#is the the desolation of Smaug because if this is to end in fire we will all burn together

[dark-elf-writes]

I hope you know that you dragged me into ff7 fics again.

I was just chilling, bouncing between batman, Danny phantom, and their crossovers, when bam! I am now obsessed with ff7 again. I never even played the game(s).

I had over a hundred tabs open to be read of those fanfics, what am I supposed to do with them now?

Thanks, I guess *reluctant*

You’re welcome ☺️☺️☺️☺️

If I’m going down you’re going down with me 🥰🥰🥰🥰

[yelmor-boots]

okay, so this is a beast of a post.

since i've officially watched all 'the hobbit' movies now (as well as 'lord of the rings'), here is my personal ranking of all the movies in a list.

LoTR: Two Towers

LoTR: Return of the King

LoTR: Fellowship of the Ring

Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies

Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

i talk a lot about the movies under the cut ( i accidentally started rambling, whoops ) don't feel like you have to read it all but if you want my supper cluttered opinion, go ahead (spoilers btw)

favorite one overall is clearly 'Two Towers'. it follows three groups of characters in the best fucking way. (Aragorn, Gimli, Legolas | Samwise, Frodo, Smeagol/Gollum | Merry, Pippin) it's been a while since I watched this one but i would really love to rewatch it one day. (we rented this one so we don't have it anymore)

i initially had 'Return of the King' as #4 but i honestly can't rank it that low. everything about this one is perfect and it gave me and my sis some good fucking inside jokes. also aragorn and eowyn slayed imma be real

'An Unexpected Journey' almost came above 'Fellowship of the Ring' but then i remembered the other half of fellowship and i had to rank it higher. maybe i just love the lotr characters more, i dunno, but their journey impacted me more and had me more excited. also, 'one does not simply walk into mordor.'

'An Unexpected Journey' is the only one I've actually rewatched (even if it was only the beginning) solid movie, something old and charming to it. i did watch it when i was younger but i fell asleep multiple times and just caught tid bits of it, so going through it again i annoyed the piss out of my sis by yelling 'i know that part!' over and over again

'Battle of Five Armies' was structured really well. the fight scenes could not have gone any better. the elves, the dwarves, the orcs, all their different unique styles. solid three hours of fighting if you want that. (i would gush about this a little more but i would probably end up repeating myself a bunch and sounding more a mess than typical) ((also this is going on too long))

'Desolation of Smaug' by all intents and purposes should've been ranked higher. if something has a dragon, I'm gonna watch it. (i recently realized i had a not-so-secret love/obsession for dragons) and Smaug being that gold-obsessed dragon from storybooks gave him such an interesting twist and gave me a real appreciation for that trope and he looked really cool and he was probably my favorite part of the movie- (unfortunately i just had a bad experience watching the movie because i was being constantly interrupted to the point that i completely lost track for like two hours. but even with a rewatch, i probably wouldn't rank it higher, but i would definitely have more love for it than i currently do)

Favorite Characters

LoTR: Gimli (i can finally remember his name), Frodo (pathetic bitch, like me fr), Pippin (protect this tree-loving, goofy ass, bard at all costs)

Hobbit: (no character really stuck out to me in the way lotr characters did but these ones did stand out) Balin, Gandalf, Galadriel

and special shout out to:

aragorn (king, literally), legolas (especially from lotr where he's only quiet until he says some wise shit), smaug (big, fire kitty), galadriel (yes, again, i didn't think much of her until the hobbit but lowkey what the fuck, awesome, talented amazing, showstopping, hot as fu-what?), and eowyn (pick your head up queen, your crown is slipping)

and because i can't shut up and this is such an impeccable series

i couldn't pick one, so the two most impactful scenes for me was-

lotr: when the ring had been destroyed and frodo and sam are on the rock surrounded by lava. frodo is remembering everything about the shire and home and he probably finally feels normal again. they were also giving ship vibes, true, but their dynamic in that moment is also so special and i want to rope this into the end where he gives him the book before leaving and the ethereal lighting of it all is everything and-

hobbit: i wasn't too 'wowed' by thorin (he just doesn't match up to aragorn for me) but his character direction is something i can gab about on a later date (cuz i fucking love it dude) . other than that, he didn't touch me emotionally or anything. but holy fuck when the credit mucic started playing?? the song is 'the last goodbye' and i immediately thought of his death scene and the funeral of all of who passed and let me tell you, i have never teared up for movies or songs or stories but i got fucking close during that song man and that's gotta account for something (I've watched endgame with tony stark as my favorite character if that gives you any inclination how much that credit song fucked me up)

and lastly, my favorite songs

The Last Goodbye (this fucking song made me love thorin so much more and it also stole my lunch money, yes 911? i would like to report a crime-)

Edge of Night (wasn't expecting it, thought i'd hate it -because i get uncomfortable with characters singing in movies- fucking loved it, obsessed)

Misty Mountains Cold (had no reason to go so hard, jesus christ-)

I See Fire (i knew this song since i was a kid, never knew it was from the hobbit, got really excited when i heard it at the end of of desolation of smaug)

if you read this, you deserve a reward. but I'll settle for requesting you either reblog or comment with something about lotr/hobbit that you really love. like your favorite movie, character, scene, whichever. i'd love to see all the different things that was special to others (and it doesn't need to be as long as this, please, save yourself the stress)

[chasingshadowsblog]

"If this is to end in fire, then we will all burn together!" - Rambling on with 'The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug'

As the road goes ever on and on, The Desolation of Smaug shows the first signs of the trilogy losing the run of itself. The strain to make three films out of one short book plus bonus content at the back of another shows its colours in the addition of new characters, more sub-plots and over-extended action sequences. As someone who loves these films and wants to champion the things they did so well, it feels like a disservice to point out the flaws in the system. The story seems, however, that much of what bothered me in this film (and its follow-up) were not all creative decisions, but often studios trying to shape the story into something it isn't. As a result, the better aspects of the story outside of the main plot - like Gandalf's quest to track down the Necromancer, the expansion of Thranduil and Bard, the introduction of Tauriel - get lost in the hodge-podge of flimsy additional content and awkward pacing, then over-looked when considering the quality of the trilogy overall. Still, The Desolation of Smaug continues to entertain and is at its best when it sticks with the characters we began the adventure with in An Unexpected Journey. Bilbo's growth as a protagonist, Gandalf's search for the Necromancer and Thorin's increasing desperation are all equally compelling and well-executed arcs that carry the heart, the adventure and the technical wizardry of the movie along with them.

The Desolation of Smaug begins with a prologue depicting the first meeting between Gandalf and Thorin, in which the wizard convinces Thorin to take Erebor back from Smaug. Given that it had been some time since I'd last seen the film, it took me a while to realise that the version I watched for this essay was the the extended edition. What I was glad to realise, though, is that some of the parts that bothered me most were added on and not the original intention. The first of these occurs in the prologue; an additional scene of the Battle of Azanulbizar that introduces Thorin's father, Thrain. There is nothing bad about the flashback itself, but I do believe it weakens a really tight scene by regurgitating more shots of the battle and giving us another thread to keep track of in the disappearance of Thrain (a sub-plot that only exists in the extended edition). The flashback to the war and Thrain's presumed demise distracts from the more important details being conveyed. Otherwise, the prologue is excellent. The setting looks great and the relay of information between Gandalf and Thorin is snappy and well-achieved through the dialogue and performances. "…a chance meeting between Gandalf and Thorin that changed all of the fortunes of the house of Durin…" is another snippet fleshed out from the appendices and, here, Gandalf reveals his true motivation for sending Thorin on the quest while more significance is attached to the Arkenstone. Although this information was provided in the first film, the prologue re-establishes the urgency of the journey and ties the two points together - Gandalf needs the Dwarves to take back the mountain and Thorin needs the Arkenstone to rally the Dwarves behind him.

The next extended scene is the introduction of Beorn, or, rather, Beorn's introduction to the Dwarves, two by two, while Gandalf tries to sweet-talk him. Unlike the Thrain scene, this is a moment taken directly from the book but a rare one that was executed poorly; the main reason for this is that it's silly. Comparatively, another silly scene - the dinner scene in An Unexpected Journey - works because of its light tone. Here, the Dwarves have been attacked by Orcs, Thorin was nearly killed by Azog, and they are still on the run; the intended humour of Gandalf revealing the Dwarves two by two clashes with the serious energy of the chase. The theatrical version jumps straight from the chase to the Company waking up and meeting Beorn the next morning when he tells them about his past as a slave, the darkness of Mirkwood and his disdain for Orcs, maintaining the dark tone of the movie so far. This transition is far smoother without the added scene, which is jarring and clunky in its tone and editing. "I remember a time when a great evil ruled these lands…If that enemy has returned to Middle-Earth, I would have you tell me." I also take issue with this scene because it belittles the power and dignity given the Dwarves in the last film and Beorn in his following scenes. An additional scene that does knit well into the film is Beorn and Gandalf's discussion of the Witch-King of Angmar, "And what does Gandalf the Grey say?" This moment cements Beorn's place in Middle-Earth as an old, experienced character, wise to the changes occuring in the world. It delves deeper into the history of the wars surrounding Sauron and the Ring and gives Gandalf an urgent enough reason to leave the group. This short scene is more of The Hobbit at its finest; the brief addition of the Witch King of Angmar's burial is unobtrusive and at least adds more weight to the story. It is also very well shot and very creepy in its tone and aesthetic - we don't often see something that explicitly unsettling in the series. In contrast, the introduction scene is rushed, poorly edited and tacked on, taking away from the gravitas achieved by Mikail Persbrandt in his short time onscreen.

While I'm on the subject of tacked on, unnecessarily extended material, let's take a look at one of my least favourite aspects of The Hobbit trilogy: the butchering of Legolas Greenleaf.

(I'm using this image facetiously.)

Had Legolas' involvement in this trilogy been confined to the Dwarves' capture in Mirkwood I would have no problem with it; my main issue is not with his screentime, however, but with his characterisation. Legolas in The Hobbit is jealous, aloof and gruff with none of the warmth he shared with his friends in The Lord of the Rings. His presence throughout The Desolation of Smaug (and Battle of the Five Armies) feels less like a fun nod to a beloved character (as Elijah Wood's cameo was) and more like nostalgia being agressively shoved in our faces. Legolas in Lord of the Rings can be serious, but this is contrasted with moments of levity in his love for Aragorn and Gimlí and his care for the Hobbits. Although he makes decisions that ultimately help the Dwarves, his motivations for doing so lie in either his feelings for Tauriel or his completely different feelings for Orcs. Neither of which are bad reasons, of course - he even chooses Tauriel's well-being over his father's orders in a welcome display of loyalty - but I still can't help but feel that this is a completely different character. Legolas' shoe-horning into the plot is an example of weak and blatant fan-service rather than a treat; his presence is all flash and no substance. In forcing his role, they lose everything that made him a beloved character by prioritising the things that made him a "cool" one.

This film marks the continued growth of Thorin's respect for and reliance on Bilbo. What's interesting is that Bilbo himself doesn't change all that much (except for perhaps growing more confident) he just has more opportunities to prove himself. Throughout the Mirkwood sequence, Bilbo's practicality and sense contrasts nicely with the more reactive Dwarves. When they're tripping balls in the forest he has the sense to climb a tree to find out where they are (I love how you can almost feel the fresh air clearing his head). Free from the fog of Mirkwood, he is able to rescue the Company from the spiders then follow them to Thranduil's palace wearing the Ring after they're captured by the Elves. Bilbo appears to the rescue (again) and helps the gang escape from the Mirkwood dungeons. In An Unexpected Journey the Company were faced with obstacles they could fight their way out of and Bilbo always needed to be protected or saved. The one chance he had to use his wits to get him out of a situation - the riddle game - no one else was there to see it. Here more thought and patience is required and each time Bilbo arrives to help the Dwarves his ideas are validated by Thorin - "Please, please, you must trust me!" "Do as he says." And each time the trust between Thorin and Bilbo grows, "If Thorin Oakenshield gives his word then he will keep it."

The Desolation of Smaug suffers most from being the second movie in a trilogy that was initially meant only to be two. Even though there's a lot to like, it's mostly setting up the major conflicts for the next film, namely: Thorin and Bilbo's relationship and Thorin's destructive obsession. This second one we see in his almost dismissive behaviour towards Kíli's injury given how close they are to the mountain, "Kíli's wounded, his leg needs binding." "There's an Orc pack on our tail, we keep moving…Bind his leg quickly, you have two minutes." Neither of these are complaints and both are set up well. However, in order to fabricate storylines for an entire third movie, pacing takes a major blow in both. The climax of this movie should be heading for, wait for it…the desolation of Smaug; by all rights, the Elves and Orcs shouldn't feature again in this story after the barrel chase until the Battle of the Five Armies. By giving them bigger roles, they now have to stay in tune with the main quest, causing a drag. In a similar way the issue of the game of hide and seek between Smaug and the Dwarves later on lies in its effect on the pacing rather than the scene itself. I don't hate this scene as so many others appear to; I like seeing more of the layout of Erebor and some of the visual elements. I would give all of that up in a second to have Smaug's attack on Laketown and his death occur in this film. Relegating this hugely important moment to the prologue of Battle of the Five Armies is incredibly anti-climactic, terribly paced and disappoints on the terrifying force that was promised at the beginning of An Unexpected Journey. The potential impact and emotional punch of believing that the hard part is over only for a huge battle to come is taken away by having Smaug's death take place at the beginning of a movie, not the end; there is no time for the characters to rest and believe the mission is complete. Another reason this decision is so disappointing is that, on a technical scale, Smaug is magnificent to watch and Benedict Cumberbatch does such a wonderful job in his performance. Smaug is a triumph on-screen and you want every moment he's on it to be a grand affair. The scale and terror of the dragon is achieved perfectly in the first scene we see him in fully, his meeting with Bilbo.

"I promised I would do this and I think I must try." The run up to this meeting is lovely. Bilbo, who has grown a taste for adventure and a fondness for the Dwarves, won't give up when it seems like their deadline has passed and the "last light of Durin's day" has disappeared. When the door finally opens Bilbo is almost immediately sent to look for the Arkenstone, "No one's home."

But the real star of this show is the fire-breathing dragon.

"There is something about you. Something you carry, something made of gold…but far more precious…" The films thus far had done a good job of giving us only glimpses of Smaug so when he finally reveals his full size to poor Bilbo the pay off is more than substantial. To add more to the role, Cumberbatch performed Smaug's upper body through motion-capture, and his movements are reptilian in the way he weaves around the space, but also nearly feline in his sniffing out of Bilbo. Either way it is predatory and while this scene could be considered a companion piece to the riddle game, Smaug is a far more intelligent sparring partner than Sméagol/Gollum. He is aware that Bilbo is flattering him to stay alive, he knows there are Dwarves outside, he knows that Bilbo is looking for the Arkenstone, and he is enjoying the game on a far more complex level than Bilbo's former opponent, "I am almost tempted to let you take it, if only to see Oakenshield suffer, watch it destroy him, watch it corrupt his heart and drive him mad." Smaug's nature as a dragon in Tolkien's world is one of pride, greed and vanity, so even though he is aware that Bilbo's flattery is empty, he still relishes hearing it and wants to show himself off. Smaug is a prideful creature, but underneath his bravado - his anger, greed, and pride - is fear and when his intelligence is challenged by Bilbo and the Dwarves he turns into a reactive animal. When Bilbo pretends he knows nothing about any Dwarves, he erupts and attacks him; after Thorin's failed attempt to kill him, he turns his anger on Laketown, "Did you think I did not know this day would come? When a pack of counting Dwarves would come crawling back to the mountain?" At the first sign of threat, he chases Bilbo and boasts of the deaths he inflicted on the Dwarves in the past, "The King Under the Mountain is dead! I took his throne, I ate his people like a wolf among sheep! I kill where I wish, WHEN I wish! My armour is iron…my teeth are spears. My wings are a hurricane." He then follows this up by trying to make Bilbo question his trust in Thorin. Everything about Smaug is so perfectly displayed in these scenes; each moment is rich in dialogue, character and tension. Intercut with scenes in Laketown and the Dwarves outside the mountain, the dragon's attack on Laketown would have been very nicely built up - if it had happened in this movie.

Despite its extra padding, The Desolation of Smaug remains engaging throughout. The action is bumbling but fun to watch and Richard Armitage and Ian McKellan are subtly brilliant in their sub-plots, while Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman offer some truly great moments. Unfortunately, it also marks the beginning of the additional storylines and characters that will weigh down The Battle of the Five Armies. Bard and Thranduil represent the better end of the spectrum.

In the book, Bard is a random voice in the crowd until he is revealed to be, conveniently, the descendant of the former king of Dale; his character has a fairytale quality about him - the princess restored to the kingdom at last. In the movies, Bard is a father and, though rebellious, is content to remain where he is in life. Really, he's not even rebellious, he just doesn't suffer fools gladly and does what he must to protect people from those fools. These traits combined influence his actions as the things and people he defies grow in scale: from sneaking the Dwarves past Alfrid, to trying to stop Thorin, and, finally, to attempting to kill the dragon. The steps taken to turn Bard into the leader he has to be in the next film are well-established here so that when he does take up the mantle - out of necessity rather than desire - the journey is believable.

On the scale of good-to-bad character additions, one who falls in the middle is Tauriel. I find Tauriel refreshing, she is emotive and optimistic and represents a challenge to the surly Thranduil. Honestly, I think the most boring aspect of her character is that she's a good fighter; shoving her into a romantic sub-plot (unwanted by actress Evangeline Lily as well as Jackson) also lets her character down. Tauriel's desire in The Desolation of Smaug to flush out the darkness across the world as well as in Mirkwood is a far more compelling storyline than her falling in love with Kíli, and this thread is lost as her motive becomes more focused on saving the Dwarf. In a lot of ways, Tauriel reminds me of (the real) Legolas in Lord of the Rings, and, if he had to be in it at all, I think it would have been interesting to see Legolas play a reduced version of this role. Finding and rooting out the growing evil in Middle-Earth, coinciding with the Dwarves quest, would have made more sense in his journey to Lord of the Rings than the great leap in character we were given. Especially when both Elves' stories end with Legolas leaving to go do good in the world and Tauriel left crying over Kíli's body, and then…who knows? Tauriel herself is not a problem, but it is rather how badly her role is wasted. Evangeline Lily's performance is earnest and I really wanted to see her go on a similar path to Legolas' at the end - a life spent helping to stamp out evil in the world as was her wish from the beginning, "It is our fight. It will not end here. With every victory this evil will grow…We will hide within our walls, live our lives away from the light and let darkness descend. Are we not part of this world?"

(Love her.)

Where The Desolation of Smaug utterly fails in its additional characters is in the Master and Alfrid. These two characters have such a negative impact on the films that they don't just bore me, they make me angry. With Elves, Orcs and a dragon already acting as obstacles and antagonists, Alfrid and the Master don't serve as anything more than a nuisance, the petty human antagonists that harass people everyday. They fit this role well, but not this world and far too much time is spent establishing them as villains. So much else is already going on that their presence cuts away the tension of the main piece. The thing that bothers me most is that, outside of the Master agreeing, under pressure, to help the Dwarves, neither have an effect on the storyline. Bard being thrown into prison is a contrivance designed to add tension that also doesn't have an effect on the plot because he gets out anyway. Alfrid and the Master are a dead weight dragging down what is otherwise a fun movie.

I'm concerned about sounding overly negative because I really do love this movie, and it's because I do that I find the few problems I have with it so frustrating - there is a sense throughout of things that could have been avoided, turning a good movie into a great one. All of the actors do a fantastic job; while Freeman continues to shine in every scene he's in, Benedict Cumberbatch stands out with the insidious terror he brings to Smaug ("Polite menace. That'll be my brand.") and Richard Armitage begins to tread the line between normal and obsessive that will become full-blown in Battle of the Five Armies. On a technical level, the set design is outstanding with Dol Guldur, the sick, drained forest of Mirkwood, and the majesty of the Dwarven kingdom standing out, as well as the sound design in the Mirkwood scene. The new characters and storylines provide some hits and misses with Bard, Tauriel and Thranduil representing the hits.

At the end of the day, The Desolation of Smaug's job as the second installment of the trilogy is to set up for the final round, and, with the exception of Smaug's ending, it does this very well. Between Gandalf's sub-plot in Dol Guldur and Bard's in Laketown, the pieces are put in place for the battle to come; Thorin's continued faith in Bilbo and growing desperation leading to the sickness are allowed to grow in bits and pieces so the intensity of both feelings he displays later on is unsurprising. Overall, The Desolation of Smaug is a lot of fun to watch; it has fewer moments of brilliance than An Unexpected Journey but doesn't become mired in over indulgent action sequences and additional storylines as Battle of the Five Armies does.

[the-firebird69]

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - I Am Fire, I Am Death Scene (10/10...

They told him with gold because they're idiots and it's been done before because they're stupid no people were possessed by dragons yeah they can do that but in this case I believe my husband might be telling the truth that ball went out to deer Island it's pretty much the first one that people have ever found and people say it's too big to use but smog was out here and Sarah saw it George was the one working at the marina and he took the ball and sunk the boat so people would not be alerted and people didn't miss it thought someone took it or took it for a ride they used to. Make sure it was still running. You never got out there it didn't like the area he didn't want to go boating in Boston so you sunk it and he took it to deer Island to a submarine at the end of the effluent pipe and he put it into smog the dragon was captured and we think it was in Britain and he was disguised as Trump with Matthew McConachy. And George grew the se and then fitted the AI inside it put the brain back in after he stopped my husband from having to work the only problem is George was in the tomb so people have to check that and it might go back to Tommy f

Hera

Yeh ok me true though. There are several holes in the ball they're threaded I was thinking of making a device out of it but it'll be a waste of really really decent metal that stuff works they can't scan it interrupt signal all sorts of weird things about it and he's right

Tommy f

So you lost it you say

Mac Daddy

No not really

Tommy f

So you ruined my employment and you owe me millions of dollars so I'm putting the lawsuit together

Zues Hera

And we can't stop the waterfall of stupid comments and I'm like the others and it's probably true and doing this to one monster okay I probably shouldn't admit it

Tommy f

Olympus

[litcityblues]

Let's Talk About The Hobbit Trilogy

I must be feeling more generous in my old age, because I watched Star Trek Into Darkness again and that was a lot better than I remember it being and then, for reasons unknown to me I got it into my head to sit down and watch The Hobbit Trilogy again and my heart, which had been hardened against these films for years now, unthawed... a little bit.

I mean, we first have to give flowers where they're due: is there anybody on the internet that can take these films apart better than Lindsay Ellis has already done? If you're reading this, you've probably seen her videos at some point, but if you haven't here's part one and part two.

But back to me and my hardened heart: I have always hated the fact that they took The Hobbit (a relatively short book) and tried to milk it to death into three separate films. I felt it was a money grab by the studio and had a vague inkling of some sort of rights dispute being involved between studios somehow, but it felt silly. The Lord of the Rings was three separate books. Making that into a trilogy made sense. This did not. I felt it should have been one, really excellent movie- maybe, maaaaaaybe two, and honestly, I watched the first one (An Unexpected Journey) in the theaters and didn't bother to go back and watch the other two.

So, I sat down and I watched them again. Not all in a row, mind you because I'm not that much of a Tolkien superfan, but I made my way through them again, and here's what I think:

An Unexpected Journey might be the best film of the three. It's a genuinely good film and I feel like it hews the closest to the source material. The film opens with a little bit of backstory: the Dwarf King Thror brought prosperity for the dwarves of the Lonely Mountain and the men who lived in the nearby town of Dale. But too much gold attracted the attention of the dragon, Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) who swooped down with fire and fury and drove the dwarves from the mountain to claim the treasure for himself. The Dwarves flee and Thorin (Richard Armitage) sees King Thranduil (Lee Pace) and the Wood Elves standing by and doing nothing to help- somewhat understandably, Thorn develops a hatred of elves as a result.

That backstory aside, we flash forward to where 50-year-old Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) is recruited by Gandalf (Ian McKellan) to first host a dinner for Thorin and his company of dwarves and then be their burglar.

At this point, I am so far, so good with everything. The backstory works, recruiting Bilbo works. The Dwarven Dirge at the end of the dinner works. 'Chip the glasses, crack the plates, that's what Bilbo Baggins hates' is *chef's kiss* straight from the book. Love it.

Even the rest of this movie works pretty well. Yes, they have a detour to Rivendell (have to work Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, and Cate Blanchett into the story somehow, after all) and I'm not huge into the Dol Guldur subplot, but it is a legitimate subplot so I can't argue about it too much. The Goblins in the Misty Mountains, finding the ring, it all is great! I love it. Even the way this one ends, with them catching sight of the Lonely Mountain for the first time is just about perfect.

The next movie, The Desolation of Smaug isn't all that bad either. We get Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt), the spiders, and the Sylvan Kingdom. Legolas is back! (Orlando Bloom) and he's got a super cool Lady Friend, Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly). I think this is where it starts to go off the rails a bit for me-- not because I object to Tauriel as a character it's just that she deserves better. I get that these films are largely a sausage-fest. Honestly, apart from Galadriel and a few women from Lake-Town who have speaking parts that's about the size of the female presence in the movie. That is accurate to the source material, but we've got to be honest here: these movies aren't passing the Bechdel Test.

I think that's the crux of it for me. Tauriel feels like a character somebody in the studio thought should be shoe-horned in there. There's no Arwen/Aragorn romance in these books, so shoe-horn her in there and give her a love interest- in this case Kili (Aidan Turner.) Going to the character's Wikipedia page, we find: "The character does not appear in the original novel, but was created by Peter Jackson, Philippa Boyens, and Fran Walsh as an expansion of material adapted from the novel."

I have no idea what that means and I'm not sure they did either. And I know that all of this makes me sound vaguely like a neckbeard incel type, but seriously, watch these movies and tell me you don't agree: Tauriel deserved better.

Laketown/Esgaroth works well. No problems there. We meander about the Dol Guldur subplot a bit and The Necromancer is revealed as Sauron eventually Bilbo and the Dwarves break into the mountain, wake up Smaug, piss him off, and try and use his flames into melting a large gold statue to bury him alive in molten gold but that doesn't work and he flies off to Laketown very angry and ready to destroy the place.

This brings us to the third and final film, The Battle of Five Armies.

This is probably the weakest of the films because it feels like a third act masquerading as a movie. I mean, in one sense it is a third act, but it just simultaneously manages to feel overstuffed and underdone which is a neat trick, I'll grant you.

The biggest disappointment here is the Black Arrow. It wasn't a freakin' artillery bolt in the book! Seriously it's one of the best moments in fantasy literature. Bard is down to his last arrow, draws the Black Arrow and says, 'I hope to heck this works' (only better and more epic and Tokein-esque) and fires it and then the dragon crashes down with fire and destruction and Tolkein drops one of his best lines:

"And that was the end of Smaug and Esgaroth. But not of Bard."

They didn't get this moment right and it remains probably my biggest disappointment with this film trilogy. (Don't get me wrong: I understand why they sized up the arrow, I get all of that, but if there was one moment to go with the book as hard as you possibly can it was here and they didn't do it.)

Armies start gathering. The Elves find out the dragon is gone and head to the mountain, wanting their cut. Bard rallies the survivors of Laketown and heads to the Mountain wanting his cut. Azog and the Orcs are lurking nearby oh and, did I mention that Gandalf escapes from Dol Guldur and Galadriel drives Sauron out?

Then, all semblance of geography and time is cast aside and Gandalf crosses leagues in veritable blinks of the eye to arrive at the Lonely Mountain in time for the battle. (Gandalf also tries his hand at geopolitics by saying a Lonely Mountain dominated by orcs would open the way to the restoration of Angmar? Which if my Middle Earth Geography is correct is on the Shire-side of the Misty Mountain, right? I don't know. It didn't make sense to me.)

Inside The Lonely Mountain, Thorin spends far too much time being gold-sick but eventually recovers his sanity to join the battle.

Dain (Billy Connoly) arrives and he's riding not a warhorse but a War Pig. (Legit amazing casting here and it's delightful.)

Legolas and Tauriel also cast aside geography and time to travel to Mount Gundabad (the other stronghold of the orcs) to find it empty which means Bolg has another force on the way. They also manage to get back in time for the battle.

Then the battle happens. It's Peter Jackson, he's good at this and it... works more or less. It just goes on and on and on and the orcs arrive on wereworms, which seems like a cool and previously unknown method of transportation. Eventually, Thorin and Azog have it out and Thorin is fatally wounded. Kili is killed because Tauriel can't have nice things and deserves better. The Eagles arrive at the very end as they always do and bring Beorn and Radagast to the party and the orcs are all defeated.

The dwarves get their Kingdom back. Bilbo heads home to find that he's been declared dead and his stuff is being auctioned off. Legolas doesn't want to go back home with his Dad, so Thranduil recommends he seek out a range of the north who goes by the name Strider.

And that's more or less that.

Overall, I think the first one is genuinely good. I think the second one is good and I think the third one could have been condensed down or cut out entirely, but some parts were good, and parts that were not so good. I mean, the animated version of The Hobbit from back in the day managed to be one movie, I don't know why this trilogy couldn't have been two. My Grades: An Unexpected Journey *** out of ****, The Desolation of Smaug *** out of ****, The Battle of Five Armies ** out of ****.

[latenightsimping]

3, 9 & 13 👀✨

Aaaaa hi!! 🥰

3: A song that reminds you of summertime Summertime usually means it's LARP season again, so sometimes we end up at night having some drinks, gathered around the fire in costume and in character singing songs that are 'in theme'. This was the one that stuck out to me most, as it made sense for us to sing it plot wise and character wise

9: A song that makes you happy This one makes me happy, purely because I've heard it during times of great sadness and it always makes me put things into perspective. Makes me remember that all is not lost, and I'm gonna get through it.

13: One of your favorite 80’s songs Oh man, this was a hard fuckin' choice considering like, 75% of the songs I listen to regularly is from the 80's lmaoooo, but I had to go with this absolute fucking BELTER that never fails to get me hype

[i-did-not-mean-to]

For the Romantic Bingo - The Perfect Proposal, :)

Aaaah Pixie, my dear...

Okay, let's see...

Proposal II

Words: 1,5k

Characters : Thorin x reader

“What are…”

The words die on your lips as you step onto the narrow ledge; Thorin holds out his hand and you almost stumble over your own feet at the sight of the golden light pouring over him.

He looks so much like the statues of his forefathers and yet, he’s nothing like them for – under the surface layer of silver and gold – he hides a beating heart so ferociously alive that neither stone nor ore might keep it in check.

“I need to talk to you,” he smiles softly, pulling you closer to his side, his feet firmly planted on the rock that is his cradle and his home.

A strange feeling washes through your veins, diluting your blood and making you feel weak in the knees; since his coronation as the rightful king of the Longbeards, Thorin has kept you close – a valuable councillor and a valued friend – and you wonder if your time by his side has come to an end.

The mere thought clenches like a fist around your aching heart; you are in love with him, you have been for a long time, and it frightens you to even imagine being sent away.

It is so incredibly hard to pierce the mask of stoic self-control that he wears day-in, day-out.

Moreover, Thorin – like almost every other dwarf you had ever met – was ridiculously private, so this meeting could mean anything and its exact opposite.

“My friend,” he says while turning to the sinking sun, “I am much like this day.”

“Beautiful? Perfect? Warm and sunny under the dark clouds?” you supply and make him chuckle by waxing poetic with so much more ease than him.

“No, diminishing,” he replies calmly, “I am no longer a young dwarf…”

He turns back to you, seeks your gaze and holds it for a long moment, his hand lifting as if to caress your cheek.

You know that he’s right, but you disagree with the notion that his best years are behind him.

“What follows should be the happiest decades of your life, Thorin,” you promise, “this is the moment when you can rest and recover; your heir is strong, and your future is bright.”

The hand in yours twitches as his smile broadens, melting like wax under the onslaught of a steady flame.

“Do you like it here?” he then suddenly asks and nods at the vast expanse stretching endlessly before your eyes; once a desolate plain, it is now speckled with the signs of stubborn life sprouting roots that reach deep into the heart of the earth and throwing out living arms of growth to reach for the sky.

“This is home,” you reply. You are home, but that, you do not dare to say.

Is this the moment where your king tells you that he has no need of your services anymore? Is this the second where your heart is shattered by the rejection of a love that has never breached your lips only because it has never crossed his mind?

“You seem tense, my…love,” Thorin comments, shrugging off his heavy cloak to settle it around your shoulders to keep you warm as the sun sinks inexorably into the horizon like a ball of flame extinguished in a lake.

So many fires have died in that body of water, you know, but – unlike Smaug – the sun shall rise again and grace everyone with another shower of pale light.

“What are we doing here, my king?” you ask softly, tugging at his hand lightly to draw his attention from the landscape to your face; you refuse to think about the soft word spoken with such conviction.

Hope is a dangerous blade that cuts both ways as well you know.

How you relish in his beauty; it is the pulchritude of thrumming life rather than the cold perfection of a statue, and you’d take his wrinkles and scars over an idealised painting any day, no matter how flawlessly smooth it might be on the surface.

“I…” he falls silent again, his brow knitting in concentration as he goes over decades of book learning, societal and cultural norms, as well as basic life experience in search of the right words to say.

“I wanted to be alone with you,” he admits after a moment, “and – depending on your answer – we might well have to re-enact at least part of this conversation at a later date…”

“Yes?” you prompt him, your heart beating furiously in your throat and your hand growing sweaty in his broad, rough palm.

“I wanted to offer you what I know I can promise,” he says, his eyes shifting from the radiant, vibrating blue of sunny days into the velvety, crystalline hue of winter nights, “a land, a mountain, and a heart that have seen too much war and are still fighting their way back to…prosperity. I know not if any of them shall succeed.”

“Look, Thorin,” you cry out, pointing wildly at the small tufts of unyielding bushes pushing through rock and cracked earth, “life will find a way. Worry not, my king.”

To keep you from tumbling off the face of the mountain, Thorin tightens his hold on you and his smell – smoke, leather, and clean skin – envelops you like a physical blanket.

“I…your king, you say,” he mutters, his heavy brows furrowed, and his lips pressed into a thin line, “is that all you see when you look at me? Is getting the crown the last thing I had to achieve?”

You chuckle at that.

“No, Thorin, but my king you are indeed.”

“I don’t want to be your king,” he exclaims in quiet frustration, “I want to be your husband.”

“Even if you were my husband, you’d still be my king,” you contradict him automatically before you even fully realise what he has said.

“Pardon me?” you whirl around and – this time – you really almost throw yourself off the narrow ledge you’re standing on.

“You are impossible, woman,” Thorin laughs, throws you over his shoulder and carries you back into the mountain.

In the soft light of the torches, his eyes change hue yet again, and in those soft azure depths, you discover a well of love and affection of which you might have heard the gurgling echoes without ever daring to approach the stone wall surrounding the precious source.

“Then let me be your king,” he exclaims passionately, pulling a satchel out of the pocket of his tunic and handing it to you almost shyly.

Opening the bag, you find a necklace of rare beauty and a ring wrought around a stone the exact same shade of ever-changing blue as his eyes.

“Those are beautiful!” you gasp, letting them flow like water through your fingers before remembering how undignified such a display of greed is.

“They’re family heirlooms,” Thorin explains not without pride, “but if you don’t like them, we can have new ones made…”

“Stop, Thorin,” you interrupt him, “I love them; they’re gorgeous. Be so good and repeat your suit!”

Clearing his throat and muttering how you’re almost as bad as the Elven king when it comes to form and proper procedure, Thorin enunciates painstakingly: “I, Thorin II, you may fill in the numerous titles and epithets yourself, the dwarf to whom you’ve been friend and confidante, nurse, teacher, and solace, am asking you – respectfully – to accept my courtship so that – if I manage to win over your heart – I might claim your hand in wedlock.”

For a good moment, you cannot find the words to express the whirlwind of confusion and joy tearing you apart from the inside out as it rages through every corner of your soul and heart.

“I accept,” you finally reply, in a voice as calm and official as his has been.

You don’t fully understand what his words entail, but the idea that Thorin will try to woo you is at the same time ludicrous and utterly exciting to you.

“Between you and me – and I admit that is the main reason why I wanted to do this in private – can you at least set my mind at ease and tell me if there is any chance that I will win you over? I am aware that– beyond the title – I have not a lot to offer compared to younger suitors.”

“Loyalty, honour, and a willing heart?” you supply softly, cupping his bearded cheek in one hand and rubbing your thumb over the dark shadows of fatigue and grief under his radiant eyes.

“Oh, my love,” he sighs longingly, “I am battered and bruised, grumpy and – if my nephews are to be believed – ‘stuffy’, but I do love you and I’d do anything within my power to prove myself worthy of your love.”

“We shall see, Thorin Oakenshield, we shall see.”

[bowieandqueen11]

A Bond, A Fellowship / Frodo Baggins Imagine

Request: Hello! Would you mind doing a Frodo x female reader in which she rants to one of the Fellowship about her feelings for him that she hasn't acted on because 1. She doesn't want to burden him any more than he already is, and 2. She doesn't expect him to return her feelings at all? Kind of like this: "I don't want to burden him with feelings he might not return." "And how do you know he will not return them?" But Frodo overhears the whole thing and tells her that her love isn't a burden to him, but a comfort, and he reciprocates it after all ❤ 

This is so cute @fandomsarefamily1966​!!

This took me a while, so please please please comment and reblog if you enjoy!

Even such starlight couldn’t burn away these shadows.

You knew Rivendell would be ethereal - you had expected at least this much. After all, one can only grow up with a sense of wanderlust, of awe for the winding trails and gold flecked forests that lay outside your door, under the tales of Bilbo Baggins, and his journey to the Misty Mountain. You had expected Frodo would be just as happy, even when deep within your heart the truth had pained you during your travels. 

The two of you had spent so much of your juvenility trampling along the fields of the Shire - mud from the tilled earth flecking your bare feet as the two of you would tumble down the rolling viridescent hills. Frodo would try his best to clamber up his tree whilst still holding his book, and you would laugh in plain delight as you catch the blur of his suspenders fall down into the wild bush underneath. 

Days upon days would be spent together, the falling sun of the gold soon mixing with the rising hope of the violet hued mornings as the two of you enacted your tales of adventure and heroics. Linked arms, wild singing, trampling footsteps, quiet whisperings and giggles of two hobbits in cahoots, two hobbits that were bound together in a way they didn’t quite understand, didn’t quite know how to articulate quite yet. Not in this stage of their journey. The air crackled with the sound of scrunched grass and crinkled leaves, and with some easy fellowship, some resolute companionship, as the two of you spent your days knowing you would never rather be in anyone else’s presence.

Even Gandalf on his rare visits to Bilbo (despite the heated looks from your neighbours) managed to find his way through the winding paths of the Shire, and was more than happy to oblige in your antics. Clearing his throat, he would pull out his pipe and take his seat next to the roaring fire, the two of you lying up on the floor by his feet. Elbows touching, and head held in your hands, the two of you would be wide eyed, hooked upon every word. Bilbo would scoff from time to time from her he sat, snuggled down in his favourite armchair, crocheting. Yet even he couldn’t help but end up mesmerised. Soon, even he was joining in, creating shadows on the walls to narrate the story as Gandalf sparked some magic to set the room ablaze with the wrath of Smaug’s desolation. 

His neighbours, unluckily, were prying folk, and they could smell the aftermath of Gandalf’s magic in the air. Poor Bag End may have had a number of noise complaints bright and early the next morning: a number of hobbits knocking on the door and grumbling about shadows dancing and growing at the window as bright light flickered out onto the rickety old gate in the middle of the night.

‘Jealous, aren’t we?’, Bilbo half laughs and half grumbles, as he shuts the door on their faces.

One day, not too long ago, when something felt different in the spring wind that blew over the Shire, when something felt changed about the sun that kissed the lilac and periwinkle petalled flower pots that lay on the rutted edges of the pathways, and upon the cracking edges of the brick windowsills, Frodo had made you a promise. You could see those bright, lively eyes peering at you from behind the top edge of his book, until he finally drops it down from his lap. With a mischievous grin, he grabs the apple you were fiddling with from your lap (’A token’, Pippin had stated as he rushed to hand it to you, ‘from Farmer Maggot’), and instead replaces the missing object with his own hand.

‘Y/n, do you think we will ever dare to leave this quiet countryside?’

Squeezing his fingers, you draw your knees up until they’re resting gently upon his own breeches. ‘Frodo, I must admit, I am afraid. What if we go out, swept away by the world, and come back not as ourselves, but as someone else? What if evil chooses to follow us, instead of the good in this world, and we find ourselves lost? I would like nothing more than the taste of adventure, but I too do not wish to lose the threads of this life, this beauty we have left here in the Shire.’

Frodo looks upon you for a moment, as if seeing something new within each glance. At first he frowns, obviously displeased with his conclusions, but then his eyes settle into their usual warm glow, homely, and his chest begins to puff with laughter. Finally settling himself, he reaches himself forward, your hand still grasping tightly onto his own, with a promise of never letting go. The touch is so slight, so fond upon your forehead, that for a moment you barely notice he has begun to speak.

‘Then I shall promise I will never leave your side. Wherever we go, we go together, and then we can never be lost. I believe it is our fate that one of us will always follow the other.’

And so you had found yourself trawling on behind Frodo, backpack a heavy burden on your small frame. You had watched him the entire time, the rise and fall of his cape as the six of you trekked onwards, something heavy beginning to weigh down his eyes, as if he already knew the unfairness of his fate. You had stayed by his side when the Witch-King stabbed Frodo at the Weathertop, crying out in pain with him. Holding him, comforting him, never leaving his side until he had reached the safe haven of the Elves.

It seemed as if he had been asleep for an age. Or, perhaps, his time spent healing had only hurt you so much, as it was the first instance you could remember being parted involuntarily from him. 

You knew your brother Samwise was only trying to help, but your mind just couldn’t seem to focus on the words that kept tumbling heavily out of his mouth. Elrond had been and gone with his usual grace, Aragorn accompanying him in the guise of business, but in reality he was rather fond of you, and wanted to make sure you were holding up alright. Only Samwise had stayed with you, as you took a break from Frodo’s bedside and instead wandered out into the vast realm even you barely could have dreamt of as a child.

Starlight barely seemed to graze the luminescent beauty of the fortress, and despite your woes you couldn’t help but become distracted by the place. Sam had led you here, to a little nook he had discovered when he went off investigating down a certain passage past the winding staircase to the right - as he had said. The water below moved so smoothly below the garden bank, it was almost criminal to have it so covered by the bold trees and sickly smelling flowers that seemed so similar to home, it only increased your heartache.

‘You haven’t listened to a word I’ve said, have you sister? Now, don’t lie to me, I know by the way you’re scrunching your nose something serious is troubling you, and it’s not just all the blasted singing.’

Placing a foot up onto the stone cold bench, you turn to look at your brother with a half-hearted attempt at an amused grin. His smile seemed to falter at the look, and it only made you feel worse.

‘Don’t worry yourself, Samwise. You’ve already taken on more than you’re fair share. You shouldn’t trouble yourself with my silly thoughts.’

Sam humphed at this, a placated smile finding its way back on his face. 

‘But I’m your brother! I’m always going to worry about you; I’ll always be here to lift your woes,’ he reaches out gently to wrap an arm around your shoulder and appreciate the view that expanded the depths in front of you. ‘And you can’t slip it past my eyes that your thoughts are about Master Frodo.’

You sigh and shake your head, letting your chin fall down to the floor. A spark of worry seems to dampen Sam’s normally honeyed eyes as he turns his head to look at you, but he knows better than to make it known. Instead, he allows you a moment to sit, and collect your thoughts until you were ready to speak. Despite the silence, neither of you had heard the whooping laughter of Merry and Pippin as they run and jump over to an awakening Frodo. Neither, had you heard Frodo gently push them off with a hug and alleviated heart, instead stating that he had to find you and lift your worry. In fact, neither of you had heard the gentle pit-pat of halfling feet as they wandered down the halls, confused, until they reached a certain staircase, and recognised a certain pouch of salt Samwise had accidentally dropped at the entryway.

‘This ring is already such an almighty weight. I do not wish to burden him further, with a feeling he may not even return. It would not be proper of me, to place my own feelings, my own selfishness, before him.’

‘And how exactly, may I ask, do you know he will not return them? Master Frodo is an honourable hobbit, sis, but he would also be a fool not to see how happy you two make each other.’

‘Yes, but love Sam. Love is another matter completely.’

Before Samwise even had time to fully open his mouth, Frodo had brushed past the willow tree overhanging the entrance to the hidden garden. Brushing a few cream petals from his curly locks, he stood looking at you with a beaming smile on his face.

‘Love, Y/n! Why, you happened to take the word straight out of my mouth.’

Sensing what was coming, Samwise chuckles as he stands up and leaves the two of you talk, patting his friend on the shoulder as he went. Frodo, instead, took his place next to you. It felt comfortable, familiar, all the beautiful things love should feel like as his thigh connected with yours. 

For a moment, you couldn’t stop your mouth from stammering, and he just sat there without blinking, laughing at your expression. Finally, he reaches a finger up and places it under your chin, until your mouth has nowhere to be except in a straight line.

‘Frodo, I-’, you stammer out, but he stops you by placing his nose against your own.

‘You could never be a burden, Y/n. In fact, knowing you love me too is the only source of comfort I’ve had since we set out from the Shire.’

Pulling back, he takes your hand and places the two over his chest, covering the ring of power completely.

‘I don’t know what the dawn will bring, or what Gandalf will want of us, or even where we may end up on our adventure through Middle Earth, but I came up here because I was certain of one thing in my life. I love you as well.’

[laurenshield]

Favourite each hobbit movies scenes?

AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY: Thorin hugs Bilbo on the Carrock

Not the most original choice, I know, but I have a very vivid memory of the first time I watched this movie and this scene really struck me, because it was so… tender. So welcoming. So affirming of Bilbo’s hidden strength, a strength he’s the first to doubt, that Thorin is now recognizing for the first time. Because it was the scene that cemented my love for Thorin’s character, and I liked how it all revolved around the fact that Thorin was wrong and admitted and because I’m a sucker for fictional hugs, in whatever forms or circumstances.

DESOLATION OF SMAUG: Thorin confronts Smaug

This is one of RA’s best moments in term of acting, in that he managed to convey the sheer rage Thorin felt towards Smaug, a rage at the creature who took everything from him and condemned to a life of exile and humiliation, and this is the moment when Thorin finally strikes back, when Thorin is finally reclaiming what he lost and searched for so long. It’s one of the few moments in the trilogy in which Thorin actually triumphs, but that victory is undone barely one second later and turns in the ruin of Esgaroth. I’ll admit it, this scene is pretty ridiculous, if one stops to think about it ( my brother will never stop reminding me of everything wrong with this trilogy LOL), but the emotion works just enough for me to ignore the absurdity of it. I also have to underline that DoS’ ending is one of my favorite movie endings in general, because I always enjoy seeing the heroes’ darkest moment before they rise up again.

BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES:

I’ll have to cheat here, for these two moments hold the same place in my ranking but for opposite reason. Here we go:

a) The Acorn Scene

You can’t be a Bagginshield shipper and not love this scene. You simply can’t. Jokes aside, it’s the last moment Bilbo and Thorin have that’s not tarnished with accusations of betrayal or impending death, and it’s a quiet, intimate interlude in an atmosphere full of anguish, distrust and resentment, it’s a like the first breath of fresh air after a fire, it’s gentle and sincere and Thorin’s smile is so beautiful, so open, so unlike everything we’ve seen from him so far and I also like how it affirms that Bilbo’s role in this whole story is to come back and be the survivor and remember, allowing both the good and the bad of this tale to be kept and cherished even after death has put an end to this quest.

b) The Dwarves charge

This is one of the few moments in the modern trilogy that matches the epic feeling of the LOTR movies (I love the Hobbit trilogy, but I’m not blind to its shortcomings). And I’ve noticed that I have a predilection for this kind of development, when a character is presented as strong and competent and incorruptible, only to have all their layers peeled off as the story progresses, allowing all of their flaws and selfishness and low instincts to shine forth, and they go lower and lower, until the moment comes to choose who they really are and they choose for the best, even if it literally means giving up everything including their life (like Jack perishing in Lost or Erwin and his all “Rage, my soldiers”speech).

And this is exactly what happens here and I love how Thorin doesn’t order, doesn’t even ask, because he feels he’s no longer allowed to have the Company’s obedience, he simply tells them what he wants to do and offers them the chance to take the last stand with him or refuse and leave him alone like he feels they should.

And that’s that. Thank you so much for the ask!

[365days365movies]

March 1, 2021: The Hobbit (Part 2)

Time for the Desolation of Smaug chapter of this movie!

Since I’m dividing this up by the Jackson movie standards, I should mention that my favorite of those films is the second one. I love An Unexpected Journey, mostly because of Gollum, and also because when I went to the midnight premiere, I dressed up as a Nazgul and went up to people dressed up as hobbits and whispered “SHIIIIIIRRRRRRE. BAGGIIIIINNNSSSSSS” uncomfortably close to them, and it was great.

But you know what Desolation of Smaug had? Fuckin’ Smaug. And also, Benedict Cumberbatch doing this.

That shit is HILARIOUS. Also, Smaug was fucking awesome, and genuinely my favorite part of the trilogy. I mean, Gollum as well, but he didn’t get enough of the first film to call him my favorite part of all three movies. He’s in second place, though.

Anyway, excited to see Smaug, so let’s get into it, shall we? First part of the Recap is right here!

Recap (2/3)

No time to linger about, as the Goblins are on our group’s tail, riding Wargs. However, with Gandalf’s help, the group escapes their clutches, as Gandalf summons...giant eagles...which I totally forgot about until now. Don’t mention the eagles thing...DON’T MENTION THE EAGLES THING...

Anyway, I realize I’m cheating here, since this is part of An Unexpected Journey, but...I legit forgot that this was the ending of that movie. It’s been a while. So, OK, the gang flees not-Azog and the eagles fly them away. The King of the Eagles thanks Gandalf for his help back in the day, and Gandalf is like, “s’all good dude, I’ll never call you again”, and they take off.

Gandalf takes off too, even though the group isn’t exactly happy about that. Especially considering that the eagles dropped them off in a dangerous-ass forest called Mirkwood. To get their bearings, Bilbo’s forced to climb the tallest tree in the woods, and when he does, he sees a flock of black butterflies, which he sees as so beautiful that it changes him.

When he climbs back down and the group goes to bed, things go great. And by greeat, I mean that they get attacked by the ugliest spiders I’ve ever seen. Like...they have beards? Why do the spiders have beards? Bilbo seems to agree, because he kills the fuck out of them, frees his envenomated comrades, and scares the other spiders away.

Then, as soon as that’s done, the goddamn dwarves get captured by a group of forest elves. And think less Jackson elves, and more Gremlins from Gremlins. These are Wood-Elves, and they take the Dwarves prisoner after Thoring won’t tell them that they’re doing on their journey. Bilbo seems to think that this is out of greed, and the desire not to share the treasure. And yeah, he’s probably right.

Anyway, Bilbo makes it out without being captured, and uses his ring of invisibility-and-definitely-not-an-evil-demon-king to smuggle them out in barrels of mead delivered by men from the nearby Lake-Town. That’s where the group is headed, incidentally, and they float down the river, where the men of Lake-Town greet them with open arms. Led by Bard (John Stephenson), the group stays there for two weeks, and then heads out...to Lonely Mountain.

They make their way up the mountain, but can’t seem to find the secret door. However, luckily for them, Bilbo’s an avid birdwatcher, and recognizes the rare but fortuitous Prophecy Thrush (Turdeus exmachinus), and as the sun sets, the door reveals itself. 

However, the Dwarves are all, well...somewhat cards here, and they basically force Bilbo to go in for them, and procure something of worth from the dragon. And as Bilbo goes in, I gotta admit that I’m excited to see Smaug. I genuinely loved him in the Jackson films, so I can’t wait to see him here. Bilbo (and the thrush) go in, and...

There is is! It’s Smaug (Richard Boone), and...he has the face of a cat-wolf-thing? I, uh...yeah? We’re doing with this? I mean...it’s weird, right? I mean, it’s also interesting, I’ll grant you that, but it is still a little weird. Maybe I’ll get used to it

Smaug asks who Bilbo is, and he responds with made-up titles that accurately describe his journey, and the unexpected things that he’s done on it. It’s still one of my favorite speeches by Bilbo in the story, but that’s nothing compared to Smaug’s speech.

I kill where I wish and none dare resist. I laid low the warriors of old and their like is not in the world today. Then I was but young and tender. Now I am old and strong, strong strong. Thief in the Shadows!" he gloated. "My armour is like tenfold shields, my teeth are swords, my claws spears, the shock of my tail a thunderbolt, my wings a hurricane, and my breath death!"

I fucking love it. I love it SO MUCH. And the movie makes good on this speech. Shortens it, yeah, but still does it justice. I might not like his face, but his voice is all right. I do think Cumberbatch was better, though.

Bilbo tries to discover a weakness of the dragon’s but Smaug is confident about his strength, and shows him his underbelly, where Bilbo discovers a single missing scale there. He points this out, then decides to reveal himself at the last second. He leaves with a silver goblet, and Smaug goes after him with fire. However, he still escapes, albeit a little on fire.

But hey, that ain’t too bad, right? Not like Smaug’s gonna get pissed or anything and attack him by flying out of the mountain, right?

Ah. Well, shit. Oh, and also, Smaug is under the impression that Bilbo was one of the Lake-Town guys, and he goes to Lake-Town to get his revenge on the town for stealing the goblet from him. Yeah. Good times.

And that’s it for Part 2! Stay tuned for Part 3!

[inevitable-anna]

I love this idea!

These are some of my favourite music moments from movies and tv shows.

1. ‘Forbidden Friendship’, ‘This Is Berk’, ‘Romantic Flight’ and last but definitely not least, ‘Test Flight’ from the first ‘How To Train Your Dragon’ film. The soundtracks for the HTTYD franchise are a masterpiece.

2. ‘The Avengers’ main theme. I freaked out the other week while watching ‘I’m a celebrity’ because they had an Avengers parody challenge and they were playing the main theme.

3. ‘Come Along With Me’ from Adventure Time. Specifically from the final episode of the same name. I watched the episode and as soon as I heard the first chord of the song, I was sobbing my eyes out.

4. The ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean’ theme song is always great and never fails to get me pumped up. As well as the ‘Hoist The Colours’ scene at the beginning of the 3rd film, always gives me chills.

5. ‘Married Life’ from Up... just so sad and beautiful. ‘Stuff We Did’ is a tear jerker too.

6. The opening song from ‘Coraline’ where The Beldam is making the Coraline doll. I believe it’s called ‘Mechanical Lullaby’?

7. The ‘Run Boy Run’ scene from ‘The Umbrella Academy’. It just makes the scene 100X better.

8. The ‘Over The Garden Wall’ soundtrack is amazing. For some reason, whenever I listen to it I just get this huge feeling of nostalgia.

9. ‘Duel Of The Fates’, ‘Anakin’s Betrayal’, ‘Binary Sunset’, ‘Battle Of The Heroes’, ‘Anakin Vs Obi-Wan’ and the main ‘Star Wars’ theme.

10. ‘Alice’s Theme’ from the Tim Burton ‘Alice In Wonderland’. I love it so much.

11. ‘Everything Ends’ from AVPSY. The final chorus where everyone joins in is just brilliant.

12. ‘Jenny of Oldstones’ from season 8 of ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Summer Under The Sea’ (Shireen’s song) from season 5? They both just give me this weirdly tragic feeling and it, sort of, just makes me want to put on a long skirt and twirl around while listening to them.

13. ‘Touch The Sky’, ‘Learn Me Right’ and ‘Into The Open Air’ from ‘Brave’. ‘Touch The Sky’ makes me want to just go and ride a horse through a forest with the wind in my hair.

14. ‘Into The West’ from ‘The Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King’. I haven’t actually seen any of the ‘Lord Of The Rings’ films but this song is just beautiful.

15. ‘I See Fire’ from ‘The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug’. Again, I haven’t seen any of the films but I love this song, it’s so beautiful yet as the song progresses you can almost hear the fear in the song about the events to come.

16. The theme songs for the CBBC show ‘Wolf Blood’. The theme songs are ‘A Promise That I Keep’ and ‘Running With The Wolves’. I don’t know what it is about these songs that makes them feel so... otherworldly to me.

17. ‘Wall In My Head’, ‘Ugly In This Ugly World’ and ‘And You Don’t Even Know It Reprise’ from the musical ‘Everyone’s Talking About Jamie’. I don’t know what it is but these songs just hit me differently.

And I’m finally gonna stop myself there otherwise I’m never going to shut up.

Thank you for reading! :D Have a nice day/afternoon/evening/night

my list, in no particular order, of when a soundtrack has absolutely went off it’s tits to give some of the best moments in any media.

infamous quicksilver scene from x-men apocalypse (”sweet dreams are made of this” playing as he saves everyone from the manor)

the inexplicable use of supermassive black hole by muse  in twilight during the baseball scene

the scene in umbrella academy where five fucks up all those agents in the diner while “istanbul (not constantinople)” plays in the background

what’s up danger playing from into the spiderverse when miles takes the leap of faith

the start of spiderman homecoming when they played the orchestral version of the spiderman theme for the first time

sweet victory

“sitting there useless as two shits hey, turn around bend over i’ll show you where my shoe fits”

the part in rwby where they slingshot ruby at the nevermore while the final part of red like roses pt.2 plays, the guitars blaring as she goes up the cliff and ending with the beheading

“I AM MOANA”

busted from phineas and ferb

the end of guardians of the galaxy volume 2 where they start playing father and son

the part in thor ragnarok when hela asks thor “what were you the god of again?” before thor attacks her and starts going batshit crazy on the undead army while led zeppelin’s immigrant song plays

as this is by no means a comprehensive list, please add any soundtrack moments that were so Fucking Good they made you have a physical reaction.

[avnakin]

Yet again I am writing a post to thank you all, my dear followers, as we hit the number 300! Tumblr is such a great community, it feels like home. Only here, on Tumblr,  I can let all my fangilring get unleashed. I am so glad to see all people, who share my biggest interest with me. This makes me feel less lonely on my journey as a fan. :)

Last time I did my The Lord of the Rings top moments. This time I will share my favorite moments from The Hobbit! However, I shall admit, that despite liking The Hobbit movies A LOT, The Lord of the Rings will always be my favorite of all times.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

The Shire will be always one of my most favorite locations in Middle Earth. Therefore, every scene with the Shire landscapes automatically is my favorite, especially when accompanied with such a beautiful music.

The Flight to Carrock is one of the few scenes in The Hobbit, that reminds me of The Lord of the Rings. The landscape is breathtaking. Additionally, there are eagles of Manwe represented, which is The Silmarillion reference (and that is a great plus).

I noticed that all my top favorite scenes from An Unexpected Journey are sceneries. So here goes The Lonely Mountain - Erebor. I really enjoy an effect of ‘flying’, as we follow the bird. This adds a nice ‘fantasy’ touch to this scene.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Okay. This is Sauron. Is there any need to explain why this moment is on my top scenes list?

And yeah. Thorin is a sassy badass, okay? “I have the only right.”

I am fire, I am death. What an epic and shivering ending.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies

The scene in Dol-Guldur triple wins my attention. 1) It has Sauron in it (duh). 2) Galadriel is a badass elf. 3) “Servant of Morgoth” - just because there is a word Morgoth and this gives me chills.

I am wordless about the scene of Thorin’s death. I will just go back to my books and my armchair, with a tree sprout on the small table beside me, and weep with all might my eyes can withstand.

Again, the scene with the Shire. It is so emotional, as Bilbo finally returns home after a long and hard journey. A place he wanted to be at the most during all his quest. And finally he gets there. However, the hobbit is not the same Bilbo Baggins as he was before.

What are your favorite moments from The Hobbit movies? What scenes make you the most emotional?

 -Forget the real world, get lost in middle Earth-

[nobodysuspectsthebutterfly]

LOTR question: Durin's Bane seems like it was pretty indifferent to Sauron's wars. Could the Istari have tried to approach it and negotiate with it to aid them?

Thanks for the question, but… there’s a ton of problems with the very concept of doing so. For one, Gandalf didn’t know what Durin’s Bane was, or that it still lived in Moria, until the Fellowship encountered it. Secondly, and most important, Durin’s Bane was a Balrog of Morgoth. That’s a Maia who became corrupted and evil, just like Sauron. You don’t go up to a powerful and evil fallen angel, a demon of fire and terror, and say, “hey, you know the second in command of the guy you used to work for? (Wasn’t it awesome when you and your buddies used to team up with him to destroy all good and pure things?) Well he’s still around and we could use your help… no wait, don’t go and help him… aww, Eru-dammit…”

To put it another way, there are theories that the great Dragons were also Maiar (Tolkien was not clear, and there are problems with the theory for various reasons, but it does explain their sentience and abilities). Though whether they were or weren’t, they had been used by Morgoth in the same way he used Balrogs – and this is how Gandalf felt about Smaug:

On a time Thorin, returning west from a journey, stayed at Bree for the night. There Gandalf was also. He was on his way to the Shire, which he had not visited for some twenty years. He was weary, and thought to rest there for a while. Among many cares he was troubled in mind by the perilous state of the North; because he knew then already that Sauron was plotting war, and intended, as soon as he felt strong enough, to attack Rivendell. But to resist any attempt from the East to regain the lands of Angmar and the northern passes in the mountains there were now only the Dwarves of the Iron Hills. And beyond them lay the desolation of the Dragon. The Dragon Sauron might use with terrible effect. How then could the end of Smaug be achieved?It was even as Gandalf sat and pondered this that Thorin stood before him, and said: “Master Gandalf, I know you only by sight, but now I should be glad to speak with you. For you have often come into my thoughts of late, as if I were bidden to seek you. Indeed I should have done so, if I had known where to find you.“Gandalf looked at him with wonder. “That is strange, Thorin Oakenshield,” he said. ‘For I have thought of you also; […] for I guess that we share one trouble at least. The Dragon of Erebor is on my mind, and I do not think that he will be forgotten by the grandson of Thrór.”

[…] So it was that when the War came at last the main assault was turned southwards; yet even so with his far-stretched right hand Sauron might have done great evil in the North, if King Dáin and King Brand had not stood in his path. Even as Gandalf said afterwards to Frodo and Gimli, when they dwelt together for a time in Minas Tirith. Not long before news had come to Gondor of events far away.“I grieved at the fall of Thorin,” said Gandalf; “and now we hear that Dáin has fallen, fighting in Dale again, even while we fought here. I should call that a heavy loss, if it was not a wonder rather that in his great age he could still wield his axe as mightily as they say that he did, standing over the body of King Brand before the Gate of Erebor until the darkness fell.“Yet things might have gone far otherwise and far worse. When you think of the great Battle of the Pelennor, do not forget the battles in Dale and the valour of Durin’s Folk. Think of what might have been. Dragon-fire and savage swords in Eriador, night in Rivendell. There might be no Queen in Gondor. We might now hope to return from the victory here only to ruin and ash. But that has been averted – because I met Thorin Oakenshield one evening on the edge of spring in Bree. A chance-meeting, as we say in Middle-earth.”

–The Return of the King, Appendix A, III: Durin’s Folk

If Gandalf felt that Smaug could have been used by Sauron for terrifying slaughter and the destruction of Rivendell, all the more so for the Balrog known as Durin’s Bane. Hope that helps.

[pethfics]

ZUTARA WEEK DAY 7: STARLIGHT

Title: Guided by the Stars

Read on FF.net

NOTE: I made it through another Zutara Week, and the tenth year, at that! What a great fandom we have and I'm so glad that this has become a tradition. I'm proud to have participated and posted something every day of this week.

This was the toughest prompt to write for because, again, there was so much potential. And I might have been drained of all my ideas as well. But I managed to come up with something in the end and I'm pretty happy with it so I hope you like it too.

And though this has nothing to do with The Hobbit, I wrote this while listening to "Feast of Starlight" from The Desolation of Smaug.

Until next year!

Enjoy!

@zutaraweek

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Katara waited day and night, watching the horizon for the first sign of a small boat.

He would be back any day now and she was eager for his return. She was back home in the South Pole and it felt like a lifetime since she had last been there. So much had happened, and she had also changed significantly. But she was happy to be home again, to see Gran-gran and everyone else. She had been welcomed with great excitement.

There was a lot tell them and everyone was eager to listen to stories about her adventures, from helping the Avatar end the war to learning to love the future Fire Lord. A man who was currently on his way back to her, having had his own duties to take care of back in the Earth Kingdom. Aang and the group had left Ba Sing Se together and then parted ways, each needing to take their own journey.

After having travelled together for so long, it had suddenly felt strange for them to separate. Sokka had to make a visit to the North Pole, Toph and Aang would be traveling together, while Zuko and Katara had their own missions to take care of. But though they were loath to part from each other, they were all aware of their responsibilities. After all, ending the war was only the first step in saving the world. There was still so much work to be done.

"I'll come for you at the South Pole," Zuko had promised, "It will be so different from the last time I was there."

Katara laughed at the contrast. "Definitely," she agreed, "And I'll make sure to prepare everyone for meeting you again, and welcoming you this time."

"Are you sure they won't hate me?" he had asked hesitantly, "They have every right to."

"I'll persuade them," Katara reassured him gently.

And so she had. It had taken some time and some arguing, but she had prevailed. Some of them were still doubtful, which was only natural, but she felt confident that when they saw him and saw for themselves how much he had changed, they would be convinced.

Now, all that was left was for him to make the sea-journey back. Katara knew he would be traveling alone so she constantly prayed to the Moon and Ocean Spirits to keep him safe.

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Zuko steered his boat carefully, keeping his eyes on the stars as he used them to navigate the treacherous waters.

He had had enough experience sailing during his exile and he was competent enough to take the sea voyage on his own. Having dispensed of his duties in the Earth Kingdom and sent several messages to the Fire Nation, he was eager to keep his promise to Katara of meeting her at the South Pole. It had taken him longer than expected to get everything ready so he wanted to make up for the delay as much as he could. He could not wait to see Katara again.

Though it was a bit more challenging to travel at night, he found it hard to sleep. Instead, he let himself be guided by the stars, as they led him to his destination. He shivered as he neared the Southern Tribe, surrounded by large chunks of ice in the water but he kept himself warm through his firebending.

Being a firebender, he would not be particularly favored by the Moon or the Ocean Spirits, especially after the chaos Admiral Zhao caused at the North Pole not too long ago. Nevertheless, Zuko felt somehow protected by forces he could not explain. It was as if even the starlight was illuminating his path to the South Pole. And for all this, he was grateful.

For the first time in a long time, he was happy and at peace. He was so unaccustomed to such circumstances so he was all the more appreciative of them. And he knew that he had Katara to thank for all this. She had saved him, and he only hoped he could make her just as happy as he was.

"It won't be long now," he thought with a smile as the starlight showed him the South Pole in the distance, "I'll see you soon."

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The moon shone bright and the stars filled the sky when Katara's vigil finally ended.

She ran to shore just as Zuko had dropped anchor. The firebender had barely gotten off his vessel when he felt Katara's arms thrown around him. He almost lost his balance but he steadied himself as he returned the embrace with a smile. He held her tight and, in a moment of giddy happiness, he even lifted her up and twirled her around, causing the waterbender to laugh heartily.

Bathed in the light of the stars, they kissed and then, leaned their foreheads on each other and savored that precious moment, when everything seemed to fall into place.

"Welcome home," Katara said softly.

[edsmysterygirl]

I was tagged by @notteddysphotos, thanks for the tag!

1. That must have been I See Fire, as part of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug end credits. Because I saw that before the album or any of the singles came out.

2. In its entirety? Late February 2017. (Shame! Shame! Shame!)

3. I’m A Mess, I think.

4. Bloodstream, Don’t and The Man.

5. If I only get to choose from the extra songs? English Rose, All Of The Stars and Lay It All On Me.

6. Shirtsleeves.

7. Okay, here we go again.

One: “I listen to sad songs, singing about love / And where it goes wrong” I’m A Mess: “See the flames inside my eyes / It burns so bright I wanna feel your love” Sing: “Not soberin' up, we just sit on the couch / One thing led to another, now she's kissin' my mouth” Don’t: “Before a text message was the only way to reach her / Now she's staying at my place and loves the way I treat her” Nina: “Distance is relative to the time that it takes / To get on a plane or make a mistake” Photograph: “I swear it will get easier, remember that with every piece of ya” Bloodstream: “Lord forgive me for the things I've done / I was never meant to hurt no one” Tenerife Sea: “Should this be the last thing I see / I want you to know it’s enough for me / Cause all that you are is all that I’ll ever need” Runaway: “None of us are saints, I guess that God knows that” The Man: “I feel like writing a book, I guess I lied in the hook / 'Cause I still love you and I need you by my side if I could / The irony is if my career and music didn't exist / In 6 years, yeah, you'd probably be my wife with a kid” Thinking Out Loud: “People fall in love in mysterious ways” Afire Love: “Put your open lips on mine and slowly let them shut” Take It Back: “Oh, never give up, just remember just to hold out more / A couple years ago I couldn't just control that thought / You'd find me busking on the street when it was cold outdoors / Now I'm sweating on the stage of a sold-out tour” Shirtsleeves: “I lied, I tried to cry but I’m– / I’m drowning in the oceans you made” Even My Dad Does Sometimes: “So don't wipe your eyes / Tears remind you you're alive” I See Fire: “And if the night is burning, I’ll cover my eyes / For if the dark returns then my brothers will die / And as the sky's falling down it crashed into this lonely town / And with that shadow upon the ground I hear my people screaming out” All Of The Stars: “You're on the other side, as the skyline splits in two / I'm miles away from seeing you” English Rose: “But my heart still beats for my home and my English rose” Touch and Go: “It's kinda rough, cause since I met ya / There's things we've never said” New York: “Now this bar has closed its doors / I found my hand is holding yours” Lay It All On Me: “If you're scared when you're out on your own / Just remember me”

8. Nina and Runaway.

9. Thinking Out Loud.

10. No, I only properly discovered Ed in 2017!

11. Sing.

12. Afire Love.

13. Afire Love.

14. Bloodstream.

15. Thinking Out Loud.

16. The Man. It used to be Take It Back, but the lyrics of The Man are just incredible. Not that the lyrics of Take It Back aren’t, but... Aaargh.

Edit: Okay, so I did totally not just forget the tags... I tag @justaboywithaonemanshow @herstrangethings @galway-girl and @ehteam! 

[politicalstash]

Members if campground dvd selection on one shelf lol

Movies 3 pack- Dodgeball, Me,Myself and Irene, There's Something About Mary 4 pack- Mo'Nique I Coulda Been Your Cellmate, Katt Williams 9 Lives, Bruce Almighty Losin It, Tony Roberts Wired 5 pack- Edge of Darkness, Conspiracy Theory, We Were Soliders, Payback 4 pack- Robocop, The Terminator, Red Dawn, Road House. 4 pack- Miami Vice, Jarhead, The Kingdom, Ray 4 pack- Casino, Carlito's Way, Mobsters, Carlito's Way Rise to Power 4 pack- GoodFellas, The Departed, The Aviator, Mean Streets 3 pack- BraveHeart, Gladiator, Hercules 8 pack- Knockout, Valley of Angels, Bloodrayne, Lords of the Street, American Breakdown, Garrison, Extracted, After The Dark 8 pack- The Code, On The Edge, Dead Heist, King Of The Adventure, Way of War, Sacrifice, Elephant White, Act of Vengeance 4 pack- Office Space, Mrs. Doubtfire, My Cousin Vinny, Super Troopers, 4 pack- Midnight Cowboy, The Usual Suspects, Thelma and Louise, Platoon 3 pack- Patriot Games, Eagle Eye, Echelon Conspiracy 4 pack- The A-Team, A Good Day To Die Hard, Unstoppable, Man on Fire 4 pack- Trouble with the Curve, Gran Torino, J. Edgar, Invictus 2 pack- Little Man, White Chicks 4 pack- Which Way Is Up, Brewster's Millions, Carwash, Bustin' Loose 4 pack- Liar Liar, Bruce Almighty, Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison 2 pack- The Outlaw Josey Wales, Pale Rider 5 pack- Trading Places, Dream Girls, 48 HRS, The Golden Child, Another 48 HRS 3 pack- Juno, Napoleon Dynamite, Little Miss Sunshine 3 pack- Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, Austin Powers In GoldMember 3 pack- Revenge Of The Nerds, Revenge Of The Nerds ll, Revenge Of The Nerds lll 3 pack- Legion, Priest, Gabriel 3 pack- Animal House, Dazed And Confused, Fast Times At Ridgemont High 4 pack- Me, Myself, And Irene, Super Troopers, The Girl Next Door, Grandma's Boy 2 pack- P.S. I Love You, The Lake House 2 pack- Kevin Hart Laugh At My Pain, Kevin Hart Seriously Funny 4 pack- Act of Valor, Limitless, Machine Gun Preacher, Paranoia 3 pack- Gamer, The Next Three Days, Setup Forest Gump Special Collector's Edition Pablo Escobar The ATV Movie Destroyer Librium World Surf Inspiration 3x Hypnotic Ocean Journey Accepted Ace Ventura Pet Detective Ace Ventura When Nature Calls Anger Management Alex Cross All About Steve Gabriel Iglesias Aloha Fluffy Anchorman Aviator Alien Outpost 2x A Knights Tale American Hustle Armageddon Armored The A Team Alice in Wonderland Avengers AVP Alien vs. Predators AVP Requiem Bad Boys Bad Teacher Barber Shop 2: Back in Business Batman Begins Battleship Beastly Because I Said So Bedtime Stories Benchwarmers 3 pack- Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop ll, Beverly Hills Cop lll The Big Lebowski Collector's Edition Big Top Pee Wee Biker Boys Bill Cosby... Far from finished Bill And Ted's Excellent Adventure Little Black Book 4 pack- Blade, Blade ll, Blade: Trinity, Blade: House of Chthon Blades of Glory The Blind Side Blow Bowfinger Blue Collar Comedy Tour The Body Guard The Boondock Saints ll: Saints All Day The Bounty Hunter The Bourne Supremacy The Bourne Ultimatum Boys Don't Cry Braveheart Brian Regan Standing Up Bad Words Brother Grimm Bride Wars Bruce Almighty Blast The Bucket List Camp Rock 2 Captain America: The Winter Solider Captain America: The First Avenger Cars 3x Click 3x Chuck and Larry Center Stage Charlotte's Web Coach Carter Cliffhanger Cold Mountain Collateral Con Air Casper Catch and Release The Condemned Coraline Couples Retreat Cowboys and Aliens Coyote Ugly Crank Chicken Little Crank 2: High Voltage Crazy Beautiful The Crucible Dance Flick Dane Cook Vicious Circle The Dark Knight Rises Dark Shadows Platinum Comedy Series Dave Chappelle Dawn Of The Dead Dear John Death Race 3: Inferno Death Race 2 Definitely, Maybe Descent 2 The Dilemma Dirty Dancing Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights Django Unchained Dolphin Tale Doom Doomsday The Davinci Dead in Tombstone Dodgeball Domino Due Date Double Jeopardy DrillBit Taylor Finding Dory Drumline End Of Days The Dukes of Hazzard Easy A Envy Eragon Escape Eternal Sunshine Everybody's Fine The Expendables The Expendables 2 Facing the Giants The Family 2x Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer Fight Club Fire With Fire 50 First Dates 2 pack- Footloose, Flash Dance Forrest Gump Free Willy Freedom Writers Friday the 13th From Hell 2x Four Brothers Four Christmases Fun With Dick And Jane Gabriel Iglesias Stand-Up Revolution Green Lantern The Gambler George Carlin: It's Bad For Ya And Life Is Worth Losin Get Hard Grease: Rockin Rydell Edition Get Rich or Die Tryin' Ghost Ghostbusters Ghosts of Girlfriends Past Ghost Rider 2x G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra G.I. Joe: Retaliation Gladiator GoodFellas 13 Going On 30 Goldmember A Good Day To Die Hard The Goonies 3x The Green Mile Gridiron Gang How The Grinch Stole Christmas Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn 2x Hancock The Hangover The Hangover Part ll Hansel and Gretel Harold and Kumar: Go To White Castle Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets The Heat Hellboy Hellboy ll: The Golden Army Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy High School Musical 2 High School Musical 3 3x Hitch Hitman Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies The Hunger Games: Mocking Jay Part 1 2x The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Hulk The Incredible Hulk The Hurt Locker Identity Thief The Illusionist Immortals Inception Independence Day Inglorious Basterds Insurgent The Internship Into The Blue Invincible Idle Hands I, Robot Iron Man The Island Jack Frost Jack Reacher Jeff Dunham Spark Of Insanity Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas Special Jeff Dunham Minding The Monsters Jennifer's Body Johnson Family Vacation Joyful Noise Jumper Just Go With It Just Married Just Like Heaven From Justin To Kelly Katt Williams: Pimpadelic Killer Eliter Killers 2x King Kong Kingsman: The Secret Service Kingdom of Heaven Knockaround Guys Kung Fu Hustle Kiss The Girls Kung Fu Panda Ladies 49 Land Of The Dead The Last Castle The Last Dragon The Last Stand Looper Legally Blonde 2 Lemony Snicket's: A Series Of Unfortunate Events Let's Go To Prison Liar Liar The League of Extraordinary Gentleman Life Of Pi The Longest Yard Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers 2x Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring Lost In Space 2x Man On Fire Madea's Big Happy Family Madea's Witness Protection Madea Goes To Jail Madea's Family Reunion 3x Matrix Reloaded Maggie The Magnificent 7 Martian Child Max Mad Max Major Payne 2 pack- MIB, MIB II Mario Bros MIB Michael Clayton Michael Jackson: History: The King Of Pop Mr Deeds Mask Meet The Fockers Meet The Parents Men Of Honor Michael Jackson Number Ones Michael Jackson Mr 3000 Mrs Doubtfire Miss Congeniality Mortdecai Monster Monster's Bail Monster-In-Law The Monuments Men 2 pack- Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat Annihilation My Super Ex Girlfriend Napoleon Dynamite National Treasure Neighbors 2x Never Back Down My Baby's Daddy Never Been Kissed The Nice Guy Night At The Museum: Secret of The Tomb Night at the Museum Margaret Cho: Notorious C.H.O The Notebook The Nut Job O'Brother, Where Art Thou? Non-Stop Ocean's Twelve Ocean's Thirteen Kill Bill Old Dogs Open Range Pacific Rim Vin Diesel the Pacifier Paddington Padre Kino: The Legend of the Black Priest Parker The Patriot Poltergeist Peter Pan The Phantom of the Opera Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest Point Break Practical Magic Predators Premium Rush Premonition Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Princess Bride The Proposal Pearl Harbor P.S. I Love You Pulp Fiction Mo'Nique Phat Girlz 2 pack- The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy The Pursuit of Happyness Real Steel Redline Rush Hour 2 Red 2 Remember the Titans 3 pack- Pitch Black, The Chronicles Of Riddick, The Chronicles Of Riddick: Dark Fury Rise of the Planet of the Apes Robin Hood Prince of Thieves The Rock Rocky ll Rocky Balboa Ron White A Little Unprofessional The Rookie Rounders The Rum Diary Saving Private Ryan Sabotage 2x The Sandlot School of Rock The Shawshank Redemption Snitch Scott Pilgrim Silent House Shaun of the Dead Sherlock Holmes She's the Man Step Up Revolution Snow White and The Huntsman The Social Network She's all that Soul plane Scooby Doo Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed Shallow Hall Son in Law Song One Sorority Row Spider-Man 2x Spider-Man 2 3x Spider-Man 3 Space Jam Spy Stand and Deliver Starship Troopers Star Wars: The Force Awakens Star Wars: The Phantom Menace Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Stuck on You Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Taken Taken 2 Taken 3 This is 40 The Ringer The Croods Thor Tomb Raider The Time Machine The Time Traveler's Wife Toneloc T.V. 2 Tombstone Total Recall The Exorcist Trading Places Training Day Transformers Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen Transformers: Dark of the Moon The Bucket List The Eye Transformers Beginners Troy Directors Cut Two for the Money The Man From U.N.C.L.E True Grit UFC: Best of 2012 Unforgiven Unknown Uptown Girls Unfinished Business Van Helsing The Vow Warm Bodies The Wedding Date The Wedding Planner The Wedding Singer A Walk to Remember Walking Tall Wanted The Waterboy War Dogs We Bought a Zoo Where the Wild Things Are Kevin Hart What Now While You Were Sleeping White Chicks The Whole Nine Yards Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit Wild Card Wild Hogs Wings of Life The World's End World War ll X-Men Origins: Wolverine The Last Stand 40 Year Old Virgin Zombieland Zookeeper Zoolander 2 Guns 8 Mile