LOTR Blog Party Day One - Tag

1.) How were you introduced to Tolkien? Through my older siblings. I had never heard of Tolkien until promotion for the LOTR movies came out.

2.) Did you read the books before the movies or after? I haven't read LOTR, but I have read "The Hobbit" and I absolutely loved it!

3.) Do you like Tolkien's style of writing? Tolkien writes in a style that may seem strange to modern day audiences. He's very (almost over the top) descriptive of his stories, but doing that does allow the reader to really engage in this mythical world. Also, he does a very good job at getting in the minds and psyche of the characters.

4.) Do you like the film adaption? Yes! I loved the films very much! When I do read the books, it'll be interesting to see the film characters playing in my mind.

5.) What is one thing from the books that you wish Peter Jackson had included in the films? Like I said, I haven't read the books, but according to my sister, Tolkien did go into more detail about the elves. I would have liked to see more.

6.) What is one thing from the books that you are glad Peter Jackson cut/changed? Faramir's character. I think Peter Jackson made him much more realistic and relatable.

7.) What character do you think has the most strength and courage? That's not a fair question!! No, in all honesty, LOTR is filled with strong and courageous characters who all have their own battles to fight. So I would have to say either Frodo or Elrond.

8.) Which character do you think you are most like? Pippin. I always feel that I'm always making mistakes and can never measure up to other people, but given a chance, I think I can become my own person.

9.) Which is your favorite friendship? That's difficult...probably Legolas and Aragorn (I still love you Gimili!!) I love their friendship because of how Legolas sees Aragorn's worth as a king long before anyone else does and pushes him to understand that worth. And Aragorn considers Legolas to be his wisest counselor and never goes headlong into anything without first consulting his advice.

10.) Which is your favorite pairing? Faramir and Eowyn! They were both so alone in their lives and in the world and when they met, everything just came together for the two of them.

11.)Which Middle -earth villain terrified you the most? The Balrog!! Nightmares are made from that!

12.) What is your favorite quote from the books? I'm surprised I made it through the tag this long without depending on the books.

13.) What is your favorite quote from the movie? 

From the ashes a fire shall be woken
A light from the shadow shall spring
Renewed shall be blade that was broken
The Crownless again shall be king.

(Can that count as book and movie quote??)

14.) Given the choice would you spend the day with a hobbit or with an elf? Hobbit! Especially if food is involved.

15.) Mirkwood or Moria? Mirkwood.

16.) What is your favorite Middle Earth dress/style? The hobbit costumes were my favorite. They had a very traditional-country look, but were still elegant.

The lavender dress (end right) is my favorite!

17.) Red, brown, small and round! What did you just think of? A doughnut.

18.) Rivendell or Lothlorien? Rivendell! There such a sense of peace and tranquility and of course Elrond's library.

19.) Would you rather visit Rohan or Gondor? Rohan. The horses and countryside are just perfect.

20.) What is something about Middle Earth that completely astounds you? Everyone's perfect hair.

Lord of The Rings Blog Party

     Bella Delallo at To Say Nothing of Reality is hosting her LOTR Blog Party that starts tomorrow and goes on for the whole week.

RULES!

LINK BACK TO BELLAS BLOG!

Day One: Tag!! Anyone and everyone participating Must do the tag. No exceptions.

Day Two: You will pick your favorite movie (or book. or both.) and explain why it is your favorite.

Day Three: FREE DAY!!!!!! You will pick a favorite dwelling from Middle Earth and talk about it. (you don't have to do too much. Just say why it is your favorite. Why you would want to live there or why you THINK you would be there.)

Day Four: Pick a favorite character and talk about him. (if you can't pick just ONE you are allowed to do more. Go crazy. Be my guest.)

Day Five: This is a free day on which you can do whatever you want to long as it relates to Tolkien. Go wild!!!! Draw some fan art! Do some coloring or writing (poooooems!)!!! Make a Video or Cosplay! Get creative here! (If none of the suggestions above move and grove you, do something else creative and fun. This is the Final Day. Make it epic!)

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