mark Eyeliner [product review]....by pemora

mark Eyeliner [product review]
by pemora

About a year ago (or was it 2?), I posted about my 30 second make-up routine.  Since then, the routine has stayed fairly the same with a couple of experiments here + there.  After all of my Clinique Quickliner pencils ran out at the same time, I decided to try mark's Eyemarker Color On Line.

Pros:
*The color goes on very very smooth.  As a mom who can't fuss with my eye make-up and needs to run out the door (because I am always always always late), that's a huge plus.  The color goes on quickly and easily.
*Very bright colors. This is especially good for women of color, who need something more vibrant against our skin.
*Nice options of colors. I especially like the blue.

Cons:
*Not good for women with oily skin.  The color not only didn't stay put, but at one point, I had blue eyeliner UNDER my eyes.  Dark circles + blueish eyeliner color? No bueno.
*The colors can be a bit too glittery for day.  Especially the purple and green.  Those seem more appropriate for evening. (I've actually taken to layering the purple and green with a brown eyeliner from Maybelline to cut down some of the Liberace glitz)

While I really miss my Clinique eyeliner (especially the purple!), the mark version is a nice alternative.  And if you are interested in other mark products, try the Dew Drenched Moisturlicious Lip Color.  I swear by every color and pair them with my LaBello lip balm.  Good good stuff.

Random 7.....by pemora

Random Siete
by pemora

Kelley Anne at Kaleidoscopic Refrains asked me to do a Random 7 list about myself.  She is quite possibly the sweetest and most supportive blogger I have ever 'met', so I had to agree to her wish.   I hope you enjoy!

1. No one calls me by my birth name. With very few exceptions, everyone I know calls me 'p'.  It started back in college when my roommates would leave me notes on our dorm room door and write "p".  After that, EVERYONE started calling me 'p' and I sign all of my emails the same.  In fact, it is rather weird to hear my government name (although it is not pemora).

2. I have had a crush on my husband since I was 12.  That's a long effing time.

3. I don't easily like girls but I don't trust girls who don't like girls.

4. I know I said I don't easily like girls, but my girlfriends are AMAZING people.  I adore them.  They are beautiful, intelligent, thoughtful, witty and ambitious.  Oh, and I love their sense of style.

5. I love to shop but I hate spending money.

6. After teaching myself in the 4th grade, I still know the alphabet in ASL.

7. I am lactose intolerant, but I love cheese.  Like, heart it.  I heart cheese so much.  I have never met a cheese I didn't like.

I want to pass the Random 7 to DTM at Twisted Style, ADJ at Green Eggs and Glam, ANP at Buddhist Marketer, Koko at res pulchrae,  WILDASAMINK at Wild as a Mink, But Sweet as Sodapop,  Julie at Orchard Grey, and Jessica at love, lolita.

Book of Eli....by IMTHATDUDE

Book of Eli

by IMTHATDUDE

Let me start with what I liked about this movie… the cast, the direction (mostly), and the concept.  Somehow all of those working parts managed to go tragically wrong at the end.  I was fully ready to lambaste the other morons who review movies, right up until the last couple of scenes in the Book of Eli.  The Hughes brothers (Menace II Society, From Hell) direction was solid right up until somebody decided that they wanted people to laugh hysterically at the end.  Gary Whitta wrote the screenplay – a good effort with some interesting points, but rendered impotent either by miscues in direction or the powers that be trying to set up potential sequels.  It was a relatively gritty movie, with a credible cast, but great movies are made in the details.  Mila Kunis (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, That 70s Show), cute & talented as she is…

she’s not exactly the right look for a post-apocalyptic dystopia; neither is Jennifer Beals (Flashdance, The L Word).  Not unless you make them look the part. And, for the record, smudging a little dirt on their cheeks or dressing them in leather jackets doesn’t do the trick.  Hot women cannot be so casually masked to fit into the gritty scene built up by all the other activity and people surrounding them.  They fit in about as well as Lebron James at a Klan rally (sheets off). 

Denzel Washington (Mo’ Better Blues, Training Day), Gary Oldman (The Contender, Batman Begins) and Ray Stevenson (HBO’s Rome, Punisher: War Zone) have all been parts of much better efforts. 

IF YOU MUST KNOW:

It is after the war, and there are pocket of civilization that have survived around the country – if you can call it “civilization.”  Eli (Washington), an enigmatic lone wanderer heads west with a book in his possession; a book he has vowed to protect at all costs.  Carnegie (Oldman) runs a settlement in typical dystopian tyrannical fashion.  Carnegie, a book lover and holdover from a time when a fair amount of people could actually read (although, I’m not sure when that time is, is in search of the book Eli happens to have in his possession.  When their paths accidentally converge, all hell breaks loose.  The power hungry Carnegie is desperate to have this book and when he finds out Eli has it, he will sacrifice everything to get it.

As for the rest of what happens, I’ll sum it up like this… Solara (Kunis) tries to escape Carnegie’s clutches by following Eli.  Eli reluctantly takes her along.  Then there’s a couple of fights, a couple of stand offs, mixed in with some shaky handed cannibals (because that’s what folks have been driven to with the lack of food), and a little bit of silliness and there you have the movie.

Let’s face it, these kinds of movies have never REALLY been objectively good films, including the Mad Max/Road Warrior movies.  I’m sorry, but if any of those movies were in the theaters today, they’d flop.  They were cult classics, which is fine, but that doesn’t make them good.  The Book of Eli fits right in with the rest of these kitschy flicks.  Not to be taken seriously.  The problem with Eli is that it had the real potential to be a stand out.  But it failed.  The details, man… the details. 

One of my frat brothers said he “loved” the film.  “LOVED” - he even thought enough of it top make it his facebook status.  I don’t have to tell you how vitally important something must be in order to make it onto a status message on FACEBOOK. (Yes, that’d be sarcasm, for my slower friends.  To be read slowly “I Stillllll Llllllove Yooooou.”)  At first, his status update troubled me with respect to his taste and overall competence to recommend films to anyone, much less a chronic moviegoer like me.  Every cult classic has one thing in common… a cult!  Keep up with me, folks. So, upon further consideration, I think he just happens to be one of those people that make up the cult – so to speak. 

Anyway, in my humble opinion, I thought the Book of Eli should have been closed a few minutes before the people who made the movie.  To the best of my recollection, I haven’t been so disappointed with the ending of a movie since the Matrix: Reloaded.  The way Eli wrapped was strange enough to cause many people in my theater to literally guffaw.  No knock to Mila or the Hughes brothers, but that scene had no place in this film and made me consider going to lie to the manager to get a movie pass so I could at least feel like I didn’t actually pay for them to how is it do they say… “make the sex to me.”

If you are pressed to see this flick, by all means.  A fool and his doe are soon part…  Otherwise, wait for the DVD.

That Dude Gives the Book of Eli: 2

RATING SYSTEM:

1. They make crap this pure?
2. Couldn’t be more under-whelmed.
3. Not too shabby, I won’t ask for my money back.
4. Pretty, pretty, pretty, pretty good./Worth the 12 bucks.
5. Why are you reading this and not seeing this movie? Jackass.

Nike Valenka Leather Boot

Nike Valenka Leather Boot
by pemora

All winter, I have been on the hunt for a snow boot.  All.  Winter.  I never knew how difficult it was to find a fun + functional piece of footwear, until I found myself in a DSW in Westchester about to cry.

Ugh.

My wishlist:
1. avoid Uggs. This is becoming harder to do.
2. black or gray.  After wearing my brown Kenneth Coles for 9 years (rest in peace good and trusty snow boots), I am ready for a change.
3. furry/fuzzy/warm lined.

Alas, nothing.

But these boots?  Are pretty darn close to what I want.  Just my luck, I cannot find my size.  But maybe Nike has them in your size, so be sure to get them now while they are on sale.

We Remember.....

RIP Teddy Pendergrass

And for those looking for organizations to donate money for the Hatian relief, check out Yele Haiti.  I am still trying to wrap my brain around this week's events....

Paganne Maxi Dress [Most Wanted]

Paganne Maxi Dress [Most Wanted]
by pemora

I realize that I already posted a maxi dress but I tell you I am just obsessed.  I just got my hands on an awesome gray and pink maxi dress that I am dying to wear (maybe with 3 sets of layers underneath as it is freezing in NYC).  I have also thought about posting a pic of the dress, but I am still a bit camera shy.  We'll see.

Anyway, this dress is divine.  I can see myself wearing it to a gallery opening, with a glass of Chardonnay in hand.  Or to fashion week.  Or a book reading.  Heck, I would even wear it to sit on my couch and watch reruns of 'Jersey Shore'.  I just really love the color blocking and the details around the collar and waist.

Buy it for yourself at ChicTrend's etsy store

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Best/Worst of 2009....by IMTHATDUDE

Best/Worst of 2009

by IMTHATDUDE

Let’s start with the WORST Movies of 2009, shall we…

5) Street Fighter: THE LEGEND OF CHUN LI

The story:  Hell if I remember.  Something to do with a chosen one or something to defend this realm… blah blah BLLLLLAH! (The last one was me regurgitating my cinnamon raisin bagel and vanilla latte.)  Kristin Kruek is a better actress than her role selection suggests, but this personified the concept of assness.  Watch it at risk to your own sense of sanity.  When I was done watching, I was justifiably violent.

4) Sorority Row

The story:  Slutty sorority girls play a trick on a dude who screwed one of their other sisters (and he happens to be related to yet another of their sisters); the trick, fake the death of a different one of their sisters while this dude is hooking up with her. While in a secluded location, faking the cover up of the accidental death that never took place, the dude ends up thinking the girl’s really dead and stabs her in the heart with a tire iron – actually killing the slutty sister.  This movie would have been ten times better if dude would have taken the tire iron to all of them right then and there; then fell headfirst onto the very same car tool.  (Ten times better than what this movie is, would bring it up to a 2 out of 5.)

3) Bride Wars

The story: Best friends end up getting engaged at the same time and via a crazy mishap happen to have their weddings scheduled for the same day at the same location.  Commence the war of competing nuptials.  The frenemies engage in every devious move imaginable to ruin the other’s wedding.  In a word… BOOOOO!  But in fairness, I knew it would suck and it lived down to my expectations.  Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway.  Ladies, I’m so very disappointed. 

2) Land of the Lost

The story: Will Ferrell plays Dr. Marshall, an offbeat scientist with fantasies of inter-dimensional travel.  It’s the remake of the classic TV show by the same name.  Let me explain how bad this movie is… I laughed in derision and mild scorn all throughout this movie.  Derision because it was bad, scorn because I knew instantly that I would have to see how bad this movie was gonna end up getting.  The big question is not how they could make this movie, but how, after making it, could they justify releasing it to the larger public.  According to Variety.com, certain executives lost their jobs at the studio for green lighting this movie.  I understand why Will did it; he was getting pizzaid.  But this crap was straight garbage.  I mean NOTHING about it was good.  It felt like ten hours of the cast adlibbing based on the most rudimentary of concepts.  I imagine the instructions went something like this “imagine you’re a doctor, you’re a tour guide, and you’re a nondescript hot chick with some scientific knowledge stranded in another dimension.  We’ll throw in some aliens and dinosaurs.  Just go with it.  See what happens for the next two hours.  Annnnnnd… ACTION!”  Let me stop before I waste all my good insults on this crap.

The dubious distinction of crappiest theatrical crapfest of the year…

1) Year One

The story: Jack Black and Michael Cera are cavemen?  There’s about 20 Geico jokes that write themselves.  The script was so cheesy even a cavemen… Or, this movie was a terrible way to spend two hours of any life, but there’s good news… they saved a lot of money on their writing staff…  Nah, maybe the jokes aren’t that good, but they’re better than ANYTHING that happened in that movie.  I am truly thankful that Hollywood cannot make any more movies like this and Number 2 for a long time.  They should have stopped trying after Quest for Fire.  Don’t google it.  Don’t rent it.  In fact forget I mentioned that guttersnipe of a film that was still markedly better than Year One.  Seriously, they had better movies than Year One… in the actual YEAR ONE.  Sad face, Jack Black.  Sad face.

BTW:  If only I had seen Twilight in 2008, it would have made the list for the worst 5 movies of 2008.  Sparkly vampires?  Let me say that again  SPARKLY VAMPIRES.  That’s like being haunted by a gay ghost.  It’s supposed to be scary, but that’d just make me laugh.

AND NOW…

without further ado….

The BEST Movies of 2009

5)   STAR TREK

Directed by JJ Abrams

Written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman, and

Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, and Zoë Saldana

The inaugural voyage of the Enterprise.  Due to some emergency, Kirk, Uhura, McCoy, Spock and all the other cadets (actually, Spock is older and an officer) are brought directly into a battle scenario and given field promotions. I’m not military expert, but I suspect they took some liberties with how these people were promoted.  Anyway, it’s a fun ride; if a bit inconsistent.  Put simply, it was worth lying to my date about not having seen yet when she wanted to go see it (translation I dropped a bunch of bread on this movie – movie dates ain’t exactly cheap).

4)  ZOMBIELAND

Directed by Rueben Fleischer

Screenplay by Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick

Starring Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin

The world is taken over by Zombies.  Not the slowest, not the fastest, but not to be trifled with.  This is FUNNY.  It just is.  Take my word on this one.  I will definitely be buying this one when it hits DVD/Blu Ray and you should too!  I’m still laughing.

3)   Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Directed by Terry Gilliam

Screenplay by Terry Gilliam and Charles McKeown

Starring Christopher Plummer, Lily Cole, and Heath Ledger (with some help from Colin Farrell, Johnny Depp and Jude Law).

Doctor Parnassus is an eccentric gypsy, or genius, or immortal, or crazy old dude with a little friend (Verne Troyer).  Depending upon which you believe, he’s engaged in a millennium old wager with the devil and the time has come for him to pay up.  Unless, of course, he is willing to enter into yet another wager with the ultimate trickster.  Terry Gilliam brings his usual humor and silliness to the big screen in what was probably the most difficult film of his long career, but also his best.  With the death of Heath Ledger during the filming, Depp, Law and Farrell fill in and Gilliam somehow manages to make an impressive film that much more impressive under the circumstances.  It is seamless and one of the most underrated movies in years.  It’s too bad you’ll have to wait for the DVD.

2)  AVATAR

Written and Directed by James Cameron

Starring Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi and Zoe Saldana.

Paraplegic dude uses an avatar body to pretend to be part of a native population on a distant, but important, planet.  Long and short of the story… he saves a planet of blue folks by becoming one of them and bagging the baddest blue chick on the planet.  It’s just like the Smurfs, except they’re about a thousand more smurfettes and all the smurfs are 10 feet tall, athletic, and half-nekkid.  I think I’d give this movie a high 4 out of 5 on That Dude’s prestigious scale.  Did I mention this is the most visually impressive movie I have ever seen in my life?

And the winner is…

1)   UP IN THE AIR

Directed by Jason Reitman

Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Starring George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Anna Kendrick, and Jason Bateman

Clooney plays a hatchet man.  He flies around from city to city firing people so big companies don’t have to deal with it directly.  In this economy, he’s been pretty busy.  He’s all about meeting a certain lofty travel goal in seems to be running so as not to have to stay put.  Until he meets a woman who has the same kind of ideas and morals – especially when it comes to attachments (“why have them?”); he begins to realize that he might actually want to be attached.  This is a love it or leave it movie. Definitely the smartest & sharpest movie of the year.  It doesn’t make my Top 20 movies of the decade list for one reason – longevity.  I d not know how many times I will be able to watch this movie over a lengthy period of time.  But it is still exceptional.  There’s nothing about this movie that I didn’t like (double neg for emPHAsis), which means it is a definite front runner for a Shammi Award this year.