It seems as if we’ve been waiting for ages, right? After a few delays, Baz Lhurmann’s The Great Gatsby is now in theaters. Whether you loved it, hated it or haven’t seen it (yet), we have to admit that some parts of the movie were absolutely spectacular. Check our five favorite things about The Great Gatsby remake.
1. The all-star soundtrack
Here’s a quick math lesson: Jay-Z plus Beyonce plus Jack White plus Goyte plus Lana Del Rey plus Florence and the Machine equals pure perfection. But are we surprised? When Sean Carter (as he was referred to in the credits) is behind something, you know it’s going to be pretty major. The range of on-the-pulse tunes perfectly juxtaposes the traditional time period and classic plot.
2. The haute costumes
No Baz Lhurman film is complete without amazing costumes. Doesn’t anyone remember the costumes from Moulin Rouge? When we heard that Brooks Brothers and Prada were scheming up designs for this highly anticipated film, we knew they would be out of this world. And oh they were. For Miuccia Prada, the key to creating sartorially superior ensembles for this movie was accuracy. “The reality is that from 1920, I could find a photo or a fashion illustration that would support almost any choice we’ve made in the film,” the designer told WWD. After swooning over Daisy Buchanan’s threads, we’re craving a flapper revival.
3. The party scenes
We’re all aware that one of Gatsby’s parties tops your average frat party any day, but Luhrmann’s interpretation was beyond our wildest dreams. From a dance floor above Gatsby’s infamous pool to a funky organ player, we can only hope we’ll be throwing parties of that caliber in the future.
4. The direct quotes from the book
Though the movie did take some creative liberties—the film starts with Nick in a rehabilitation center, for example—The Great Gatsby did stick to the text (literally). The “words on screen” effect did become a little irritating; however, we give Luhrmann major kudos for keeping some of Fitzgerald’s famous prose.
5. The cinematography
Not to get super film dweeb on you, but The Great Gatsby was a beautifully shot movie. From the tasteful 3D (we’re not talking about the clichéd “character throws something at screen solely for 3D purposes” scenario) to those gorgeous shots of the Big Apple, we’re dying to live in Lhurmann’s world.
What did you love about The Great Gatsby? Sound off below.