Fantastic Wrap-up of the Week to a SPECIAL Weekend ! :)

Now this is what I’m talking about! 2014, just with this week, you’ve already beaten my entire 2013!

This week was not eventful, well, the beginning at least. In fact, the last two weeks have been really a constant of me saying that I’m busy, stressed, tired.  I promised I’d reveal everything when its all finalized.

BUT, before that reveal, lets get on with the smaller awesome stuff.  We’ll build up to that a little and it actually matches up perfectly with this weekend because its a special day tomorrow and I’m thinking of something special to do, that I haven’t quite decided on just yet.

This post will be possibly long but it’ll be happy and positive and all sorts of happy wonderful things 🙂

5) I got my new watch that I bought on Boxing Day sale from Beyond the Rack.

Its the first time I’ve done any business with Beyond the Rack and let me tell you, I am very satisfied.  I got this before the estimated delivery so that makes it so much more awesome. And well, I’m also satisfied with Canada Post who delivered this package last night at 7pm or something. Lovely light and comfortable watch 🙂 I haven’t had one of those in a while.  My watch is also my cellphone.  I’m all for multi-functional items but sometimes, its really easier to check the time instead of whipping out my smart phone.

4) Did I tell you I’m being maid of honor for a long time good friend’s wedding in March? If I have, I’m sorry.  Yesterday, I also tried on my dress for that event.  I think there’s still a few touch ups on the dress itself but overall, the dress is beautiful.  As for me, I need to polish those workout goals a little especially in the upper body.  No pictures for this one until the day of.  This links to my Facebook and I’m sure she wants that to be a surprise for everyone.

Which is also to say that tomorrow, they invited me to go with the couple to the bridal show.  I’ve never been to a bridal show and it sounds pretty fun.  I, myself, am not having those gigantic weddings but the one thing I did make my boyfriend promise me when we get married is that I get to have a pretty white dress and get a nice wedding photography session.

I want this dress if I were to get married! 😉

Anyways, it seems like there are already two weddings coming up this year.  What can I say…we’re coming to that age, right?

3) Its not so great that my TESL course is possibly going to expire soon, like in a week and I’m SUPER behind.  I have been getting my act together and working late nights studying and studying.  That also explains the slowing down in posts.  However, I do enjoy that pace.  BUT, thats not the point.  I study with either music or a movie playing in the background, which also means I can’t watch something new. I went back and got back into a few of my faves.  I figured that I’d add that in here and put some feel good musical scenes to give you a reading break.

EASY A (review coming up)

BRIDESMAIDS (review coming up)

HAIRSPRAY (review HERE)

BURLESQUE (review HERE)

I’m starting to admit that I do like Zac Efron quite a bit but you know, I really like this guy even in his first little role in OC back in my high school days.

Cam Gigandet

Cam Gigandet is just so handsome and charming.  *sigh* I like him so much!

As I’m typing up this post, I’m tortured with desire to reveal why this weekend is special and I’m thinking maybe since this is such a huge post, I’ll just do something short tomorrow and cut to the chase.

2) The runner up of good stuff is TRANQUIL DREAMS 3RD BLOGVERSARY.  Its roughly around this time.  I’ll do a brief explanation in tomorrow’s post.  I just need a few moments to figure out what to do tomorrow to give proper thanks to all of you! 🙂 For once, I remembered it right on time which makes me quite happy.

1) Now, for the big reveal of what I’ve been being all secretive and busy with.  I guess from up there, you’ve deducted that I’m NOT getting married.  My boyfriend and I figured since we weren’t doing something huge, we’d skip ahead and back in early December we got ourselves a very awesome real estate agent which happens to also be a friend and started house shopping.  Fast forward now to 2 weekends ago, we got to see two houses that we really liked and the reality of it was we liked both a lot too.  However, we did make our choice and that leads to this paperwork that I had posted for a previous challenge.

And last weekend, I had my home inspection cleared and got myself a very thick report of little things we have to do when we move in.

Inspection report

And why am I only saying it now? Because our mortgage just got approved on Wednesday and well, there was really no other type of post to go up to talk about it but in my personal one 🙂 No pictures of my house of course since move in is not for another 3 months or so.  Lots of planning though and my brain is already working on what to do next. Actual DIY projects start after my TESL is done next week.  Maybe I’ll post about it 🙂 You know, interior decor, crafts, and that sort of thing…what do you think?

So thats my big news! I’m a home owner! 🙂 WOOHOO! The next step in life!

How about that? Doesn’t 2014 already feel better? Things are looking up!

I’ll be back with a little post tomorrow but for now: I gotta get back to work on my TESL.

Happy Saturday! 🙂

The Roommate (2011)

Yay! Cam Gigandet double feature! I was in the mood for some thrilling suspense, even if this really doesn’t look like anything…Honestly, I bought it because it was cheap and there was Leighten Meester and who doesn’t like a bit of Blair (from Gossip Girl)?

Director: Christian E Christiansen

Cast: Leighton Meester, Minka Kelly, Cam Gigandet

Sara (Minka Kelly) just entered in college to fulfill her degree in design.  Being away from home and finally having her freedom, she is paired up with Rebecca (Leighton Meester) as her roommate.  Rebecca is very introverted and likes to keep things to herself.  Sara tries to introduce Rebecca with her group of friends while Rebecca shows her around Los Angeles which is a city that she grew up in. At the same time, Sara starts seeing a guy in school called Stephen (Cam Gigandet) and shortly after, starts dating.  As things start feeling weird around Rebecca, her friends are warning her and especially when Rebecca’s parents seem to be hiding something from her.  She starts sensing that her roommate may be obsessive over her and as things unfold, things start to really get out of hand…

There really isn’t much about this movie.  Its a predictable and somewhat silly horror thriller. Although we pretty much gather that Rebecca played by Leighton Meester is batshit crazy very soon in the movie (or even before it starts).  This movie was just a promotion for all those CW series.  Gossip Girl, Vampire Diaries and 90210 young stars were casted in most of this except for Minka Kelly and Cam Gigandet (I think).  I don’t watch ALL teen series so I don’t know if they are in any.

Leighton Meester was the reason I went ahead to watch this so I’m going to say that she was alright.  Its not her fault that the story was so flawed.  She had some pretty chilling moments as the obsessive and possessive girl who just wanted to be protective over her roommate who she considered her BFF in her own way.  Her emotions were everywhere and pretty psychotic.  But no, it wasn’t all that scary…coming from me, that says quite a bit.

Minka Kelly’s Sara was ridiculous stupid along with most of the other characters. She didn’t even question when her own friends seemed to distance from her because of her roommate.  Her boyfriend Stephen (played by the cute Cam Gigandet) was a bit silly because after knowing more and whatnot, he still was all cool with everything and not really scared.  Not emoting much here, buddy.  Other than when he was with Sara.  I’m complaining now because nothing really was logical and most of the characters didn’t act with much common sense.  And the level of foreshadowing by the director and screen shots was so much that you knew everything they wanted to do.

I keep talking about that lack in common sense because really that was what hurt it.  Everyone wasn’t horrible.  At some parts, they were surprising.  Plus, for most of the movie, there really wasn’t much going on.  Although you will be convinced that Rebecca is really crazy.  Not understanding her character works because you aren’t supposed to.  When do you really know what the heck is going on inside the mind of a psycho, right? Anyways, if I start telling you about the problems, especially with how she is allowed to even go to stay at college dorms. Just for starters…

Predictable, not scary and drop your common sense before you watch this and maybe you’ll enjoy it.  I had a few chills from Leighton Meester’s character.  I also swooned a bit at Cam Gigandet’s Stephen cruising Minka Kelly’s Sara.  Other than that, this was a pretty meh movie to me.  But then, I had a feeling this was not a great movie before it started.  Just for the record, I didn’t get this to get scared, so I guess that wasn’t something I factored in…maybe that helps me in seeing something positive in it.

Burlesque (2010)

I’m sorry for the back to back reviews.  I watched this on the weekend before Fast 6 (but I wanted to get that one out first).  This one has been sitting on my shelf for a while.  I bought it because its a musical but I also was reluctant to see it because I have zero confidence in Christina Aguilera’s acting.  Somehow, watching Mamma Mia made me want to continue on with musicals and I figured I might as well continue working on the unseen movies in my shelf before it grows anymore 😉

Director: Steve Antin

Cast: Cher, Christina Aguilera, Cam Gigandet, Peter Gallagher, Stanley Tucci, Kristen Bell, Eric Dane, Dianna Agron

Iowa girl Ali (Christina Aguilera) wants to do more with her talents and heads out to Los Angeles.  There she spontaneously walks into Burlesque Lounge owned by Tess (Cher).  Through the recommendation of bartender Jack (Cam Gigandet) and her own perseverance, she gets a job as a waitress there.  However, her dream is to be on stage dancing.  In the meantime, the club is under the danger of being foreclosed due to not being able to pay their mortgage.  Tess needs to figure out a way to make up the money by the end of the month, if not, she will have to possibly consider selling it to persistant millionaire Marcus (Eric Dane).  At this time, when one of the dancers Georgia (Julianne Hough) gets pregnant, Ali gets the chance to replace her at the dismay of another dancer, Nikki (Kristen Bell).  It is this chance that Ali shows that she not only can dance but she can sing also.  Can she save the club from closing?

Let’s just start by saying that I didn’t hate the movie.  It wasn’t something I wanted to kill myself to get through.  For one, as a musical, it felt like I was watching a Burlesque style Christina Aguilera concert for a good part of it.  I think she has a great voice so I’m cool with that.  Plus, the grandiose of the Burlesque dancing numbers were fun to watch.  Cher had a few singing opportunities as well and I’m cool with her as well.  Singing and dancing plus a group of attractive girls really helps this movie.

Plus, Christina Aguilera is surprisingly a decent actress.  It was refreshing to see her on stage.  I would choose her over Justin Timberlake, even if she only has this one in her filmography.  It wasn’t an incredibly hard movie to act I would suppose though.  She was working with Cher, who I’ve never seen on screen either.  However, they are helped with a few actors and actresses that I like.  Eric Dane playing Marcus was great.  I always like a little bit of McSteamy in the mix 😉 Stanley Tucci always does fantastic at the role of a background makeup/clothing stylist.  He did a similar role in Devil Wears Prada. Peter Gallagher is great as Tess’s ex-husband who freaks out over the finances.  I’ve always enjoyed him on screen.

How can something like this be without some form of a love story, right? Jack played by Cam Gigandet is the guy here. I first saw Cam in the OC and I fell in love with him and his character, maybe its the bad boy things he had going on.  After that, he appeared in Easy A and I absolutely adore that movie, mostly for Emma Stone but you’ll see soon that my next movie made my  Sunday into a Cam Gigandet double feature. He’s decent and he had some funny moments.  Plus, his chemistry with Christina Aguilera was pretty fun.

This was an average movie.  Although it is predictable (and boring at times), it offers some beautiful singing with the talent of Christina Aguilera and some fun dancing from a group of pretty girls like Kristen Bell and Julianne Hough.  It has a decent supporting cast and could be enjoyable if you are attracted to the Burlesque atmosphere that it brings. 🙂