I loved all the prologue stuff in the EE, esp. the battle/conflict involving Elrond and Isildur. It explained some things to those who didn’t read the LOTR books (like myself). Rings were given to the elves (including a intricate floral one Galadriel wears), dwarves, and men. Saruman’s fate is tied to the One Ring (also called Isildur’s Bane), so as long as it’s out there, evil threatens Middle Earth. Isildur is Aragorn’s ancestor; his sword is called Narsil. Later on, in Rivendell, we see the shards of Narsil.
Bilbo (Ian Holm) examines the ring
There is more Bilbo-reated stuff in the EE, including a scene (in Lothlorien) where we see the destructive power the ring would have on him. Bilbo gives Frodo a shirt of mithril (given to him by Thorin, we later learn from Gandalf), then freaks out upon seeing the ring on a chain worn around Frodo’s neck. Frodo quickly covers it with his shirt.
Gandalf (Ian McKellan) & Frodo (Elijah Wood)
After Bilbo’s b-day party (including his disappearing trick), he leaves for Rivendell. Frodo finds Gandalf sitting before the fire; we know that the wizard feels the power of the ring. He dare not even come too close to it. (On the other hand, Saruman joins forces w/ Sauron.)
Galdriel feels the evil of the ring.
Later, we see the terrible power it could have upon Galadriel (Cate Blanchett). This was a cool, unexpected bit of acting/CGI! Blanchett and Weaving were very believable as ancient, powerful, wise elves. Arwen (Liv Tyler) did well, but I wished she had more to do in this film. Like Wood, she has that very young/innocent/gentle quality about her. They both have flawless skin (I saw Wood once on the subway in NYC). I loved the exciting horse riding/escape scene (done mainly by a stuntwoman).
Getting ready to fight the cave troll inside Balin’s Tomb
The first time I saw the action sequences inside Balin’s Tomb, I was quite impressed. Everything flowed well from the first instance of the arrow whizzing by Boromir’s (Sean Bean) face.
The balrog inside Moria
After a few views of the EE, I was also very impressed with the balrog (a very advanced bit of CGI work).
Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen) realizes that Frodo must go alone to Mordor
Boromir is tempted by the ring (like men before); we’ll learn later the pressures he faced. Perhaps Aragorn won’t be tempted, but Frodo can’t take that chance. He heads off to Moria with Sam (who won’t be left behind). My fave part of the EE set are the interviews with the cast (see disc 4: From Vision to Reality)- a must for any fan of LOTR!
I saw this film during its second week, b/c I wanted to wait until my lil bro was visiting. He said that “the first movie was slow,” an opinion shared by several friends/acquaintances of mine. My mom mainly went to see Richard Armitage (she’s a fan, too). I loved the LOTR films, so I continue to follow these films.
SPOILERS: Don’t read further if you have not yet seen, or don’t want to know, details from this film.
Bilbo (Martin Freeman) fights a giant spider in Mirkwood Forest
Bilbo becomes “a more rounded character” (Freeman’s words) in this film. He uses the ring (several times) to get out of jams, kills an orc (his first kill, I believe), and then faces off against a giant spider. We see how his little sword, later bequeathed to Frodo, got its name- Sting.
The throne of the elven king, Thranduil
Gandalf goes off (again) to see the gathering evil in Dol Guldur. We hear the voice of The Necromancer (later known as Sauron), voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. Yes, he is everywhere these days, and I’m not complaining!
The dwarves go into Mirkwood Forest, which is not a friendly, cheery place like Rivendell. The king, Thranduil (Lee Pace), is a very interesting character; I wanted to see a bit more of him. He can do and say whatever he pleases in this realm. Thranduil disapproves of his son Legolas’ (Orlando Bloom) “partiality” (perhaps love?) of Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly), the captain of the royal guard.
Thranduil (Lee Pace) talks to Thorin
There is no love lost between Thranduil and Thorin (Armitage), since the elves didn’t come to the dwarves’ aid many years back (when the dragon attacked). I loved the cut-down/insult scene between Thranduil and Thorin; Richard said was his favorite bit of acting in DOS.
Thorin glares at Thranduil
As I said before, great acting is the eyes. We can see the hate/distrust between the two leaders, and their races, displayed here.
Legolas (Orlando Bloom) listens to Tauriel & Kili
On Twitter (and beyond), some book readers commented “Why is Legolas here? He doesn’t add anything. He takes away from Bilbo’s story.” Since I haven’t read any of these books, I can’t comment on that aspect. Legolas gets some cool action moments (as in the LOTR films), but doesn’t make a big mark otherwise. Tauriel, not in the book, is a nicely-developed character. She’s quick to act, a tough fighter, but also caring. Tauriel wants to help the dwarves along on their quest, especially when they are overrun by orcs.
Kili (Aidan Turner)
Some people didn’t like the (potential?) romance between Tauriel and Kili, but I thought their scenes were very well-done. After a while, I got tired of all the action sequences! Aidan Turner (aside from being handsome/likeable) is a good actor, I realized.
The barrel scene (the dwarves escape the dungeon)
The barrel scene was very cool, I have to admit. (I’d seen bits of it before on BTS clips.) Richard said that at one point, he was “dragged under by the current” and had to be pulled out of the “freezing cold water.”
The new characters: Bard (Luke Evans) & Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly)
The human, Bard the Bowman, was a highlight in this film (even more that Tauriel). Luke Evans has a very strong voice and lovely (Welsh) accent. I loved his scene with Thorin at the foot of the mayor’s house. Both men have fallen from what they were born to, we learn.
Bard’s kids are very cute/sweet, don’t you think? The two girls are not professional actors; they are daughters of James Nesbitt (who plays Bofur). When orcs attack, they are very stunned, but Tauriel and Legolas come to the rescue. Tauriel applies an herb, found by Bofur, to Kili’s leg wound and says an elvish prayer.
At the door to Erebor (The Lonely Mountain)
Bilbo figures out another riddle, allowing the company to see the door to Erebor. Hmmm… why did Thorin give up before Bilbo? Some viewers wondered this. Armitage shines in the (quiet) scene that follows- he’s feeling like more of a king.
Sidenote: Some viewers enjoyed the fact that Thorin’s voice was not as gruff/deep as in AUJ; it was more natural. Since Richard has such a wonderful voice, why change it?
Bilbo meets Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch)
Yes, Smaug is very big/impressive, as I heard! Cumberbatch worked two weeks on the voice (which is fabulous) and the motion capture (as Andy Serkis did with Gollum). In effect, the dragon’s expressions resemble his (to some extent). Bilbo is scared, so he stays calm and flatters the dragon, while the dwarves go about their plans. However, the molten gold doesn’t kill Smaug, and he flies off to attack Laketown. Awww man, we have to wait another year!
Ella No Quiere Dormir Sola (She Doesn’t Want to Sleep Alone)
Director Natalia Beristain
This is a film about the connection between two true-to-life women. Director Natalia Beristain based this film partly on the final years of her grandmother, who was a well-known actress in her native Mexico, just like the older protagonists- Dolores (Adriana Roel). The younger protagonist, Amanda (Mariana Gaja), is an out-of-work 33 year-old with a love for photography. Since her father (played by Arturo Beristain, the director’s father) is out of town shooting his latest film, Amanda has to look out for her grandmother, who suffers from both alcoholism and dementia. Dolores is stubborn, prideful, but still has some spark in her, while her mind goes from her glory days onscreen (she was a vivacious beauty) to the banality of modern life (living in an old folks’ home). Dolores loves swimming, so spends hours in the pool. Amanda joins her and then takes some photos. Spending time with her grandmother helps Amanda , who tends to be defensive and distant (even with her caring boyfriend), view herself in a new light.
De Tu Ventana a La Mia (From Your Window to Mine)
Director Paula Ortiz
First time director, Paula Ortiz, also wrote this fine film (which is epic, yet intimate, in scope). Three women of different ages and personalities, living in different times, go through personal turmoil (which any woman can relate to). “The stories of these types of women were not told- they were silent. They didn’t choose their lives,” the director commented.
In 1923, the teenaged Violeta (Leticia Dolero), a petite, delicate beauty is sheltered by her gentle grandmother and teacher (a respected medical doctor). Her mother had some sort of mental illness, so the doctor gives her a potion to drink each day. Violeta falls deeply in love with a college boy who stays at her house over a few weeks. In 1941, Ines (Maribel Verdu from Pan’s Labyrinth and Y Tu Mama Tambien), has long been in love with Paco, an anti-Franco activist. They get married before he’s captured and jailed (in a partly underground prison). Ines, a strong country woman, becomes pregnant and continues to earn a living (in a harsh, desert-like climate). Ines was based partly on Ortiz’s grandmother. In 1975, Luisa (Luisa Gavaza, a character actress in her native Spain), is diagnosed with breast cancer. She doesn’t realize that a man she sees every day is in love with her, and dreams of heroes from classic movies. Her partner in life is her older sister, also unmarried, who cooks and cares for her without much complaint. Luisa was based on the director’s aunt, who lived though the last days of dictatorship.
Lots of things have been going down at LoveInshallah.com and within the Muslim blogosphere. The recent article on Muslim men returning “back home” to find wives generated diverse cyber chatter, with various responses supporting or criticizing different positions. On the heels of that debate, the Miptserz-coining, Somewhere in America, video featuring women in hijabs and cool turbans skateboarding to Jay-Z generated widespread media controversy. Again, Muslims drew well-argued lines on the good, the bad, and the ugly regarding the video’s use of hijab and contemporary representations of Muslim female identity. In the middle of these developments, I had two appearances on NPR’s Tell Me More discussing issues around dating, race, and identity.
These events got me thinking about my own orientation to love and belonging. This would not be page worthy except that these thoughts nudge against how I define myself as a Muslim in conjunction with a desire for…
Knightleyemma 