasn't. Katharine McPhee was smoking hot in Theory. No surprise there.

Source: instyle.com via Molly  

I was surprised how much Anne Hathaway's speech turned my stomach. False modesty is very unbecoming. Yuck. But her Chanel? That was spectacular.

Source: instyle.com via Molly

I was surprised that these three ladies wore nearly the same dress. Don't get me wrong, ultra-feminine  ballet pink lace is never a miss in my book. But when everyone wears the same thing, it makes the red carpet a bit less compelling.

I think Amy Adams wore her Marchesa version best. But Megan Fox in Dolce & Gabbana and Hayden Panettiere in Roberto Cavalli were also lovely.

I was surprised how many people compared this dress to drapes or upholstery on twitter last night. I say, kuddos to Lucy Liu for taking a risk in this unusual, eye-catching Carolina Herrera.

Source: miamiherald.com via Molly on Pinterest

I was surprised by orange velvet on the red carpet! But I wasn't surprised that Marion Cotillard in Dior was probably my favorite of the night. I cannot begin to explain how enamored I am with that metallic belt. I saw Jennifer Lawrence first (in a similar coral Dior gown) but wasn't a fan of the business going on at the bust. So when Cotillard appeared, I was giddy. All the color, a similar metallic belt and no bizarre boob decor. I love the unexpected hemline and her simple hair and makeup.

Source: instyle.com via Molly on Pinterest

Other surprises of the night: Jodie Foster's Speech, Bill "Rodham" Clinton's appearance, Mr. Golden Globe, Argo's big wins and people in California think 50º is cold.

To see more of my favorites from last night's celebration, visit my Red Carpet Lovlies pinboard.

But before you go, what surprised you about last night's Golden Globes?

AcadeMolly Awards Preview

Tomorrow the Academy Awards nominations will be announced. Are you as excited as I am?

It's the official start of the most wonderful time of the year. The next two months are chock full of movies and fashion and beautiful people being self congratulatory. The Golden Globes are this weekend and then there's a red carpet about every five minutes until the Oscars on February 24th.

But I haven't even told you the most exciting news! This year is the 10th anniversary of the AcadeMolly Awards!

As the founder and sole voting member of the AcadeMolly Awards Board of Directors (AMA BOD), each year I make it my mission to see as many of the Oscar/Golden Globe nominated films as possible. The AMA BOD trusts that that other Academy and the Hollywood foreign press are capable of compiling a list of reputable and entertaining films from which AcadeMolly nominations can be drawn.

It's true, so far this year I've seen a few stinkers. But there are some pretty great films to be seen too. Life of Pi, anyone? Until the official AcadeMolly Awards announcement on February 23rd (mark your calendars), I'll continue to work through my must see list. And I'm looking forward to hearing tomorrow's announcements to see what other films I should add to the list.

Just in case you're compiling a must see list too, I thought I'd make a few suggestions.

Until last weekend, I was convinced Silver Linings Playbook would be my favorite film this season. It has a little bit of everything. It's touching, funny, and the performances are world class. This film should not be missed.

Then I saw Zero Dark Thirty. It's as different from Silver Linings Playbook as night and day. But, WOW! What a ride. Even though I knew how the story ends I had sweaty palms during the last few scenes. Jessica Chastain is quickly becoming one of my favorite working actresses and Kathryn Bigelow has directed a masterpiece in Zero Dark Thirty.

Both are undoubtedly top contenders for this year's AcadeMolly Awards.

What's the best film you've seen so far this season?

Catch up on the AcadeMolly Awards from years past.

• AcadeMolly Awards 2011
• AcadeMolly Awards 2010
• AcadeMolly Awards 2009
• AcadeMolly Awards 2008

3 Chicago Sightings

The handsome hubby travels for work and he definitely doesn't keep "regular" business hours. Holidays, weekends, birthdays... they're all fair game. We've been incredibly fortunate in the six years that we've been married. We've gotten to share Christmas together every year.

But our streak is ending.

This year, we'll be in different time zones when Santa comes to town. So, I've been filling my DVR with plenty of Christmas movies to keep me company until my honey comes back.

On the 3rd day of Christmas I put my DVR to work!



While browsing ABC Family's countdown to 25 Days of Christmas I noticed 3 Holiday films that have a Chicago connection!

Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

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Though it's a quintessentially New York film, it turns out several scenes in the 1994 version of Miracle on 34th Street were shot in Chicago. At first I didn't understand why until I realized that John Hughes has both a screenwriting and producer credit on the film.

Ahhhhhhhh ha.

Home Alone 

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Another John Hughes masterpiece, Home Alone is undoubtedly a Chicago Christmas movie. The McAllister house is real and it's in Winnetka. (No clue where that is... but a field trip is planned.) Also, the airport scenes, even the Paris ones, were shot at O'Hare.

Christmas Vacation

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Though most of this movie was filmed in California, it's no secret the Griswold's call Chicago home. Plus there were scenes shot at (then) Marshall Field's and the Hancock Building. That works for a Chicago connection, right?

Of course I'll be watching plenty of other Christmas classics this season. But I'll have my eyes peeled during these three hoping to catch a glimpse of "my kind of town."

What's your favorite Christmas Movie?