everythingmagick

[everythingmagick]

Review of “His Dark Materials” and “The Amber Spyglass” by Phillip Pullman

Well... With long reads like this, if they are any good, you get taken on a pretty long ride as you make it through all three installments... So I have a review... Mostly of the last book... Spoiler alert if you plan on reading... But if you have already read them, please share your thoughts! =)

The series was absolutely terrific as a whole. The ideas, questions and imagery Pullman proposes are exciting, beautiful and at times frighteningly thought provoking. The trilogy focuses on two main characters: the near adolescent Lyra and Will, but their journey and challenge is one of universal (or multiversal) intrigue. Pullman is clearly science minded and mentions particle physics almost as much as theology while we discover a plan to overthrow the perils of organized religion, and even "God" himself for the apparent human rights violations they have imposed throughout the ages; namely denying people their most innate human desires (sex, curious thought and other sinful behavior). I am an adult and consider myself agnostic, but I was raised Methodist and Souther Baptist. Even now those thoughts are somewhat trepidatious and yet completely captivating.

And yet in the final installment, when all of these incredible ideas have been proposed, things fall a bit short.

The final battle we had been preparing for through the first two volumes was nearly absent. Pullman briefly explains the monumental war in a few pages, and Metatron and the Authority go down as quickly. All the build up of "immense forges" for new machinery and "intention crafts" barely get a chance to land on the pages before the story moves toward its ending. Furthermore, "the one thing the fallen angels didn't have in the old battle and why they lost the first time" was the knife "The God Killer". Yet, the knife was never used physically in the final battle at all. Why was it even called that? We could say because of its ability to cut into different worlds, it could indirectly be "The God Killer" but that is stretching what feels seamless at other times.

In "The Amber Spyglass" the excitement of the ideas Pullman first proposed never got to reach an end that was even close to the original thrill of the promise of possibilities. We were only shown brief glimpses of the wonder we were so hoping for and that Pullman had fed us so fully in the first installments. Witnessing the Authority in his final state was provocative and thrilling but nothing was offered to satisfy the appetite that remained after the initial description. We didn't learn very much else about the multiverse or the state of this story's reality as it felt we had been promised over and over. We got right up to the moment and then never really got the Authority's perspective (or Metatron's) other than the second hand information we previously had from members of Asriel's army. And finally, although incredibly adventurous and exhilarating as a whole series, nothing really changed in the world after these momentous events took place. When we were excited by Asriel saying he would make death die, he nor Lyra really put an end to death at all, they just made it final and real. Now Dust would stop flowing out of the worlds but we aren't really sure if the Dust leak or the oppression of the Authority was the real problem to begin with. Even if we say they were both the problem, the world is essentially returned back to the way it was with minimal changes to the old system that could have more simply come about by a real world social movement. The ride of this tale warranted more. The story does finish with some heartfelt, wonderfully emotional moments of being torn by personal desires and the reality of what has to be, and offers hope and positive possibilities in the days to come, but the incredible wonder, frightful thrill, and moments of fundamentally challenging the paradigm of human belief systems in the first two installments has been substituted somewhat for a focus on classic human emotion; done very well, but done very well many times before. It was the former coupled with the latter that really made Pullman's writing shine. Still, two big thumbs up for the trilogy =)

[everythingmagick]

List of Magicians, Wizards, Witches, Sorcerers, Shamans, Mages and Magusi in Pop Culture

Akiro (sorcerer from Conan the Barbarian/Destroyer)

Ancient One  (Sorcerer Supreme Marvel Comics)

Ang (Avatar)

Balthazar Blake  (The Sorcerer’s Apprentice)

Baron Mordo

Black Adam

Castaspella  (She-Ra)

Darth Vader

Darth Sideous

Darth Maul

David Lo Pan (Big Trouble in Little China)

Dean Fogg

Dr. Strange  (Marvel Comics)

Dr. Doom

Dr. Fate   (DC Comics)

Dungeon Master

Dumbledore

Egg Shen  (Big Trouble in Little China)

Eglantine (Bedknobs and Broomsticks)

Elron

Elsa    (Frozen)

Elliot

Elvira   (Elvira Mistress of the Dark)

Endora (Bewitched)

Emperor, The (Mortal Combat)

Fairy Godmother (Cinderella)

Fauna  (Sleeping Beauty)

Flora

Fiona Good  (Am. Horror - Coven)

Four Wizards, The (Ommadon, Carolinas, Lo Tae Zhao, Solarius - Flight of Dragons)

Galadraial

Gandalf  (The Lord of the Rings)

Gilbert Norrell

Gillian  (Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors)

Glimmer  (She-Ra)

Golden Child, The (The Golden Child)

Grey Wolf  (Conan animated)

Grindelwald

Harry Potter  (Harry Potter)

Harry Dresden (Dresden Files)

Hermoine Granger

Hoku  (magician in Spirited Away)

Jafar (Aladdin)

Janet/Margot

Jereth   (Labyrinth)

Julia (The Magicians)

Jonathan Strange (Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell)

John Segundas

John Childermass

John Mandrake  (Bartimues Series)

John Perry/ Stanislaus Grumman (His Dark Materials)

King Triton

Kitara (Avatar)

Korra

Kilo Ren

Kenny and Samantha (Warlock : Armageddon)

Luke Skywalker

Lighting

Maax  (Beast Master)

Mabruk  (The Last Unicorn)

Madam Mim  (Disney’s Sword and the Stone)

Madam Razz

Maleficent  (Sleeping Beauty)

Magonigal

Magus, The   (Gargoyles)

Marajovsky  (The Magicians)

Marie Laveau

Merlin   (Tales of Camelot)

Morgan Le Fey

Morgana

Merryweather  (Sleeping Beauty)

Mesmira   (Conan - Animated)

Misty Day   (American Horror Story: Coven)

Moochic, The  (My little pony 80s)

Mommy Fortuna  (The Last Unicorn)

Morgana Macaber  (Darkwing Duck)

Myrtle Snow

Nicodemus  ( Secret of Nyhm)

Newt Scamander   (Fantastic Beasts)

Nancy Downs   (The Craft)

Nekron   (Fire and Ice)

Orco  (He-Man)

Obi Wan Kanobi

Presto    (Dungeons and dragons)

Princess Ariel  (Thundarr)

Quan Chi

Queen Angella  (She-Ra)

Queen Mab   (myths of fairies and magick)

Quinten Coldwater   (The Magicians)

Rain   (Big Trouble in Little China)

Radagast

Ronald Weasly

Ruta Skadi  (His Dark Materials)

Samantha Stephens (Bewitched)

Sanderson Sisters (Winefred, Sarah, Mary - Hocus Pocus)

Sarah Baily  (The Craft)

Saruman

Sauron

Serafina Pekkala (His Dark Materials)

Shazam

Snape

Sorceress, The  (He-Man)

Shmendrick (The Last Unicorn)

Shadow Weaver

Shang Tsung  (Mortal Combat)

Shao Khan

Skeletor

Sons of Ipswich   (The Covenant)

Sub Zero

Taron  (Pirates of Dark Water)

Tula  

Thulsa Doom  (Conan The Barbarian)

Thunder

Uncle Arthur   (Bewitched)

Venger   (Dungeons and Dragons - animated)

Uncle Vinny   (Elvira, Mistress of the Dark)

Ursula  (The Little Mermaid)

Vanessa Ives   (Penny Dreadful)

Voldemort

Vinculous (Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell)

Witch King Angmar  (Lord of the Rings)

Yoda    (Star Wars)

Yubaba  (witch in Spirited Away)

Zatanna (DC Comics)

Zoe Benson (American Horror Story: Coven)

Zuko  (Avatar)

[everythingmagick]

No matter your size, we are all capable of incredible feats...

[everythingmagick]

Best Magickal Battles in Cinema

 This is solely based on the visuals and execution of these individual battles, not on the complete content of the films...

1. Gandalf vs. The Balrog - Lord of the Rings The Two Towers

2. Dumbledore vs. Voldemort - Harry Potter and the Order of The Phoenix

3. Gandalf vs. Sauron - The Hobbit : The Desolation of Smaug

4. Galadriel vs. Sauron - The Hobbit : The Battle of Five Armies

5. Doctor Strange vs. Dormammu - Doctor Strange (Animated)

6. Amalthea vs. Mabrook - The Last unicorn (Animated)

7. Aang vs. The Fire Nation - The Last Airbender

8. Egg Shin vs. Lo Pan - Big Trouble In Little China

8. Nekron vs. Darkwolf - Fire and Ice (Animated)

9. The Unicorn (Amalthea) vs. The Red Bull - The Last Unicorn (Animated)

10. Merlin vs. Madam Mim - The Sword and the Stone (Animated)

11. Fin Razeil vs. Queen Bavmorda - Willow (1988) 

12. Sarah vs. Nancy - The Craft

13. Samantha and Kenny vs. The Warlock - Warlock: The Armageddon

[everythingmagick]

The Best of Magical Movies

1.The Last Unicorn - ANIMATED (1982 Starring Mia Farrow, Jeff Bridges and Christopher Lee)                                                                         This is definitely a childhood favorite but the story (sans a song or two in the film) still has plenty of power. A classic tale of love, sacrifice and strength, the film boasts intricate animation and passionate characters... Oh yeah and lots of clever and well choreographed magical brilliance. 

2. The Craft (1996 Starring Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk and Rachel True)

 Pretty far removed from the film in the top spot but non the less magical. This film still hold its own with special effects mostly due to its clever use of subtle magic visuals that never betray this 90's film. A fun, frightening teenage supernatural tale.

3. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2007 Daniel Radcliff, Emma Watson)  This film stands out in the series for a few reasons, most notably the awesome battle between the fierce warlock Valdamort the Dark Lord and the brilliant good wizard Professor Dumbledore. The clever choice of spells and incredible cinematic visuals make for one of the best magickal scenes ever produced.

4. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norell (2015 BBC series, Bertie Carville, Eddie Marsan) A near perfect period piece based on the novel of the same name by Susanna Clarke, this tale of two magicians (Dir. by Toby Haynes) that offer their services to the British Royal Army during the war against Napoleon and the French is a delight full of great magick. Gilbert Norell is a scholastic conjurer with an immense library of magickal texts that he covets above almost everything else. He establishes himself as the authority on magick returning to England circa 1843 and takes a single pupil in Jonathan Strange. The intricate story and wonderful magickal visuals make this a fantasy favorite.

5. Fire and Ice (1983 Animated, Dir. Ralph Bakshi) In the style of Heavy Metal a few years earlier, Bakshi’s animated adult fantasy world is rich in beauty, action, sexuality and magick. Centering around a blonde hunk that is out to defeat the homo-ish ice warlock Necron, the story doddles in places but is a totally awesome, alternate early-man sword and sorcery tale.

6. Practical Magic (1998, Kidman, Bullock) Love is the greatest magick in this tale of a family of witches who live with their gifts in current New England. Magick and curses float through the film in a most charming and suspenseful way to make this movie a magickal must.

7. The Flight of Dragons (1983 James Earl Jones, John Ritter ANIMATED)  A thoughtful tale about the decline of magic and the rise of science in the world. The magical quest and battle that follows makes this 80's gem one of the best.

8. Doctor Strange (2007 - Animated, Marvel) This origins story of the legendary Dr. Strange is a fun, magick packed ride through the basics of magick and into its dark side. As the responsibility of Sorcerer Supreme falls upon him, Doctor Strange must protect the entire realm from the darkness of Dormamu. 

9. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2009)  Of coarse the entire Harry Potter series is filled with Magick but this one also stands out for its dark tone and beautiful use of spells (see the scene near the end where Dumbledore summons an inferno to save Harry from zombie-like creatures). Dumbledore has definitely become a Magus on par with Gandalf and Dr. Strange for the new generation.

10. Doctor Strange (2016 Benedict Cumberbatch) Marvel conjures yet another excellent execution bringing one of its most beloved characters to live action. Similar in story structure to its animated predecessor, the film boasts an incredible cast and, even with the ‘white washing’ controversy surrounding Tilda Swendon playing the Ancient One, a Tibetan role in the source material, I have to say she is a highlight of the film. The only areas the film falls a little short are small flaws in the ending’s logic (Kaecilius, a mere earth wizard, was able to break out of the power of the Eye of Agamatto’s time lapse spell but Dormamu wasnt able to?) and a general lack of “magick” in much of it. Instead much of the “magick” they perform feels a bit more like the Matrix - reorganizing matter in a very computer-esque visual manner, the whip thingy Dr. strange uses looks a bit like some future electronic tech, the Eye of Agamotto that saves the day has an equally future tech feel... and he never once projects a beam of energy or causes a pebble to tremble through magickal will. This film is still pretty bad-ass and the visuals are top notch. Lets keep up the good work, Marvel =) 

11. Warlock: Armageddon (1993 Julian Sands, Chris Young) A little on the dark side but a magick filled, biblically sprinkled adventure nonetheless. The fate of the world rests in the hands of two teenage mages who are only beginning to learn the extent of their powers. All they have to do is defeat the one begotten son of satan. As if dealing with the regular ails of being a teen weren't enough!

*Check back soon for  new additions =)

[everythingmagick]

[everythingmagick]

Books of Ancient Knowledge

1. The Zohar - Get the 2003 Pritzker edition for the most accurate english translation to date. Even top physicists are puzzled by the similarities in their theories and the teachings of this ancient mystical book. 

2. The Sefer Yetzirah: The Book of Creation -  One of the oldest and most mysterious of all kabbalistic texts, it brings its theoretical, meditative, and magical implications to light. He expounds on the dynamics of the spiritual domain, the worlds of the Sefirot, souls, and angels. The Sefer Yetzirah is an instruction manual for a very special type of meditation meant to strengthen concentration and to aid the development of ancient magick. 

3. The Tao of Physics - Science and mysticism share plenty in common and many scholars are still stumped as to how and why. This book explores the similarities between modern physics and ancient eastern mysticism. 

4. Magnetic Current - Ed Leedskalnin authored this book and used some of its teachings to single handedly build an enormous monument in south Florida to prove its validity. 

5. The Power of Ch'i (Qi) - Michael Page - Provides insight into chinese philosophy, mysticism and culture - Immortality, using the five elements, feng shui, martial arts and taoistic magick

***Check back soon for new additions =)

[everythingmagick]

My List of Spell Books and Grimoires

1. Magick - By: Aleister Crowely - One of the most widely read and reffered to magicians, this book by Crowley is a compendium of several of his most influential works. Heavily based in Qabalah and the teachings of his Golden Dawn coven, it covers many techniques for the practical sorcerer.

2. The Philosophy of Natural Magic - By : Cornelius Agrippa - In this definitive work Agrippa covers many types of magick from Qabbalah, astrology, theurgy and medicine to the properties of plants and minerals. A great historic read for the solitary practitioner or a full coven.

3. Real Magic: An Intro Treatise on the Basic Principles of Yellow Magic -       By : Isaac Bonewits - A study on the various types of Magick from ancient times through today broken down in an accessible, text book-like format. Invaluable for beginners and established magickal practitioners. 

4. The Complete Illustrated History of WitchCraft and Practical Magic - By: Susan Greenwood - An excellent and informative illustrated history book.

5. The Sorcerer’s Handbook - By: Wade Baskin - This is an excellent encyclopedia of magickal terms, history and past practitioners. A great reference to have on your shelf for casting use or study. 

6.Charms, Spells and Formulas - By: Ray T. Marlbrough - Ray Marlbrough shares his practical knowledge of hoodoo, an old african-european mixed style of magick. 

7. The Good Spell Book - By: Gillian Kemp - Lady Kemp delivers a book full of practical spells, mostly for love or happiness and, contrary to the title, a few for manipulation. Its also a very cute, small, hardcover presentation. 

*Check back soon for new additions =)

[everythingmagick]

Peter Jackson finds Nekron

  I have to give Peter Jackson another credit or two. Not only has he redeemed himself for the large lack of magic performed in "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy by producing two of the best magical scenes to date in "The Desolation of Smaug" (Gandalf vs Sauron) and "The Battle of the Five Armies" (Galadrial, Saruman and Elron vs Sauron) but he has also, in my opinion, found the perfect candidate (besides my first pick-myself ha) to play the ice warlock, Nekron, in the up coming live adaption of the sword and sorcery film "Fire and Ice". Lee Pace would be an excellent physical embodiment and his acting chops are on point. The film is scheduled under the direction of another favorite, Robert Rodriguez.  Lets hope Mr. Rodriguez does his magical and CGI homework for this film that has so much potential. 

[everythingmagick]

The Hobbit : The Battle of the Five Armies

I thoroughly enjoyed this fun fantasy finale to the Tolkien tale turned film trilogy. Sure maybe this didnt need a full three films to stretch across but Peter Jackson's finish (we think) to this popular story did leave us with a few things...  Chiefly one of the best choreographed and executed Magickal battles (featuring Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee and Hugo Weaving) since Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix