Review: Uncanny Avengers Volume 1, The Red Shadow

In the wake of Professor Charles Xavier's death at the hands of the X-Man Cyclops, mutants are once again public enemy number one. With tensions between humans and mutants so high, the Avengers and the X-Men band together to create a new team of heroes dedicated towards improving the state of affairs between these two groups. Before they can even have their first meeting, they plunge head first into a battle against the deadly Red Skull.

Uncanny Avengers: The Red Shadow collects the first five issues of Uncanny Avengers, written by Rick Remender and illustrated by John Cassaday and Oliver Coipel.

Over the years, the Avengers have had a few mutants join their ranks. Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver, Firestar, Wolverine, and Storm have all been Avengers. However, there's never been a team that pulls members equally from both the Avengers and the X-Men. Remender's initial line-up here consists of Havok, Captain America, Thor, Scarlet Witch, Rogue, and Wolverine. It's a pleasantly well-rounded roster of A-listers (and Havok) with strong personalities and great abilities. He later expands the team to include Wasp, Wonder Man, and Sunfire. Sadly, with a roster of nine superheroes Remender failed to deliver diversity. Sunfire is the only non-white character present and the Uncanny Avengers come across as the White-Washed Avengers.

Lack of diversity aside, Remender delivers an incredibly thrilling story. Red Skull is a dangerous foe for this untested team to come up against and his hate-mongering motives make him a perfect fit to be an adversary for these heroes. The pace is on point and the action is unrelenting. On top of that, he manages to create plenty of great moments of character interaction. The conflict between Rogue and Scarlet Witch is catty, but is rooted in very real problems. Unsurprisingly, Rogue manages to be the standout character in these issues. Even though Remender is building Havok up to be the next Captain America, it is Rogue's signature sass that steals the spotlight. After playing the role of school marm for so long in the pages of X-Men Legacy, it's nice to see that bit of bad girl finally coming back in Rogue.

This is a great start to a promising series. Rick Remender is a very capable writer and is adept at creating fantastic character interaction. John Cassaday's art can be clunky and his women are more handsome than beautiful, but there is so much personality in what he draws. Oliver Coipel pencils the final issue in this collection which, sorry Cassaday, is a vast improvement over the first four issues. The expressiveness of his characters is so effective and his women are drop dead gorgeous. The only negative thing worth noting aside from the lack of diversity in Uncanny Avengers is that this trade ends on a cliffhanger! 

Rating: A-

Review: All-New X-Men Volume 1, Yesterday's X-Men

After the events of Avengers vs. X-Men, the X-Men are left shaken by Cyclops' corruption at the hands of the Phoenix Force. Beast is especially affected by the betrayal and manages to bring back the original five X-Men from the past in order to remind his fellow X-Man of just how much has changed.

All-New X-Men: Yesterday's X-Men collects the first five issues of the series, featuring writing by Brian Michael Bendis and art by Stuart Immonen.

As one of Marvel's premiere writers, Brian Michael Bendis has penned the adventures for the Avengers for years and All-New X-Men marks his foray into the world of the X-Men. The premise for the series is simple -- the X-Men of the past are brought to the present in order to right the wrongs Cyclops has committed. Stories involving time travel can be quite tricky and can add more confusion to an already complicated timeline. Thankfully, Bendis covers his bases by explicitly stating that the X-Men of the past will have their memories wiped by the Professor Xavier of their time, thereby removing their knowledge of the future. The only characters affected will be those in our present, which is exactly what Beast is hoping for.

As the X-Men of yesteryear deal with their new surroundings, Cyclops is busy recruiting new mutants to a school he is starting. This subplot seems a little out of place, but is quite obviously meant as an entry point into Bendis' run on Uncanny X-Men. The jury's also out on how interesting they will be, but each has potential.

The overall tone of the title is consistent and the story is quite interesting. The downside to all of this is that All-New X-Men has large quantity of characters. Bendis is clearly finding his feet with these issues, but he's also using one too many mutants right off the bat. The surplus of mutants limits his ability to portray them uniquely and give them each enough time to shine. That said, there are some characters that stand out. Kitty Pryde proves to be a scene stealer and teen Jean Grey has the strongest personality of the original X-Men. Beast is also given quite a bit of attention and is the character on which much of the action hinges upon. Unfortunately, he's nowhere near as likeable as the others. He's stubborn and short-sighted in his inability to accept the reasoning behind Cyclops' actions.

All-New X-Men is an action-packed, character-driven title. Stuart Immonen's art is jaw-dropping and is brimming with personality, adding to the overall sense of dynamism to this collection. However, this volume is not a self-contained story and requires quite a bit of working knowledge of the characters in order to understand what is going on. Additionally, its plot is almost entirely meant as a set-up for future issues and Bendis' work on Uncanny X-Men. That said, it's worth the read and is a promising start to the series.

Rating: B+

Review: Avengers vs. X-Men

With the cosmic entity known as the Phoenix Force hurtling towards the Earth, the world's most powerful superheroes find themselves at odds. Captain America and the Avengers seek to eradicate the Phoenix, while Cyclops and the X-Men welcome its arrival. Tempers flare as these superheroes do battle against one another, but which side will win?

Avengers vs. X-Men collects Avengers vs. X-Men #0-12, written by Brian Michael Bendis, Ed Brubaker, Matt Fraction, and Jonathan Hickman, with illustrations by John Romita Jr., Oliver Coipel, and Adam Kubert. This all-star cast promises to bring one of Marvel's most epic events to date. 

Much like Marvel's Civil War, Avengers vs. X-Men pits hero against hero. This time around, Marvel's two biggest franchise duke it out for supremacy. The source of this conflict comes in the form of the Avengers' and the X-Men's differing opinions on the Phoenix Force. The premise is promising as the Phoenix Force is ambiguous enough to create a schism between the two factions. The problem, however, is in the execution. For the most part, the majority of the characters come across as unlikable due to their Kanye West-sized egos. The Avengers especially come across as pig-headed and are in fact the instigators of the war between Earth's Mighest Heroes and Marvel's Merry Mutants. It's quite clear that they have limited experience with the Phoenix Force and, to make matters worse, they have shown a history of not getting involved with so-called "mutant issues." This makes them seem like they should step aside and allow the X-Men to handle the situation.

Despite the fact that each issue is attributed to a different writer, there is a remarkable consistency between each issue and it would be difficult to discern which writer wrote each issue. That said, the issues written by Brian Michael Bendis and Jason Aaron do tend to have a surplus of jokes in them. This creates an uneven tone that contrasts with the serious nature of the subject matter. 

Additionally, the combined efforts of these writers was not enough to save them from continuity errors. For long-time X-Men fans, this event is sure to make your blood boil with a rather glaring plot flaw. The entire conflict hinges upon the Phoenix Force and the fact that the Avengers believe it to be evil due to Jean Grey's supposed inability to control it. The Dark Phoenix Saga is referenced as an example of this. However, the real Jean Grey was NOT present during the Dark Phoenix Saga. That was a replica of the character and the real Jean was elsewhere at the time. As such, she did not commit suicide trying to save the world from the Phoenix Force. That was her replica. On top of that, Jean was able to control the Phoenix flawlessly in her later appearances. Did any of you guys read Grant Morrison's New X-Men run?!

Another issue Avengers vs. X-Men faces is in its art. The first handful of issues are taken care of by John Romita Jr. While his art works fantastically in non-event comics, the epic scale of this collection isn't suited to his talents. Similarly, Adam Kubert's art is plain and lazily drawn. It's especially frustrating since his art closes the collection. In this middle of all of this is Oliver Coipel's art. Coipel is honestly one of the greatest artists currently working in the industry and it would have been wise to have him draw the entire series. His pencils are crisp and expressive, and he knows how to set a scene in a way that is creative and dynamic.

In general, Avengers vs. X-Men is an admirable event title that features some of the best writers Marvel has to offer. The overall plot is strong, Coipel's art is gorgeous, and the action is thrilling. If that weren't enough, Jim Cheung's covers are breathtakingly beautiful. That said, the conflict is fairly superficial and the Avengers come across uniformly as a bunch of jerks. Essentially, the Avengers are the popular kids at school who are bullying the outcasts. Overall, not a good look for the Avengers. Lastly, there are a lot of characters present in this event and many go underused. Bendis and company would have done well to focus on the characters who have connections between the two teams. For example, rather than do an issue from Spider-Man's perspective it would have been more interesting to explore the story from Storm, Black Panther or Scarlet Witch's perspective. As one of Marvel's more divisive events, both X-Men and Avengers fans alike will find issues with this collection. Thankfully, the pulse-pounding action and colourful art should be enough to sway your opinion.

Rating: B+

Review: Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron, Volume 2

When Wolverine runs out of money to pay for the expenses to run the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning, he and Quentin Quire go on an intergalactic mission to secure more funding. Meanwhile back at home, Kitty Pryde finds herself mysteriously pregnant and the truth about her situation proves to be quite disturbing.

Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron, Volume 2 collects issues #5-8 of Aaron's run on Wolverine and the X-Men.

Let's get this out of the way, Jason Aaron's decision to violate Kitty Pryde's body as a plot device is disgusting and appalling. He essentially rapes the character with this unwanted pregnancy and spends three issues playing it for laughs as if it's somehow funny. It's not simply that it's an instance where a male writer shows a lack of respect for the female body, but it's also incredibly cliché. We've seen this plot device many times over in both comics and television (remember that episode of Angel where Cordelia ends up pregnant with demon spawn? Yeah, that episode was crap too). To make matters even worse, Aaron decides it's not enough to have Kitty's body invaded once without her consent so she is then pumped full of miniaturized X-Men in an attempt to (in essence) abort the pregnancy. It's a sickening storyline that would have only been slightly funny if it had happened to a male character instead.

Despite the ridiculous pregnancy plot, this collection does have some redeeming qualities. For one, the interactions between Wolverine and Quentin are priceless. They make a surprisingly good team and it helps to make Quentin that much more tolerable. Although, the scenes where we're supposed to believe Quentin intends to sleep with female aliens is a little bit of a stretch (I mean really, he looks like Tim Gunn with pink hair). The other great thing about this book is the further development of Broo, the Broodling with a conscience. His design is adorable and he easily stands as the most well-written character in this collection. Aaron's exploration of morality and how much of that is innate works well for Broo's character. Can a species so deadly truly be saved of its baser impulses?

Much like the first volume of Jason Aaron's run on Wolverine and the X-Men, this trade paperback is equally as good as it is bad. The scenes with Wolverine and Quentin Quire are amusing, but the gross-out moments involving Kitty Pryde's pregnancy are incredibly inappropriate and gratuitous. Aaron's lack of respect towards the female body haunts these issues and shows a lack of sensitivity towards unwanted pregnancy (and the affect pregnancy has on a woman in general). For that reason, this makes the narrative nearly unbearable. What is most regrettable, however, is that the ultra-talented Nick Bradshaw was responsible for the art in the issues in question. His pencils are fantastic, so it's disappointing that they're wasted on such bile. For the most part, I suggest avoiding this collection altogether. It's cliché and shows a serious lack of innovation. If there's one thing comic book writers need to learn it's that pregnancy (especially unwanted pregnancy) is NOT a plot device. Treat your female characters and their bodies with respect, otherwise you end up veering into some very dangerous territory.

Rating: D

Review: X-Men - Legacy, Back to School

Having sided with Wolverine after Schism, Rogue and her team of X-Men become teachers at the Jean Grey School for Higher Learning in Westchester. Unfortunately, not everything is copacetic. The mutant extremist Exodus is unhappy with the recent division of the X-Men and has come to hold those responsible for the schism accountable. This, of course, means that he intends to kill Wolverine. It'll take Rogue and her X-Men to stop him before he can lay waste to the school.

Under previous writer Mike Carey's pen, X-Men: Legacy became Rogue's unofficial title. He transitioned the character from a reactionary superhero to a responsible teacher, giving her a purpose that she previously lacked. Christos Gage picks up where Carey left off fairly well. Rogue continues to be the focus of the book and her dedication to mentoring is as unwavering as ever. Even still, all is not well in Rogue's life. The schism has not only torn the X-Men apart, but it has created a rift between her and her then-boyfriend Magneto. While Gage uses the opportunity to superficially touch upon the difficulties of maintaining a long distance relationship, it gets watered down by the impositions of other characters. Most notably, Rachel Grey continually tries to tell Rogue how she is feeling and Wolverine questions Rogue's resolve by using her relationship as the chink in her armour.

Since Schism was largely branded as a conflict of ideologies, it's no surprise that there's a certain amount of finger pointing in terms of who is right and who is wrong. While Cyclops was faulted for his supposed extreme treatment of the new generation of mutants as soldiers, Gage accidentally presents Wolverine as the party that's in the wrong. For one thing, Wolverine's philosophy seems to be that the teenage mutants should be hidden away in a school and sheltered from conflict. When Exodus attacks the school, the student body are immediately evacuated into a shelter. What happens next is ultimately what undermines Wolverine's point of view. His X-Men ultimately fail to stop Exodus and are subsequently responsible for sending him towards their former home to destroy Cyclops. He then gets into a heated argument with Rogue and makes an ass of himself doing so. Following this, Exodus is swiftly defeated by Cyclops' students. If anything, their victory over Exodus merely proves that Wolverine is not capable of taking care of the next generation and also that his side lacks the power they need to protect their students.

Wolverine aside, the characters in X-Men: Legacy - Back to School are well-written and likeable. Rachel Grey fulfills the role of Rogue's friend remarkably well and works to challenge her complacency when it comes to Rogue's relationship with Magneto. The chemistry between Frenzy and Gambit is great as well. What's not so great is just how little we get to see of them in this collection. Their budding romance ultimately gets relegated to subplot status. Of course, Rogue is ultimately the star of the show here. For the most part, Gage understands the character and writes her fairly well. She could have been a touch sassier, but his decision to have her at odds with Wolverine was an excellent one. Even still, Rogue has quite clearly become a walking deus ex machina. In the two stories collected here, her powers prove to be too perfect and this makes the character prone to releasing all of the tension from conflicts like air being let out of a balloon.

For anyone who is a fan of Rogue, X-Men: Legacy - Back to School will not disappoint. She's the star of this book and is treated with the utmost respect. Gage's writing is consistent and his strong suit proves to be the interactions between the characters. David Baldeon's art is superb as well. He knows how to set a scene and his characters are dynamic. Rogue especially looks great under his pen. Additionally, Mark Brooks' covers are jaw-droopingly gorgeous and are an added bonus to this book. Even though Back to School may lack some of the epic feel of the other X-Men books, it does a good job of delivering a character-driven story and looks good while doing it.

Rating: B

Review: Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron Volume 1

In the wake of the schism that tore the X-Men apart, Wolverine and his allies return to New York to start a new school for mutants. Before class can even begin, the new Hellfire Club set their sights on Wolverine's school and make it their mission to bring the pint-sized mutant down.

Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron, Volume 1 collects the first four issues of Jason Aaron's run on the aforementioned title. It also features artwork by Chris Bachalo and Nick Bradshaw.

While Cyclops and his X-Men take a more proactive approach to fighting intolerance in the pages of Uncanny X-Men, Wolverine seeks to protect the younger generation through education. This creates an interesting contrast between the two books. Where writer Kieron Gillen fills Uncanny X-Men with action and superhero goodness, Jason Aaron provides a humorous and quirky tone for Wolverine and the X-Men. This breezy style makes it accessible and easy to read, especially for those who may not be overly familiar with the characters in the story. Unfortunately, the tone and context of the story is at odds with the essential mythology of the character of Wolverine.

Traditionally, Wolverine is a loner and possesses a notorious mean streak. Aaron veers away from this characterization and instead seeks to make him responsible. While it's true that Wolverine has been a mentor to many mutants over the years, it's strange to see him in a role typically reserved for Cyclops or Storm. It's as jarring as it is unbelievable. To make matters worse, Wolverine is not the only one suffering from poor characterization. With the exception of the uber cute Broo (honestly, best damn character in the book), the students are bland and lack depth. Kid Gladiator is one-note, Quentin Quire is the stereotypical anarchist, and Idie Okonkwo fills the role of both the token black character and the token girl character. Truth be told, at times Wolverine and the X-Men feels like The Breakfast Club with mutant powers.

While Aaron drops the ball with Wolverine and his students, he does a bang-up job with the senior staff. His writing of Kitty Pryde is on point and he clearly understands the tone of the character's voice. Similarly, Beast and Rachel Grey prove to be excellent additions to the cast. However, it is his treatment of Iceman that earns my respect. As many X-Men fans know, Iceman has regularly been relegated to background character status and rarely lives up to his potential. It's evident that Aaron is no longer interested in such treatment for the character and instead opts to portray him as the badass that he can be. Iceman's action sequence stands as one of the most memorable moments in this collection.

All in all, the first volume of Wolverine and the X-Men by Jason Aaron is a mixed bag. The tone is consistent and the story itself is really well-told. Unfortunately, Aaron shows a lack of consistency with the characters themselves. Many are painted with broad strokes, while others stand out for their multi-dimensionality. Additionally, the art proves to be disappointing. Chris Bachalo's style does not go well with the humorous tone of the book at all. If that weren't bad enough, his designs are unoriginal and the suit he gives Kitty for her appearances in the first three issues is horrendously outdated. He makes her look like a 40-year-old real estate agent for Heaven's sake! Nick Bradshaw's art in the final issue in this collection is a vast improvement over Bachalo's. It's crisp, clean, and full of life. He draws the characters well and his style meshes perfectly with the feel of the book. Another major issue I have with this trade paperback is just how chintzy it is. For the most part, trade paperbacks collect six issues of a comic book. Here, there are only four issues. As such, it's thin and ends rather abruptly. Despite its flaws, Wolverine and the X-Men is a perfect title for anyone looking for something quirky and different. It's also great for anyone who prefers a lighter tone to comic books.

Rating: B

Top 10: Most Stylish Characters in Movies

As a visual medium, film has become an outlet for costume designers to bring some of the most dazzling and inspiring ensembles to the masses. From haute couture to period clothing, these unsung heroes are responsible for transforming an actor into their character. As famed costume designer Edith Head once said, "What a costume designer does is a cross between magic and camouflage. We create the illusion of changing the actors into what they are not. We ask the public to believe that every time they see a performer on the screen, he's become a different person."

In honour of the incredible work done by these individuals, here are the top ten most stylish characters on film. Regardless of genre and profession, these ten ladies are a cut above the rest.

10. Sayuri

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

Spirited away from a life of poverty in a small Japanese village, the mononymous Sayuri is sold to a geisha house and is trained to be one of these enigmatic artisans. Driven by her desire to get closer to a mysterious businessman, Sayuri climbs her way to the top in the profession and becomes one of the most glamorous geisha in her town.

Ziyi Zhang is a vision of grace and elegance as Sayuri. She is draped in gorgeous silken fabrics and given intricate hairstyles in order to transform into the character. The art behind the kimono in the film is quite evident and the attention to detail rightly earned Colleen Atwood an Academy Award for her costume designs.

09. Eva Peron

Evita (1996)

Based off the life of the iconic Argentinian First Lady, Evita follows Eva Perón's Cinderella-like ascent from the lower classes to becoming the spiritual leader of Argentina. Much like Jackie O and Michelle Obama, Perón was known for her impeccable sense of style and this film lives up to her reputation.

Pop icon Madonna appears in a wide range of beautiful dresses and slick suits for this 1996 film. This transformation proved so successful that it earned the Queen of Pop a Golden Globe for her performance. Beyond that, Evita holds the distinction for being the film with the most costume changes (85 to be exact).

08. Cruella de Vil

101 Dalmatians (1996), 102 Dalmatians (2000)

This live-action remake of the classic Disney film and its sequel centred around Cruella de Vil, chronicling her pursuit to create clothing out of animal fur. In the first film she kidnaps the eponymous 101 dalmatians, while the second follows her adventures after being supposedly rehabilitated of her unusual obsession with animal skinning.

As one of her most iconic roles, Glenn Close vamps it up as Cruella de Vil in a wide range of wacky ensembles. She appeared in one-of-a-kind costumes designed by Anthony Powell, all of which featured crisp black and white palettes. Truthfully, being bad never looked so good.

07. Miranda Priesley

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

When a recent college grad secures a job as an executive assistant at a leading fashion magazine, she falls victim to the crazed demands of her boss from hell. The incomparable Meryl Streep appears as diva extraordinaire Miranda Priestley, who rules Runway Magazine with an iron fist and six inch pumps.

When you're playing Anna Wintour the editor of a major fashion magazine, expectations are high in terms of what you should look like. Thankfully, Patricia Field (of Sex and the City fame) was on hand to dress Meryl Streep in some of the finest outfits known to man. Nearly a decade later, Streep's Miranda Priestley is still as commanding and stylish as ever in her fierce power suits and silver asymmetrical bob.

06. Cleopatra

Cleopatra (1963)

While this historic epic may have been a box office disappointment, Cleopatra delivered some of the most stunning visuals ever seen on film. Elizabeth Taylor delivers a flawless performance as the fickle and enigmatic Egyptian ruler Cleopatra, while looking inhumanly beautiful doing it.

The Academy Award winning costumes Taylor wears in the film are exquisite. From the glistening gold headdress she dons during the Rome sequence to the figure-hugging dresses she wears around her palace, Cleopatra looks incredibly elegant and lives up to her status as a historic style icon.

05. Lorelei Lee

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)

This hilarious musical sees Marilyn Monroe playing the ditzy, money-hungry showgirl Lorelei Lee as she sails off to Paris with her best friend Dorothy Shaw. As one of Monroe's more recognizable performances, she appears in a variety of colourful costumes that establish her as the ultimate icon of glitz and glamour.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes was the third collaboration between Marilyn Monroe and costume designer Travilla. His designs for this film not only do an incredible job of showing off Monroe's curvaceous physique, but they also visually represent Lorelei as a character to a tee. She's decked out in sparkling jewels, colourful fabrics, and gorgeous gowns. This film also contains the famous "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend" sequence, wherein Monroe wears her iconic strapless pink dress while being lavished with jewels by her gaggle of back-up dancers.

04. Deena Jones

Dreamgirls (2006)

Set in the 1960s, Dreamgirls is a musical that tells the story of a girl group known as the Dreams' rise to fame and the conflicts that nearly break them apart. Beyoncé plays lead singer Deena Jones, who usurps the role from fellow bandmate Effie White (played by Jennifer Hudson). Her questionable acting talent notwithstanding, Beyoncé delivers her most memorable performance in this film and looks amazing doing it.

Since the costuming in this film is largely inspired by the Supremes, it's no surprise that Beyoncé appears in elegant evening gowns and stylish mini-dresses. Even though Destiny's Child the Dreams wear matching costumes, designer Sharen Davis managed to constantly make sure that Deena stood out. The characters solo sequences especially show her wearing ultra-glamorous ensembles, most notably during Deena's vanity photoshoot wherein she channels Grace Jones and Diana Ross.

03. Carrie Bradshaw

Sex and the City (2008), Sex and the City 2 (2010)

For six seasons, Sarah Jessica Parker dazzled audiences as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City. As a 30-something writer navigating the waters of sex and dating, Carrie used her signature wit and flare to deliver a weekly column detailing the romantic misadventures of her and her friends. On top of that, this charismatic journalist also happened to live and breathe fashion.

As Carrie Bradshaw, Sarah Jessica Parker introduced an entire generation of straight women and gay men to designer fashion through her role on the television series. Carrie was always fearless in her style choices, but it would be her leap to the big screen that would see her transformation into a more mature and elegant style icon. From the infamous Vivienne Westwood wedding gown to bedazzled harem pants, Carrie appeared in some pretty jaw-dropping ensembles for her appearances in the two Sex and the City films.

02. Satine

Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Set in turn of the century Paris, Moulin Rouge! tells the story of a struggling writer who falls in love with a courtesan played by Nicole Kidman. As Satine, Kidman delivers one hell of a performance by stretching just about every acting muscle possible by veering into drama and comedy with a musical slant. Beyond that, she's breathtakingly beautiful in this film and practically glows in just about every scene she's in.

Catherine Martin and Angus Strathie's Academy Award winning costumes are nothing short of brilliant. Kidman is ravishing in sparkling showgirl ensembles, intricate Hindu-inspired headdresses, and curve-hugging corseted dresses. Satine is one hell of a devastating diva that's for sure.

01. Holly Golightly

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

A 1961 adaptation of Truman Capote's novella of the same time, Breakfast at Tiffany's follows the unusual romance that blossoms between a quirky socialite and her neighbour. As Holly Golightly, Audrey Hepburn truly outdoes herself and manages to steal the spotlight at every turn. From the opening scene where she eats a pastry in front of Tiffany & Co. to her performance of "Moon River" on a fire escape, Hepburn exudes charisma and talent.

As far as style icons go, no one is quite as renowned or universally acknowledged as Audrey Hepburn. She is upheld as the ultimate symbol of elegance and chicness due to her impeccable taste in clothing, so much so that the vast majority of her appearances on film have gone on to become memorable fashion moments. However, no film is remembered quite as well for its fashion as Breakfast at Tiffany's. Hepburn and her long-time collaborator Hubert de Givenchy put together a wardrobe so timeless that is has been emulated many times over.