A shy, bullied middle school boy in snowy Los Alamos, New Mexico, 1983, befriends a strange girl with some very weird habits--like going barefoot in frozen temperatures and only showing her face at night--and the two embark on a quietly disturbing almost-courtship that involves him discovering her true blood-drinking needs. Meanwhile, her naturally malevolent advice gives him the confidence he needs to start hitting back when the bullies come around to deliver atomic wedgies and attempted drownings. But don't call it a Twilight bandwagon jumper, it's just the American remake of the haunting 2008 Swedish arthouse hit Let The Right One In.

There was no good reason for this movie to exist beyond a lazy American disinterest in subtitles. But having said that, it's pretty great on its own. The stuff that made the original Swedish version so spooky and special has been left intact. No one shoehorns in a heartfelt speech about friendship and the chilling finale is left alone with no softening tweaks to make it more palatable, either physically or psychologically. In fact, it may be the most unsentimental depiction of childhood isolation American movies have delivered in a long time. Its heart may be yearning but heartwarmth is (mostly, wisely) left alone.

The original was more removed, much more eerily quiet, and it created an unease you could feel at all times. This is louder, with more crashing, slamming and banging, and many more music cues. The gruesome killings are front and center instead of 50 paces away from the lens, and the strangely sexual element has been toned down. Meanwhile, this victimized American boy is less obsessed with the idea of murder than his Swedish counterpart, and he's pointedly more lost and alone. It's small stuff, designed to give American audiences more of a hook into the weirdness, but I always get irritated by those little changes that always feel, to me, like the movie's decided you're not quite sophisticated enough and might need your hand held.

When the actor and the role fit so well together, it can be hard to know where the work begins and ends, especially with most child actors. That's the thing with both of these kids. Their mutual presence here feels effortless, almost like they both really are these characters. It doesn't hurt that Kodi Smit-McPhee has already been the damaged, easily upset kid in The Road and Chloe Moretz was a freaky adultish Hit Girl in Kick-Ass and is also about to be Emily the Strange. In other words, their management should make sure they don't both get typecast and painted into an acting corner. It's still early, obviously, but it's never too late to branch out and take control like those Fanning kids.

New Zealand Fashion Week Day 4

On Site Report by Clif Loftin

NZFW RETROSPECTIVE SHOW

What a wonderful way to wrap up an exhilarating week -- 10 years of New Zealand Fashion at the NZFW Retrospective show featuring runway fashions from past years. Around 80-plus outfits from 40 designers were shown after Fashion Week show producer Yasmin Farry contacted the main designers involved over the decades and asked them to submit garments from previous collections to be considered for retrospective show. The show featured fashions from Adrian Hailwood, Cybele, Kate Sylvester, Trelise Copper as well as Nom*d and Zambesi to name a few. Fashion Week founding director Pieter Stewart and her daughter, Myken, brand manager, stood to a room full of applause and gigantic bouquets of flowers as they were honored in tribute for their tireless efforts and hard work in making NZFW what it has become today.

HUFFER

Set underneath the stars outside the Owen G Glenn building at the University of Auckland. 1000 people were invited, and as I made my way to my seat I could not help but think I was about to watch a baseball game back in America. The runway was set atop the giant concrete square that surrounded the quad that surrounding a prestine green lawn while giant lights were hoisted above the scene by monster cherry-pickers. Male models came strutting out in double-breasted coats with Huffer crests, including circular Old World compass inspired crests. The symbols repeated throughout the show on cardigans, including a trail of them down the back of a cream honeycomb knit. I loved the softer side of the women’s wear, especially the peach belted dress with its flared out skirt, worn by America’s Next Top Model winner, Krista White, who was present and walking on the show as part of a prize for Huffer’s winning the Air New Zealand export award. There were also several cool and playful little knit dresses with frilly hems and lace. I also, like the uniformed drill pants worn by the men and the suit jackets with plaid shirts underneath. Good job Steve Dunstan and Dan Buckley – I am officially a HUFFER Fan!!

The Social Network Film Premiere

The 48th New York Film Festival kicked off last night with the screening of “The Social Network,” the movie that chronicles the birth of Facebook and the machinations of its co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. The film, directed by David Fincher, debuted at a red carpet premiere held at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, with the glitzy post premiere party at the Harvard Club on W. 44th St.

Insiders have revealed to the Bureau that the film’s distributor, Sony Pictures, is reportedly so pleased with the film that they gave Fincher the director’s chair for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo even though Social Network has yet to hit theaters. Jesse Eisenberg, who plays Zuckerberg told us he does not have a Facebook page, “As you can imagine, I do interviews, and I don’t want to go home and write more about myself online,” Eisenberg said. Also on hand was an always fashionably forward, Justin Timberlake, who does an amazing job playing former Facebook President (and Napster founder) Sean Parker. Timberlake told us that the biggest misperception about the movie is “It’s not a film about Facebook.” Rather, he said, “This is a film about friendship, betrayal, trust and power and greed and specifically young people coming into their own.”

We also ran into Armie Hammer, who plays both Cameron and Tyler Winkelvoss, the identical twins and Olympic rowers and entrepreneurs who successfully challenged Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in court and are now disputing his dismissal of “The Social Network” as a largely made-up Hollywood tale.

Hours after Zuckerberg appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s talk show to proclaim that “a lot” of David Fincher’s movie is “fiction,” the Winklevoss brothers attended the movie’s premiere at the New York Film Festival and declared the New Media wunderkind dead wrong.
“The film is nonfiction,” Cameron Winklevoss, 29, told us after seeing The Social Network. “Mark Zuckerberg seems to be the only person in the world capable of commenting on the veracity of a film he has not seen. ‘Clairvoyant’ should be added to his business card.” (A Facebook spokesman responds that the creators of the film “do a wonderful job of telling a good story,” but adds: “the reality probably wouldn’t make for a very fun or interesting movie.”)

The twins, who are referred to in the movie as the “Winklevi” - a nickname they acquired in high school - figure prominently in the tangled tale of Facebook’s formation, both onscreen and in real life. In 2004, the brothers sued Zuckerberg for allegedly stealing the computer code from ConnectU, a Harvard-based social network they’d hired him to launch, and then using it to start Facebook. Zuckerberg reportedly paid the twins $65 million to settle the case.
Given their involvement in the real-life drama, the brothers proved popular at the party at the Harvard Club. At one point, Kevin Spacey, who’s an executive producer of the film, cornered Cameron to discuss his take on the movie.
With all of the pre-premiere buzz, we will all be watching the box office receipts to see if the rest of the world rushes out to take in the infamous “Facebook movie.”

New Zealand Fashion Week Day 3

On Site Report by Clif Loftin

twenty-seven names
The Fearsome Five – twenty-seven names’ show at New Zealand Fashion Week was a flashback to the school days when uniforms classified us, and music and TV defined us. An ode to all high-schoolers, the collection draws on the years where the need to resist definition – and the relief at being able to fade into oblivion – were all we thought about.

Uniform blazers, worn by day to create a sense of easy conformity, stood in stark contrast to the manic need for identity outside the halls of high school. Children of the 90’s, twenty-seven names have embraced the iconic styles of their youth; the florals, velevets, and polka dots that gave a girl the power to claim a place in the world. I loved the music selection for the show -- Jimi Hendrix music opening the show set the mood for the shrunken school blazers, prairie dresses, and the horizontally pleated bodices on chiffon dresses. I also liked the utility style capes and coats in heavy wool flannel. The obvious high school reference was 1960’s style school pinafore and shirt, topped with a black blazer with white trim.

The show was timeless and smart with exacting direction. I think twenty-seven names is brand that will have longevity and success.

NICOLE MILLER

I loved this show. It was understated chic at its best. Nicole never disappoints and this show was no exception, the collection was stunning.

Miller also showed a collection that fit in well with New Zealand fashion. Some of my favorites were the black cocktail and maxi dresses with bondage detailing across the back. Nicole Miller is genius when it comes to designing cocktail dresses. There was a foundation of simplicity to all the designs, however, it was the exquisite detailing that topped it all off – the beautiful jewelled embellishments, the amazing necklaces, and the shredded knits with sparkling accents, black sequins and everyone loved the skull motifs. The grey cashmere sweaters with the long sheer skirts were divine. One of the stand out looks for me was the oversized knee length wool hooded poncho.

Whether Nicole is showing in America or all the way around the world in New Zealand, Nicole Miller is one of those designers that just always gets it right – she is consistent, yet she is always evolving, and always inspiring.

(Nicole Miller Backstage)

MICHELLE YVETTE
Michelle Yvette told me that her inspiration for the collection was, “the women of Alfred Hitchcock’s films – feminine and seductive, yet smart.” The collection certainly had that 1950’s silver screen feel. I felt that I was magically transported to that time and era, where glamour still reigned supreme. Michelle’s choice of color was brilliant, and the use of bright orange was fantastic. Gorgeous floral dresses with over-the-top hats. I loved the ruffled lace hot pants, the leopard print shift dress, and the sexy fitted blazers. The models performed the role they were cast to play perfectly – wrapped in pearls with ruby red lips. It was a very memorable show and at the top of the list of all the shows that I saw this week. Even though I was transported to a time long ago, overall the collection was very modern and fresh – and most of all – vibrant with color.

STOLEN GIRLFRIENDS CLUB

Last night, as our caravan of Audi cars pulled up to the Mercury Theatre in Auckland I knew I was in for a great experience – the lines of people wrapped completely around the theatre in both directions -- you could feel the anticipation in the night's cold air.

We made our way to our front row seats in the grand theater -- the show started with a lot of dramatics and super high energy. It was a very complex and cohesive collection with both the men’s and women’s wear intertwined impressively. The signature print for the collection was purple hydrangea with 70’s retro elements – tall necklines, bell-bottoms, red leather and some ruffled trims. The finale for the show was a wedding between two of the hot models – the couple threw the wedding bouquet into the crowd as confetti cannons exploded showering the giant space and the audience. Fashion drama at its best…….

(Clif Loftin, Tommy Bates, Samantha Hayes)

Angelina Jolie Casts Zana Marjanovic in Directorial Debut

Angelina Jolie has chosen young Bosnian actress Zana Marjanovic for the lead role in her directorial debut, a wartime love story between a Bosnian woman and a Serbian man. Marjanovic told The Associated Press on Thursday that the screenplay was "fabulous" and that she could not wait to start shooting with such a "great actress and humanist" like Jolie. The 27-year-old actress said she was on her way to Hungary to prepare for the film shoot beginning later this year, which will take place in Hungary and Bosnia. Jolie has visited Bosnia twice this year — as UNHCR good-will ambassador and to scout for her movie — and had promised she would cast only actors from the region. Marjanovic became known after her prominent role in the award-winning "Snow," by Bosnian director Aida Begic. Jolie's next film, "The Tourist," co-starring Johnny Deep, opens on Dec. 10th.

New Zealand Fashion Week Day 2

On Site Report by Clif Loftin

(L to R) Tim Phinn, Nakita & Clif Loftin at JIMMY D

JIMMY D
Black. Very Black.

Jimmy D brought back the chic Goth Girl meets Vampire's daughter with his Winter 2011 – black sweat shirting, with lots of mesh and belts used as body harnesses with ripped leggings. The Auckland based designer -- real name James Dobson, presented a collection that was dark and androgynous. Jimmy D’s love of the grunge-filled 90’s era ran feverishly through the collection with a background of Heavy Metal raging in the background. The collection definitely echoed the dark side. Dobson collaborated with artist Andrew McLeod to create a series of moody scenes inspired by black metal music album artwork and rock concert t-shirts. The patterns were very advance and structurally bordered brilliance.

neverblack
Queen of the Night – neverblack’s sophomore collection contained a potent mixture of the beautiful and the dark. Their Winter 2011 women’s and men’s ranges have been inspired by the mystical story of the romantic moonflower, which only blooms at night and is pollinated by bats. Queen of the Night unfurled on the runway in a grungy color palette of soft tones – predominately black, white, grey and nude, punctuated by a soft bright blue. Women’s wear fabrics and textures included lace, silk crepe, organza satin, wool check and fleece. For the men, there was more wool check, combined with shirting, pin corduroy, velvet and coated cottons. The women’s wear collection retained Chelsea Thorpe’s distinctive modern vintage edge across a plethora of dress styles. Sheer separates contrast with luxe heavy wool coats, fleece jackets and vests, and ribbed jumpers and cardigans. The men’s wear collection focused on layering and wearability. Shirts have built-in ties, formal trousers appear in three styles from skinny to wide, fleece vests and jackets feature wide collars, and ribbed knitwear is layered with scarves. The women’s and men’s collections were designed to link together and reflect each other – with a sharp, yet suitability ethereal, moonflower digital print as the collection’s centerpiece. I loved the shearling jacket with the aviation cut, the black velvet pants, white and navy blue silk accents and the black silk chiffon dress.

WORLD
Wasted Days and Wasted Nights -- This was my first World show, I had heard about this brand a lot when I was in New Zealand last year. The World show was held as a high tea in the Great Room at the Langham Hotel. The collection was drowned in bold color and excess. I was very impressed with the menswear collection – the tailored silhouettes and intricate suit detailing were stunning. A catwalk highlight was the clear plastic rain coats and polka dotted umbrellas. The wild and psychedelic prints used on the women’s dresses were smart and everyone loved the pink and blue silk gowns.
(L to R) Clif Loftin, Casie Stewart & Soren Stewart

Nom*d
Danse Macabre -- I am not quite sure where to begin…..

Nom*d was one of my favorite shows during 2009 NZFW, so I was looking forward to seeing this year’s show. There was no runway – it was more of an avante garde presentation held off site in a large warehouse. When we entered the venue there was already a dark and gloomy aesthetic in the air. In the center of the room was a dining room table, a bed, a crunched up car that was a piled up metal mess and large rocks surrounding an ominous tree. The show was titled “Danse Macabre” and was meant to take us back to a medieval world where life is fragile, and always under threat. The Black Death not only ravaged the populations of fourteenth century Europe, it was also a powerful intimation of mortality, a dark angel no amulet or charm could appease. So, how do you stay safe as the world falls down around you?

I don’t know the answer to that question...........

However, I do think that Nom*d succeeded in provoking deep thought and conversation regarding this collection amongst those that witnessed the presentation. The clothes were really hard to see, but what I could tell is that they were true to Nom*d form – very androgynous with top sack coats worn over white tight fitting leggings with torn knitwear with glittery Doc Martins and there seemed to be swathes of black leather embellishments and some use of black silk chiffon. Overall Nom*d was successful in creating buzz and whispers and this is a show people will be talking about for quite some time.

God of Carnage

A major decade’s long sex scandal? House arrest in Switzerland? The inability to return to the United States?

These are serious things, no doubt, but legendary auteur Roman Polanski does not slow down—for anything. He’s got a new film in the works, in fact. Polanski is casting for his big screen version of Yasmina Reza’s Tony-winning play, “God of Carnage.”

Jody Foster and Kate Winslet are to star. Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) will also star in Polanski’s adaptation of Yasmina Reza’s Tony-winning play. Insiders tell the Bureau that the second male lead isn’t cast yet. Shooting begins in Paris in February for 12 weeks. Although the film is set in Brooklyn, Polanski’s legal troubles mean that he has to shoot in France. The Academy Award-winning director cannot enter the US due to allegations against him for unlawful sexual conduct with a minor in 1977. The film is being co-produced by French producer SBS and Constantin Film of Germany.

SBS recently produced Reza’s feature directing debut Chicas, which starred Polanski’s wife Emmanuelle Seigner. Jeff Berg of ICM has been packaging the project since Reza first disclosed she was adapting her play with the Academy Award-winning director this summer. Pathe and UGC are both vying to be French distributor. God of Carnage tells the story of two sets of parents who meet after their sons are involved in a schoolyard fight. The meeting goes disastrously wrong as each pair attacks the other’s parenting skills before turning on each other about problems in their own marriages.

The show ran for 452 performances on Broadway before closing in June. James Gandolfini, Marcia Gay Harden, Jeff Daniels and Hope Davis originally starred. God of Carnage won three Tony awards, including Best Play.

Lynyrd Skynyrd Namesake Dies

Famously, the legendary southern rock band Lynyrd Skynyrd took its name from a conservative phys ed teacher at the members' Florida high school. And now, over 40 years after being thus honored, Leonard Skinner, one of popular music's most intriguing footnotes, has passed away. We send regrets to his survivors, but at least he'll never hear another teenager shout "Freebird" in the locker room again.

New Zealand Fashion Week Day 1

Fashion and Hollywood Insider, Clif Loftin, is on the ground in New Zealand attending the 10th Anniversary of New Zealand Fashion Week (NZFW), here is his on site reports from some of his favorite shows from Day 1:

STARFISH

I started my first day off at NZFW with the Starfish show. Starfish’s Winter 2011 collection SEVEN SISTERS pays homage to women’s shared love of style and how individual fashion flair results in endless interpretations. Drawing inspiration from the playful rivalry between sisters, each garment in the collection shares the same upbringing, but like sisters each is imbued with idiosyncratic style. Contrasts echo through the range – timeless but contemporary, dreamy but functional and prim yet rebellious. The result is a kinetic tension between the different cuts, fabrics, colors, patterns, shapes and styles, with individual combinations resulting in multiple translations of the SEVEN SISTERS range. I was most impressed with the use of the 100% Suri NZ made fabrics, the silver metallic dress and the peach Lily Tunic.

JULIETTE HOGAN

The Morning After The Night Before – for Winter 2011 the Juliette Hogan girl lets down her hair, breaks her curfew, hikes her hemline and caution is thrown to the wind. Hogan’s normally demure muse has dipped her toe into darker waters. The presence of the inevitable return of the coquettish girl exists, but for this range the “J Ho” girl walks a precious tightrope between naughty and nice with surprising ease. Juliette touches lightly on her staple pleating, however opts to make her statement pieces this season out of leather and fully fashioned knitwear and includes a dramatic floor scraping lace gown in ivory or black – think either debutante or black widow – depends on your mood. A subtle palette of safe neutrals is brought to life against hard military green, bright powder blue, and a vintage floral print. Key shapes included the cropped leather tee, immaculately tailored tweed trench; hand knitted sweaters and intricate paneling on corsets and dresses.

ANDREA MOORE

Neon Jungle -- Blinding neon, exotic florals, a modern safari look; the winter collection from Andrea Moore is about a dazzling energy to tackle the coldest of seasons in the urban jungle. “We recently moved to Auckland from Wellington, so this collection is a celebration of making the transition to the urban jungle of New Zealand’s biggest city,” she says. Exotic prints, enchanting fabrics and silhouettes are all ready for an expedition in the sprawling metropolis. “I really am still defining fabrics and their context and what style would suit their particular personalities,” says Moore. “I am happy to let the fabric speak for itself. This range has been a runaway freight train, it really seems to have a life of its own.” Khaki pops up through bold statement neon pieces, and drape is back with a vengeance. “I have become rather obsessed with it,” Moore says. “Manipulating volume yet keeping it structured has been really challenging and fun,” she says. The designer strove for draped yet tailored looks with a military bent. The floral themes are still evident, including the brilliant digital prints on silks and other signature patterns that have been key in defining the label.


CYBELE

Water, Earth, Fire and Air were the ancient elements that inspired Cybele’s Nieriya collection. Designer Cybele Wiren evoked a pagan cult of nature theme while presenting her 2011 winter collection. The runway had a large monumental alter to nature that looked as though it was meant to be burnt in a ritualistic offering. The symbol of the hawk made many appearances throughout the collection as the sacred animal spirit. Cybele featured several of her signature graphic elements with bold and distinctive prints. My favorite pieces from this dramatic collection were the handmade silk fringing wafts from capes, ponchos and scarves cut in airy, flowing silks that can be worn right-side up, or sideways, to create different shapes on the body.

Clif Loftin & American designer, Nicole Miller and Nicole Miller Exec Janey Evett

ADRIAN HAILWOOD

Going Platinum – Like mannequins with glassy, expressionless eyes; blood red lips, pancake makeup, false lashes and peroxide blonde locks -- the women featured in the photographs of LA artist Alex Prager look like living dolls fighting a war against constructed beauty – and losing. “The subjects come across as so vulnerable behind a veneer of fake fifties Hollywood glamour,” says Hailwood. “Their fragility shines through her color saturated images, yet there is theatricality about how they try to hide their emotions from the camera,” he says. Prager’s work inspired the designer to create Going Platinum, his 2011 winter collection. Devoree silks are in deep red highlighted with metallic patterns; real gold thread is imbedded in cypress green, and jewel tones feature luxe shaping – and circles are ubiquitous, from small dots to large fans of flowers. Hailwood describes the line as, “slightly left of center; there is beauty there, and yet just on the periphery there is something that tells you it is all make believe.”


ZAMBESI

I concluded my journey through the first day of NZFW with one of my favorite NZ design houses – Zambesi. Neville and Liz Findlay and Dayne Johnston never disappoint. The location for the show was orchestrated in a large parking shed, adding the perfect amount of drama that always accompanies a Zambesi show. I absolutely loved the menswear that was inspired by French sailors, Athletics and Collegiate Campus. Cuffed trousers and letterman cut jackets ribbed like athletic uniforms. Camel blazers accented by “all white” garment ghosting was stunning. Classically cut and tailored blazers were paired with simple trucker caps. The women’s wear contained lots of wintry silhouettes with its shaggy oversized coats, scarves and skirts. I loved the casual striped tops and jumpers. With hip tunes like Iko Iko floating though the air the show was the perfect way to open what is sure to be an electrifying week ahead.

Pieter Stewart, NZFW Founder and Managing Director with Zambesi designer Liz Findlay and Myken Stewart, Brand Manager for NZFW

(2nd & 3rd from the Left) Krista White & Derek Warburton with friends