Tom Ford's Nocturnal Animals

Amy Adam's NOT in Tom Ford, in Tom Ford's
noir thriller Nocturnal Animals

A funny thing happened on the way to see Manchester by the Sea...My husband and I were astonished to see a line a block long.  This is not a common suburban experience, in fact, I have no memory of ever having seen this outside of NYC.

Unfortunately, it was sold out.  (*Unfortunately, we made a trip back to see it.
This is singly, the most over hyped film of the year. Bleak, meandering and depressing.  I'm not familiar with Casey Affleck's work, but this laconic, dull performance is NOT Oscar worthy.  Do skip this...)

Fortunately, since it was a small theatre, that tends to book smaller films for thinking people; our fallback was the critically acclaimed Loving or Tom Ford's stylish, neo noir thriller Nocturnal Animals.

Given the choice, how could I resist see Ford's new film? Inevitably, no matter what the plot, there would be gorgeous interiors, attractive people and stylish clothing, beautifully worn. (A stunning contrast to the film's opening scenes.)

It is all that, and more, simultaneously, a thriller and a tale of how empty all of those expensive trappings can be, if loveless.

Interestingly, Ford, made the deliberate choice not to feature his own clothes in the film, though the polished, sleek aesthetic of designs by Chanel, Gucci, Dior, Miu Miu, Celine and Marc Jacobs, could easily be mistaken for Ford's own.

Ford deliberately did not want the film to appear as an advertorial for his brand, choosing to keep his creative and intellectual talents as Designer and Director, separate.

Smart.

Of course that doesn't rule out the stylish cast, which includes Amy Adams, , Isla Fisher, Ellie Bamber (clearly Ford loves his red heads; Julianne Moore also starred in his first film A Single Man) and Laura Linney from appearing in Ford's clothes at the Premiers for Nocturnal Animals.

It's a good film, that like what the good ones do, keeps you thinking about it, long after you have left the theatre.  In addition to Manchester by the Sea and Loving to look forward to,  there is also Jackie, starring the magnificent Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy, they day after her husband's assassination.

After a dearth of good films, it's a pleasure to have something to look forward to this holiday season. Today's treat?  The Greenwich Ballet Academy's production of the Nutcracker at the White Plains City Center.  I'm glad we purchased tickets for it ahead of time, since it is completely sold out.

Greenwich Ballet Academy's production of the Nutcracker
White Plains City Center

Note to self...buy those movie tix ahead of time too.  Seems I'm not the only one starved not just for eye candy and popcorn, but brain candy too...

xox,
DD