Film Overview

I've not seen as many films recently as I would have liked to but here are micro reviews of ones out at the moment which I have made it to.
Battleship - 4/5 - I know this has been slated by most critics (and some of my closest friends) but I really liked it.  It has a similar feel to a Transformer film but has more laughs and even a few touching moments.  Plus Eric Northman from True Blood *swoon*
The Cabin in the Woods - 2/5 - Admittedly I saw this just for Chris Hemsworth.  Part horror film (despite what some say I do count this horror, I jumped a lot), part comedy (supposedly). I liked the ending but wish there could have been more of that story line running through out, and in more detail.
The Hunger Games - 4/5 - obviously doesn't quite live up to the book, of which I am a huge fan, but was enjoyable none the less.  I went to see it a second time just to concentrate on the make up of the Capitol residents more.  Doesn't explain itself enough for a non-reader.
Gone - 3/5 - I was expecting to bored during this but suprisingly was not.  I was genuinely interested in the characters and, apart from a few pointless sub-plots and an abrupt ending, I did like it.
Lockout - 2/5 - What can I say...your average action film.  Unoriginal plot with a few funny one-liners.  We went to see this just because we are currently re-watching LOST and are missing Shannon (played by Maggie Grace).
Mirror Mirror - 3/5 - I'dd be honest, I was favouring Snow White and the Huntsman as soon as found out about the two rival films.  I like darkness in a film :-).  This is not dark, nor is it as funny as the trailer would have you believe.  I did kind of enjoy, despite the very un-charming Prince Charming, I just feel like it brought nothing new or exciting to the tale.
Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists - 1/5 - Not funny, not worthy of being related to Wallace and Gromit in any way, shape or form.  I was bored, the children around me were bored.
21 Jump Street - 5/5 - the best film I've seen in a while.  I loved this so much I saw it twice in a week.  So funny in parts (involving drugs...) that I had to put my hand in mouth to not enrage the whole cinema with my cackling.  Channing Tatum does comedy good!  Love that the film is constantly taking the mick out of itself and other, more typical, action films.  Also, great cameo ;-) ;-) shame I already knew who it would be.
Puss in Boots (still on at Cineworld as the film for juniors) - 4/5 - a good all-rounder of a kids' film.  As good as the best of the Shreks.  Really like Kitty Soft-Paws.

A Day of Bargains!

Long over-due post, yes I know.
On Tuesday I went into Cardiff, thinking maybe I'd get myself a little something as very soon I'll have no money (due to moving, increased bills yadda yadda).
I ended up having a rather good day, makeup-wise anyway.

I went to Debenhams to buy some Illamasqua Rich Liquid Foundation in RF 105. It's a pink-toned white, which I've been wanting for a while to mix in with my other foundations.  Usually I go for the palest in any foundation range (about NC15) but quite often it is still too dark, or too yellow.  I already had the Rich Liquid in 120 (one of the palest flesh-tones) so knew that it mixes quite well with other products and that it will last me an incredibly long time (a little goes a long way).  I usually use the Illamasqua highlighter brush or a damp sponge to apply.  It is notoriously tricky to blend, though when mixed into another product this is not a problem.
It retails at £21.50 but I count it as one of my bargains as I had enough points on my Debenhams Beauty Club Card to take £5 off.  Yay.  I love surprises like that.

105, 120 in natural light

105 and 120 mixed in natural light

mixed with flash

 On to bargain number 2.

I do love a bit of MUA, very good quality at the lowest of low prices.  In fact, I thought it couldn't possible get any cheaper.  I was wrong.  I've been browsing their online store recently and despite their very good online offers (there's always a buy ... get ... free) when I have a Superdrug as close as I do, it pains me to pay for delivery.  I'd been eyeing up the pearl eyeshadow in shade 6, a rather lovely aqua green colour.  The wonderful lady at the til spotted the colour in my hand and instead gave me a 3 eyeshadow set from the Christmas range....wait for it...reduced to 49p.  Three eyeshadows for 49p!!! The set contained pearl shadows in shades 5, 6 and 7.  Having played around with them a bit I would definitely use all 3.

Shades 5, 6 and 7

5, 6 and 7 with flash

5, 6 and 7 in natural light

 Are you ready for bargain 3? This is probably the one I'm the most excited about, I'm just writing them in the order that they occurred.  I'm really into NYX at the moment (great lip pencils) and had heard that they were sold in some House of Fraisers.  I went into the Cardiff one expectantly but alas, no NYX.  Somewhere in my brain was a memory that NYX palettes were spied in TK Maxx, so off I trotted.  No NYX there either but there was a different gem of a find.  A box set of 5 Lip Fusion inFATuation lip glosses.  Yeeha! I don't know that much about them other than Sam Schuerman loves them....and I rather love her so I was extremely excited when I spotted them.  I was only thinking the other day that I did not own a red lip gloss yet, and now I do.  These colours are all really beautiful.  They contain no shimmer, which is quite unusual for me, and they have a plumping effect.  They feel cool on the lip rather than burny like some plumping glosses, and unlike others the feeling lasts quite a lot time.  The gloss is quite thick so stays on for a few hours (without drinking etc.).

Oh yes, the important bit....they should have been something like £29.99, I got them for £6. Yay! I love you TK Maxx.

Aren't they so pretty!?

L-R La Lip Jolie, Big & Bare, Screen Siren, Full Frontal, Pucker Up

In the same order as above, in natural light

Bargain #4 was very unexpected.  I went into a Tesco Extra late at night looking for pomelos (boo, there aren't any around at the mo). My husband wanted a new hair brush so I, of course, wandered a few aisles over to the make up.  All of the main counters had their shutters pulled down so I was quite dismayed....until I spotted a little clearance basket.  Most of it was Tesco's own, so quite cheap to start with, but then I saw these little babies. There were 2 Bourjois 3D effect lip glosses, usually just over £7 each, reduced to £1.70. Hurray! I bought both colours.  As this is my first swatch-y post I thought I'd mix it up a little and so photographed these on my lips.  However, my auto-focus is broken in this lens which proves quite problematic when trying to take photos of yourself! Please excuse the blurriness.
#3 Rose idyllic is a pearlescent pale pink, not my usual colour at all but looks quite soft and girly.  I can get used to it.
#44 Cannelle unic (I think the label on the shelf called it unique beige or something like that) is a dark nude and very wearable. It's very natural looking, only a shade or 2 darker than my natural pigmentation.
The gloss isn't as thick as the inFatuation glosses, nor as opaque, so doesn't have the same staying power but is lovely all the same.

Rose idyllic

Cannelle unic

Rose idyllic, Cannelle unic in natural light

 I'm not going to be able to buy makeup for a while...unless there's an amazing change in circumstances, however I have a big backlog of blogs to create so it's all good!

Oh dear, I started slacking immediately.  Well I've had a few buys since then so will try to update in the next few days. :-)

Benefit dupe, finally!

A few years ago my mum bought the Benefit silky-finish lipstick 'Rocket Pop'.  It's a great colour on me (I am cool-toned, blue-eyed, fair-haired), as well as on my red-head mother and my olive-skinned sister.  Somehow it is that perfect colour that suits just about everyone I'm guessing.  I love the colour but the finish isn't great.  It's very sheer and shiny and just does not stay on my lips.  I have been looking for a good dupe for it for a long time.
Usually avoiding Superdrug like the plague (for some reason I have always chosen Boots instead), I went with a friend the other day.  I thought it would be a good time to check out the MUA stand as I'd seen it in a few make-up blogs and vlogs.  It's been many a year since I've bought cheap cheap make-up so it was kind of a revelation.  I couldn't get over just how much I could buy for so little!  I bought a couple of their lip colours at random (#11 and #14) and what-do-ya-know, #14 is almost an exact colour match for Rocket Pop.  Yippee! It is not as shiny but stays on my lips a lot longer.  It is still quite sheer though so I now want to find a lip liner to match.  The search continues...
N.B. MUA lipsticks are £1 each, Benefit lipsticks are £14.  Bargain.

Dark side of the moon

I've just seen the trailer for Iron Sky.  It's a scifi comedy about a load of Nazis who've been hiding on the other side of the moon, coming out to attack earth after 70 years there.  I think it looks like a rather fun way to spend a couple of hours and it's definitely proved popular at the Berlin International Film Festival.  What do you think of it?

** Possible SPOILER ALERT**
Yesterday I saw The Grey at my local Cineworld.  You may have seen the poster while driving; a close up of Liam Neeson with some snow and a scratch on his face.  Doesn't give too much away.  Not sure if it's a film you could really spoil though.  The basic premise is there is a plane crash (and a pretty horrific one at that) into some seriously snowy place where there be wolves.  Have to survive the cold and the wolves.
It was a very tense watch and I'll admit I jumped a few times.  I felt like the ending was quite lazy.  Although it pleased my friend, I did not find it conclusive enough.  I think it was a good film but I don't think I'll be seeing it again.  I'm too squeamish and it made me feel cold :-P
Verdict: 3/5

Rather than do a backlog of reviews I will just rate what I have seen that is currently out (I still have a lot to watch).
Chronicle 4/5 - at least, may need to watch again to bump it up
Young Adult 3/5 - just too awkward
The Artist 3/5 - good but just not my cup of tea
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo 5/5 - as good as the Swedish one
Puss in Boots 3/5 - didn't have expectations going in, light-hearted fun

New look and maybe direction?

It's recently been suggested to me that I start a blog, my reply being "Oh yeh, I already have one".  Just had a look and I only made 3 posts, the last one being September 2010.  A lot has changed since then; I am now married; I've moved 4 times and I probably have less money than I had then (I was pretty well off as a student).
I don't know if this blog would appeal to anyone at all as my primary topics will be films, make-up and food, with the odd cute animal and arty bit thrown in.  Maybe I will end up with a more limited focus, who knows.
Considering deleting those 3 old posts too, a lot in them no longer apply and it just feels a bit odd.

An awful lot has changed since July 30th! On that camp I was given the opportunity to move out this year, an opportunity which I grabbed with both hands.  I've moved to a new city, though not far from home, and will be living with 4 boys, only one of which I know. I've been here 2 weeks already and am just waiting for the others to move in. I have said that I will happily cook, as long as I don't have to do the washing up too. :-D I am definitely taking up too much space in the kitchen though, have already filled about half of the counter space and am filling too many cabinets.  Then there's all my cook books and dvds filling up the bookshelf in the lounge....dum de dum. I shall have to re-jig things when they're all in here.
So, I'm going to be a proper student for my last year, how exciting.