Globe spotting

TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
Okay, so the Toronto International Film Festival wasn8217;t exactly an Oscar preview party, what with free drinks being rationed and notable misses like Baz Luhrmann8217;s Australia, Oliver Stone8217;s W and the Sean Penn starrer, Milk. But the red carpet wasn8217;t wanting for star shimmer. Brad Pitt8217;s comedy Burn After Reading, directed by the Coen Brothers, upped the ante, especially among young obsessive female audiences, even as Jennifer Aniston kept a safe distance8212;from him. Anne Hathaway was 8220;adorkably8221; turned out for Rachel Getting Married and a waif-thin Keira Knightley hardly looked The Duchess. The real show-stealer was The Wrestler, Darren Requiem for a Dream Aronofsky8217;s film about an ageing professional wrestler with Mickey Rourke.

MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS
It was a rockin8217; night to remember at the 25th MTV VMA awards and who should win three Moonmen, including video of the year for Piece of Me, but Britney Spears? The chaste Jonas Brothers believe it or not, their father is a pastor rubbed shoulders with the music fraternity and host Russell Brand8217;s ribald humour spawned hate communities on social networking websites. The British comic with the outrageous hairdo called George Bush a 8220;retard and cowboy fella8221;, made politically incorrect remarks on Palin8217;s pregnancy and took a dig at teen celebs wearing 8220;purity rings8221;, that drew the ire of American Idol winner Jordin Sparks and angry fans. 8220;A little sex once in a while never hurt anybody,8221; was all he offered by way of apology.

NEW YORK FASHION WEEK
Diane Von Furstenberg8217;s Spring 2009 8220;Rock Goddess8221; collection Woodstock8217;s 40th anniversary is round the corner, with flowing dresses, tunics and retro froufrou, created a splash8212;Jennifer Lopez, Eva Longoria and Uma Thurman added to the bling value by walking the ramp. Tracy Reese8217;s creations were big on flower power and Donna Karan made waves with her cutesy streetwear. Tie-die, lace, the colours purple and navy blue, and feminine chic as also laptops for handbags were the new runway staples. All this fashion frenzy made Victoria Beckham8212;in a short spiky hairdo8212;decide it was about time she launched a line of her own, and so she displayed ten 8220;classy8221; dresses at private viewings at well, where else but the Waldorf Astoria.