Did My High School Project Inspire Baz Luhrmann’s New Great Gatsby Film?

Did you know that for a high school project me and my friends made a short movie to prove our grasp of The Great Gatsby? We asked our English teacher to show our video last because we were pretty fucking confident that it would kick ass. And we were right: the class was left speechless.

Being film geeks, we were thoroughly inspired by Moulin Rouge, so it’s obvious that Baz Luhrmann broke into our high school, stole the VHS and replaced me with Leonardo DiCaprio. That bastard!

In our honesty, I’m excited about the new film. The poster art and trailer were released this week. Check ‘em out.

After the original teaser used Jay-Z to pump up Lurhmann’s signature anachronism, the newly released trailer above features songs by today’s most current artists.

Beyoncé and André 3000 – “Back to Black”

Lana Del Rey – “Young and Beautiful”

Florence + The Machine – “Over the Love”

The Most Beautiful Man Who Ever Lived: Marlon Brando

“In 1947, when Marlon Brando appeared onstage in a torn sweaty T-shirt, there was an earthquake.” – Gore Vidal

Hunky Marlon Brando reprised his role in the big screen adaptation of a Streetcar Named Desire, and that time, there was a volcano. Watch the scene Vidal is referencing below, when Brando was the ultimate definition of a dreamboat. In short, Brando takes off his sweaty shirt, flaunts around shirtless and meows like a kitty in front of a lust struck Vivien Leigh.

Video: Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Hudson Show their Basic Side

Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Hudson were two of the most talked-about women at last night’s Oscars. Hathaway won the Supporting Actress statuette for her role in Les Mis, and Hudson reprised her Oscar-winning turn in Dreamgirls when she performed, “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going.”

Before their Oscar makeovers, however, Annie and Jen were not always the dazzling centers of attention. Both stars had brief, forgettable cameos in the 2009 Valentino documentary, The Last Emperor. And it wasn’t pretty. For it being a fashion film, the women looked rather drab, shall I say even, basic? A far, desperate cry from the powerhouse Hollywood figures they are now, groomed to take the spotlight.

Anne Hathaway, the overeager theater girl that she is, certainly made the excuse to attend Valentino’s birthday bash in Rome to research her Devil Wears Prada character. Too bad Stanley Tucci was not at her side giving her fashion advice or reminding her not to act so generally self-aware.

Meanwhile, Jennifer Hudson accompanied the flamboyant Vogue editor André Leon Talley down the red carpet. But even though Jennifer had already won an Oscar and a Grammy at that point, the Italian press were pressed to ask, who is she? The visibly befuddled Jennifer most likely decided to decline future invitations as a fashion plus one.

Sofia’s Cinematic Pool Party: A Summer Day at Francis Ford Coppola Winery

According to 7×7 and the Examiner, the coolest pool experience for San Franciscans this summer is spending the day at the Francis Ford Coppola Winery in Alexander Valley. Unfortunately what the articles don’t tell you upfront — and obvious indication that they should have been published months ago — is that you have to reserve your cabines (no, not cabins and not cabanas either) weeks in advance and the rest of the summer is practically already booked.

Luckily, I reserved 6 cabines in May and invited 24 friends to come spend the day relaxing by the pool, soaking up the sun, tasting the exclusive wine and admiring the Coppola estate. Each of the cabines that lined up just feet away from the pool offered guests a private dressing room and shower. The cabines also came with four pool passes, four lounge chairs, four towels and a complimentary wine tasting flights. For tech-savvy winos out there, checking in on Foursquare unlocks an additional complimentary tasting for two. There is also a full bar and cocktail servers at your disposal.

Designed to match the iconic film auteur’s cinematic vision the property is stunning, and the service is friendly and not overly patronizing. Although be warned against bringing your own towels. During our visit, a family was instructed to put away their kids’ brightly-colored towels since they disrupted the desired aesthetic of the whole place (white towels).

The winery’s interior doubles as a glorified gift shop of all things Coppola. There you can browse through old movie props like costumes from Dracula, guns from Apocalypse Now and the original script from The Godfather. Upstairs, Coppola’s many film accolades including five Oscars from the Academy are showcased behind glass.

Relaxing and Soaking Up the Sun

Stephanie indulging in the Sunday Times.

Lather her up, boys!

Currin and Tommy contemplate.

Katie enjoys some extracurricular reading material.

Denys thinks this Francis guy is pretty cool for letting us hang out by his pool.

Tommy eavesdrops on some girl talk.

Wine Tasting in the Interior

Cinéma Vérité

Wet and Wilde (thanks K-Bruce for the awesome photos!)

Amy Winehouse Documentary Premieres at the East End Film Fest

A new concert documentary focusing on Amy Winehouse premiered at the East End Film Festival in London on Tuesday, July 3. Arena: Amy Winehouse, The Day She Came to Dingle lime lights the singer in 2006, while on the brink of international stardom.

The documentary includes never-before-seen concert footage of Winehouse performing stripped down selections from her breakout effort, Black to Black, including “Rehab” and “Tears Dry On Their Own.” Filmed in December 2006 as part of Irish TV’s Other Voices music show, the intimate performance took place in a church in Dingle, a small fishing village in Liverpool.

For the documentary, director Maurice Linnane has complemented the Dingle concert footage with a video interview conducted with Winehouse on the day of the performance. Arena: Amy Winehouse also showcases rare archival footage of Winehouse’s influencers, including Mahalia Jackson, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles and the Shangri-Las.

Previously Linanne has directed concert documentaries for U2, the Foo Fighters and the Cranberries.

Arena: Amy Winehouse was screened at the St. Anne’s Church in London’s Limehouse district with Winehouse’s family, friends and record label in attendance. The screening was prefaced by performances from U.K. up-and-comer Lianne La Havas accompanied by a choir and orchestra. Afterwards, director Maurice Linnane, Arena’s Anthony Wall and Other Voices’ Philip King took questions from the audience. The “after-after-party” was held at one of Winehouse’s favorite local watering holes. The documentary is expected to air on BBC in late July.

In its 11 years, the East End Film Festival has become the U.K.’s response to SXSW, mixing film screenings with live music shows. The festival closes on Sunday, July 8 with another music-related documentary, The Last Elvis, about a tragic, fame-obsessed Elvis impersonator in Buenos Aires.