kittens, i'm back. i swear. i am really back!

after a super long hiatus of 3 whole weeks, i have wiped the cold cream off of my face and lifted the cucumbers from my eyes. i am refreshed and ready to shimmy. pour yourself a cocktail and have a seat. your hair has never looked more fantastic.

over my holiday break, i saw about 10,000 films. and my favorite movie hands down was HER by spike jonze.

HER opens in wide release on january 10th. therefore, polish up you cha cha heels and boogie on down to your nearest movie house. you'll be glad you did.

as some of you may remember, i am totally gay for production designers. they are the visual masters of the screen. they create the cinematic world in which we romp. they set the tone and picturesque palette for our thirsty eyes.

they craft colorful kaleidoscope cubicles and high waisted pants. for example:

we have production designer k.k. barrett to thank for HER. barrett worked with jonze on his previous films, and also designed delicious worlds for sofia coppola (lost in translation, marie antoinette), michel gondry (human nature), and david o. russell (i heart huckabees).

in other words, kk barrett is a god. bow down, darlings.

in HER, barrett conjured a near-future los angeles. the streets are clean and the design is minimal yet warm. instead of "sci-fi" blues and greens, this futuristic world is swathed in hues of yellow, golds, orange, and reds.

there is nothing dystopian in spike jonze's and kk barrett's version of the future!

in HER, technology isn't cold and creepy. instead, it is familiar, steam lined, and inviting. that's not to say it isn't isolating. in fact, isolation is part of the societal norm. in the near future, technology cocoons people in a way that makes them feel safe, yet connected just enough. after all, friends, family, colleagues, and intriguing strangers are just a click away. not really too different from present day, correct?

the set design and costumes in HER have mid-century (and even turn of the century) elements. but, there are subtle differences.

notice the lack of collars, lapels, belts, and ties. also, most of the decor serves a function -- very stream lined, stylish, yet practical.

kk barrett drew visual inspiration from the city of shanghai. the chinese city's green spaces and business parks also served as shooting locations for the film.

i do not want to give away of the plot, so i'll just end with saying how happy i was to see los angeles portrayed as a beautiful city, san cars (yep, that's right), with a sweeping skyline, and a subway to the beach!

that is all. now go see it and tell me what you think!

and HAPPY NEW YEAR, darlings! xoxo