Harry Lloyd Appreciation Post

Harry Lloyd

      I never have understood people who come across an actor, that they have never seen or heard of before, in one film and automatically designate them as their favorite actor or actress. I wait until I've viewed various roles and performances, before I consider them a favorite. So, that being said, if someone were to ask me who my favorite new actor would be, I would answer with no hesitation, Harry Lloyd! Although he may seem something of an unknown to American audiences, Harry has really made a name for himself in Great Britain and his popularity is growing and growing.

      I haven't seen him in a lot of films, but what I have watched him in, I have absolutely loved. Anyone who is a fan of BBC's Robin Hood will know him as Will Scarlett, but I didn't know that I had seen him in previous projects years before. So you can imagine my surprise when I looked him up on IMDb (after seeing him in Robin Hood) and found out that he was adorable young Denis Thatcher in The Iron Lady; that dorky smile looked really familiar. Not to mention he has grown up quite well since he first came into screen acting. 

Harry Lloyd in the various roles I've seen him in.
(of course, I had to go and spell Denis' name wrong. Sorry!!)

      As an actor, he is very convincing and just always seems so comfortable in his roles. And he does convey a variety of character personalities; from quiet and reserved Will Scarlett to cheeky and fun-loving Herbert Pocket; from an understanding husband like Denis Thatcher to a very confused one like Mortimer. At the same time, with what I have watched, there is always an element of Harry's real life personality in his characters that comes across on screen from time to time. Not all of them though; I've heard he plays an evil, evil villain in Game of Thrones, who thankfully dies at the end of season 1.

     He's not what you would call a conventionally handsome actor, but there is a very simple handsomeness to him; he has the prettiest green eyes and the right amount of Dr. Who(ish) gawkiness that makes him interesting to watch (or look at - there's a difference) . Oh, and his smile...which can range from sweet to satanic depending on his role. So he definitely falls in the geeky is sexy appearance category of David Tennant, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Hiddleston and Ben Whishaw, all of whom I also love...and who are all also British. 

Harry Lloyd as young Denis Thatcher

     I think the first movie I saw him in was The Iron Lady, he played the younger version of Margaret Thatcher's husband, Denis, who she meets at a dinner party. Margaret is a shy shopkeeper's daughter and has never attended a proper formal meal. Denis, who is completely accustomed to these kind of parties, ends up being seated next to her and helps through the meal with complete ease and kindness. I was in love the moment he told her how to properly use her cutlery. Then we eventually see their budding romance, courtship (The King & I...so sweet), engagement (beautiful engagement scene!), early marriage and children. What little time he had in the film, he made it memorable.

Harry Lloyd as Herbert Pocket

     Then I saw him as Herbert Pocket in BBCs 2011 version of Great Expectations. I had never read the book, so when Pip is introduced to this gangly character with a suspicious Cheshire Cat grin, I wasn't sure if he was good or not. Herbert ended up being the most loyal and honest friend in the story and he brought a lot of humor to the otherwise dark and gritty plot. Oh, Harry Lloyd is also Charles Dickens great-great-great grandson as well. 

Harry Lloyd as Mortimer

      He also made a brief appearance as Mortimer in The Hollow Crown: Henry IV (Part One). It was a very small, blink and you miss him role, but the same charming persona was still there. His character was a cousin of one of the lead characters, Harry "Hotspur" Percy (played by Joe Armstrong; Harry's Robin Hood co-star) and his primary concern is trying to explain to his Welsh speaking wife why he has to leave with his cousin and go to war, which is hard because he can't speak Welsh and she can't speak English.

Harry Lloyd as Will Scarlett

      Then I finally saw him in Robin Hood where he was so quiet, reserved and only smiled on occasion. I loved him though! Will is the practical and pragmatic voice of reason, always dependable, maybe a little hot headed from time to time, but a true fighter and honorable friend. No wonder Djaq was so in love with him! I was disappointed when he (and Djaq) didn't return for Season 3, but he definitely made his mark in the show.

      Hopefully, I'll be able to see more of Harry's work in The Theory of Everything, where he plays Stephen Hawking's best friend and the Dr. Who episodes, Human Nature and The Family of Blood he was in and that, according to my sister, he was terrifying. Wow. This post ended up being a whole lot longer than I thought it would be...I'm not sorry. I normally don't fan-girl, but when I do, I attempt to be the best one out there.

Feminism & Gender Equality (and Suffragette Film)

Click on the picture to read the article.

  

 Please read this article! It is absolutely fascinating!

     As a self-proclaimed first-wave feminist, I found this article to be very intriguing. As much as I am against abortion, I am even more opposed to gender selection and female infanticide. Although Ms. Apple's bill is not trying to stop abortion, it is a step in the right direction to bring awareness to the lies that pro-choicers have been feeding to society for years. I'm very happy that the Ms. Apple's campaign against gendercide is being read and approved and that is the mark of a true feminist. 

     Feminism in it's concrete form is not the man-hating, women rule the world, alpha-bitch mentality that society and most especially, the Fundamentalist Christian Church, has force fed to people. Feminism is a belief that women were created to be women and have accepted their roles as women, but were also created to walk alongside men (as a help-meet) and not underneath them or above them. A feminist is a women who believes that her purpose in the world is better than what society has told her. 

     Before the Suffragette movement in the Mid-Victoria era, women had two roles, wife and mother. If they didn't marry, they were expected to stay home and care for their aging parents. She could not attend college, had no voting rights, could not file for divorce, even if her husband was abusive or an adulterer nor could she have custody of her children. If a wife left her husband, then it was her fault, she was not a good wife and she lost everything. The first wave feminists saw that women were simply second class citizens in the eyes of the law and felt that God created them for more than agreeing placidly to government and law.

      In 1920, women over 30 were allowed to vote, girls and women could attend certain universities and colleges, and work conditions did improve. In the 1960s though, that is when the over radical worldview on women's rights began to take hold and haven't ended. Now feminism is associated with an overtly antagonistic, negative view of women who supposedly think the world better without men and have rights over her own body. No. That is not feminism. That is female-empowerment; the belief that women are all powerful and infallible. A woman can marry and have a family and still believe in the true belief of feminism.    

Suffragette (2015)

In September (supposedly), Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham-Carter, Carrey Mulligan, and Romola Garai are all going to be starring in the film Suffragette and I can't begin to tell you how excited I am! The film is based on the historic true events of the first-wave feminists movement in England. Meryl Streep will be playing Emmeline Pankhurst (a contempary of Susan B. Anthony and Carry Chapman Catt) and Helena Bonham-Carter will be playing Edith New. I'll try to keep updating with as much news and information as I can get.

Top: L-Emmaline Pankhurst//R-Meryl Streep as Emmeline Pankhurst in Suffragette

Bottom: L-Edith New//R-Helena Bonham-Carter as Edith New in Suffragette

A New Belle

      It's official! Emma Watson has been cast to play Belle in a live action version of Disney's Beauty and the Beast!!! They could not have found anyone better to play Belle!!

       As a first-generation Potterhead (Harry Potter fans), Emma was one of my biggest screen idols growing up. I loved her so much as Hermione and now...she's playing my absolute favorite Disney princess! And Emma has been playing some rather heady roles lately, so it'll be nice to see her in something fun.

Source: CNN News

Most Popular Pin

The cast of The Originals doing Q &A at Comic-Con

This pin that I added to my Pinterest over a year ago has reached 1,000 repins (and counting) and 474 likes (and counting). If people can explain to me why they find it so humorous (I just posted it for Daniel Gillies), please enlighten me.

Sons of Liberty mini-series

Ben Barnes as Sam Adams

     History Channel is premiering the 3 night mini-series, Sons of Liberty, tonight and my family is going to watch it after Downton Abbey. Seeing as History Channel rarely, if ever, gets history right, it'll probably be terrible and inaccurate, but I'm going to give it the benefit of the doubt. I've heard mixed reviews about the mini-series; some say it's good and others say it's terrible and normally I wouldn't care, but seeing as these men were not only the founding fathers, but should also be considered the greatest men in American history, I'm going to be a little skeptical.

(L-R) Ryan Eggold as Dr. Joseph Warren, Michael Raymond James as Paul Revere

Ben Barnes as Sam Adams, Rafe Spall as John Hancock, and Henry Thomas as John Adams

Vlog Pilot

My first ever Vlog! Thanks to my sister for letting me borrow her camera : )

I hope you like it and I'll make another one soon. And if anyone wants to send me any questions, then go ahead (I'm not expecting a lot, but I would like Bella Delallo to send me something pithy).

Social Network Showdown

I mean should it really be that debatable?

With Blogger, Wordpress and other blogging platforms, you actually have to have the talent to write, make graphics, or do a decent vlog.

Facebook...internet connection. 

And people who have too much time on their hands. 

The Young Victoria

The Young Victoria (2009)

     One of my favorite romance and royal history movies! Normally I'm skeptical when Hollywood creates a movie about the British monarchy, because more often than not, they get about 50% of the history wrong, but there are a few select films such as The King's Speech and this jewel here that gives the viewer a glimpse into the life of an extraordinary monarch and the person that was always one step behind to catch them if they stumbled.

~ ~ ~

Emily Blunt as Princess/Queen Victoria

       In 1837, a few weeks shy of her eighteenth birthday, young and lovely Princess Victoria of Kent has dreams...many dreams. Her greatest dream of all is her own birthright as heiress presumptive to the throne of England and to take this role and live as she sees fit. This does not sit well with her overbearing mother, German born Princess Victoria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and her manipulative financial adviser, Sir John Conroy. They believe her to be too young and inexperienced and want her to sign a regency forum to allow her mother to rule and through her mother, Sir John Conroy will have complete power and control. 

     Although she is young, Victoria is no ones fool, but the young princess is pushed and pulled in every direction from family members and politicians. Her governess, Baroness Lezhan, is her only comfort and support, but even Victoria knows that she cannot carry the burden of the crown on her own. Believing that becoming queen of England's vast empire will gain her freedom from her gilded prison of eighteen years, Victoria has no idea what is in store for her when her uncle dies and she is now left to reign over the rebelling country of England and numerous other countries that are broken from war, poverty and desperation.

Rupert Friend as Prince Albert

     Every cloud has a silver lining, even in the royal family. Victoria finds her own lining in her handsome and generous cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. Although their personalities are as different as night and day, Victoria and Albert share a similar loneliness that comes from the loss of parents, the controlling world of their guardians and the royal bloodline they had no choice of being born into. Albert becomes one of the few people in Victoria's life to see her ability and passion to be a great queen.

     Although quiet and shy, Prince Albert is a well educated and brilliant young man whose modern, but strict moral beliefs could change the country if not the world. All he has to do is get people to listen. Victoria herself is taken with him; he understands her in a way no one else in her life has; he has faith in her, but at the same time believes that her vulnerability in her trust towards the Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne and her growing vengeance against her mother, may be her downfall. 

Rupert Friend as Prince Albert and Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria

     Of all of Victoria's decisions, her greatest was her decision to marry Albert and make him her equal in all things regarding the running of the country. Of course, it didn't come all of a sudden; like all newlyweds, the young queen and prince have their own fair share of run-ins with prejudiced politicians and annoying relatives, not to mention an empire with grave doubts about Victoria's age and her choice in her foreign born husband.

     Over the course of the film you see Victoria's character develop from a frightened young girl, to a naive queen, a blushing bride and newlywed, to finally a confident young woman, ready for a family of her own (including her growing relationship with her mother) and a country in need of a sovereign to care, guide and protect them. True to his nature, Albert changes very little, but he does become more trusting of the English people and in return gains their respect, as well as the respect of Lord Melbourne and other members of Parliament. Albert also encourages Victoria to forgive her mother and help them to build a relationship they never thought they could have before. 

Rupert Friend as Prince Albert and Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria

     Life is never easy, love is never easy, but finding love in life always makes it worth the pain. The one point this movie came across so well, was that even though we attain our dreams, it doesn't mean they always turn out to be perfect. In Victoria and Albert's case, it was very true. It is a coming of age story for both characters, who are eighteen when first introduced and twenty-two by the ending. 

     Victoria had much to learn in becoming queen and that meant listening to others, finding your own voice and looking toward the future with the life lessons of your past (painful as they may be) to be constant reminders of how far you've come. Albert himself learned that to be accepted, you must first accept others. Although he loathed Melbourne in the beginning, he also respected him as a prime minister, but also made very clear that he himself can be a force to be reckon with.

Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria and Rupert Friend as Prince Albert

     Stunning and irresistibly romantic, this film may have had some mild artistic license regarding Victoria and Albert's relationship. For one, they did not fall in love when they first met and Albert himself married Victoria out of duty. It was only after their first child was born did he eventually coming around to loving her dearly, and remained devoted and faithful to her for their twenty-one years of marriage.   

     If you are a costume lover (like me), this film is eye candy run amok! Victoria's dresses alone are visually stunning and add to the youth and innocence of her character. All the women's clothes range from outrageous to moderate depending on their rank and inform the characters very well. The men's costumes are just as incredible and it's interesting seeing Albert's change the higher he gets on the social ladder. There is only one word for the music...romantic!!! Almost to a fault; Victoria and Albert's love theme alone is enough to make you fall in love with the film. 

     Seeing Victoria's growth from princess to queen and then eventually, wife and mother, was documented very well. Albert is the perfect historic romantic hero who I believe was very much accurate to the true character of Prince Albert. So for anyone you loves history, royalty, romance or a costume drama or any of the above for that matter, this is definitely a movie that's worth the watch.

Victoria and Albert's Family in 1846

 by Franz Xaver Winterhalter

The children: from L-R are Prince Alfred, Prince Edward (the Prince of Wales), Princess Alice, Princess Helena (the baby) and Princess Victoria (Vicky)

If you look close enough, you can see Albert almost touching Victoria's hand....

Downton Abbey Confession #17

People need to stop seeing Lady Rose as just 'Sybil's replacement.'

  

She is her own sweet character, with her own clever mind and generous personality; and quite frankly, is more relatable 

as a person than Sybil ever was. 

  

Robin Hood (BBC) - Season 1

Robin Hood: Season 1

      If I didn't already say it enough in my preview post...I LOVE this show! I really wasn't expecting to, but, similar to Merlin, I was completely immersed into the story and the characters. Although I  never read the actual legends, I grew up watching different variations and interpretations of Robin Hood; my earliest one being Disney's 1973 version, the whimsical fan-favorite episode from the PBS television series Wishbone, the Mel Brook's classic, Robin Hood: Men In Tights, and a version made in 1991 that my mom introduced me to starring Patrick Bergin and Uma Thurman and was very well done. 

     Like with most anything on the BBC (or British drama in general) it takes a couple of episodes to get into. The show itself moves at lightening speed in the beginning and by the second disc, it's slowed down to enjoy the characters.

~ ~ ~

Robin Hood

Jonas Armstrong as Robin Hood

     After five years in the Holy Lands during the Third Crusade, young Robin of Locksley and his manservant, Much, return from fighting in King's Richard's royal guard to his home in Nottingham, England. Except, it's not really Robin's home anymore and that's not the only thing that has changed. Vaisey of Nottingham, the new sheriff has taken control of Nottingham, starting with the control of the noble families. With no other family members and Robin off in the Holy Lands, the sheriff has given control of Robin's manor and village to his psychotic right-hand man, Sir Guy of Gisborne. 

     The sheriff and Guy have started taxing people to death, their excuse is to pay for the King's crusade, but really are being used by the king's idiot younger brother, Prince John. Robin is beyond mortified when he sees his home and people being used and manipulated. And if things couldn't get any worse, Robin's betroth, Marian has given up on him and wants nothing to do with him.

      Now left with no home, no money, no family, and no betroth, Robin has nothing to do, but challenge the powerful of Nottingham, which was his big mistake; a mistake that would make him a legend. When Robin defies the sheriff and rescues several men from a public hanging, he subsequently turns himself an outlaw to everyone who knows his name. He makes off to the forest of Sherwood with his servant and the small band of men he rescues (all former outlaws themselves) and creates a gang with one goal in mind, outwit the sheriff and Guy, and take from the treasuries of the rich and return it to the poor, all without being caught and at the same time, try and win back Marian's heart.

     I though Jonas Armstrong portrayal of Robin was absolute perfection! He gave Robin a many faceted personality. One minute he's charming, the next minute he's arrogant, and before you can blink, his temper has taken over all common sense. What I found the best and most endearing about him, is that although he is courageous and honorable, he's not afraid to be vulnerable to his feelings. He feels no shame in being affectionate to the hurting or even crying in public, but still manages to maintain the same masculine strength and dignity that makes him a good leader and doesn't come off as weak or effeminate. That can be a very difficult for a male actor (especially in today's sappy society), but Jonas did it to perfection and made a romantic and noble hero that could make any girl want to run off into the forest with him. 

~ ~ ~

Marian

Lucy Griffiths as Marian

    The daughter of the former of sheriff of Nottingham and Robin of Locksley's betroth of five long years, Marian is hardly a woman who needs a man's help in the world. While given the appearance of graceful elegance and beauty in the sheriff's court during the day, at night she is the famed Night Watchman, a cloaked and masked figure that fights, feeds and cares for the poor and destitute of Nottingham. Marian is not one to wait around for situations to improve, if she has a chance to make life better, than she'll take it, regardless of the consequence. 

     While Marian has no problem fighting the social injustices of Nottingham, she finds herself conflicted with the battle of her heart. After Robin's return from the Holy Lands, she is hardly thrilled at his homecoming, but is also being pursued by Locksley's new lord, Sir Guy of Gisborne. Torn between her former feelings for Robin and her growing affections for the brooding landlord, Marian finds herself in a personal battlefield between what is right, what is wrong, what is easy and what is hard. 

     A beautiful and lively Marian that is never dull or boring; Lucy Griffiths breathed new life into the legendary lady and brought a more independent and feminist character that modern day girls can look up to. Marian's love triangle between Robin and Guy can become complex at times, but she chooses good over deception in spite of the hardships that followed afterwards. Some people may argue this but I never believed for one minute that Marian was malicious in her affections toward Guy; she did what she could to survive and protect the people she loved. 

~ ~ ~

Sir Guy of Gisborne

Richard Armitage as Guy of Gisborne

     Broody and moody is the sheriff's right hand man in black. Power hungry to the point of madness, Guy will do whatever it takes to give the poor of Nottingham something to fear and respect. This attitude may please his boss, but does little for Lady Marian's affections. When Guy is given Locksley Manor, Guy believes that he may have Marian caged for good, but then Robin returns and old feelings between the arch rivals begin to fuel and dear Marian is caught slap bang in the middle of the two men. 

     Guy gets little no to no sympathy in the show, everything that comes back to him, he had it coming. Although he may work for the sheriff, Guy refuses to be anyone's puppet, especially when it comes to wooing Marian and planning on making her his wife, if only to spite Robin Hood who now lives as an outlaw in Sherwood Forest. 

      I think Richard Armitage just enjoys playing the brooder of the story, be he a hero or villain. I had previously seen him in North & South and The Hobbit trilogy, but he pulls the character off so well, you can forgive him for being repetitive. In spite of Guy's cruel and heartless nature, there is something almost endearing, but it's rare and shows up once in a blue moon. Guy's feelings for Marian tended more toward the side of overwhelming lust and not real love; he didn't care for her intelligence and good will, he just wanted sleep with her, however, when in competition with the handsome and heroic Robin Hood, you can understand that a desperate man will take desperate measures to get what he wants. 

~ ~ ~

Vaisey of Nottingham

Keith Allen as Vaisey or the Sheriff of Nottingham

      To understand Guy, you may need to understand his boss, the vengeful and mad sheriff of Nottingham....and la-de-dah-de-dah. A complete control freak and sociopath who answers to no one except Prince John, who is completely inconsequential to begin with, the sheriff (as he's known as) has complete control over the people of Nottingham and woe be to anyone who tries to usurp him. So it's understandable that when Robin of Locksley returned from the Crusades, with all his virtuous notions of equality for all, the sheriff is (more than) slightly put off by him. 

     Whether perturbed by insanity or just an overachiever, the sheriff controls the people with an iron fist and no compassion. He thinks that by hurting the people will get him respect from them, but it deepens their resentment of him and heightens their love of Robin Hood and his men.

     A villain that you absolutely love to hate! Keith Allen's comedic timing with his villainous role just makes him worth the watch. He is a complete nutcase that also happens to be incredibly clever and not dimwitted at all, which is a tearway from previous interpretations of the sheriffs. 

~ ~ ~

The Outlaws

Robin's Mighty Men

     A corrupt government can make corrupt men or it can make them outlaws. The latter normally comes with a high price, namely death. These men (and woman) would gladly choose death over a life of injustice, inhumanity, and fear. An unlikely crew that consists of a loyal manservant, a politically outspoken carpenter, a conman, a veteran outlaw, and Saracen physician hardly make the stuff of legends, but to Robin Hood, they are the future of Nottingham's salvation. 

     Much (Sam Troughton): Robin's loyal manservant who spent five years fighting by his side in the Crusades. Much was promised a life as a freeman if he fulfilled his duty to his master, but the return home becomes an even more arduous battle than the one he fought in the Middle East. Although, he is technically Robin's equal in most respects, he still continues to serve and protect his former master (and still refers to him as master). Cautious to a fault and spends most of his time contemplating the negative, Much brings a good deal of humor to the group and also sense of duty and honor to the man he admires and revers.

     John Little (Gordon Kennedy): John Little or Little John as he's known has spent more time on the wrong side of the corrupt law than anyone else. Once a husband and a good provider for his wife in Locksley, John fell into trouble and it seems that trouble has been following him ever since. A bear of a man who has a heart of gold, John is a strong fighter who is passionate about the cause that Robin is leading, but that doesn't stop him from mourning the separation from his wife (who believes him to be dead) and his young son he never knew. 

     Allan A Dale (Joe Armstrong): Liar, thief, and conman, one could say that Allan is the poster boy for outlaws. Prison is pretty much his second home and lying is practically a second language for him. Allan usually prefers to work alone, but Robin's offer of helping the poor, by punishing the rich turns Allan around, but that doesn't mean his loyalties are necessarily intact all the time. Charming and funny, Allan (like Much) is a life force for Robin's gang and is normally the person who always has to have the last word.

     Will Scarlet (Harry Lloyd): A quiet and talented carpenter who wants to live a quiet life, Will is thrown into the outlaw scene when he is sentenced to be hung for stealing. When Robin saves his life, he gives Will, his father and brother, on opportunity to fight alongside him. Will's father and brother turn him down, but Will is intrigued and stays with Robin. Although, reserved and practical by nature, Will is passionate about bringing down the sheriff and Guy and will stop at nothing to see that day finally come. 

     Djaq (Anjali Jay): She (Yes, she and her name is pronounced 'Jack') is the most unlikely person to join Robin's gang. A woman, a Saracen, and Muslim who is also a scientist, a physician, and a solider. Djaq was brought from the Holy Lands as a slave, but was freed by Robin after she saved John's life with her medical knowledge. Afterwards her medical skill as well as her fighting makes her a worthy member of the group. Incredibly kind and compassionate, Djaq gives a calming presence to the outlaws of Sherwood and even manages to capture a couple of their hearts. 

~ ~ ~

"Will you tolerate this injustice? I for one, will not!"

     If you enjoyed BBCs Merlin, chances are you will enjoy Robin Hood as well. A well balanced mix of humor and drama, with a little modern thrown into the costumes and dialogue, it's what I call a relaxing watch. A swoonworthy, but imperfect hero who struggles with his humanity (but is by no means broody), a beautiful heroine who is bold and clever, villains that make you laugh (or want to throw something at the screen) and a Scooby-Doo crew of misfits determined to save the day. What more can you ask for??

Last Note -

     And if my new header (which is the best one I've made so far!) didn't already explain it...I love Robin and Marian! My new favorite romantic couple! Their relationship is truly based on companionship and respect that turns into unconditional and sacrificial love. Every time there is a romantic scene between them, I go into total fangirl mode : ) There need to be more romances like theirs in stories.

BBCs Robin Hood

I just started watching this show and I love it! 

Season 2 ended last night, so I'm waiting on the finale season...and I don't want it to end, but a series review for each season are coming up soon!

And I can't begin to tell you how soooo in love I am with this guy!

 He is absolutely wonderful as Robin Hood!

And he and Marian are perfect for each other; their romance/relationship reminds me a lot of Arthur and Gwen from Merlin. Also my new favorite romance : )

( I prefer saying romance to pairing//shipping.)

 

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

 Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.

~Hal Borland