Belle Pen: A matter of style

Thursday, 20 February 2014

A matter of style

About a week before the Oscars the time is right for some movie talk, right? Two Nominees, both splendid pieces of cinema with extremely great acting performances, can’t be left un-awarded and unblogged about: The Wolf of Wall Street and American Hustle.

To The Wolf! (aka best Golden actor Leo)

I have to say I was kind of disappointed when it turned out that The Wolf was overglobed by Hustle at the Golden Globes mid January. (1 - WOWS vs 3 - AH). You see, to me, The Wolf was like one of the best movies I’d ever seen. The insanity of the story and the surreal decadent lifestyle that is brought to life so vividly combined with Dicaprio’s execution of Jordan Belfort definitely make it a fair and true Oscar Nominee.

Naomi Lapaglia (aka Margot Robbie)

Since American Hustle is now on screen too I wanted to see what all the hustle, I mean fuzz, was (is) about, and judge for myself: does it beat The Wolf or does it taste defeat?

Lady Edith Greensly/Sidney Prosser (aka Amy Adams)

It turns out: The Wolf comes off worst. I suppose it's not a matter of acting (top-notch level in both movies) but of costume design; the seventies styling makes Hustle even better. Me being a woman might have something to do with it too. The thing is I really prefer Amy Adams' outfits to Margot Robbie’s style. Both women represent femininity and fashion yet Edith/Sidney breathes classy-chic vamp while Naomi Lapaglia presents – at times – a kind of cheap, seductive women with only taste (and hunger) for money. Apart from their distinct looks the characters are totally different too: Edith/Sidney is a bright, smart (criminal) mind while Naomi is like a bimbo who marries a rich man for his money. No need to say I'd rather identify with a criminal fashionata than with a (desperate) housewife-barbie-beauty with no style.