My Week With Marilyn

Starring Michelle Williams and Eddie Redmayne
Directed by Simon Curtis

Since the winter weather has well and truly set in, a Monday night escaping the bustling city streets to run to the cinema seems the best way to spend your free time. My Week With Marilyn is definitely an indulgent Christmas treat. A period drama full of lavish sets of English gardens and quaint countryside homes, all paints a wonderful backdrop for the equally beautiful Michelle Williams (Marilyn Monroe).

This famously British star cast, offers an insight to the missing week in Marilyn’s diary when she spent her time romping around the countryside, skinny dipping in lakes with Colin (Eddie Redmayne), a lowly third assistant director. This film really demonstrates the cracks in her personality and dependence on drugs, illustrating the woman behind the photographs.

The spotlight may always be on her, but you can live her international starlet lifestyle without harming the planet. Naturally the stunning starlet would need some time at her dressing table getting dolled up, but you better be using energy saving lightbulbs! We dread to think what the electricity bill would be like without them. Taking a Traincation like Audrey Tatou is a far more elegant way to travel than flying, and you won’t end up drying out your skin with re-circulated plane air either. And if you want to make a fashion statement like the glamourous Marilyn, try out the Fashion Conscience website – it’s full of gorgeous and unique designs that are also green.

Check out the trailer for My Week With Marilyn here…

Which movie would you like to make a bit more green? Let us know in the comments box below or have a chat with us on Twitter @global_cool…

Pic: Cea. (CC)

By Emily Rycroft

When we first heard about Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s new movie Premium Rush we were very excited – an entire movie based around cycling is long overdue after too many generic fast-car films. Even though the trailer includes some very cool shots of cycling in New York city and a few awesome bike tricks, we can’t help but feel the movie promotes the misconception of cyclists as aggressive, dangerous and irresponsible on the roads. The trailer even features one of the cast smashing off a taxi wing mirror after being cut up. In fact, Gordon-Levitt had to get over 30 stitches in his arm after hitting a taxi window during a stunt – a bit too much action if you ask us! We prefer our bikers to be practical (or female and a little more scantily clad).

Check out the trailer yourself…

Or if you want to see something a bit more realistic, here’s our video of our editor cycling through Hyde Park dressed as Lady Gaga…

Tell us what you think in the comments box below or on Twitter @global_cool…

Pic: PA Images

By Emily Rycroft

It’s not often we see movie watching as cool as this. Films on Fridges is an outdoor cinema made entirely from discarded refrigerator doors. It has popped up near the 2012 Olympic Park and will be showing a whole host of classic sporting movies from Rocky to Cool Runnings.

We’re sure some people will go to the festival just for the bizarre idea of seeing a film on a fridge, but its organisers hope that visitors will leave with a better awareness of east London.

“We wanted Films on Fridges to be a playful, creative but also educational installation,” says architecht student Emma Rutherford. “There will be people who come to see a film who never knew about the fridge mountain, so even if this switches a light bulb on in people’s heads and makes them more aware that would be good – so long as it’s an energy-saving light bulb.”

The fridges were collected from Sims Recycling Solutions, who transported 150 fridge doors from Newport to London.

You can find out what’s on here then book your tickets online through WeGotTickets or even volunteer for the scheme.

Will you be going? Tell us what you think in the comments box below…

By Emily Rycroft

He said he’d be back, and now he is. Arnold Schwarzenegger has said “hasta la vista, politics” and is returning to the world of film to star in Western movie The Last Stand.

As Governor of California for the last few years Arnie did take some small steps toward making the world a greener place, in particular by supporting an ambitious climate change law in 2006 – evidence that all those green berets he ate for breakfast in Commando did him some good!

We’re hoping Arnie will now follow in the footsteps of some of his super cool celeb friends like Leo DiCaprio, and continue supporting green – this time in film. Leo asked for solar panels to power the entire film set of Inception, and if you’ve seen the stunts and elaborate sets, you’ll know this was no easy feat.

He could even just incorporate some green behaviours into movies like fellow action star Tom Cruise. Mr Katie Holmes was spotted zooming around in a BMW’s i8 plug-in Hybrid sports car in the filming of Mission Impossible film: The Ghost Protocol.

Arnie’s new film is pretty low budget so that in itself is an incentive to be less wasteful with the stuff they use to make it.

A spokesperson for the company making the film said: “It’s an old-fashioned western specifically designed for a 63-year-old broken-down guy with a moral decision – whether Arnold decides to stand up for his town. We always needed an iconic figure for it.”

We’re not sure how solid Arnie’s moral decisions are at the moment after that secret love child scandal, but we can’t wait to see him back on the big screen, hopefully doing the green thing.

What do you think about Arnie’s return? We want to hear about it in the comments box below or on Twitter @global_cool…

We’re always on the look out for the good, the bad and the ugly in celebsville. But unlike most of the celebrity rags, we’re more concerned with who’s using their canvas bag at the supermarket than who’s been spending a little bit too much quality time with the botox needle. And what better way to put them to rights than by playing our favourite TV show, Snog Marry Avoid…

Snog
OMG! He is hunky and one of the sexiest men alive! You can see him playing the superhero in Green Lantern and being generally irresistible in The Prososal. We are talking about hotty Ryan Reynolds who just teamed up with Nissan to promote their electric car, Nissan Leaf, and healthy ways of living (running, cycling, yoga). Anyone volunteers to cuddle our green superhero?!

Marry
She’s attractive and beautiful. She’s one of the most famous and glamourous actresses in Hollywood. Cate Blanchett has played everyone from Queen Elizabeth to Bob Dylan (!) onscreen, but her biggest role yet is as an environmentalist. She  installed solar power rooftops at her theatre company (The Sydney Theatre Company) and has proposed reusing rainwater, just like she does at home. She’s now campaigning to promote taxing big polluters in Australia. She also raises awareness of global poverty.

Avoid
It’s Trump time again… the guy who failed the run to become American president and who loves golf at all costs, even putting the natural animal life in danger! We just found out that the dunes and beaches where he’s going to build a golf resort is home to  Scotland’s rarest birds, some are even endangered species. Locals are up in arms but the Scottish government doesn’t seem worried at all!

Thoughts? There’s a comments box below…

By Emily Rycroft

If you’re feeling a bit blue this Monday morning with the wedding of the decade over and no more lovely short working weeks for a while, don’t despair. Escape to another continent without even leaving Europe with an African-inspired Traincation to Cozes…

What’s on?
The 21st edition of Festival Plein Sud will come to Cozes again this year, paying homage to African culture and heritage. The festival allows free expression for speakers who can tell us about the realities of their countries. Once a year this small French village is taken over by sand, camels and African drums to celebrate everything about this great continent. By day explore the African markets selling traditional wares and crafts. Or visit the Animation village for camel training and to watch the fantastic belly dancing show.

In the evening be inpsired by the artistic fashion shows, followed by Faso Denya‘s ‘New Generation’, a fantastic display of dancing and drumming. The Cinema South Festival will be playing a series of short films by African directors too.

Continues below…

PROMOTION

Fancy seeing Kasabian, Plan B, Arctic Monkeys and loads more fantastic acts at an amazing European music festival this summer? We’re giving two Global Cool fans the chance win a Traincation for you and a friend to Gurten Music Festival in Bern, Switzerland from July 13-18.

Getting there
There are two routes to Bordeaux from London. You can either travel via Paris or take the slightly easier route passing through Lille. Board the 5.04pm Eurostar to Lille station and sink back in your seat with a nice glass of wine. Upon arrival, stop for a quick bite at Lille station at Pain a la Ligne, right next to the ‘London Welcome Kiosk’. They serve great sandwiches and a decent cup of coffee too. Once you are fully refueled it is an easy same station change for the connecting train to Bordeaux. The nearest station to Cozes is Saujon, around 2 hours from Bordeaux. The journey into Saujon is beautiful; keep your eyes open for the picturesque port of Ribérou, where the sunset bounces off the water.

Traincation tip
We have discovered the swiss-army knife of electronics. Presenting the Ventus Eco Media Player: Listen to all your favourite music, watch movie clips, access radio stations, browse your photo albums and read text files – all without the need for external power or batteries! This innovative MP3 also has an integrated emergency phone charging function and a built in torch. Wind it up for one minute to get 45 minutes of power.

Bang for your buck
You can book a combined Eurostar and TGV ticket from £109 pp return. Sometimes it may be cheaper to easier to book each leg of the journey separately, with the £69 Eurostar deal and an uber-cheap Prems Fare starting from £19 single.

What do you think of our Traincation Inspiration this week? Let us know on Twitter @traincation or in the comments box below…

• Kate Winslet donates her dress to charity, via @ecorazzi
• Prince William and Kate Middleton to use horse-drawn carriage on wedding day, via @ecorazzi
• Lily Cole shows how to be green whatever your budget, via Daily Mail
• 11 ways to take dogs on bikes, via @treehugger
• Earth Hour 2011 – the new iPhone app, via @altcon
• Go green by reading ebooks, via Holy Kaw
• Seven funny green TV adverts, via @treehugger
• New eco trailer helps movie stars go green, via @ecorazzi

Seen a cool green story? Let us know on Twitter @Global_Cool or in the comments below…

By Emily Rycroft

With all the hype over Black Swan and The King’s Speech coming to an end, and Battle: Los Angeles getting such awful reviews, why not get back to basics with the Hammer House of Horrors film festival. Whether you fancy sinking your teeth into Dracula or you want to bring to life your love for Frankenstein, this is a film fest not to be missed by any avid movie buff. And what better way to get there than taking a mini Traincation to Paris…

What’s on?
Get ready to scare yourself silly at the In the Night of Hammer 17-day film festival, celebrating the work of Hammer Studios. The festival will run until March 27 and will be screened in the breathtaking Musee d’Orsay(pictured above right). Hammer Studios is famous for its revival of 19th century Gothic horror, producing horror films from classic stories in colour and with realistic gore. Their films resurected the famous Gothic monsters from the novels of Mary Shelley, Bram Stoker, Arthur Conan Doyle and Robert Louis Stevenson. In 1957, The Curse of Frankenstein recieved enormous international success, followed the next year by The Horror of Dracula. Hammer has continued to produce successful horror adaptations for years, including The Two Faces of Dr Jekkyl and The Lady Vanishes. And now you have a chance to see them all again. With 15 film screenings in a stunnning location, settle down with some popcorn and prepare to be scared!

Fancy seeing Kasabian, Plan B, Arctic Monkeys and loads more fantastic acts at an amazing European music festival this summer? We’re giving two Global Cool fans the chance win a Traincation for you and a friend to Gurten Music Festival in Bern, Switzerland from July 13-18.

Getting there
Take the Eurostar with a twist: spend the journey in the bar coach learning The Art of Conversation. Once off the Eurostar make your trip a little bit different by hiring a bike to get around. Like the Boris bikes, Vélib’ is a self service bike hire system in Paris available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Pick up a bike at the Gare du Nord bike station and spend the day sailing around like Almira Gulch in the Wizard of Oz. Later you can drop the bike at any other stand in Paris when you’re finished with it.

Traincation tip
Get yourself in the mood for horror. Take a copy of Dracula or Frankenstein along for the ride, settle down in the bar coach and try to convince yourself that the man in the corner looks nothing like Christopher Lee.

Bang for your buck
You probably already know how much we love Eurostar’s £69 deal from London to Paris. But did you know you can get some great deals on Parisian hotels if you combine your rail travel and accomodation with Eurostar. Find out how much you could save here.

Been Traincationing recently? Tell us about it in the comments box below or on Twitter @traincation…

By Emily Rycroft

Sick of being bombarded with Valentine’s Day advertising and overpriced romantic getaways? Or would you like to surprise your better half with a truly original weekend away? If mooning over each other in Paris is not for you, why not take a Traincation mini-break to Dublin…

What’s on?
The year of the rabbit is here and it’s time to celebrate with Dublin’s annual Chinese New Year festival. Ireland marks the 4709^thyear of the Chinese calendar with an incredible display of Chinese heritage and culture. Residents host vibrant street parades and the city provides an array of traditional entertainment.

This year also plays host to the first Dublin Chinese Film Festival from now until the February 14. The festival will include the world premier of Stephen Shin’s Blood Oath on February 13. Anyone wishing to escape the Valentine’s weekend madness will love getting their teeth into this epic creation. Rival generals struggle for power, brothers become enemies and only one man can become king in the end.

Make sure you check out the Kildare Village Retail Outlet for the flamboyant and lively lion dance displays and traditional Chinese kite making lessons. Pop into one of the many boutiques and restaurants for a free fortune cookie. The Chinese State Circus will also be performing in town from February 14-15. Their production of Mulan is a remarkable combination of accomplished acrobats (pictured), brilliant circus skills, Shaolin martial arts and physical theatre, complimented by the skilled harmony of the Peking Opera.

Fancy seeing Kasabian, Plan B, Arctic Monkeys and loads more fantastic acts at an amazing European music festival this summer? We’re giving two Global Cool fans the chance win a Traincation for you and a friend to Gurten Music Festival in Bern, Switzerland from July 13-18.

Getting there
The high-speed, modern train from London Euston to Holyhead departs at 9.10 am Monday to Friday or 8.50 am on Saturday (you can even grab yourself a free pair of headphonesfor the journey).

Settle down in a seat by the window and gaze upon the rolling fields of the northern countryside and the antiquated buildings of Chester. Keep your camera ready for some beautiful views of the Welsh coastline and the crumbling castle walls of Conway. Pulling into Holyhead you will catch a glimpse of the spectacular Snowdonia Mountains (pictured right).

The Irish Ferries Ulysses from Holyhead to Dublin Ferry Port is arguably one of the most lavish modes of transport into Ireland. The Ulysses leaves daily at 14.10 arriving in Dublin at 17.25. This cruise ferry boasts bars, restaurants, a children’s play-zone, boutiques and even an on-board cinema. Now you wouldn’t get all that on a plane! At 17.00 go up onto the deck and breathe in the sea air whilst soaking up the magnificent scenery of the Irish coastline. There is a regular bus service timed with the arrivals of the ferries to take you from the port into the city centre. A single costs only €2.50 and takes around 20 minutes. Find out more about times and fares here.

Traincation tip
Why not take along our resident bookworm Emma’s pick of the week Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go for the journey. She has all the best tips on how to Do It In Public. Read her review here.

Bang for your buck
Virgin offers a fantastic deal combining train and ferry for as little as £30.50 single. Also, children under 15 are entitled to a half price fare, and kids under 5 travel for free. Travelling in groups of three of more? Get a 10% discount on selected tickets with the Group-e discount.

Check out our previous Traincation to Dublin or tell us about your own eco-friendly adventures in the comments box below…

Global Cool is delighted to be working with the British Independent Film Awards to promote green living.

We were at the BIFA’s last night in London’s Billingsgate Market. You can check out all the winners here, see our photos and exclusive interviews with some of the stars below.

Over the coming year we will be working together to develop an initiative that will deliver essential advice and information to film makers on how they can harness the powerful influence of their films to inspire their audience to take positive steps towards a greener lifestyle.

In 2009, the UK Film Council reported that UK cinema attendance had reached a seven-year high, with 173.5 million box office admissions. We want to leverage the potential of that reach and empower film makers with the knowledge and insight that can make a real difference in helping to create a more environmentally friendly society.

This doesn’t mean developing films that specifically focus on the climate and sustainability agenda, but a more subtle approach that introduces green behaviours seamlessly within the narrative of the picture; for example by showing people riding bikes or simply recycling at relevant points within the film.

Continues below…

US television shows such as 10 Things I Hate About You and Desperate Housewives are great examples of this type of approach. With the women of Wisteria Lane regularly using shopping bags that carry the recycling logo, and the lead character in 10 Things…, Kat Stratford, running her car on vegetable oil. We are keen to see how we can translate this approach to the UK film industry.

Jointly, Global Cool and BIFA want to give film makers the necessary tools and insight to make these highly impactful decisions, and through the power of the screen, showcase the simple actions that individuals can take to live a greener lifestyle.

Look out for our activity over the coming year and if you are interested in being a part of this, please do get in touch. Together we can make a difference.

info@globalcool.org