Avengers: Age of Ultron

I love superhero movies. They're fun, unrealistic, and exciting. And even though you have to suspend disbelief with a lot of what occurs in superhero movies, there is a lot in said movies that is relatable. The characters, the politics, the idea of right and wrong. It's those aspects that make the movies so enjoyable even though aliens and superpowers aren't real. And if Avengers: Age of Ultron was anything, it was enjoyable.

Marvel does sequels very well. In my opinion, both Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, while good movies, were weak. Their sequels, Thor: The Dark World and Captain America: The Winter Soldier, were much stronger movies and a great deal better. I think part of the reason is the first movies were introducing the characters so we had no attachment to them yet, while in the sequels we already knew the characters and loved them. However, The Avengers was strong from the beginning because we knew the characters from their individual movies. Now we get to see them interact with each other. All that being said, Age of Ultron was just as good as the first Avengers, if not better.

A little recap for those who may not know what the movie is about. And there will be spoilers. The movie begins with the Avengers attacking a base where they believe Loki's scepter is. The first scene is awesome. I love the action right off the bat, although I did wonder how they all came to be together from where we last left them individually. They retrieve the scepter and Tony realizes he can use it to create artificial intelligence. He and Bruce work on the "Ultron" program (science bros, which is totally awesome and adorable). They think it's not working but it accidentally does and Ultron "wakes" up with a twisted sense of peace. He believes the Avengers must be destroyed because they are not peaceful (he's not entirely wrong but it begs the question of good and evil). Ultron builds a robot army and they all share a single consciousness so you can't kill one body and kill Ultron. Ultron also tries to create a new body for himself, but the Avengers steal it and attempt to put J.A.R.V.I.S. consciousness inside the body. They succeed thanks to Thor, who realized that Loki's scepter held one of the Infinity stones and it was being used to create the body. The Vision, as they name him, says he is on the side of life and agrees to help them defeat Ultron. Obviously, they manage to and save the world.

Now, I left out several major details in that summary because I want to fully discuss a few things. First, I have a really girly moment that I need to get out of the way. Although I love these movies for many reasons, I will admit that the attractive men do help. And goodness, the biceps and Thor's hair. I love it. Moving on, I continue to love the chemistry of the team. They play off each other so well and I adore it. Part of it is Joss Whedon's writing and brilliance, but it's also the actors and how well they interact with each other. For example, the after party in the beginning. You probably saw parts of it in the advertising, where they all try to lift Thor's hammer. The way they tease and goad each other is great. I loved Thor's face when Steve tried to lift the hammer, because he was able to move it just a little. Thor lost his cockiness for a second there. Speaking of lifting the hammer, the laughing that went on when the Vision was able to lift the hammer. If the Avengers needed a sign that the Vision wasn't a threat, that is certainly a good one.

As for the other new characters, I love Scarlet Witch/Wanda and Quicksilver/Pietro. The twins are great. And they did a good job changing their backstory to allow them to be in the movie. As mutants, Marvel and Disney do not "own" Wanda and Pietro, but they are still a part of the Avengers. So the storyline was just twisted to give them powers and allow them to be in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I really like Wanda. She may be one of my new favorites. And I loved how Clint didn't even give her a chance to mess with his head. He was not about to deal with more mind control. As for the visions Wanda creates, Natasha's may have been my favorite. I was very excited to see more of her backstory as she is such a mystery. It was very intense but I really enjoyed seeing a glimpse into her past.

One of the biggest surprises was learning about Clint's family. Yeah, he's married with two kids and a third on the way. Didn't see that coming. Age of Ultron really gave us a chance to learn more about Clint and see who he is. Plus, in the middle of the battle he is giving Wanda a pep talk and basically tells her "None of this makes sense. We're fighting robots and I have a bow." Regardless, Clint rocks and he's certainly a very sassy character, which is wonderful. The other major surprise dealt with Clint as well. Whedon definitely set the movie up to make you believe that Clint was going to die somewhere in the movie. Instead, Pietro dies while saving Clint. It was very upsetting and Wanda was certainly not happy about it. It should be interesting to see how she continues to handle his death (if he stays dead because it's Marvel). As for other dead people, Fury made an appearance but not Coulson, and I really want to know if the Avengers know he's alive.

Last couple things. I continue to find the new version of "I've Got No Strings" very creepy but I kind of like it. As for the ending, Tony, Clint, Thor, and Bruce have gone their own ways. Steve and Natasha are helping create the new Avengers, which is an exciting prospect. You see them enter a training area, where The Vision, Wanda, War Machine, and The Falcon are waiting for them. I'm interested to see where it's going to lead. We know Captain America: Civil War and Thor: Ragnarok are both coming, which are certainly going to shake things up. And Infinity War is not going to be a picnic. Which reminds me, Thor mentions before he leaves that four of the Infinity stones have been found. Two more are needed for the Infinity gauntlet. In case you, like me, couldn't remember all the Infinity stones found, they are Loki's scepter/Vision's headpiece, the Orb from Guardian's of the Galaxy, the Tesseract, and the Aether.

I can already say that Age of Ultron is going to be one of my favorite movies this year. It was funny, action-packed, and pulled on your heartstrings just enough to make a truly good movie. I definitely recommend seeing it and hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Furious Seven

I grew up around cars, or at least with the idea of cars around. We lived in Detroit, the Motor City, and my family has worked in the automotive industry for almost 100 years. I went to car shows all the time, especially the Detroit Autorama. So cars have always been a part of my life. And naturally, car movies come into play as well.

I haven't watched The Fast and The Furious series from the beginning; when the first movie came out I was too busy seeing The Fellowship of the Ring to notice anything else. But I started paying attention when Fast & Furious came out. I'm not sure if I started watching the movies then or if it took a little longer. I know the first one I saw in theaters was Fast & Furious 6. I have come to love the series. It's not just about the cars; it's really about the characters. As my sister likes to say, "Character development!". And really, watching the characters grow and change is part of what I like about the movies. And like any fan, I was heartbroken when I heard that Paul Walker had passed. For me and so many other people, seeing Furious Seven was a very emotional yet rewarding experience.

I'm not even sure where to start. I loved the movie, let me say that. I really did like it. I thought they did an incredible job. Oh, and before I really get going, I'm not holding back so there are SPOILERS ahead. You've been warned.

Brief summary is as good a place as any to start. The movie begins with Letty and Dom going to Race Wars. Letty still doesn't have her memory back and she's really struggling. She tells Dom she needs to find herself. Brian is now driving his son to daycare/school in a minivan, and he's struggling with domestic life. Mia is pregnant again but doesn't want to disappoint Brian so hasn't told him. And then the house blows up. They have a funeral for Han (which is the first place I almost cried) and they all realize that they are being hunted by Shaw's big brother. The group gets recruited by a secret government agent, who needs them to recover a device that lets you find anyone anywhere in the world by using all the technology around. They are told they will be allowed to use it to stop Brother Shaw. They rescue the creator of the device, a woman named Ramsey. And then they head to Abu Dhabi to find the device. Obviously things don't go according to plan right away. Lots of things go wrong, Mia tells Brian she's pregnant, they defeat the bad guys, and then Dom almost dies. Throughout the movie Letty has been having flashbacks and slowly starting to regain her memory. When they're all huddled around Dom, afraid he's dead, she tells him she remembers everything. Including their wedding in the Dominican Republic and that they used the cross necklace Dom wears as their rings. So Dom doesn't die and everyone lives. The end.

Right, that's a short summary, leaving out a few details that I'm going to get to shortly. First, I loved the location shooting. They were in LA again, and in Abu Dhabi. One of the coolest scenes was them driving through the desert. I loved the bright colors against the sand, which was clearly the point.

And of course, I can't get far without mentioning the stunts. Yes, cars were dropped out of a plane. Yes, a car flew through 2 buildings. And it was really awesome and impressive. Let's be honest, half of the reason you see these movies is to see what crazy stunt they're going to pull next.

As for the characters, I loved them all, as always. And I've decided I want to be Letty when I grow up. She rocks, simple as that. She's brave, loyal, strong, stands by what she believes and who she loves, knows her cars and how to drive them, and looks great in a dress. She may be a damsel but she is never in need of rescuing as she can fight for herself. Plus, I think she's a good role model. She's the only woman who has been part of Dom's crew throughout the whole series. She's "one of the guys" but at the same time she isn't. And she is able to show off her femininity without wearing almost no clothing. Letty is definitely one of my favorite characters in the series and I hope to be half as cool as she is one day.

Now for the elephant in the room. Paul Walker's death could not have been handled in a more graceful and touching manner. Family has always been a major focus of the series, and now that Brian and Mia have two kids it's become even more important for them. In the end, Brian realizes that his place is with his wife and kids, and that he can't continue pulling heists or rescuing damsels. The last scene takes place on a beach, where the group has gathered. Mia calls Brian over to play near the water with their son. As he joins them, Dom gets up to leave, letting Brian go. Dom drives off and is stopped at a light when Brian pulls up. They drive together for a stretch and then go in separate directions, with Brian driving off into the sunset.

What really killed me about the scene was the song in the background, Dom's monologue, and the cars. The song playing is "See You Again" by Wiz Khalifa, written as a tribute to Paul. It's a beautiful song but very heartbreaking in context. The cars Dom and Brian are driving are basically the same cars from the end of the original movie, just updated versions. Not to mention that the Supra was Paul's personal car, used to create more feelings of sadness.

And lastly, there is Dom's monologue about Brian, and by extension about Paul.

"I used to say I live my life a quarter mile at a time and I think that's why we were brothers - because you did too. No matter where you are, whether it's a quarter mile away or halfway across the world, the most important thing in life will always be the people in this room, right here, right now. Salute mi familia. You'll always be with me. And you'll always be my brother."

I will gladly admit that I cried about the moment "See You Again" started playing. It was a difficult ending to watch because it was a last reminder that this is the end for Brian. Even if they make more movies, Paul Walker will not be in them. And that's a hard concept to fully grasp. Personally, I think the movie was the perfect ending for the series as a whole. It's been a wonderful series over many years, and I think they ended Furious Seven in such a way that it could stand as an end to the series. However, it's such a popular franchise and so successful that I'm sure they'll try to continue it without one of the founding members.

Was the movie a little over the top? Yes, always. Was it extra emotional in light of Paul Walker? Absolutely. Was it still a very well done and enjoyable movie? Without a doubt. And if nothing else, it was a way for us to finally say goodbye to Paul.

"How could we not talk about family when family's all that we got?

Everything I went through you were standing there by my side.

And now you gonna be with me for the last ride.

So let the light guide your way.

Hold every memory as you go.

And every road you take will always lead you home.

It's been a long day without you, my friend.

And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again.

We've come a long way from where we began.

Oh I'll tell you all about it when I see you again."

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

And now we come to part 2 of my series: the movie version of Fellowship. There are many things that I love about the movies. The biggest thing is that the movies feel like home. They are so familiar to me and so much a part of me. I honestly do not have the words to describe how important these movies, and Tolkien's works as a whole, are to me. That being said, I will do my best to describe what I love about these movies.

First, I want to point out that I only watch the extended versions. I cannot watch the theatrical versions without feeling like things are missing, which there are. So if you have not seen the extended versions then be warned as I will likely discuss things from them. And, in the spirit of honesty, I will admit that I once again took notes, although my notes for the movie were significantly shorter than those for the book.

 I only pulled out the movie discs; there are still more discs of special features. And again, underneath are my notes.

So. Beginning. Well, to start with, the movie begins with a 7:31 long prologue. That's right. Over 7 minutes of introductory dialogue to set up the story. However, it's awesome and I love it. I think it's a very good introduction without getting too in-depth. Plus, it's become such an iconic opening (well, at least among my friends and family). It's one of my favorite opening scenes of any movie. 

Now, I will cover the cast, music, and scenery later on. Before that I want to mention some of the plot points that I really like. The first is the little George Washington hobbit child. I don't know if you've ever noticed her, but one of the hobbit children looks like a little George Washington. And the poor child is a little girl. She is the second from the right, in the yellow dress, in the following picture.

I also love knowing that Gandalf hitting his head in Bilbo's house was a complete accident but they kept it in because it was so perfect. That's not the only time they did something like that in this series. In fact, near the end of the movie, when Aragorn is fighting the Uruk and he throws the knife at Aragorn, the knife was actually supposed to hit the tree behind Aragorn. The armor messed with the throw and Aragorn had to deflect it for real. 

It's interesting how much quicker things move in the movie. Once Gandalf determines that Frodo does indeed have the One Ring, he makes sure Frodo begins his journey. You can also see how much Isengard changes. It begins the movie as a beautiful place with lots of trees and grass but Saruman quickly changes that and it becomes dark and evil. 

"Many that live deserve death. Some that die deserve life. Can you give it to them, Frodo? Do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. Even the very wise cannot see all ends."

I find the small character personality changes fascinating. I spoke in the book post about the changes made to Arwen so I won't reiterate those here. However, I do want to talk about Aragorn and Boromir. In the book, Aragorn leaves Rivendell having claimed his birthright and with Narsil reforged and renamed Anduril. In the movie, he is much more reluctant to claim his birthright. He is more afraid of becoming like his ancestors and failing the same way they did. I think it makes him more likable as a person because you can see more character development over the whole of the series. With Boromir, there is also a build-up, although in his case it's a build-up of the Ring's influence on his thinking. In the book, he is very focused on returning to Minas Tirith and helping his people, but it isn't until the end that he actively seeks the Ring as the means to do so. In the movie, there are several instances, from his first appearance at the Council all the way to him trying to take the Ring, where you can see how the Ring affects him. It makes it a little harder to like Boromir because he seems more "evil" but you still feel sorry for him when he dies. What you have to understand about Boromir is that he's tired. He's tired of watching Men fall, of seeing their struggle to survive. He will do anything to see the glory of Men restored, including use the Ring against Sauron. That's what makes his death so sad. Boromir is a good man with a good heart but the Ring corrupts even the best of Men. And he sincerely cared for the Hobbits and the rest of the fellowship. He wanted to protect those weaker than him but he was not able to protect himself.

"They will look for his coming from the White Tower. But he will not return."

I find it interesting that most of the fellowship knows Frodo is leaving alone for Mordor near the end of the movie. In the book, only Sam guesses and follows him. In the movie, Aragorn, Pippin, and Merry all know what choice Frodo has made. The ending of the movie is also a bit different, as it actually is the beginning of The Two Towers book. Fellowship ends with Frodo and Sam leaving for Mordor and The Two Towers begins with Aragorn finding Boromir near death and then hunting the Uruk-hai to save Merry and Pippin. I like how the Fellowship movie ended, though. I think it wrapped up the first part nicely and set it up for the next part. 

I do have one point of contention. When Galadriel is handing out the gifts, she tells Aragorn that they will not meet again. This is not true, as Galadriel is part of the group that brings Arwen to Gondor so she can wed Aragorn. It is after their wedding that Galadriel eventually departs for Valinor. While their were some other minor changes and a couple of major changes, that comment by Galadriel is one of the things that really bothers me.

Now, on to the cast, sets, music, costumes, etc. Well, to start, I adore Howard Shore, the composer for the movies. His music is so beautiful. Just hearing a bit of any song from the movie is almost enough to make me cry. His scores perfectly capture the feel of the movie and of every scene. One of my favorite songs is in Moria, when you can hear the chanting in the background. Not only does each place have its own feel through the music, but each place is also perfectly captured through the sets and scenery. New Zealand was the perfect place to build Middle Earth. Both the sets and music help make The Lord of the Rings the definition of "epic". I also love how intricate the costumes are. They are so beautiful and I really wish it was still acceptable to dress that way. I love the cloaks and long, flowing dresses. It's all so regal and enchanting. As for the cast, I cannot imagine any of the characters played by different people. I think the whole cast, throughout the whole series, is simply perfect. They are all able to capture their characters and convey their thoughts and feelings.

There are certain scenes throughout the movies that are my favorite. In Fellowship, one scene would definitely be the Balrog scene. First, I love that Legolas refers to it as a "Balrog of Morgoth" when they are in Lothlorien. Any allusion to The Silmarillion makes me very happy. What helps make the Balrog scene one of my favorites is Legolas' initial reaction when Gandalf names their foe. Legolas, as an Elf, would have heard stories of Balrogs and their origins. He would have understood exactly what they were facing. And Orlando Bloom is able to convey that fear and terror perfectly. And let's not forget Gandalf's final speech.

"You cannot pass! I am a servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor. The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun! Go back to the shadow. You shall not pass!"

And so ends the first part. It seems all hope is lost but there is still a glimmer of it left. And there are still those willing to fight for it. The Two Towers moves much more quickly than Fellowship and it is my favorite of the three movies. I'm excited to share why that is with you so be on the lookout for the next two parts of the series. 

Link to post on Fellowship book: http://turningpages92.blogspot.com/2015/02/the-lord-of-rings-fellowship-of-ring.html

Into the Woods

It can be rather difficult to adapt a Broadway play or musical for the big screen. Not only do you have to consider how the story translates in regards to set and story progression, but you also have to deal with the diehard fans who can be very touchy about their favorite story becoming a movie. Many musicals have been made into movies over the years. West Side Story, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera, Chicago. The newest musical to join those ranks is Into the Woods. It's the story of several popular fairy tales, how they affect each other, and what happens after "ever after".

Now, I'll start by saying that I have seen the musical several times. I adore it, and own both the DVD and CD. So you could say that I'm a fan. As such, I am very attached to the original Broadway cast and was wary of it being adapted. I was comforted by the knowledge that Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine were working on it, as they are behind the Broadway play. My biggest concern, of course, was the singing and how the actors would measure up. I was especially concerned when I learned that Meryl Streep was playing The Witch, as her singing in Mamma Mia is best left forgotten and The Witch is a very important character. Plus, she has the unfortunate problem of not being Bernadette Peters, who is exceptional as The Witch.

Ok, let's address the singing all at once. Overall, I think the cast did a great job. Their singing was very good as a whole. James Corden, The Baker, was the weakest singer but even he sounded good. I loved Johnny Depp as The Wolf. He's able to make his voice so gravely and perfectly wolflike. And while I think Meryl Streep did alright as The Witch, she wasn't perfect. There were times when I felt she was trying too hard or maybe not trying enough. Either way, her singing still isn't my favorite but it was years beyond her previous, better-left-unnamed performance. I thought Anna Kendrick was very good as Cinderella, especially in "On the Steps of the Palace". I loved the way they did that song. I thought both Red and Jack were good in their roles, and I loved that they sang their individual songs to The Baker instead of to themselves or the audience. And I will admit that "No One is Alone" made me cry, as it always does. I thought it was very good. I also enjoyed that "Finale" was sung during the credits. It was different but I liked it.

However, I think Emily Blunt and Chris Pine stole the show. Not only because I really like them both, but because they were surprisingly good singers. Emily Blunt was perfect as The Baker's Wife. I thought she was just as good as Joanna Gleason. For her first major, public singing role, she did so well. She also had great chemistry with James Corden and they played off each other very well. And Chris Pine was just plain wonderful as Cinderella's Prince. He was dramatic, overdone, and charming. Both the Princes were actually. Possibly my favorite song from the musical is "Agony" and its reprise, which was not in the movie. But "Agony" in the movie did not disappoint. At all. Watching the Princes fight for attention and sing over each other while dramatically splashing about in the river and tearing their shirts was, hands down, my favorite part of the movie. It was totally overdone and beyond ridiculous but that's perfect for "Agony".

As for how the story translated in regards to story and set, I think it translated very well. I think one of my favorite shots was at the end of "Prologue: Into the Woods", when you see all the characters in the woods from an aerial view as they're going about their individual journeys. I definitely loved the woods and the variety in them. They changed so easily, which is the point, and I thought they looked great. I also thought the village was adorable and I would totally live there, minus the giant of course.

Speaking of the giant, poor Frances de la Tour. First she was Madame Maxime in Harry Potter and now she's a giant. She's not even that tall in real life, only 5'7". I've already mentioned quite a bit of the cast and how well I thought they fit their parts. Mackenzie Mauzy and Billy Magnussen were great as Rapunzel and Rapunzel's Prince. I especially liked how he kept falling and that the first thing he mentioned after being able to see again was her hair. I did like their new ending, as I thought it was nice that someone at least actually got a happy ending. Lilla Crawford was perfect as Little Red Riding Hood. Red is just so nonchalant about everything and Lilla Crawford captured that attitude. Overall, the cast was wonderful and played off each other so well. They were all so comfortable in their parts and everything seemed so natural.

As far as adaptions go, I thought Into the Woods was great. I personally really liked it. Yes, there were differences but most of them were not big. And the cast was spectacular. If you are a fan of the Broadway musical or just like fairy tales, then I highly recommend you see Into the Woods. And remember, be careful what you wish for.

Big Hero 6

Marvel has taken over the movie industry in the last few years, starting with the successful Iron Man in 2008 and all the way through to this year's Guardians of the Galaxy. From movies about single superheroes to movies with teams, Marvel has created a series of highly successful movies that are both fun and endearing. And now that they are a part of Disney, they have moved into a new format: animation. Big Hero 6 is the newest Marvel movie and the first that has been animated. And it has done exceptionally well. It's adorable and fun and just a great movie.

Big Hero 6 takes place in the imaginary city of San Fransokyo. It's about a 14 year old genius, four of his friends, and a personal healthcare robot. Like all Disney and Marvel movies, it starts off on a serious note. Hiro and Tadashi are orphans who live with their aunt, and then Tadashi is killed in a fire. Hiro and Baymax, his brother's robotics project, discover that Hiro's application project to the university was stolen and Hiro suspects that the fire that killed his brother was intentionally started to steal the microbots. Hiro turns himself, his friends, and Baymax into superheroes in order to stop the villain.

The last movie I saw that was as funny as Big Hero 6 would be Guardians of the Galaxy. And that was a Marvel movie as well. Clearly Marvel has their stuff together right now. What's great about Big Hero 6 is that it combines all the parts of other successful superheroes movies into a movie that's even more for children but is just as good. You still have the underdog hero and the unknown villain. You have the idea of revenge, of wanting to stop the villain more for what he's done to you personally than because he's bad. And you have the perfect balance of funny and sad. As Joss Whedon says "Make it dark, make it grim, make it tough, but then, for the love of God, tell a joke." Big Hero 6 is all those things and more. With animated movies, there is already the perception that they're made for children. Sure, adults enjoy them but the success of Disney has made animated movies seem childlike. The previous Marvel movies have been wonderful but can seem too old for kids. Animating Big Hero 6 was the perfect decision to make it more "appropriate" for children but from a franchise that adults love just as much. And if anyone could pull off an animated Marvel movie, it is Disney.

It was hilarious and heartwarming. Watching Baymax try to move around and his repeated "On a scale of 1 to 10, how would you rate your pain?" along with his giant marshmallow appearance is adorable. He is the cutest robot ever and I'm pretty sure thousands of children want their own Baymax now. Baymax is the heart of the movie and he's perfect. I just love everything about the movie. From Hiro and his friends to Baymax to Hiro's aunt. The sequence when Hiro and his friends are all learning to use their suits was great and very realistic. I think many of us would have the same difficulties at first. And of course, we can't forget the other robot in the movie, Hiro's bot for the bot fights. I love the big grin and then the very angry face as the little robot attacks you. Never underestimate those "smaller and weaker" than you. It never ends in your favor. Of course, I think one of people's favorite things was the fist bump that Hiro taught to Baymax.

If you didn't get the chance to see Big Hero 6 in theaters then you definitely missed out. It's a very adorable movie and a wonderful addition to the Marvel family. Plus, Stan Lee's appearance may just be his best one yet.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

I adore Tolkien and his works. I absolutely love Peter Jackson's adaptation of The Lord of the Rings but I've been a little on the fence about The Hobbit. The last movie in The Hobbit trilogy comes out today. I was expecting to see it Friday night. My parents even said they preorded tickets for Friday night. Last night, my mom said we were going to see The Homesman. She said she really wanted to see it and I'm always up for going to the movies. My dad was on the fence about going but ultimately decided to join my mom, sister and I. My mom went to buy tickets while my dad, sister and I headed toward the entrance to the theater. And then my mom comes over with no tickets and says something to my dad about getting them printed by the person who checks the tickets. Looking back, that should have been my first clue that something weird was going on. Then my mom starts whispering to the person who collects the tickets. It was about that time that my sister and I realized that we were actually going to see The Battle of the Five Armies and not The Homesman. It turns out that when my mom had gone to order tickets for Friday for The Hobbit, she noticed that there was a showing at 7 on Tuesday night. So our parents decided to surprise my sister and me, and we went to see it last night. My sister and I were crying once we realized what was going on because we both knew what was coming and neither one of us had had time to emotionally prepare. Let's just say it was a good surprise but very emotional.

Ok, now that my long story is over, let's get down to business (to defeat the Huns). I even have a list of things I want to talk about in regards to the movie. To begin, this is not going to be an entirely pleasant review. You've been forewarned. Firstly, in case you didn't know, the Tolkien family is not happy with the Peter Jackson movies. Any of them. And if Jackson had led with this series instead of LOTR, then I would fully agree with the Tolkien family.

There have gradually been more and more changes in The Hobbit movies and it's become a little unrecognizable as Tolkien's Hobbit. For example, in the book, several more of the dwarves in the company die. Bilbo is also not really a part of the battle. He puts the ring on and gets knocked out because no one can see him. Then, no one can find him so they think he died. He barely makes it back in time to make amends with Thorin, who dies off the battlefield after the battle is over. The Dol Guldur escapade is different as well. The White Council is able to send Sauron away easily because he is not strong enough to stand against them, whereas in the movie he's strong enough to fight them. I will say I found the Galadriel part interesting. In The Fellowship of the Ring when she tries to take the ring, she's still beautiful because she's in control. In Dol Guldur, she's being partially controlled by Sauron so she's a lot scarier when she loses it for a second. I also appreciated that she mentioned Morgoth, because The Silmarillion is my favorite. Another thing that I didn't like was the giant worms that the Orcs used to tunnel under the earth. The only "worms" in Middle Earth are the dragons, who were also called the Worms of Morgoth. So those burrowing worm creatures were not canon.

And now for my biggest issue that many other people love: Tauriel. I have no issue with Jackson creating a female elf because he thought the movie needed more women. What bothers me is the Tauriel/Kili relationship. No dwarf and elf would ever fall in love. It's not how Tolkien wrote them. And since he's the expert, I tend to agree with him. Dwarves and Elves are simply too different for a romantic relationship. Legolas and Gimli are proof that they can be friends but I cannot see it extending past that. Just, no. My greatest fear was that Jackson would save Kili so that he and Tauriel could be together. One of the saddest things about the end of the book is that the line of Durin is completely wiped out because Thorin and his nephews all die. I was so happy that they killed Kili because it's such an important part of the story.

I know it sounds like I absolutely hated the movie but that's not true. There were several things I liked. Of course, the music is one of the biggest things, although the music at the very beginning was very un-LOTR sounding. However, it was definitely made up for with Billy Boyd's song "The Last Goodbye". It was the perfect song to end the series and the Middle Earth adventures. I also adored the pig and ram steeds. In Middle Earth, people don't just ride horses. They also ride elk, pigs, and ram. They were so cute and I definitely want one. And let's not forget Beorn, falling out of the sky as a bear. I thoroughly enjoyed that. One of my favorite things in LOTR is the way that enemy lines meet at Helm's Deep and Pelennor Fields. Battle of the Five Armies did not disappoint in that regard. I was so excited to see the dwarves crouched down, waiting for the orcs to attack. And then bam! Elves overhead. That made me happy. Oh, and Billy Connolly as Dain? He was adorable. And let's not forget Bard and Legolas talking. I could barely contain my laughter because they're practically twins. I also liked that Legolas was sort of sent to find Strider, because they do know each other before LOTR.

Ok, last couple comments. The burning of Lake-town. That was a really cool scene, watching Smaug destroy the city. But my favorite part of the movie was Douchebag Thorin. And yes, I have made that into his title because if we're honest, he totally becomes a douchebag. And it was handled so well and done so beautifully. I loved watching him lose his mind. He goes so crazy and nuts and it's really hard to like him. As Bilbo says, how could Thorin think that his kin would ever betray him? They are so loyal to him and love him so much. I loved what Dwalin and Kili both said to him, about not wanting to watch their kin from the Iron Hills die while they hide away. And I love that you can see the change in Thorin by how he dresses. When he's consumed by the dragon sickness he is dressed in robes lined with fur and wears a crown. But when he comes to rally the company and ask them to follow him one last time, he's dressed simply, as he was in the beginning. And it's amazing how much 13 dwarves can change the tide of a battle, simply because the King is leading them. Thorin is without a doubt one of my favorite Tolkien characters, and I am so happy with how Richard Armitage portrays him. Even though his death was different from the book, it was still just as terrible and heartbreaking.

I know it seems like I didn't really like the movie. I did, but not in comparison to the book. I really had to focus on seeing the movie as a separate entity from the book. On its own, the movie was good and a satisfactory ending to the trilogy. I love the actors (Martin Freeman is perfect), I adore the scenery, and I just love the music so much. While I will miss Middle Earth, I am glad the series is finally over.

Gone With the Wind

Today is the 75th anniversary of the release of Gone With the Wind. The massive book was adapted into an equally massive movie, at least in regards to length. The movie was re-released this year and my mom and I went to see it. It was incredible.

Before the movie started, there was a clip that explained some of the history of the movie, the actors, and the premiere. It was actually really cool to learn about the backstory of the movie. I like things like that. For instance, a ticket to the premiere of the movie cost $10 and was considered expensive. I paid more than that to see the re-release. And I was excited to learn that the movie would be played in the exact same way it was premiered. The same aspect ratio, the overture and exit music, intermission, everything. That made it even more real for me.

Now, I love Gone With the Wind. I've read the book and own the movie. I find Rhett Butler devilishly attractive and I fully agree with the sentiment that Scarlett is a royal bitch. She's terrible. She truly is. But I still love the movie. How can I not, when it's a sweeping epic about war and romance? The romantic, girly side in me just swoons. It's a little pathetic, I know. There's just something about the movie that I love though. Its characters are flawed, except maybe Melanie, but there is still something to admire about them all. They're resilient, passionate, and hardworking. And the "sweeping" part of the epic has as much to do with the scenery as anything. The plantation houses, the scene in Atlanta with all the wounded soldiers on the railroad tracks, the scene where Atlanta is burning. It's a stunningly beautiful film. And, of course, I adore the music. And the costumes. They are spectacular and I would love to wear one of those dresses.

I have to say that I love seeing re-releases. There is nothing cooler than seeing a movie in theaters that you weren't alive to see in theaters the first time. Especially when it's one that you love. It gives the movie more meaning and you notice things you didn't before. And to see Gone With the Wind in the same way it was premiered, down to the intermission, was very cool. It was a little glimpse into the past and what it was like to see movies 75 years ago.