Iris

And more power to her! But this documentary really tells you nothing much about her personal life, how she broke into the 'fashion world' or where she got the money to live the lavish world traveling, collector of things, New York City society lifestyle. I'm thinking it must be her husbands money because it is made clear she came from a 'working class' background.

She developed an eye for color & shape & texture and how to put complementing objects together to create her own fashion style. Unfortunately (for me) I was left with the impression she just created a clownish appearance with great style. You must admit she make a bizarre looking old broad when she's all dolled up in her brick-a-brac collection of fabrics and oversize jewelery.

This documentary is high in color but low on information about this 90 plus years old woman's life.

This is a fascinating documentary about a fascinating woman. She has a sense of humour and an energy that comes across. It shows some of her large collections of clothes, jewellery and art pieces. You see examples of her in action, including dressing others or selecting large bangles and necklaces for herself. There is a hint of her health issues. It also demonstrates her relationship to her husband, Carl. She shares how she couldn't have it all. She wanted to do fashion and travel. She couldn't include children in that. Throughout it is vibrant. It brings across her love of fashion. It brings across her style. All in all a good documentary worth seeing even if you are not heavily into fashion.

If you've ever seen September Issue and found that interesting you will find this a companion piece to that film. I found myself wondering if Anna Wintour had seen this and what she would think of it. I think she would have found this Luke warm.

Here is a 90 year old woman still going strong, still sharing items she's collected over the years, pieces of clothing, jewelry and accessories. She has no intentions of slowing down. She does interviews, goes to shows showing little signs of tiring. But is this inspirational? Is it fascinating? Not really. Something was lacking here and it isn't her fault. The filmmakers ask a few questions but never dig too deep. Some of the scenes we see here were much more artfully done in Devil Wears Prada and even September Issue itself. This couple traveled the world to buy things and it could have been more interesting had they shared some great stories about the places they had visited. Instead it was just buy this, buy that, spend money on this, spend money on that. It all sort of seemed plastic and not meaningful.

I do indeed appreciate Iris and her taste in fashion and her ability to go on at 90. But what was it all for? There is no deadline, no assignment. What was her job specifically? And for how long? It's all a bit vague and becomes tiring.

Forget "The Devil Wears Prada" and "September Issue", this is the story of a woman that lives fully and artfully. She is in tune and educated on trends in fashion, art and the history that stimulates and influences them. Her manner of presenting herself to the world is a celebration of being alive and living in the world for all it's worth. See it, get some tips, ideas and encouragement on emancipating yourself and living to your fullest!

One of the best lines, "I don't like pretty" "Pretty is boring" She goes on to explain that when you're not "Pretty", you must learn something to be able to take care of yourself in life. Also, Iris thinks cosmetic surgery to look younger is ridiculous and can't be bothered, she dignifies aging in women and doesn't apologize for herself. She isn't critical in the Donald Trump "Apprentice" sense, she shares her knowledge and encourages young people to really study and go for what they're interested in. She is Brilliant!

Iris is a great documentary, particularly if you have a passion for fashion. Iris Apfel is a 94-year-old woman who embraces her unique eye for fashion and style. She takes the simplest things from shops and stores all over town and dresses them up in a variety of ways. She accessorizes her clothing by accenting them with very large and unique pieces of jewelry. Large pearl necklaces with big, bright colorful bracelets are only a few items that Iris uses. She believes each outfit needs to have color and sometimes lots of it. A lot of designers and fashion icons love her style and creativity.

The message of this documentary, produced by veteran documentarian Albert Maysles, is "success is a sacrifice." Iris talks about how she always wanted to have kids, travel and have a successful career. She realized that she could not have it all and be successful. She did not want her kids to be raised by someone else. So, she chose to purse her career and travel the world with her husband, Carl Apfel. Although Iris did not have kids as she once hoped, she still feels successful and that her life has made a positive impact in the fashion industry.

Iris is very witty, funny and inspirational. Even in her 90s, she continues to educate young aspiring fashion designers. She believes it will be a lost art if people do not learn the history of fashion and its origin.

The film Iris is a wonderful documentary. It is perfect for girls and boys ages 13 to 18-years-old who aspire to learn more about the fashion industry. Even if you are not in the industry and want to watch a good film about a wise woman who continues to inspire others, this film is a perfect selection. Iris will be released in select theaters April 29, 2015. I give this movie 4 out of 5 shining stars.

Reviewed by Kendyl P., KIDS FIRST! Film Critic. For more reviews by youth, go to kidsfirst dot org.