The Devil Wears Club Monaco
Mood:  happy
Now Playing: The Devil Wears Prada
Topic: Movie Reviews
The cinematic version of The Devil Wears Prada was a joy to watch, even from the front row. The theater was filled with couples of all shapes, sizes, races, genders and orientations. Even straight men with their girlfriends laughed at all of the appropriate moments in this so-called "chick flick"-- which doesn't leave the sickly sweet aftertaste of the majority of films that get slapped with that demeaning chick flick moniker. The Devil Wears Prada retains the bitter bite of the movie's "Devil," editrix Miranda Priestly.

Anne Hathaway plays fresh-out-of-college Andrea "Andy" Sachs as the na?ve and idealistic journalist the way you would imagine a Northwestern journalism grad to be. As so sharply pointed out by Stanley Tucci's character, fashion editor Nigel, Andrea feels that working at the fashion magazine Runway is beneath her training and intelligence. She's only there because one year as Miranda Priestly's assistant will guarantee her a spot at any of the more "literary" magazines in New York City.

So desperate for that big break, Andy plays peon to Miranda's #1 assistant and spends every waking moment as Miranda's handmaiden--appeasing her most bizarre whims. She sells her soul to the job, leaving friendships, family, and a very cute boyfriend, played by Entourage's Adrian Grenier, twisting in the wind. Everyone sympathizes with Andy, but don't understand why she continues to allow herself to be abused. Andy knows but is afraid to say it--she wants to be successful. As the movie follows Andy down her career path, we realize that Andy is as fierce and as competitive as Miranda when it comes to her career. Who is the real devil in this movie? Is it Miranda Priestly who knows what she is and plays to win at all costs? Or is it Andy who pretends she has no choice to do what she does to get ahead?

Meryl Streep deserves a Best Supporting Actress nomination as the cold, berating, insulting, patronizing, condescending, back-stabbing, anal retentive editor Miranda Priestly. With her asymmetrical silver-haired bob and air of superiority, anyone within 100 feet of her should be both duly impressed and scared. Even when Streep allows the bitch-editor to reveal her humanity, we never feel sorry for her. Why? Because Miranda doesn't want it and you better not give it.

The Devil Wears Prada is a whirlwind of Manhattan scenery, top shelf wardrobes, pretty men, good music, and stunningly beautiful fashion. Half-way through the movie, my eyes were as wide as Andy's black-rimmed doe ones. My heart was in my throat as they flashed the montage of Paris Fashion Weeks' top runway shows. I was envious. It was at that moment that I understood what fashion is as Miranda sees it. It is a fantasy land to the outsiders, and they long to be in the positions of Miranda and Andy.

I tried to read the novelby Lauren Weisberger in preparation of the film. Reportedly, the book is based on her experiences as Anne Wintour's assistant at Vogue magazine. The book was overwritten, tedious, and exhausting. I lost my patience of wading through for the conclusion at 250 pages with about 100 to go. The movie was significantly retooled, and is a faster and smoother story. The flick was better then the book, so don't read it. See it!

~~~~Trailer Report~~~~

There is a new movie coming out later this year starring Nicolas Cage as a New York City cop on duty the day the terrorists slammed a commercial jet liner into the World Trade Center. It is called, simply enough, World Trade Center. Even though they were using recreated and not actual 9/11 news footage, watching just a few seconds of the destruction and pain that day caused made tears run down my face. I can't say whether or not it is too soon for U.S. audiences to see a film about 9/11 considering Hollywood made World War 2 films during WW2, but I do know it is too soon for New Yorkers to see. (Especially since firemen, EMS workers, policemen, and other rescue workers are still dying from respiratory conditions developed directly as a result of the debris from the WTC.)

There's also a whodunit movie based on the real life death of George Reeves (the the 1950s TV Superman) starring Adrien Brody, Ben Affleck, Diane Lane, and Bob Hoskins. I'm totally excited to see that movie. It is called Hollywoodland