Hello and happy Sunday to everyone reading! This week?s issue will be heavily film based; however, I like to keep it varied, so we will also be discussing everything from botox and beauty treatments to why you shouldn?t wash your hair next Sunday. I?ve been bursting to have one film-focused newsletter (I?m thinking of doing an out-of-cycle newsletter just for my favourite films, similar to the Black Friday Guide), and now we?re eleven issues in, I felt it was time. To keep to the film theme, I will give you the choice of two playlists. The first is my Classical/Instrumental one, which includes film scores and songs used in some of my favourite films, or my ?generic coming of age soundtrack? playlist, which is pretty self-explanatory. With that, let?s begin!
FILM CLUB
One thing I?ll never get used to is being invited to real-life, actual film premieres with actual actors, actresses, and directors. Even though a large chunk of my degree was in film, my love for it started loooong before. This week, I was lucky enough to go to two premieres for two films I?d been excited about for a while, so I thought for this section of ?film club?, I would take you with me and show you how these things work before reviewing the films themselves! Most of the premieres I?ve been to have been in Leicester Square and the films have either been shown in one cinema (normally the Odeon Luxe or Vue) or if you are billy big balls like Tom Cruise, you take over every cinema in the square (Top Gun deserved it though, imo). Interestingly, both premieres were in different locations this week, and neither were Leicester Square. Anyway, let?s kick off with?
Tár
As always, if you like a visual accompaniment, you can see my TikTok video of this premiere with the review here. The trailer is also here.
This was at Picturehouse Central, a very intimate venue on Shaftesbury avenue (that does monthly dog-friendly screenings) with very little road space surrounding it, which I thought was an interesting choice for a premiere. Of course, trying to get in was chaos as the cinema is on a corner with a thin stretch of pavement on either side, which was covered with either tourists, passersby who were rubbernecking or genuine fans of Cate et al. They had done a great job of transforming the inside, with a small red carpet at the entrance that extended to the back of the building. Cate and the rest of the crew arrived promptly, and she glided past us (for the first time that evening) in a whirlwind of purple shimmer. I did feel bad for her fans who were waiting for her as she was outside for all of 3 seconds before being ushered in due to the lack of space. Once in, we collected our official tickets and were taken upstairs to a drink reception where there was some wonderful live classical music and very strong cocktails. After deciding the cocktails were far too strong for a nearly 3-hour film, we switched to champagne and took a glass into the screening with us. I was seated on the end, which meant when Todd (the director) and all the following actors and actresses went on stage to speak, they had to walk directly past me so closely I could smell them (not in a weird way, I promise). I nearly cried when Cate came back up the aisle and made direct eye contact with me. Todd gave a very awkward and rambling speech (good director, not a great public speaker), and with that, the film began. If you don?t follow me on IG, I like to do bullet point film reviews, 1) due to lack of space, and 2) so it?s more digestible than a rambling essay.
When the film ended, Henry and I did turn to each other and say, ?what the fuck just happened??. The last 15 minutes are a whirlwind of crocodiles, vomit and video games that seem as though they are part of an entirely different film (not even an exaggeration, all of these things do happen). It is a film that requires multiple watches and lots of chronic overthinking, as it?s very nuanced in its messages. I can see why that isn?t for everyone, but if you?re ready to chronically overthink and fight with yourself, this one is for you! In all seriousness, though, it?s definitely worth a watch just for Cate alone. Now onto something far more upbeat?
Babylon
I can?t upload videos here so please excuse the fact that these are blurry screenshots from said videos
Trailer here (although it doesn?t do it justice). The dress code for this premiere was ?decadent?. Understandably this could be interpreted in many ways (furs? silks? sparkles? floor-length gowns? a giant gateau??). However, one thing was clear; this film was going to be excessive. This one was held at the BFI IMAX, which initially didn?t make much sense, but now I see why it was the perfect location. You have to essentially go ?underground? to access the front of the cinema, and the glitz and the glamour of the premiere was held against the backdrop of a graffitied bridge and damp, urine-stained alleys. Undeniably fitting for the film. We collected our tickets from a small tent at the top of the bridge before trotting down the steps (perfect for my stupid heels) and onto the carpet. We veered left, where we were greeted by two scantily clad people who pulled back heavy curtains and led us through a smoky room filled with dancers, more half-naked people, and a lot of lights and sounds. We were led out to the other side, where people were waiting behind barriers. That?s one bit I?ve always found a bit daunting about premieres. Walking along a red carpet with loads of eyes on you when you?re a complete nobody is hard enough; I couldn?t imagine how overwhelming it is for the actual celebrities who have people screaming their names, shoving memorabilia for them to sign in their faces and having cameras and microphones on them at every angle.
Once we were in, we were greeted with a table of espresso martinis, women in cocktail glasses, and a Babylon photobooth. When we went to find our seats, we just saw empty floor space because, for some reason, someone had physically removed our two chairs. The thing that upset me the most was the prospect that we wouldn?t get the seat snacks I could see on the other chairs, but luckily they moved us to two seats that actually existed fairly promptly. We had some boujie oat milk chocolate bar, an equally boujie packet of crisps, a can of water, and this mango alcoholic seltzer which was the most delicious thing ever, so Henry and I took note of the brand so that we could order some once we got home. Before we knew it, Damien Chazelle, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Diego Calva and Li Jun Li were in front of us. I am a huuuuge Damien fan, so seeing him in the flesh was a little overwhelming (far more so than seeing Brad, weirdly). I was dubious about Babylon due to its shitty marketing and advertising, as well as the mixed reviews I had read, but I kept my faith in Damien, and I am SO glad I did. This film BLEW ME AWAY. I?ve been listening to the score for the last few days. I?ll give you my IG bullet point review before I go into more detail.
When I think about my favourite films of all time and what criteria they need to fulfil, I think of the following; how does it make me feel? How does it make me think? How many times could I rewatch it? Damien Chazelle’s films make me want to dive into the world and the characters he?s created, and Babylon is no different. Yes, it is full-on, yes, it is an assault on the senses, and yes, it is LOOOONG (not that it feels it at all), so I understand why it?s not for everyone. However, it is impossible not to notice the love and devotion that has gone into it. You know how there?s nothing more intoxicating than listening to someone who is really passionate about a subject? All of Damien?s films are like that, and Babylon is one big, fat love letter to film and how it makes us feel. Every performance is phenomenal, and this was my first time seeing Diego Calva, and wow, he is mesmerising. At its core, Babylon is a film about a group of people in the 1920s who meet at a huge house party. They are all either in the entertainment industry or aspire to be in the industry, and after their paths cross at this one raucous party (which is also the 30-minute-long opening party scene), their lives change forever. Diego Calva plays the central character that binds everyone together, and I?d argue that he is actually the lead in this. We follow them over the years and see how each of them is impacted by the film industry going from silent to ?talkies?. If you love La La Land and Whiplash (and just Damien in general), you won?t struggle with this at all. If you don?t know much about him or his films, the below Letterboxd review sums it up nicely.
BEAUTY
So far this year, I?ve found myself getting into the rhythm of sitting with my huge Athena planner every morning, armed with a hot drink and breakfast, and planning everything I would like to achieve for the day, week and month ahead. A side effect of this newfound organisation has resulted in me booking a lot of the ?beauty maintenance? I?d been putting off for so long, all in January. I thought for the sake of transparency and information, this ?maintenance? might be helpful to share with you all, especially for anyone curious about what some beauty treatments actually entail.
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Botox with Dr Sepi at Dr Tatiana?s Clinic – When I first dabbled with botox, I made the error of not picking the correct practitioner. I didn?t realise (as a mixed raced woman) that everything about the structure of my face was different, and therefore, with something like botox, my treatment had to be approached differently. I only came to learn this when I found Dr Sepi, and I told her about my previous botox stories, and, ever since I?ve been with her, I have never had an issue with my treatments. I used to get botox brow lifts to try and lift my hooded eyes and make myself look more awake, but a combination of age and weight loss has actually remedied this, so now I tend to focus on a small amount in my forehead and a little under the arches of the eyebrows. I do also get botox in my masseter to remedy my TMJ, but this is something I have every six months. I try and take a preventative approach to aesthetics, so I often let Dr Sepi guide me with the amounts or whether the treatment I want is necessary at all.
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Composite Bonding Correction with Dr Sepi at Sonria Dental – Did I also mention that Dr Sepi was my dentist too? (loooool). I think this is what makes her so great when it comes to injectables because, as a dentist, she already knows the underlying structure of the face and all the nerves and muscles. Annywaaayy, I had Invisalign 4 or 5 years ago at another dentist, and as part of my package, I was given composite bonding to even out the shape of any teeth that were a little janky. At the time, I told the dentist to keep my teeth the same size and shape as they were naturally. However, over the years, I have come to regret this as two of my front teeth are shorter than the rest, and seeing as I now spend a lot of time filming myself, I notice this very small issue daily. I?ve been telling Dr Sepi I?d come to her and have this fixed for over two years now, so I?m glad it?s finally happening next week.
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Fat Freezing at Dr Tatiana?s Clinic – You?ll notice a reoccurring theme here where, if I like and trust a clinic or individual, I will go to them for everything. I?ve never tried any sort of fat freezing properly before, but I?d been saying I wanted to try it on my arms for a while. Even if I?m at my lowest weight or my fittest, it?s a stubborn area that never seems to be affected by diet or training. Admittedly, this is me being hyper-critical of myself, and it?s not a necessary treatment, but I also have a morbid fascination with all things beauty related, and I am willing to try most things once. My first session is also next week, and I hope in a few weeks, I can give you the results to let you know whether it?s worth your money or not.
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PRX-T33 Peel at Dr Tatiana?s Clinic – This is an unbelievable peel, but it is aggressively strong and will have your face peeling for a week afterwards. However, after that? GLOWING. I?ve been meaning to have this done for the better part of a year now, but the peeling face situation never worked with my weird schedule, and the last thing I wanted was to be flaking at an event or meeting. As I?m getting older, though, I want to try and do as much for my skin as possible, so I?m attempting to make this as regular as possible.
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Haircut & Colour with Amie & Zach at Adem – SO, my colourist, Amie, texted me two weeks ago to say she has now moved salons. Of course, I will follow her to the ends of the earth, so I will be trying this salon for the first time. Zach has also moved from the salon I used to go to, and he has cut my hair before (thank god), so I?m not going to have to trust a complete stranger with it. Weirdly, I get my hair coloured more than I do cut (I probably have a haircut three times a year??), but with Chinese New Year coming up, I wanted it done ASAP (more on that later). I?ve been growing my hair out due to my fringe being far too big, so now I?m ready to have something fun done. I still can?t decide what, though. My current inspo for cut/colour is this, this and this.
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Eyebrow Lamination at Iris Avenue – I haven?t booked this in, but it?s another one of those things I?ve wanted to try for ages. Does anyone have any experience with this? Worth it? Not worth it? Should I do it anyway so I can be the guinea pig??
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Morpheus8 RF at Dr Tatiana?s Clinic – This is another one that I haven?t booked yet, but I?ve been mulling over for a year or so now. It?s expensive and painful, but apparently excellent at tightening and brightening the skin by stimulating the production of new collagen. By the sounds of things, it?s a very intense form of microneedling, and it can be used anywhere and to treat all manner of things. I?ll keep you guys updated if and when I decide to try it.
LUNAR NEW YEAR
Even though the Lunar New Year is next Sunday, by the time that newsletter goes out, it will be too late to tell you about some of the prep and the traditions followed in the run-up! This year is the year of the rabbit (if you?re not sure what your Chinese Zodiac is, you can check this chart), and traditionally, New Year?s Eve and Day are reserved for celebrating with family. There are a few things you can do in the run-up to the New Year to ensure health, happiness and prosperity for the year ahead.
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Deep Clean – From the 14th (aka yesterday), it?s important to do a deep and thorough clean of your living space. Be sure to emphasise dusting/sweeping/hoovering as this encourages ridding old, stagnant energy from the previous year and starting fresh for the New Year.
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SHOPPING, SHOPPING AND MORE SHOPPING – This is the equivalent to the run-up to Christmas, where it?s the time to buy food, decorations, and new clothes. Be sure to buy things with lots of colours, especially red, as the myth goes that the colour red scares off the lion-like monster that brings bad luck and bad energy.
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Decorate – As said above, it?s common to decorate with reds (everything from lanterns to paper cutouts), but in some places, flowers and fruit are popular, so use this as an excuse to buy yourself a nice bouquet or a fun fruit tree! You can try these lovely little red paper lanterns, or if you want something more subtle, you can hang these Red Knot Tassels from door handles or coat hooks. When Henry and I have had small celebrations with friends at home in the days following, we?ve gifted Chinese Fortune Coins in these Red Silk Packets.
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Buy Food Wisely – When you?re doing your food shopping in the lead-up to the new year, it?s important to know that different foods have different meanings. Lucky foods include; dumplings (these bring wealth), steamed fish (for prosperity), whole chicken (for luck) and noodles (for longevity). This article goes into it in much more detail!
On New Year?s day (January 22nd), there are a few important things to avoid. Haircuts, scissors, or anything that requires a cutting action are thought to lead to ?misfortune?. It?s also important to not wash your hair or your clothes as this can lead to literally ?washing away one?s fortune?. Don?t clean your house; specifically, don?t sweep as you are sweeping away your wealth. No porridge or meat for breakfast (save your full English for another day), and should you happen to be engaging in some red packet swapping, try not to give money in odd amounts or anything with a 4 or 40 in it (the word for ?four? sounds like ?death?, which is pretty bleak). Another tough rule is to not wear black or white, which is a significant component of my wardrobe, so I will have to treat myself to a new red jumper in the next few days. Be sure to spend time with your family and loved ones and indulge in as much eating, drinking and merriment as possible! If you want some films to watch in the run-up to Chinese New Year, please let me recommend the following;
WATCH, READ, LISTEN
Here are a few pieces of media I’ve been enjoying this week…
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I?ve somehow managed to embed a whole Youtube video that I can?t remove, so let?s start with that. The below roundtable is one of the best lineups I?ve ever seen. The incredible respect they have for each other and their craft is mesmerising. I also love hearing Ke talk about his journey in the industry. I LOVE HIM SO MUCH.
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If you want to read aaaalllll of the 2022 Awards Season Screenplays, they are available to read here! (pretty fucking cool)
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The Babylon score. Which then lead me to relisten to the La La Land score. Which then weirdly led me to relisten to the Elements album, by Ludovico Einaudi.
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Ke Huy Quan?s acceptance speech for Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes – TEARS
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ScreenRant discussing why the latest Avatar film proves that the box office is broken. On that note I recently learned that M3GAN made more at the box office on their opening weekend than Babylon which is?really something.
And that?s all from the eleventh issue of The Rhubarb Society! Please feel free to leave your comments/questions/concerns in the comments below, via email or in my DMs. If there?s anyone you think would be an excellent fit for The Rhubarb Society, please do extend the invitation below.
With love,
Tamsin & Rhubarb
xoxo
