Met Gala 2019 (part I)

Inspired by an essay written by Susan Sontag titled Notes on "Camp," 58 definitions were penned in 1964 to explain just what Andrew Bolton, the museum's curator in charge of the Costume Institute, has chosen as the most relevant fashion movement of the year. In 1964, Sontag tried to make sense of the notoriously hard-to-define aesthetic in her bullet-pointed treatise by saying camp is the “love of the unnatural: of artifice and exaggeration.”

 

The love of the unnatural, the exaggeration immediately made me think of:

B-52's

Chris March from Project Runway

Divine

 

Falling on the traditional "Met Monday" (first Monday of May), the exhibition launched with fashion's largest celebration at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City marking the event's 71st anniversary. This year, the Gala co-chairs will be Lady Gaga, Gucci creative director Alessandro Michele, Harry Styles (the youngest co-chair ever), and Serena Williams. As with previous years, there is a dinner, performances, and a tour of the exhibit for the guests.

Oh Boy.  This year's event was not good.  I think the theme, "Camp," was a little tricky and most decided to play it safe. 

Let's start with those who did not read their e-mail:

I know there's a story  behind the fireman's jacket but she could have went nuts with the theme! 

 

Dakota Johnson (this would have worked perfectly at last year's theme!)

Demi Moore

Emma Roberts (or bath scrubbie?)

Emma Stone in Louis Vuitton

Gal Gadot (one of the most beautiful women in the world.  Except in this lacy get-up). 

Goop

Hailey Bieber

Jennifer Connelley (also one of the most beautiful women in the world)

Ugh

Karlie Kloss

Kate Moss

Katie Holmes

Kim K.

Michael B. Jordan (aka Michael B. Boring)

Mindy Khaling

Odell Beckham, Jr. 

Olsens

Penelope Cruz

Dude!  Come on!  You just played one of the most campy people in history!  Didn't you learn anything????

Love Regina King but this would have been better during awards season!

Rita Ora

Sienna Miller

Solange Knowles

Tom & Gisele (she should have worn an over-the-top Brazilian Carnivale costume!)

Tory Burch and Kerry Washington (both wearing Tory Burch)

And here are some famous offspring: 

Bella Haddid

Bette Midler with daughter Sophie

Billie Lourd (girl!  come on!  Your mom was Princess Leia!  Hair in cinnabuns?  That skimpy outfit from the scene with Jabba the Hut????  Any of this ring a bell???)

Charlotte Pomeline Casiraghi (second child of Caroline, Princess of Hanover, and Stefano Casiraghi, an Italian industrialist. She is eleventh in line to the throne of Monaco. Her maternal grandparents were Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, and American actress Grace Kelly). 

Gigi Haddid

Kendall Jenner (if I had to pick a favorite of the Kardashian/Jenner Clan, Kendall would be it) 

Kylie Jenner

Lily Rose-Depp (how awesome would it have been if she showed up dressed as Jack Sparrow???)

Miley Missed the Mark

Patrick Schwarzenegger

Riley Keough (should have worn one of Elvis's jumpsuits!!!)

Tracy Ellis Ross (pay homage to your Mama!!!)

Get the Popcorn Ready !!!

Here's a link to some of the movies still to be released in 2018 and my excitement level (kinda like rotten tomatoes but with popcorn!): 

http://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/gallery/16-movies-were-most-excited-about-for-the-rest-of-the-year/ss-BBMoJbR?ocid=ientp

"Peppermint" with Jennifer Garner comes out September 7.  The trailer doesn't look great but fans of Alias will be happy to see Jenn out of her "mom" roles and back in the action genre. 
(Anticipation Level:  2 popcorn kernels out of 5)

"A Simple Favor" with Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick comes out September 15.  Coach and I saw the trailer for this when we saw "The Spy Who Dumped Me."  This movie looks like a "Gone Girl" or "Girl on the Train" kind of mystery/thriller.  I'm expecting a plot twist at the end. 

(Anticipation Level:  3 popcorn kernels out of 5)

 

I think I'm most excited for "A Star is Born" which hits theaters on October 5.  "A Star is Born" stars Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga and looks awesome!  Bradley Cooper does his own singing, no lip synching!!). 
(Anticipation Level:  5 out of 5 popcorn kernels!)

"Halloween" with Jamie Lee Curtis will be released on October 18.  Meh.  Halloween and Jamie Lee Curtis fans will be thrilled.  Me.  Not so much. 
(Anticipation Level:  0 out of 5 popcorn kernels)

The trailer for "First Man" (based on the biography "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong" by James R. Hansen) which releases October 21 didn't look very exciting but how can you go wrong w/ Ryan Gosling, Claire Foy ("The Crown") and Kyle Chandler (Coach Taylor from Friday Night Lights)???
(Anticipation Level:  3 out of 5 popcorn kernels)

I think Nicole Kidman may possibly be the hardest working woman in show business.   Her new movie, "Boy Erased" releases November 2 and is the story of the son of a Baptist preacher (Russell Crowe) and their son Jared (Lucas Hedges) who is outed as gay to his parents. They give him the ultimatum of going to a conversion therapy program or being disowned.  The emotional and heart-wrenching story of faith and identity is based on the memoir "Boy Erased" by Garrard Conley. Gay conversion camps treat sexual identity as a mental illness that can be "cured" through cruel methods, including beatings and shame, and this film provides insight into the harrowing experience.
(Anticipation Level:  2 out of 5 popcorn kernels)

On the total flip side, "Bohemian Rhapsody" also releases November 2. "Bohemian Rhapsody" tells the story of the rise and legacy of UK's rock group Queen. The film addresses the personal and professional lives of the band's members (particularly front man Freddie Mercury), culminating at Queen's memorable 1985 performance at a music festival known as Live Aid.
(Anticipation Level:  3 out of 5 popcorn kernels)

I love that many movies this year feature strong women (either acting in, written by, directed or produced by) and "Widows" (November 16) is one of these movies.  After four criminals are killed on a heist, their wives step in for revenge and to finish the job their spouses didn't (of course!).  The screenplay was written by "Gone Girl" author Gillian Flynn and has an interesting cast which includes Liam Neeson playing Viola Davis' husband. It also stars Cynthia Erivo, Michaell Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Jon Bernthal (from "The Accountant" and "Walking Dead"), Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, and more.
(Anticipation Level:  3 out of 5 popcorn kernels)

Looks like November 21 is going to spent all day at the movie theaters:  One of Coach's favorite Disney movies is getting a sequel!  "Wreck-It Ralph 2: Ralph Breaks the Internet" will be in the theaters November 21.  "Creed 2" also hits the theaters November 21 and is basically Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) fighting the son of Ivan Drago, the man who killed his father, Apollo Creed, more than 30 years ago.
(Anticipation Level:  5 out of 5 popcorn kernels for BOTH movies)

I will probably be the only person in the movie theater watching "Mary Queen of Scots" on December 7 and I'm ok with it.  The history dork in my is looking forward to see Saoirse Ronan as Mary Stuart and Margot Robbie as Elizabeth I. 
(Anticipation Level:  4 out of 5 popcorn kernels)

The only person who could pull off a re-make of Mary Poppins is Emily Blount. Filing Julie Andrew's shoes is no easy task and Emily Blunt steps into the iconic role on December 21 to bring some cheer to the Banks family, who is devastated following the loss of their matriarch.   I also like the fan conspiracy websites that claim Mary Poppins is actually a graduate of Hogwarts.  https://closeronline.co.uk/entertainment/soaps/harry-potter-mary-poppins-ministry-magic-fan-theory/
(Anticipation Level:  5 out of 5 popcorn kernels)