BREAKING NEWS

Japan Names Mascot for 2014 World Cup

Japan is channeling the Pika-power.

What’s cuter than Pokemon? Dressing the lovable monsters up in soccer uniforms and having them represent your country as its mascots. Never one to shy away from shameless cuteness, Japan has named Pikachu as its national soccer team’s mascot for the upcoming World Cup in Brazil. Pikachu won’t be going alone, though; it seems that he’ll also be bringing along some of his friends to join in on the fun (from Pikachu, clockwise: Squirtle, Litleo, Helioptile, Charmander, Fennekin, Meowth, Froakie, Pancham, Bulbasaur, and Chespin). Clearly the Japanese are capitalizing on their hottest commodity right now, even more so than the famous Mario.

However, I can’t help feeling like they’ve dropped the ball in a couple of instances here. First, it’s obvious that the choices shown in the above picture are meant to plug the most recent releases, X and Y. Of the eleven selections, six of them are those who made their debut in the newest generation of games. Oddly enough, the other five were part of the original 151. While it’s great for Nintendo that this is a sales-driven approach, I would’ve liked to see Jigglypuff (because it’s one of the most iconic Pokemon) and Voltorb (because it’s a ball) used instead of, say, Meowth and Helioptile… and yes, I realize how ridiculous I sound nitpicking this.

This is going to sound like wishful thinking here, but I could potentially see this springboarding the franchise into some sports titles down the road. Who wouldn’t want to play a Pokemon-based soccer video game? Or basketball? Or perhaps even football? I’d buy any of those games in a heartbeat with no regrets whatsoever. Whatever happens in the future of the series, this latest endeavor is sure to be memorable and I salute Japan for doing it.

British singer Kate Bush returns to the stage

by Jordan Mattos

In a stirring turn of events, pop chanteuse Kate Bush has announced a limited 15-date tour in August and September at London’s Eventim Apollo. The British singer, now 56, first became known in the late 70s with the unusual “Wuthering Heights”, inspired by the Bronte novel of the same name and featuring her now iconic high-pitched incantations. The classically trained Bush became known for off-kilter, idiosyncratic song subjects and for combining obscure ethnic instruments with state of the art production equipment, such as the then groundbreaking Fairlight CMI synthesizer.

Her only tour, 1979’s “The Tour of Life”, used whimsical stage elements such as mime, magic and modern dance choreography. A succession of hit singles throughout the 80s cemented her position in the pop pantheon, inspiring a string of cover songs by Natalie Cole (The Man with the Child in his Eyes), Maxwell (This Woman’s Work), the Futureheads (Hounds of Love) and others. In 2013, the Queen honoured her with a CBE for services to music at Windsor Castle.

Quite erroneously, traditional media outlets have named Bush a recluse for her sporadic media appearances and unwillingness to perform. In reality, her absence in the spotlight is due to Bush’s devotion to family, to production – at times taking up to a decade between albums to release songs in perfected form, and to a healthy disregard for celebrity. Already she is poised to outsell fluffy pop acts Kate Perry, Lady Gaga and even Beyonce, with ticket searches for the performer reaching an outstanding 432% on Viagogo.

Sales figures notwithstanding, Bush’s return to the stage is a hallmark event for fans of esoteric pop stars of any stripe. Quite a multitude of contemporary acts from Bjork to Tori Amos, have been influenced by her distinctive, elegant persona.

Tickets are now on sale. Prices start at £49, ranging to £135. For tour information please visit KateBush.com.

Sunglasses- Needed All Year Round

by Danielle Flocco

After a few long days outside these past few weeks, I realized that cold weather and sunglasses are not mutually exclusive. The sun has been very bright for the time it is out, and starting March 9th it will be out to enjoy even longer. That being said, snow on the ground or not, it is important to protect your eyes. And honestly, squinting is not nearly as attractive as adding an accessory.

This week I was lucky enough to have received a pair of Axiis Titanium Eyewear, courtesy of Runway magazine. My eyes feel better already and I look great. The best way to describe these glasses would be industrial meets vintage. Pictured below, they come in a durable metal case, so they definitely won’t break in the bottom of your purse. They feature oval titanium vintage style frames in a yellow-ish hue, accented by silver metal industrial styled bars. More styles are available at Axiis.us.

Let’s say you dig vintage everything, but aren’t quite there with the industrial elements. GiantVintage.com has everything you are looking for. They have vintage and retro glasses ranging from 70’s style to 90’s style, and everything else you could imagine. Aviators of all styles and big glasses in all different shapes and colors are rarely more than $20 on this site, so you don’t have to chose just one. Pictured below is a small variety of their sunglasses.

While vintage accessories are extremely popular, not everyone loves it. So if you aren’t a vintage lover, there are plenty of fashionable sunglasses for you, too. 6pm.com offers a variety of designer sunglasses at wholesale prices. This site offers an array of glasses of all shapes and sizes from designers like Alexander McQueen, Ray Ban, Michael Kors, and Stella McCartney. Pictured below is a peak of what they offer.

Whatever your personal preference of eyewear may be, do not skip out on a good pair of sunglasses. Too much sun can affect your vision, and squinting all of the time accelerates the forming of crow’s feet near the eyes. So, spend some money now on a nice pair of sunglasses and save later on all those eye creams.

Jake’s Hot in the Fashion District

by Danielle Flocco

Breaking into the fashion industry is no easy task, but Jake Labarbera makes it seem effortless.

This newly 21 year old is a student at the Fashion Institute of Technology, studying merchandising and jewelry design. He has an interest in photography, and most of all sharing his style with everyone. Jake blogs his personal style, showing the world how to make an outfit ‘pop’ in this competitive world of fashion.

Recently on his blog, www.jakeshotonfashion.com, silver was featured as the up and coming color to incorporate into an outfit. Tested by Jake himself in the fashion district of Manhattan, silver is definitely the way to go. Silver is subtle yet shiny, so your outfit stands out without being overwhelmed by it. This is perfect for those hesitant to go ahead with neon pieces. The easiest way to try silver for an everyday outfit is in jewelry, shoes, or belts- all of which can be found for low prices.

Here is a leather and silver bullet styled bracelet that Jake featured. This piece can be matched with any outfit, and can give theperfect New York rocker tone to an otherwise bland outfit. Again, not an overwhelming piece, but just enough to add the same sparkle as an average bracelet- just with a heck of a lot more attitude.

His other favorite pop of silver is his pair of silver high top sneakers. He blogged this statement about these gleaming kicks: “I’m obsessed with my silver hightop sneakers. And I would totally wear them everyday if I could.” And Jake’s recommendation to everyone is to “pull out your old pieces, dust them off, and put them to good use.” This applies to anything- silver or not- because hey, you never know what will be the next big hit in fashion.

Jake is not only a blogging trendsetter, but he is currently an intern for couture designer, Ralph Rucci, as well as a model. He has been involved in modeling for a few years now, and has quite an array of experience. A few years back Jake modeled for prints for a small boutique in Rhinebeck. Then, he bust onto the Runway in 2013 New York Fashion Week for designer Marlin George. And for 2014, Seduka by Joe Dahan will be featuring Jake in a lookbook and their soon to launch blog.

Young, handsome, and determined, Jake is set to succeed in everything he does. He is still a fresh face in modeling, but a great reputation is certainly building. And let’s not forget he’s a student of jewelry design- we must keep our eyes out for his collections!

Patterned Tights To Spice Up Classic New York Style

by Danielle Flocco

Classic New York style is black from head to toe, and in this cold weather black boots, pants, and a jacket definitely seem like a warm choice. And sadly, this time of year our favorite little black dress often gets buried away in the back of the closet, but there’s no reason for that anymore.

Patterned tights are perfect to personalize the classic New York style and give our LBD some attention in the winter months. Stores everywhere sell huge varieties of patterned tights, usually in the $10 to $20 range- which is a small price to pay for an easy and versatile accessory. Depending on your personal preference you can add any edge to your outfit from wild party to simply unique.

Cheetah print, or any asymmetrical print, tights give off a party-ready look, but are appropriate for any time of day. For the office, the printed tights with boots and a simple skirt or dress will show off your personality that can’t always be seen under that 9- 5 suit. Classy, yet personalized, your work wear will be immediately upgraded. For a night out in the winter, when you’re dying to wear your go-to LBD but don’t want to freeze, printed tights will look sexy. Sometimes a little coverage on the legs is all we need to keep warm, so use those opportunities to find your perfect print. Following the classic New York style, an asymmetrical print- in black, of course- will be subtle enough to maintain a classy appearance, but just different enough to set you apart from the crowd. And in this big city, why not stand out a bit.

Many of us wear the same, or painfully similar, outfit more days than we’d like to admit (I plead guilty!). And odds are, if you don’t like to switch up outfits very much, a crazy print won’t be your first choice. Thankfully, patterned tights also come in a wide variety of simple, symmetric patterns for us. Minimalist accents to an outfit instantly boost chicness, both in the workplace and out in the world. Not to mention that minimalist style is highly regarded in modern fashion. Tights with squares, stripes, or dots add just enough of a personalized edge to a simple outfit to let your personality shine through while looking classy. Again, the subtle accent in an all- black outfit will be enough to separate you from the rest of New Yorkers.

Modern fashion is all about adding a personal elements to an outfit, and patterned tights are an easy and inexpensive way to do so. Using subtly accessories like tights instead of chunky jewelry or other large pieces are a much more modern way to draw attention to an outfit. Patterned tights are especially perfect in our city where we are all about simple and classy style in all- black.

Fashion and style aside, patterned tights can also be extremely flattering. Plain black tights will not shorten your legs, but they won’t lengthen them either- and being just barely 5 feet tall, I always try to look a bit taller. Patterned tights with details that are longer than they are wide will have a slimming effect on your legs, and in turn add a few inches. This is really great considering that occasionally we can look a bit short when wearing a skirt or dress with knee high boots. Patterned tights with details that are wider than long will not have the same effect. They will give your legs a bit wider of an appearance, and possibly make you look a bit shorter. However, if you are tall enough that you can spare a few inches, these tights will look great and not take away from your appearance at all. Depending upon what your pattern preference is and the look you are trying to achieve, either pattern type can be used to your advantage.

Whether you’re interested in patterned tights for fashion purposes, to look better, or both, they’re a necessity for the rest of the winter and the upcoming spring. And again, tights are not expensive and what is better than looking great on a small budget.

Winter Boots That Look And Feel Great

by Danielle Flocco

Croft and Barrow, Manhattan, Manhattan Digest — Croft and Barrow

Shoes that are snow appropriate and fashionable are nearly impossible to find. UGGs and similar boots can make an outfit much less stylish, and actual snow boots are a complete fashion disaster. Luckily, stores like Croft and Barrow have stylish boots that are perfect for winter.

My mother gave me the boots pictured above for Christmas and I haven’t taken them off since. I have tested them on the streets of New York City in all weather and I’d give them an A+. I’ve walked miles in rain, snow, and sludge and these boots have kept my feet dry and warm every time. Not even an ankle deep puddle got in my way. These boots have a foamy sole, so it’s like slipping your feet onto pillows every time you wear them. Also, you won’t get leg pains after walking a long distance in them.

The small heel is just enough to be feminine and makes walking feel even easier. And the buckles add a little flare to an otherwise simple boot. These boots are also excellent for any outfit- I’ve tried them with almost every combination. They are perfect for work or a night out, or really any occasion because of their amazing ability to be paired with anything.

So far, my favorite outfit to wear with my boots has been black leggings, a long black sweater, and turquoise boot socks that came just under my knee. This outfit was not only incredibly comfortable, but I was complemented all day on my pop of color with the socks.

Skinny jeans are another great item to pair the boots with. You can wear any top you want with jeans, and these boots will be sure to match. Any outfit you’d wear with UGGs or snow boots would be instantly more stylish with boots like these. Also, a nice sweater and matching leg warmers is very trendy for winter and perfect for these super cold days. Dresses and skirts look great with these boots, too. My preference is to add a pair of black tights, since it is winter, and sometimes leg warmers. However, a simple black knee high boot alone can make any outfit look very classy. One might consider these black boots the winter alternative to pumps.

There really aren’t many things I can personally rave about, but my Croft and Barrow boots are my true love this winter. Anyone who does a lot of walking in the winter definitely needs a pair of boots like these, and investing in a great pair is not a waste of time or money.

Ultra-rare NES game nets nearly six figures on eBay

by Tim Morris

Nintendo World Championships gets king’s ransom.

How much would you pay for a classic, extremely hard to find game that you really want in your collection? $50? $100? $200? Well, the price paid for Nintendo World Championships on eBay yesterday was well above those figures. Back in 2011, another copy of the game sold for $11,000 on the auction site, but this figure from a day ago dwarfs that: $99,902. Now I know what you’re thinking… this can’t be real, right?

Well, while it certainly could be a fake bid, the bidder was the first and last person to make a play for the game. Also, the bidder also has a “100 percent positive feedback score of 775,” according to Gamespot. The only thing I could think of to debunk this auction is that maybe the bidder entered the wrong amount, though for a game this scarce I’m leaning towards it being correct. Of course, the entire auction itself could be fake, which is another possibility, but all indications thus far are that this is a legitimate sale.

For those wondering, the reason why Nintendo World Championships garners so much money in auctions can be explained by the fact that only 116 copies were ever produced. Given away in 1990 to the finalists of a competition by the same name and then as a prize for winning a contest through the magazine Nintendo Power, it is a highly sought after cartridge. The copies given away to the finalists are grey and individually numbered, making them hard to counterfeit. The other copies are gold and considered to be worth more, simply because there are fewer of them.

The $99,902 bid sets a new record as the highest amount ever paid for a video game. Another copy of the game has popped up on eBay for auction here, with over six days left before it closes. Personally, I don’t think that the final figure for this new auction will reach the heights of the previous one, but I’ll definitely be tracking it to see how high it goes.

Turtleneck Bras- Here To Keep Us Hot This Winter

by Danielle Flocco

The greatest fashion battle of winter is looking hot in the freezing cold. It definitely seems impossible to look great when we’re more worried about frostbite than what to wear. However, a bizarre, and questionable to some, new piece of lingerie has made its way onto the racks of True & Co. The turtleneck bra! [Read more…] about Turtleneck Bras- Here To Keep Us Hot This Winter

Manhattan Digest’s 2014 Oscar Chat

by Dane Benko

Manhattan Digest film reviewers Peter Foy and Dane Benko discuss the major categories of this year’s Oscar nominations.

Oscar, Manhattan, Manhattan Digest — “Should we talk about Animated Feature?” “YES! I love cartoons!”

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE

PF: Well, the Best Animated Feature Film category has always interested me, as some of my picks for best film of the year were actually the winners in that category

DB: And this year has surprising selections.

PF: Yeah, no Pixar!

DB: And The Croods, for some reason. Frankly three of them only have a chance, Miyazaki’s The Wind Rises, Frozen, and Ernest & Celestine.

PF: Yeah, and I regret to say I had not heard of Ernest & Celestine till the announcement.

DB: Right, me either… I don’t think it’s going to win, but the nomination itself is a huge honor for it.

PF: Still, it seems to be that Miyazaki is an almost sure-bet.

DB: Yeah, Frozen has perhaps a chance because of the surprising amount of audience fondness of it, but frankly Miyazaki is too big of a name, regardless of the fact he’s won before (for Spirited Away).

PF: Yeah, it’s just the film is being hyped as his “farewell masterpiece,” so that alone should edge it towards the Academy’s favor. I wanted to see Frozen, but somehow it eluded me amidst the bustle of Oscar Season.

DB: Yeah, my Facebook feed is alive with talk about how awesome the songs are, and I was surprisingly engaged by the trailer, but this is the only time I’ve looked at the Animated section and felt at a loss as to where my year of movie watching went, precisely. And why the Croods?

PF: Yeah, that does seem an odd choice. Especially as Monsters University did receive decent critical recognition for a sequel, while it seemed like both audiences and critics were lukewarm towards The Croods. Hey, maybe they were persuaded to nominate it just to have a dark horse in there.

DB: In the end, last year’s Oscar win for Pixar seemed a little shoed in, so all in all I’m glad to see different options this year (even though I’m a die-hard Pixar fanboy), but I don’t think Despicable Me 2 or The Croods really replace that slot. Ernest & Celestine would be the most interesting win, but it’s already reaped a major award just by being featured. Frozen could be a surprise hit but only because audiences were surprisingly keen on it. But this year goes to Miyazaki

PF: I would agree, and I’m also totally for it. I feel that Miyazaki really has earned his coveted title as being perhaps the most celebrated animator of our generation, and has really made the medium an art form

Not only has he used animation to tell fantasy stories that appeal to all ages, but does them with a sense for wonderment and joy that most directors (including live-action ones) couldn’t even hope to capture.

I would call him the Walt Disney of Japan, but in all honesty I think he’s even greater than that.

DB: I still am not 100% sure he’s finished in the world of animation, the last few movies he’s made grumblings about being his last, but since he seems to want this one to underline his ouevre, I respect that.

PF: Yeah, I don’t know if this will really be his last film. He had said that about Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away also. But giving his age, and the acclaim and anticipation that this film is already receiving, then I feel it only builds to it’s stature for us to envision this as being his last work. Kind of like with Jay-z’s The Black Album! Same standard!

DB: But why The Croods?

Best Actress in a Supporting Roll — Showdown: Lawrence or Nyong’o?

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

DB: Scrolling up, how do you feel about the Supporting Actress nominees? I always have a difficult time with the actors segments., but it’s the actors that bring in the viewers, as the Oscars is really a celebrity showcase.

PF: Yes, very much so. I’m happy with the Supporting Actress nominations for the most part. I’m glad that they nominated Sally Hawkins, as I felt she gave a really strong and careful performance in Blue Jasmine, and I felt that some people didn’t acknowledge it due to Cate Blanchett’s lead.

DB: Sally Hawkins and June Squibb are the interesting ones. I… don’t see Jennifer Lawrence winning again. I love Jennifer Lawrence. She’s awesome. And she won last year. And I think the Academy thinks the same way I think about that.

PF: Yeah, Jennifer Lawrence was great though… and if the Academy wants to make history they may let her win as if she did win the best supporting role again this year, she would be the youngest actress to do so

DB: If the Academy Awards wants to make history (more on this when we discuss Best Picture), they’ll pick Lupita Nyong’o, which I wouldn’t be surprised to see. She did an amazing job in 12 Years a Slave, and 12 Years a Slave is pretty much a showcase of Oscar-quality talent. She may even be my pick.

PF: Yes, that’s true. She gave a very gripping performance, and her performances in the film’s most harrowing scenes were simply astonishing. She might be my pick as well, as any actress would need to go to intense places to deliver in a movie like that. I can’t comment on Julia Roberts as I haven’t seen August: Osage County

DB: I haven’t either. Fact is I’d be surprised if it wins many, or any, awards. I actually have the suspicion that the movie itself is different from the trailer, as the trailer seemed to highlight the reprehensible character Meryl Streep plays.

PF: Yeah, it’s not uncommon for trailers to be misleading these days.

DB: The movie clearly operates on that basis of ensemble performance. This is one reason why it would be sort of interesting to have an ensemble cast section for Oscars. But people’s reactions to it seem to be along the lines of, “I’m jealous of the dead character.”

PF: Ha, well if one film legitimizes the necessity for an inclusion of that category then it’s American Hustle, a film I think we will be discussing quite a bit of…

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE:

DB: I sort of want to head this one off by saying, I like Jonah Hill and all, and I loved This is the End, but his performance in The Wolf of Wall Street seemed more like he was acting out a sketch about being in a Martin Scorsese movie, than him actually acting in a movie directed by Scorsese. I’d even, in this list, eagerly give him the award for This is the End, because he played off himself perfectly, really subverting his own celebrity. I think Barkhad Abdi and Jared Leto seem like good contenders to add diversity to the list, but this really seems to be a showdown between Cooper and Fassbender.

PF: Yeah, I don’t think Jonah Hill has a chance. Barkhad Abdi is a fantastic actor though, and was just as strong a screen presence in Captain Phillips as Tom Hanks. Jared Leto might also get my honor for “best comeback performance” of the year, but yeah, it looks like it’s a showdown between Cooper and Fassbender, and I think the Academy is likely to tip in Fassbender’s favor.

Best Actor in a Leading Role — “Who’d win in a fight between PT Anderson and Thomas Pynchon?” “Okay let’s focus man.”

BEST ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE:

PF: I actually was having a conversation with someone that Tom Hanks was snubbed a leading actor nomination the other day.

DB: Oh? I don’t know, hasn’t Tom Hanks sort of proven his Academy chops?

PF: Yeah, and in actuality I don’t think his performance was quite as remarkable as the other 5 gents that the Academy nominated this year. Although the climax to Captain Philips shows that there’s still plenty of range for the veteran actor

DB: The Best Actor category seems like one of the most competitive. It’s not surprising that many good roles were lost in the shuffle. I honestly have about as good a chance predicting this one as a Magic 8 Ball.

PF: Yeah, I know that feeling. I can tell you I’m rooting for Matthew McConaughey though. In fact I wanted to see him nominated for Killer Joe last year

DB: Yeah, I can see that. The Academy has this really bad habit of awarding talent the year after the movie they deserved to win for. It seems a lot of people feel Leonardo DiCaprio is overdue for an Oscar. I throw my support behind Chiwetel Ejiofor.

PF: Yeah, as 12 Years a Slave really is a star making performance for him. Getting back to snubs… I still think they could of fit Joaquin Phoenix in there…

DB: Oh man…

PF: …as I felt he deserved to win last year for his incredibly unique and volcanic performance in The Master.

DB: It was ridiculous. I didn’t even see Phoenix the person in Her. I certainly saw Phoenix in The Master, and still thought he was powerful. Oh and by the way, as a terrible Pynchon fan, I can’t wait to see him in Inherent Vice. He’ll rock Doc Sportello. But believe me, we’ll get to discussing Her in a bit!

PF: Ha! I can’t wait to see Inherent Vice!

DB: Maybe that’s why Phoenix wasn’t put up for this year. Next year is being prepped for a long anticipated Pynchon adaptation Oscar streak.

PF: If he wins next year, then I’ll be completely ecstatic about it! Back to the best acting nominees though…What do you think about Christian Bale getting another nod? I feel he might have another good chance to win, just cause it’s a role so different from what he’s played before, and he once again perfects it

DB: My opinion on Bale is best described by the scene in Rescue Dawn where he eats maggots with a …. maggot-eating grin: Dude chews scenery in a way I adore, but I wouldn’t give him an award. I feel like I’m more on a rollercoaster than watching a performance. I’d almost feel like giving him the golden man for American Hustle would be more boring than his performance deserves. But I’m not one of the voters, so what do I know?

PF: Bruce Dern is another likely contender. Either for an Oscar, or a lifetime achievement award. As you said all five of the nominees gave career highlights this year, but, who knows, maybe the average age of academy voters will dictate them voting for the oldest nominee in the bunch.

Best Actress in a Lead Role — “I could get into, like, Amy Adams is the only Millennial in the group or something, but they also are a broad demographic of ages.” “Yeah they’re quite diverse for rich white people.”

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE:

DB: Let’s start talking about Best Actress! No in all seriousness, this is one of the better line-ups of actresses in my memory, being that women are finally not always secondary characters in their own stories anymore.

PF: Yes, very much, although I feel that Brie Larsson was snubbed for her performance in Short Term 12

DB: Oh really? I… I don’t know what that is.

PF: It’s just it was a little-seen independent film with an arthouse veneer. So yeah, it’s not exactly the type of movie that would attract Oscar voters. I felt she just gave such a complex and hard-edged performance for that film.

DB: Well, you certainly caught me off-guard. I was gonna mention that Melissa McCarthy should have been nominated for The Heat. I am absolutely serious, she’s the Lou Costello of our generation.

PF: Yeah I didn’t see The Heat, but I thought she should have been nominated for Bridesmaids.

DB: But since Sandra Bullock got nominated instead for Gravity, that’s about the only segue I had to this otherwise eclectic mix of characters. Like Best Actor, I don’t even know where to start here.

PF: I feel Cate Blanchett might be the most likely contender

DB: Yeah Blue Jasmine was something else. I never thought Blanchett would top her performance in Coffee and Cigarettes. And of course there she only had a segment. Now she had to hold up a movie.

PF: Yeah, she gets serious props from me as she was able to balance the humor of her character against the distraught nature of her as well. What an ending too? It was rather disturbing I found.

DB: Actually now that you use that word, pretty much all the actresses this year had disturbing roles.

Bullock’s was the most lighthearted, and it was about the grief of losing a child! Or maybe Meryl Streep’s because we were supposed to laugh at her character?

PF: Yeah, that’s true. Although there aren’t many years when an actress gets nominated cause of how “happy” their performance was. Well for me Brie Larsson’s performance outshone the rest.

DB: Right. So we’re agreed. Brie Larsson should have won, and, uh… we have no clue who will win. But we can agree that all of these actresses do a fine job at making you feel sad.

PF: Yep! Exactly!

BEST PICTURE:

PF: Moving onto best picture now!

DB: Well alright then. To cut to the chase, I can’t help but feel this comes down to 12 Years a Slave versus Her. The rest of the movies are great.

PF: Really, I don’t think Her has much of a chance of winning. To be honest I wouldn’t have been surprised had it not even been nominated

DB: It’s been pretty much universally embraced by critics and audiences alike. And as a separate, specific feature, it’s good up and down and through and through. Good design, good performance, good acting, good editing, and a story that seems to be hitting close to an area big on people’s minds.

Plus Megan Ellison is about as celebrity as producers get.

PF: Yeah, but it’s not exactly an Oscar-type of movie. While it is a film about contemporary relationships, it’s also a high-concept sci-fi film that also seems aimed at indie-rock fans.

I think the two most likely picks for best picture are American Hustle and 12 Years a Slave. The former just comes off to me as this year’s Argo

DB: Yeah but that might be why it loses…

PF: Yeah, I thought about that as well, but it also seems hard for The Academy to resist it.

DB: 12 Years a Slave seems like a good pick because in a weird way we’re overdue for the sober social consciousness film. It also fits the Academy’s MO.

PF: Yeah, although I do notice that the Academy does still tend to like film’s that have a little bit of levity to them. Which 12 Years a Slave certainly does not have

DB: Well in theory, the purpose of these awards are to argue for artfulness of film. 12 Years a Slave is an important film whether you enjoyed it or not. So that sort of sets it to demand people’s, including Academy voters’, attentions.

PF: Yeah, and if we’re talking about craft, then the film is a shoe-in for best picture. I absolutely feel that 12 Years a Slave will win for best director. Steve McQueen really has established himself as such a visionary with only just three films.

DB: I feel like Gravity is misplaced in these two departments. Strictly speaking Cuaron is worthy of being considered for Best Director and the movie is astounding, but it is a technical showcase that should sweep whatever technical awards its up for. But it’s kind of the odd-man-out of the rest of the titles in the Best Picture category.

PF: Yeah, well they have one of those every year (i.e. Inception)

DB: I feel like American Hustle and The Wolf of Wall Street will cannibalize each-others votes as historical looks at decadence and power. 12 Years a Slave has the biggest chops and Her has the feverish word-of-mouth. Which makes them create an interesting sort of unintentional narrative about whether the award will go to the mistakes of our past, or the hopes of our future.

PF: I don’t think Wolf of Wall Street has much a chance of winning. But that’s fine, you can tell Scorsese didn’t make it to win an award

DB: I don’t think Scorsese made The Departed to win an award.

PF: Yeah, but he did make The Aviator to win one. I personally think he wouldn’t have done that movie had he won an Oscar at that point, and I do feel it’s one of his weakest films because of that

DB: I wouldn’t want to answer for him. My feeling is that Scorsese is a case in point that the Academy tends to award a filmmaker about a year or two after the point when people feel the filmmaker deserves it most. Which is why Leonardo DiCaprio is either getting an award this year or next.

PF: A very solid accusation. In fact bearing that in mind, then maybe Leo will indeed win this year as the he has said he’s going on hiatus from acting, so the academy may want to award him now before he takes off for a bit.

DB: I trust his hiatus about as much as I trust Soderbergh’s various retirements. Film people seem to be like that one guy on message forums that’s always announcing his departure from the community. The ones that make the loudest announcements are typically the ones that can’t quit. Heck, Phoenix’s hiatus was a performance in and of itself. Anyway, perhaps I am being too confident in Her. I just strongly feel it is the title that SHOULD win, though 12 Years a Slave is the title to beat.

PF: Yeah, well I didn’t mention it earlier, but I would of liked to see my favorite film of the year nominated (Before Midnight). Her and 12 Years a Slave are my favorites of the batch nominated and Her is what I feel should win, but 12 Years a Slave seems the more probable outcome.

MINOR AWARDS AND ERRATA:

PF: What do you think about how Inside Llewyn Davis didn’t receive any major nominations?

DB: Don’t feel it should have. Loved the movie, isn’t as caustic and daring as A Serious Man and the Coens already settled their score with No Country for Old Men. It still got cinematography award nomination, and it looks friggin’ beautiful. I actually really hope it wins that category.

PF: Yeah, I liked how the film looked like the cover of a folk album. Really evoked The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan’s, but it wasn’t surprising to see it wasn’t nominated for best picture. But, I don’t think the Coens really care either way.

DB: It’s also up for sound mixing but that should go to Gravity. Full dynamic atmospheric subjective sound. Llewyn Davis’ audio award should be for Music. But those categories have to be original song or original score.

PF: Well, it will be interesting to see which movies win in the screenplay categories, as once again, this year saw so many great scripts. Although I’m not exactly sure why Before Midnight is up for best adapted screenplay…

DB: Yeah I was wondering that as well. I guess “Adapted from the characters by Linklater.”

PF: Yeah, probably just an excuse to put the film in that category, but hey, you hardly see sequels nominated for Oscars also.

DB: It would be kind of funny if the Adapted Screenplay went to 12 Years a Slave and the Original Screenplay went to Her. “We’ve adapted to the past, and now we’re originating the future!”

PF: Yeah I was thinking that myself. It could very well happen too, as Her demonstrated that Spike Jonze is a talented screenplay writer, in addition to being a fantastic director, and as you said, The Academy seems due to acknowledge a somber film about America’s darkest past.

Sample Sale This Weekend- TOME, Chadwick Bell, and Nomia

by Danielle Flocco

Sample sales are possibly the greatest sales there are in the city. Why? You can score designer pieces at a fraction of the price.

This Friday and Saturday you can check out TOME, Chadwick Bell, and Nomia women’s wear for up to 80% off their original retail prices, with items starting at just $50. Their most exciting advertised deals available at the sample sale are a beautiful silk Georgette cross back dress marked down to $395 from $875 and a heavy wool felt cape going for $595 as opposed to the original retail price of $1,475. If any of these great designers’ products has ever caught your eye, you won’t want to miss this opportunity.

If you’ve never gone to a sample sale before, there are a few things you need to know. They can definitely be overwhelming to the average shopper.

Here are some tips for shopping this weekend’s sale:

Do not expect every item to be 80% off. While most items will have a tremendous discount, there will still be a lot that are close to retail. The designers are typically trying to sell their excess inventory, and will not tag items at their lowest possible price. To know if you’re getting a true steal, check the tag. If the sample costs approximately 50% less than the original retail price, then you are getting a great deal. If not, well it’s definitely still a sale, just not at the most wallet friendly price.
Try to bargain for a better price by looking for possible defects or flaws that you can fix up easily. Check out the zipper, seams, buttons, and any decorative details to see if they’re loose or flimsy. Odds are they’ll take off a few more dollars if you’re willing to buy it despite a loose button. By looking over everything you can save yourself a lot of money by finding things it takes a dollar or two to fix at home.
Try on everything before you buy it. More often than not these items have been cut for a specific model’s body or for a certain style. Since you can’t return items purchased at a sample sale, make sure it fits you as perfectly as the person as it was made for. While alterations and other quick fixes can solve problems like sleeve or pant length, they can’t entirely change the item. Before buying also consider the costs of alterations. If you’re looking at $50 or so in alterations, make sure you’re getting a true deal on the sample item.
Go to the sale at the right time. At the beginning almost nothing will be sold for anything lower than it is tagged at. Shoppers will still be getting great deals, but they won’t be as big as the deals towards the end of the sale. If you wait until the last few hours of the last day, you can often get up to an additional 20% off your purchase. At this point, they see that what is still there may not sell if they don’t lower the price.

With those tips in mind, make your way over to the sale this Friday and Saturday.

The TOME, Chadwick Bell, and Nomia sample sale is taking place from 10 am to 7 pm at 150 West 25^th Street between 6^th and 7^th Avenues, Suite 502 in New York, NY.

BREAKING NEWS

Japan is channeling the Pika-power.

Nintendo World Championships gets king’s ransom.

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