NCWITB: Jason Segel is What's RIGHT About Our Generation

I just returned home from seeing The Muppet's and I have to say, I loved every minute of it. I cried in the beginning, I laughed all the way through, and that catchy tune---- "Life's A Happy Song"--- was hummed all the way through the parking lot (can we believe it was written by the guy from Flight of the Conchord's? Added bonus!)

The Muppet's, brought to us by resident funny man Jason Segel, was a nostalgic trip down memory lane. Before seeing the film, I heard mixed reviews from my friends...some loved it, but some felt as if it should have been more. Newer. A more "forward" story than the recycled old memories of Muppet's past. To these people I say: nobody cares what I think, but... shut the fuck up! Jason Segel's Muppet vision is what is RIGHT about our generation. It wasn't intended to be something new... I don't even think it was supposed to be for kids... he meant for it to be for us.

And when did our collective us become so critical? We're the kids in America! We drank Surge after ice skating practice while wearing scrunchies for God-sakes. We were and are THE generation for not being self conscious about looking completely ridiculous. The neon. The overalls. The Corey's! Think about some of your favorite movies... The Goonies... Back to the Future... these are not to be judged based on the standards of today, and I would argue they aren't meant to be judged by any standards at all. Nobody in their right mind would judge a movie like Clueless by the same guidelines of say... Schindler's List, and those who would live in a world like this have been working 9-to-5 for way too long (and NOT the awesome Dolly Parton version.)

I get it. The bills are piling up. Trust me, if anyone knows what it means to be cynical about the state of their life it's me... but Jason Segel knew exactly what would cheer us up: grabbing a bag of popcorn, turning off our iPhone's, and being transported... not forward, but backward... to a time when everything was easier, and cheaper, and a lot less stressful. (A time that included breakout musical numbers and the greatest thing of all: unapologetic cheesiness.)

31 year old Segel has given us a gift here. While it's true he didn't really give us something NEW, he did something just as important... he gave us something back. Do NOT get me wrong: as we sit in our cubicle's, angrily updating our Facebook status about the terrible service we got at Starbucks, we are completely allowed have whatever awful adult feelings we feel like having... we've earned it! 25-35 years of being pushed around has given us the right. But I urge you, no.. I BEG you... to let yourself get whisked away by The Muppets. The movie may not be something you haven't seen before, but chances are, it's something you haven't had the money or energy to experience in a long, long time.

Jason and I seem to agree; from time to time, if you allow yourself, going backward can be totally bitchin'.

NCWITB: Joshua McKinley Will Change the World (Or At Least Your Closet)

 

I have been a huge Project Runway fan since the very first season. It's a show that has a special place in my heart because it beings my friends together every week and gives us something we can all talk about together. Every season provides us with an amazing group of talent to choose from, and every year there are contestants that push the envelope... both with their designs, and with their attitudes. For season 9, the clear front runner when it comes to personality is 25 year old fashion week finalist Joshua McKinley. Nobody cares what I think, but... I honestly believe Josh will not only shake up with world of high fashion, but his looks will be in our closets in  no time. Here's my proof:

My favorite Project Runway designer of all time was Season 4 winner Christian Siriano. Deemed the fashion wunderkind from the beginning, Siriano could whip out an amazing design almost as fast as he could spit out a sassy comeback. Having brought "fierce" and "die over it" back into our vocab, viewers rooted for Christian whether they loved him or hated him. Much like Joshua McKinley, his designs were often overworked, over-designed, and definitely quite often over the top... however... the judges took a chance on him and he ended up creating a runway show to die for (sorry, to die over) as well as a successful commercial career. 

With this support behind him I know that McKinley will do the same thing. He's got the same cutting attitude as Christian, and he has the thing that I feel is most important when it comes to fashion: he as a person is just as memorable as his clothes. Middle Class Fashionistas (MCF's) shell out the big bucks for big designers we've heard of, simple as that. My closet is filled with pieces I've starved to afford by designers such as Michael Kors, Diane Von Furstenburg, Betsey Johnson, and Calvin Klein. What do these people have in common besides their impeccable creations? They are all icons. Christian Siriano is trailblazing his way right on to that icon list, and I have no doubt that prancing right behind him will be Project Runway Season 9 finalist Joshua McKinley.

Those of us who donate our miniscule paychecks to fashion are having our moment in the sun. Thanks to Target's HUGE success with their new philosophy of bringing high end fashion to the mainstream (hello, Missoni merger!) I know that the time has come in which the voice of MCF's will be heard louder than ever. Credit has to be given to Siriano for creating looks that we can actually achieve. Having collaborated with Payless, Victorias Secret, BlueFly.com, Starbucks, and even O-Cel-O sponges... Siriano is doing his part to put high fashion into every day diva's hands.

If God is on our side, "Joshua McKinley for Target" will have a nice ring to it.. and because of his ability to be over the top while also being wearable, I think Josh will follow in Christian's footsteps and find his way into our studio apartment's already over stuffed closets. He doesn't necessarily need to be #1 to achieve these things, but with a Project Runway win under his belt there is no doubt that we'll be washing our dishes with McKinley designed sponges by this time next year.

Follow Josh on Twitter @JMcKinleyNYC
Follow Christian on Twitter @csiriano

A NCWITB Movie Review: Horrible Bosses

 

Is your boss a complete psycho? Let's face it: he probably is. Everyone day dreams of a world without them, and in the new movie Horrible Bosses they set out to get rid of theirs for good. A story of 3 friends who work for 3 awful people, the amount of star power packed into one unassuming movie is amazing. As a comedy, Horrible Bosses has a lot to offer, but it's biggest draw may be what it lacks: (the things that have seemed to ruin every movie as of late): poop/puke humor and a lack of heart.

Unlike the ever popular The Hangover, Horrible Bosses delivers a buddy comedy about friends you can actually tell have each others best interest in mind. A tight night group of guys that at times are goofballs, but at others are actual serious about their jobs. The underlying point of the whole movie is that none of them actually want to be half-assed workers, or quitters (Office Space style.) You care for these guys, and even though they are plotting murder, you kinda hope that they win in the end.

And of course there are laughs. Lots of them, actually. The funniest moments come from the little things: under the breath comments, and quick banter that is over before you have realized how funny it really is. A movie of one-liners that is actually driven by a plot with a beginning, middle, and end. The comparison can be made to The Hangover, but only because it is a funny movie starring men: Horrible Bosses is a much wittier, smarter comedy. In the end, they do win, they are the heroes and they do it all without even have to.... well... I'll let you see it for yourself.

Jason Bateman is sexy as usual (if you're into that polo-shirt-wearing-good-guy thing), and Jennifer Aniston is GORGEOUS as a brunette. This movie has everything you are hoping for, and if you see it in the movie theater like I did, you get the added bonus of 2 hours of air conditioning.

4.5/5 stars based on the fact that it blows The Hangover out of the water. Don't listen to the bad reviews, see the movie and decide for yourself.

Have you seen Horrible Bosses and agree/disagree with me? Comment and let me know!