There is always a way to wear fur. Personally I have it on my back.

The September Issue

A look into the making the most important fashion magazine issue of the year and its private editor, The September Issue is an entertaining documentary from R.J. Cutler but it has it's high and low points.

The film definitely tries to humanize Vogue editor Anna Wintour. She's supposed to be this impossible, ice queen as we saw in The Devil Wears Prada, in which the Miranda Priestly character is based off of Wintour. In The September Issue, Wintour comes off as an actual human being, who has no tolerance for nonsense and sees things as her way or the highway. But she's not insulting employees or making people cry. She's always been private so to let a documentary crew follow her around and let viewers see her for themselves is great. However, seeing as how she is so private and so powerful, I have a feeling she had a large role in the editing of the film. Her quiet and composed manner, even in stressful situations, somehow doesn't seem entirely natural. Wintour's most humanizing moment comes from a discussion with the director about what Wintour's siblings do. One works for the underprivileged, another runs a well respected newspaper and so on. Their thoughts on Anna's job is that it's "funny." Wintour's eyes well up with tears and she somberly repeats her sibling's judgment. It's a pretty powerful moment. Despite accounts of Wintour's behavior as editor, she does a damn good job and she's a woman doing a job a lot of men do. She deserves a high level of respect.

The film is supposed to give us an inside look at the making of Vogue's September issue, the holy grail of fashion issues. We see all the people high up in Vogue, such as Anna Wintour, Grace Coddington and Andre Leon Talley and various editors but I would've liked to have seen other departments. Maybe some interns, the finance department would've been fascinating. Producing Vogue is expensive, especially when Wintour kills $50,000 shoots. Cutler definitely could have dug deeper into the magazine's workforce and kept the film entertaining.

The film is a great ode to hard work and artistry. Wintour's great at running Vogue, Coddington creates and styles beautiful photo shoots, and we get to see celebrated photographer Mario Testino shooting September cover girl Sienna Miller. Furthermore, we get to see the work of Vera Wang, Karl Lagerfeld, Marchesa, and many more great designers.

This is an entertaining documentary that can appeal to a mass audience, not just documentary film or fashion lovers. It moves quickly and has compelling characters. I definitely think Cutler just skimmed the surface of Vogue and work that goes in the September issue. He could've pushed further.

Christina Ricci in Monster

Part of acting is making the other person look good. Charlize Theron couldn't have been as great as she was without a generous actress like Ricci. She gives Theron the fuel for her fire. This performance reminds me of James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland, giving yourself over to the other actor so much so they can do their best work. Ricci is the perfect contrast to Theron and gives an understated and conflicted performance. In being a passive observer, Ricci's character becomes a kind of monster herself. Though Theron deserves all the praise she received, Ricci shouldn't be forgotten.

Netflix

The Green Mile-People really like this movie. Plus it's a tear jerker, and I love sad endings.
Did You Hear About the Morgans?-Yeah, I kinda wanted to see this.
Cool Hand Luke-Netflix Instant. Paul Newman was a fox.