tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44835453804972168942024-03-05T00:36:59.352-08:00The Geek and InkwellYour virtual village pub.M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.comBlogger91125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-5320521933524015102019-12-24T21:27:00.002-08:002019-12-24T21:28:39.541-08:00A Galaxy Big Enough for All of Us: A Brief Defense of "The Rise of Skywalker" (Spoilers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjautJECKP8qWmSRSqV45DxHxjW4jJ2rMY5t63slVVF-HSSYUTFmDZkRqa7twoT8KRkNWoPTO9eUbjKSxmuHmTagsF6TE42vEtxfL96mu6i2pBGdZhItu__tdKDn_Ne0tZ_17xwF9O9Jbo/s1600/Rey+TRoS.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="377" data-original-width="800" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjautJECKP8qWmSRSqV45DxHxjW4jJ2rMY5t63slVVF-HSSYUTFmDZkRqa7twoT8KRkNWoPTO9eUbjKSxmuHmTagsF6TE42vEtxfL96mu6i2pBGdZhItu__tdKDn_Ne0tZ_17xwF9O9Jbo/s320/Rey+TRoS.png" width="320" /></a></div>
After seeing "Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker," the final installment in the Skywalker saga, I left the theater awash in a mix of euphoria at being born at the right time to personally experience something so momentous and also in the inevitable bit of melancholy over the close of a story that has captivated my imagination and my heart almost all my life. I'm sure there were many Star Wars fans like me, but, like me, if they have any exposure at all to the Internet, might have had their Star Wars geek glow promptly stomped on by critics both professional and amateur, eager to tear apart what we all have to recognize was a nearly impossible creative endeavor. I say impossible because Star Wars has millions of fans across the world, all with their own favorite characters and films, and all with their own perspective on the saga's history and the direction they hoped it would go. There are spoilers below, so only proceed if you have seen the film!<br />
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I loved the film - it was everything I needed it to be - but to be sure, there were elements even I would tweak. For instance, I would have loved for Ben Solo to survive. I would have loved to see a glimpse of him and Rey founding a new Jedi academy - maybe we could even have been given a shot of Luke and Leia's sabers encased in glass for all Jedi-in-training to admire while daydreaming about the glory days of our beloved original trilogy characters. Contrary to this, at the end of TRoS, Rey buries the two sabers in the sand on the Lars' abandoned moisture farm. My first impression that this was a place filled with trauma and frustration for Skywalkers, and therefore a strange choice as the final resting place of such iconic and personal belongings. We can chalk this up to fan service, I thought. We fans love to see sets from the original trilogy recreated. (Cough - "Mandalorian" - cough!)<br />
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However, herein lies an opportunity - an opportunity to contemplate one of the most robust, vibrant, complex fictional mythoi in existence. Yes, at first it seems strange that Rey would bury Luke and Leia's sabers at the place where Luke felt stranded and later found the charred corpses of his aunt and uncle. But upon further reflection, Tatooine is where it all started for the Skywalkers. Shmi Skywalker herself, mother to the immaculate conception of Anakin, is buried probably just steps from where Rey crouches to bury the sabers. Additionally, Joanna Robinson, writing for Vanity Fair, uncovers a clue with her article <a href="https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/12/the-rise-of-skywalker-ending-explained-rey-lightsaber-staff-tatooine-a-new-home">"Star Wars: The Troubling, Hidden Clues in Rey's 'Rise of Skywalker' Ending."</a> She points out that the bit of score playing while Rey rides a piece of scrap metal down a sand dune into the courtyard of the Lars homestead has been titled: "A New Home..." Hmmm. (It's a great article, by the way - worth the read!)<br />
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Another plot point of TRoS that seems strange on a surface level is that the host of Star Destroyers conjured by Palpatine rely on a single navigational tower to be able to navigate away from the storm-surrounded planet Exegol (although to have an obvious point of technological weakness is not totally out of character for Imperials). The team over at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrTNhL_yO3tPTdQ5XgmmWjA">Red Letter Media</a> recently posted <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pAsss_nTlk">this video review</a> of TRoS in which they make humorous jabs at this seemingly ridiculous crux of the Destroyers' navigation. Rich Evans jokes that they just need to put the planet behind them and drive! Again, further investigation into the Star Wars mythos is fruitful. <a href="https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Mustafar">Wookiepedia confirms</a> that planet Mustafar, the volcanic planet home to Vader's castle, was subject to electrical storms from a neighboring gas giant, which was problematic for navigational equipment. There is precedent, then, that a planet as troublesome to locate and access as Exegol would present the same difficulties even to Star Destroyers.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Palpatine can apparently "conjure" fully constructed Star Destroyers from the ocean...</td></tr>
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I raise these examples to petition Star Wars fans that if there is a plot point or story element in TRoS, or any other Star Wars film that irks you, ask yourself the question: why? Build your argument - <i>not</i> for the sake of being a troll online (there's enough of that already), but for the sheer joy of exploring some of the best and most extensive science fiction worldbuilding known to cinema, gaming, and literature.<br />
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Yes, this galaxy is big enough for all of us fans. It is big enough for Abramses and for Johnsons. It is big enough for timeless practical effects and terrible CGI. It is big enough for a host of characters so huge we don't get to see all their storylines resolve. It is even big enough for those of Skywalker blood and those adopted into the Skywalker family. This wonderful, colorful, dangerous, exhilarating, heartbreaking, exquisite, weird galaxy far, far away invites us as fans to delve deeper. Read. Listen. Research. Learn more. And for a Star Wars fan, this pursuit - this thirst to know more - is always rewarded.<br />
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"My heart is broken," I said to my sister, exiting the theater. "The Skywalker saga is over."<br />
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"Yes," she answered, "but we got way more Star Wars then we ever thought we would get."<br />
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And of course, she's right. Let's be grateful. Happy Life Day, everybody.M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-21935475048606936492018-04-02T19:03:00.002-07:002018-04-02T19:19:38.324-07:00WonderCon 2018<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2bIi2_TX9rGqLI-fphGJTQDLoVEpiEPkvAS2bqrp1kk4hAhqGIVgR7IiiNqZ5w9szjipZcCxPpqesb4B9qUHzMI3ozkBAY_dxepgvhmvddICI0ptrGVg_YMz_vu_yy_QmLJl0ck11SY/s1600/23850_show_portrait_large.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="300" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR2bIi2_TX9rGqLI-fphGJTQDLoVEpiEPkvAS2bqrp1kk4hAhqGIVgR7IiiNqZ5w9szjipZcCxPpqesb4B9qUHzMI3ozkBAY_dxepgvhmvddICI0ptrGVg_YMz_vu_yy_QmLJl0ck11SY/s320/23850_show_portrait_large.jpg" width="240" /></a>WonderCon is a comic book, fantasy, and sci-fi convention brought to Anaheim, Calfornia by Comic-Con International. It is a great place not only to find oneself a new comic to get into (or an old one!), but also to hear from professionals in film, comics, animation, storyboarding, writing, and various other visual mediums. And of course, a visit to WonderCon would be incomplete without an exploration of the exhibit hall - featuring hundreds of artists and craftsmen of all styles and methods.<br />
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While I have attended San Diego Comic-Con before, this was my first experience with WonderCon. WonderCon still draws thousands of fans, cosplayers, press, and professionals, but in terms of crowds, length of lines, and ease of getting into the events one's heart is set on seeing, WonderCon is far less overwhelming than San Diego Comic-Con.<br />
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I was fortunate to receive a pass from and attend with a couple of my friends, one of whom is an accomplished animator, and this was their first convention experience. Their goal for the trip was to scope out the WonderCon scene and "get their feet wet," so to speak. We only had Saturday to attend, so we made the most of it and arrived before the first panels in the morning. We were able to get seats as near to the front as we desired in each panel, get lunch from a food truck without too much hassle, and sit in the beautiful Anaheim Convention Center courtyard to eat. The portion of the day when crowds were most apparent and one's senses faced the greatest assault was in the exhibit hall, but it was to be expected since we didn't take the full tour till the late afternoon, and there were such popular artists and signings in the hall.<br />
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<b>Highlights</b>:<br />
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<b>#1 - "An Afternoon with Pat Rothfuss"</b><br />
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This panel ended up bearing a bit of a misnomer, since it took place at 11:30 in the morning. Patrick Rothfuss, wildly popular fantasy author whose fame took off with <i>The Name of the Wind</i>, was the sole speaker and host, and it was absolutely perfect that way. His manner as a host was warm, casual, and endearing, with his trademark touch of sardonic and gently self-deprecating humor. Pat read an author's note of his from the 10th anniversary edition of <i>The Name of the Wind</i>, a note whose contents he apparently had no memory of, but was enjoying reading immensely. He also generously took as many audience questions as he could fit into the time window, answering creatively and candidly. But our favorite take-away from the panel was when the conversation turned markedly more somber as Pat answered a question about the writing process and the unique emotional weight upon creative souls. Without skipping a beat, he very transparently shared about the invaluable nature of therapy, especially for creative people, and especially for writers. After waxing philosophical in such a wise, articulate, and logical manner, which filled me with even more admiration for this singular author, he shared his longtime theory that a heightened capacity for empathy seems to be found in individuals in which an artistic ability is also found. He said he doesn't think they are necessarily causally related and cited the tired archetype of the drunk, depressed, suicidal author, saying he thinks the belief that creative genius is inextricable from mood disorders is an erroneous belief. However, he did quote a statistic that writers die by suicide ten times more often than the general population, and he emphasized having patience with oneself, since the world is not kind to those who carry around excess empathy, and said once he'd been to therapy, he said he felt he'd wasted ten years of his life not doing it earlier.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqwwLQlAKJFNjTCzFz_5GY3M6YglF1Y-dSLu18g3RO4Roggnlvp7Wm3eVoHWmibYfvFxA4MaYhSEqLC71EIlKIu_mnlf_sGLBOdvzhZy5kFOS_dDZCfMmynuaHtO7hugLoROimEh5bvY/s1600/800px-Patrick-rothfuss-2014-kyle-cassidy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1066" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZqwwLQlAKJFNjTCzFz_5GY3M6YglF1Y-dSLu18g3RO4Roggnlvp7Wm3eVoHWmibYfvFxA4MaYhSEqLC71EIlKIu_mnlf_sGLBOdvzhZy5kFOS_dDZCfMmynuaHtO7hugLoROimEh5bvY/s320/800px-Patrick-rothfuss-2014-kyle-cassidy.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo cred: Kyle Cassidy</td></tr>
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<b>#2 - "Writing and Illustrating Books for Kids" with Dan Santat, Antoinette Portis, Jenni Holm, Eugene Yelchin, Deborah Underwood, and Henry Herz</b><br />
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We didn't know exactly what to expect walking into this panel about authoring and illustrating children's literature, since we'd already been burned that day by panels (which shall remain nameless) which were not accurately described in the programming materials. However, to say we were pleasantly surprised to have a boatload of extremely practical, eye-opening inside information dumped on us is an understatement. Each of these delightful authors readily shared trade secrets about everything from where they get their inspiration and new ideas to the ideal number of pages and/or word count to shoot for if you want your children's book to have success. As someone who never really seriously considered authoring a children's book - even though I have a cumulative thirteen years' experience in child development - I walked away completely confident I knew some solid tools and steps with which to embark on that endeavor. As luck would have it, all the authors on the panel were scheduled to head straight down to the exhibit hall for signings directly after the panel ended, so we - <i>literally </i>- trailed them down to their signing table. My friends, who are the proud parents of three voracious readers - picked up a book for each and GOT THEM SIGNED BY THE AUTHORS. I'd like to give a special shout-out to Dan Santat, not only because I love the whimsical and dream-like illustrations from <i>The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend</i>, but because he DREW THE CHARACTER of Beekle INSIDE the copy he signed for my friend's son. So awesome.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jLUjkBV-3T6wJO46ooFoqOcS9mxEXTDPd66gqf38JTG44pGNnZUcDjbYABfkCFEr0_0y6uUo2P3Nc3NbwHnTVOTCg0okDSo3wG6XHknOdkCbbp43jzaHnGt6rN87S2V8kp9uqvUlIEI/s1600/DSantat_Beekle_Int.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1036" data-original-width="1600" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0jLUjkBV-3T6wJO46ooFoqOcS9mxEXTDPd66gqf38JTG44pGNnZUcDjbYABfkCFEr0_0y6uUo2P3Nc3NbwHnTVOTCg0okDSo3wG6XHknOdkCbbp43jzaHnGt6rN87S2V8kp9uqvUlIEI/s400/DSantat_Beekle_Int.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Art from <i>The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend</i> by Dan Santat</td></tr>
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Finally, a special shout-out also goes to my very generous friends who invited me to tag along on this geeky adventure. If there is one thing to be learned post-geek renaissance, amidst the recently-exploded attendance figures at fantasy, comic, sci-fi, video game, and you-name-it conventions, it's probably that we all have a little geek inside of us. It can take many forms and express itself in many ways - the written word, drawings, inking, animation - and it is a truly transporting experience to be within arms reach of those who have had the courage to put their art form out there at the mercy of the world. I look forward to making a pilgrimage to WonderCon again someday!M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-195928027894354152016-11-15T00:15:00.001-08:002016-11-15T00:29:06.478-08:00Talking in Circles: A Movie Review of "Arrival" (Some Spoilers)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FV23HgnON0Fo2IcyBpWCzsaH2zoANj3Y-4ell6tAXtPQi0xmF-WnEnW5A0Tus01ZvWlHLQDPW_revD1dXZozPWJ0hTR6ghgTziy0TBZnCBuPV5FL1yx0y6Bj1KJmEYyquGcof5W2H2U/s1600/arrival-movie-review-3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0FV23HgnON0Fo2IcyBpWCzsaH2zoANj3Y-4ell6tAXtPQi0xmF-WnEnW5A0Tus01ZvWlHLQDPW_revD1dXZozPWJ0hTR6ghgTziy0TBZnCBuPV5FL1yx0y6Bj1KJmEYyquGcof5W2H2U/s320/arrival-movie-review-3.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amy Adams as Dr. Louise Banks and Jeremy Renner<br>
as Dr. Ian Donnelly</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Genesis chapter eleven records a story of the people of the ancient world electing to come together and build a tower tall enough to reach the heavens. For reasons undisclosed to us mortals, God, having observed this concerted effort, which was apparently destined to succeed, scrambles communication between his peoples. "<span class="text Gen-11-6" id="en-NIV-273" style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box;">If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this," he says, "then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and confuse their language so they will not understand each other" (<i>New International Version</i>, Gen. 11:6). </span>The engineer could not understand the architect. The brick layer could not understand the engineer. It was the last time all of humanity worked together in perfect cooperation. It was the last time all of humanity spoke a common language.</span><br>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">In the story of the Tower of Babel, a universal language was clearly the key that could unlock unlimited progress, discovery, and </span>achievement<span style="font-family: inherit;">. What if the communication of that ancient people had not been confused and discordant? What problems could humanity have solved? These are just two of the questions Denis Villeneuve's "</span><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2543164/?ref_=nv_sr_1" style="font-family: inherit;">"Arrival"</a><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">leaves hanging in the air.</span><br>
</div><a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2016/11/amy-adams-as-dr.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-75736003371270467752015-12-20T19:03:00.001-08:002015-12-20T19:16:29.540-08:00Reflections on "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (Spoilers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnC52w42F9txe_reqzdMe-nsU1j8uqRbfRRDBV-saU9Mvutw5Cb0Lo_LOWk-mV5cUAQP93hMoac6JeFcnnkJRXY17Fz_F5xuPGOtFi770MBRk_rnwgmL279uyvUVZVrIaUK7rltx2LJHM/s1600/tumblr_inline_nxi84dPBIH1t2ear7_1280.png.cf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="198" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnC52w42F9txe_reqzdMe-nsU1j8uqRbfRRDBV-saU9Mvutw5Cb0Lo_LOWk-mV5cUAQP93hMoac6JeFcnnkJRXY17Fz_F5xuPGOtFi770MBRk_rnwgmL279uyvUVZVrIaUK7rltx2LJHM/s320/tumblr_inline_nxi84dPBIH1t2ear7_1280.png.cf.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
Readers should be informed that leading up to viewing "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" and also following its release, I have deliberately avoided reading anything about the film. Obviously, the purpose behind this prior to the film being released is that, like many Star Wars fans, I didn't want to see any spoilers. The biggest spoiler of all would been to hear any news as to whether J. J. Abrams had managed to resurrect the feel of the original trilogy (Episodes IV, V, and VI.) Having felt burned by George Lucas on several points in Episodes I, II, and III, even knowing Abrams and Disney were in charge, my trust could only be earned back by a viewing of the film. The reason I have not yet read any reviews of "The Force Awakens" is that after having finally seen it, it is sacred to me. I neither care nor want to know what critics think, because when it comes to this franchise - a franchise that is pretty unique in that the fans believe it belongs to them - the most important critic is the fan.<br>
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Therefore, if what you read here has been said before or perhaps even disputed, know that I do not plan on finding it out. I have seen "The Force Awakens," I feel protective of it now, and I will not read a single review.<br>
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That being said, I am so glad you do not feel the same way, since you are reading <i>my </i>review. Or rather, my <i>reflections</i> on the film. A review analyzes successes and flaws alike, and I'm not here to dissect, I'm here to bask in this film's glory.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2015/12/reflections-on-star-wars-force-awakens.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-34796168047398125042015-10-14T18:31:00.000-07:002015-10-14T18:56:30.920-07:00"The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" Extended Cut Review (No Spoilers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKstG-fYXTAYH49xh9uqWy57PMvWos_NjT4cDh3X8pCB6gRunIz5AR9W9j0zPugPKgMlK1egAl_A_JZa9sCKFOU6kRZoCKELH3B-_FegBMz8hSd8vStAe0WPJxy_wC_CyFZ5NVl68QtWs/s1600/The-Hobbit-The-Battle-Of-The-Five-Armies-Teaser-Trailer-Screencaps-the-hobbit-37380576-1366-564.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="165" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKstG-fYXTAYH49xh9uqWy57PMvWos_NjT4cDh3X8pCB6gRunIz5AR9W9j0zPugPKgMlK1egAl_A_JZa9sCKFOU6kRZoCKELH3B-_FegBMz8hSd8vStAe0WPJxy_wC_CyFZ5NVl68QtWs/s400/The-Hobbit-The-Battle-Of-The-Five-Armies-Teaser-Trailer-Screencaps-the-hobbit-37380576-1366-564.png" width="400"></a></div>
Last night, across the nation, Fathom Events hosted a special early screening of "The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" extended cut. The roughly 20 minutes of new footage was enough to earn the extended version an "R" rating. However, if you saw the original theatrical cut of BotFA or took your children to see it, you are probably safe doing the same with the extended cut. Yes, more "classic Peter Jackson" outrageous battlefield deaths occur in the extended cut, but just the fact that they are indeed so Peter-Jackson-esque means that they are played for laughs, somewhat ridiculous, and there's no gore seen up close. And this is "The Hobbit," after all - this is fantasy violence - orcs beating on dwarves, dwarves beating on trolls, trolls beating on elves, etc. The MPAA chooses to stand firm on some types of content, such as long, sustained scenes of violence, therefore the "R" rating pops up despite the added scenes not much more gruesome than the theatrical cut.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2015/10/the-hobbit-battle-of-five-armies.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-17682294794680208712015-09-17T21:42:00.000-07:002015-09-17T21:53:32.697-07:00Geek Gear of the WeekFor the die-hard Gatsby fan in your life who will totally get this somewhat obscure <i>The Great Gatsby</i> reference, here is a "West Egg/East Egg" necklace from Modcloth. The charm is a clever allusion to the dichotomous cities Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby inhabit during that infamous summer... And now to decide... Who's going to wear old money versus who's going to wear new money?<br>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVF7mmfPpBc2sBNB-OCBpRc9czOP82sG1_w2A6qFs3vtDlzCiGalcZ6Olz-I7JCaZC_OD-UXhOD5znrobnML5OojjsloeK3LVJqeY23Ivu5NdhM6hey9mEp1BD-y2LYkAgHdDRnQI0KfE/s1600/d3b37bb5bd9e8384ee83b4046fa26f80.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVF7mmfPpBc2sBNB-OCBpRc9czOP82sG1_w2A6qFs3vtDlzCiGalcZ6Olz-I7JCaZC_OD-UXhOD5znrobnML5OojjsloeK3LVJqeY23Ivu5NdhM6hey9mEp1BD-y2LYkAgHdDRnQI0KfE/s320/d3b37bb5bd9e8384ee83b4046fa26f80.jpg" width="230"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Product page on <a href="http://www.modcloth.com/shop/necklaces/gatsby-s-green-light-special-necklace-set-in-gold?SSAID=314743&utm_medium=affiliate&utm_source=sas&utm_campaign=314743&utm_content=417942&gate=false">modcloth.com</a></td></tr>
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<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2015/09/geek-gear-of-week.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-53565461506563185062015-09-13T22:59:00.000-07:002015-09-13T23:05:16.398-07:00"White God" Movie Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV444BO-ps3PamX-jD3Pq0V-O_1JuV3W9wxLYP5tXpHU0XXOqGVYJdZ8aQrTA4w8ZuAtLQqHoRrOBSh048ZM2V3kF1oIrVVsmqmMDi6GQj78ZWapl7pME83iPas1CvwF7-Rh3Kqvet_HA/s1600/1429025561-whitegod1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV444BO-ps3PamX-jD3Pq0V-O_1JuV3W9wxLYP5tXpHU0XXOqGVYJdZ8aQrTA4w8ZuAtLQqHoRrOBSh048ZM2V3kF1oIrVVsmqmMDi6GQj78ZWapl7pME83iPas1CvwF7-Rh3Kqvet_HA/s320/1429025561-whitegod1.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
I have been waiting with bated breath for six months to see Kornel Mundruczo's <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2844798/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">"White God."</a> You don't have to be a dog-lover to appreciate the powerful and hair-raising sight that is two hundred dogs sprinting through the streets of Hungary. And the best part is that not a shred of CGI was used to achieve this scene. It was the sight of this army of dogs, which I viewed in the trailer in March 2015, that intrigued me. Knowing full well that these well-trained (and extremely photogenic, I might add) dogs were most likely part of thinly veiled political commentary, I settled in for the wait for this story to come to Netflix.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2015/09/white-god-movie-review.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-25618541611883484592015-05-04T23:46:00.000-07:002015-05-05T00:09:07.178-07:00Eden 2.0: A Review of "Ex Machina" (Major Spoilers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNhjearQFaigVzhIA2sQa_vzWikd1WBtp52wEdHWreU7W4GKt1JbBYt5jtzOUfeU3JCktxlSlc6aoZRLgBExp9IuIEIq_uJE5guigi9pcwScVYHZBYPU3hIQB7904FmIOUE2llKtqMJg/s1600/ex-machina-4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWNhjearQFaigVzhIA2sQa_vzWikd1WBtp52wEdHWreU7W4GKt1JbBYt5jtzOUfeU3JCktxlSlc6aoZRLgBExp9IuIEIq_uJE5guigi9pcwScVYHZBYPU3hIQB7904FmIOUE2llKtqMJg/s320/ex-machina-4.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
The title of <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0307497/?ref_=tt_ov_dr">Alex Garland's</a> film "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0470752/">Ex Machina</a>" is a truncated form of the Latin phrase "deus ex machina." The translation is "god from the machine." The phrase conjures similar imagery to the idea of the "ghost in the machine" from Cartesian dualism, especially in the context of a film like "Ex Machina" which deals with an artificial intelligence. The meaning is much more literal, however. <i>Deus ex machina</i> refers to a device from Greek drama in which a crane (a machine) would suddenly lower an actor playing a god onto the stage, whose appearance typically provided a convenient solution to a seemingly unsolvable dilemma and wrapped everything up in a nice little package.<br>
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Most likely "Ex Machina" as the title of this film, however, was meant to carry dual meaning. Yes, hardware or machinery is the means by which a superior being enters the stage, but there are also undeniable overtones of what it means to play god, and what happens when your creation deviates from your plans for it.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2015/05/eden-20-review-of-ex-machina-major.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-82968137662558443252015-04-06T20:17:00.000-07:002015-04-06T20:17:10.472-07:00"Wolf Hall" Episode 1 Review (No Spoilers, Except for Historical Facts...)<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcH3Wif35DVWUiBKM1JSZxwQP1e230cb50D3n0xbkYl57zVe1Pld7lsIlWfvsg3pukeoyPpp0fHz_NPWEjCFrnK75gvGdJ1iSziLCnwlbBfFqD_9D1vDdLIP8873ZCUssJNCN3gxJ_Tms/s1600/Wolf-Hall-4.5a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcH3Wif35DVWUiBKM1JSZxwQP1e230cb50D3n0xbkYl57zVe1Pld7lsIlWfvsg3pukeoyPpp0fHz_NPWEjCFrnK75gvGdJ1iSziLCnwlbBfFqD_9D1vDdLIP8873ZCUssJNCN3gxJ_Tms/s1600/Wolf-Hall-4.5a.jpg" height="240" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image credit: <a href="http://notjustanothertvsite.com/">notjustanothertvsite.com</a></td></tr>
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In January of this year, BBC Two released a television adaptation of Hilary Mantel's novels <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wolf-Hall-Hilary-Mantel/dp/0312429983/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428372598&sr=8-1&keywords=hilary+mantel">Wolf Hall</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Bring-Bodies-Wolf-Hall-Book/dp/125002417X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1428372640&sr=8-1&keywords=hilary+mantel+bring+up+the+bodies">Bring Up the Bodies</a>, based on the Tudor period of history. They are told from the point of view of Thomas Cromwell, who in his lifetime rose from obscurity to adviser and close confidante to the King of England.<br>
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It has felt like a very long wait for "Wolf Hall" to begin airing in the US, but it is finally here. Episode one aired on PBS's Masterpiece segment on April 5th, and will continue to air Sunday evenings at 10/9c.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2015/04/wolf-hall-episode-1-review-no-spoilers.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-38946444175341064672014-11-20T20:33:00.000-08:002016-10-23T18:38:49.769-07:00More Home Decor Straight from Middle-Earth"...though there was still some store of weapons in the Shire, these were used mostly as trophies, hanging above hearths or on walls, or gathered into the museum at Michel Delving. The Mathom-house it was called; for anything that Hobbits had no immediate use for, but were unwilling to throw away, they caled a <i>mathom</i>."<br />
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--Tolkien, <i>The Fellowship of the Ring</i></div>
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I have found many things worth hanging above the hearth and on walls at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/mithrilandmathoms">the Mithril and Mathoms Etsy shop</a> (formerly known as the tiedyejedi Etsy shop). You might remember Mithril and Mathom's colorful, ironic, and, as always, exquisite Middle-Earth themed accoutrements from <a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2012/04/home-decor-straight-from-middle-earth.html">this post</a> in April last year.</div>
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Well, the owner of Mithril and Mathoms is at it again with a completely redrawn <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/211051092/elvish-map-of-middle-earth-lord-of-the?">Elvish Map of Middle-Earth</a>. If you are looking to impress your fellow mathom-collectors out there, you might need to have this particular map, since all the place names have been drawn in Tengwar - the Elvish script. The best part is you can request that the owner of the shop alter the colors of the text, geographical landmarks, and/or background. Eeek!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvulbIRZLqjBJhWDgesEodEgkgqZFQBbY_avZ0DNugjJF6pOyBAX3DrmwUqXHBjNdqx3dcukOazwbWWbBgKoPL4YTGnmt7A81RlyV5gKu0TK_gmoT-i-F6qb-_-cMrM3spNhtzWcBbpI/s1600/Elvish+Map+of+Middle-Earth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="325" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvulbIRZLqjBJhWDgesEodEgkgqZFQBbY_avZ0DNugjJF6pOyBAX3DrmwUqXHBjNdqx3dcukOazwbWWbBgKoPL4YTGnmt7A81RlyV5gKu0TK_gmoT-i-F6qb-_-cMrM3spNhtzWcBbpI/s400/Elvish+Map+of+Middle-Earth.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/211051092/elvish-map-of-middle-earth-lord-of-the?">Elvish Map of Middle-Earth</a>; image source: <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/mithrilandmathoms?ref=l2-shopheader-name">mithrilandmathoms.com</a></td></tr>
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Check out <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/mithrilandmathoms">mithrilandmathoms.com</a> for other "mathoms" worth having such as <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/211785393/elvish-map-necklace-the-shire-from-map?ref=shop_home_active_14&ga_search_query=necklace">necklaces based on the Elvish map</a>, <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/212085408/seven-hobbit-meals-breakfast-second?ref=shop_home_active_1">adorable posters for your kitchen</a> detailing a Hobbit's love for food, and a <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/176070525/gollum-and-the-ring-cute-nursery-print?ref=related-3">Gollum parody</a> of the familiar Precious Moments collectibles!<br />
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<br />M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-39730341910328243662014-11-07T20:13:00.002-08:002014-11-07T20:13:30.820-08:00"Interstellar": The Most Realistic Film about Space Travel You Have Ever Seen<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtnriI3GNdRCb3fQytJmodQQ4k3Uisjgxw41xkURJtUr0IFQUX0AyNSZ8Gc0kuomLJD5HS5GhYsr-ZEVMKCScG3ntrwRevVvgVOhclkiU_U2X5WG8i1BttyYGOwYzcO8g3xqAJrW59VA/s1600/Interstellar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwtnriI3GNdRCb3fQytJmodQQ4k3Uisjgxw41xkURJtUr0IFQUX0AyNSZ8Gc0kuomLJD5HS5GhYsr-ZEVMKCScG3ntrwRevVvgVOhclkiU_U2X5WG8i1BttyYGOwYzcO8g3xqAJrW59VA/s1600/Interstellar.jpg" height="200" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image source: <a href="http://showbizcafe.com/interstellar-movie-review/">showbizcafe.com</a></td></tr>
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The typical space odyssey throws mankind into the arena either with a much more intelligent and evolved species whose involvement is meant to guide us, or with any number of extraterrestrial adversaries, truly "alien" in both their appearances and their ways. The Enterprise took us on a tour of colorful worlds full of humanoid beings who could teach us more about ourselves and more about peace. The Obelisk showed up to nudge us toward technological advancement and progress, for worse or for better. Then the Xenomorph burst onto the scene (forgive the pun), but unfortunately, "In space, no one can hear you scream." Then we borrowed the tall, blue-skinned physical forms of the Na'vi with which to have all manner of adventures among the gorgeous phosphorescent plant life.</div>
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</div><a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2014/11/interstellar-most-realistic-film-about.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-719934205277457262014-06-06T06:30:00.000-07:002014-06-06T07:12:44.680-07:00"Maleficent" and the Disney Renaissance (Mild Plot Spoilers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ufgDrbqfcCqP_W0CKVuqt6EtzTq_ZIrqMYC5HElx2Ry-GhTBSLzmyBnM9LVxHAvKxtiKkN7E3awy5EfH8Sspm_EAeShyphenhyphenFamBm9guxKgqHKLYd6DaoTg897JzzncAluBCSodrUHy9ga4/s1600/Maleficent+wallpaper+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0ufgDrbqfcCqP_W0CKVuqt6EtzTq_ZIrqMYC5HElx2Ry-GhTBSLzmyBnM9LVxHAvKxtiKkN7E3awy5EfH8Sspm_EAeShyphenhyphenFamBm9guxKgqHKLYd6DaoTg897JzzncAluBCSodrUHy9ga4/s1600/Maleficent+wallpaper+2.jpg" height="160" width="400"></a></div>
With both irony and triumph, clever storytelling and genuine feeling, Disney is bringing us a new kind of fairy tale.<br>
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As much love, fondness, and respect as I have for Disney, the company's name is still the one we most commonly associate with the age-old misconception that a princess is usually in need of rescuing. In the traditional story of Sleeping Beauty, this "heroine" sleeps through the majority of her own fairy tale. Almost a literal demonstration of the concept in critical theory of the female as the object of the male gaze - the princess lies unconscious, her person-hood negated, while the admiring prince looks on and, eventually, is the catalyst to her awakening.</div>
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</div><a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2014/06/maleficent-and-disney-renaissance-mild.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-70775846034158113922014-03-29T18:12:00.000-07:002014-03-29T18:15:35.519-07:00Movie Review: "Noah" (Mild Spoilers)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cKUVE5JXMtMZOgw7z-n5zRs_oecvrBFIVu2bZt-JA2WjvLUCTzg-q7tEJKxGYjTWracAQq4SnA3_0IBdWIILRmqudiniuslZsh7T1V8Aqcr2s0B50BpBR2MXoBrN2rTO19o0EXbhhGM/s1600/ic_Screen-Shot-2014-03-06-at-9.51.41-AM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3cKUVE5JXMtMZOgw7z-n5zRs_oecvrBFIVu2bZt-JA2WjvLUCTzg-q7tEJKxGYjTWracAQq4SnA3_0IBdWIILRmqudiniuslZsh7T1V8Aqcr2s0B50BpBR2MXoBrN2rTO19o0EXbhhGM/s1600/ic_Screen-Shot-2014-03-06-at-9.51.41-AM.png" height="196" width="320"></a></div>
If nothing else, Darren Aronofsky's "<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1959490/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1">Noah</a>" is a film of beauty, albeit cold and disturbing beauty. The cinematography, the visual effects, and the score by <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0543739/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cr9">Clint Mansell</a> are all very stirring and epic. The stark Icelandic landscape in which "Noah" was filmed is a believable backdrop for a world in which - as Aronofsky's tale goes - man is an eco-terrorist and has spoiled and consumed nearly all of God's creation. God communicates to Noah through dreams and hallucinations that all people save for him and his family will be destroyed by water as judgement for their wickedness. The loneliness of Noah as he prepares for the flooding of the earth is felt acutely by the audience, since there is often nothing but his tiny family in the vast expanse of the uncivilized land.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2014/03/movie-review-noah-mild-spoilers.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-13513287805899219712014-03-17T14:01:00.001-07:002014-03-17T14:07:47.383-07:00Sparking the Imagination: A Look into Flint Books<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A Flint Book: Artwork by Kevin Meier (<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1699721850/flint-books-0">Check out the Kickstarter page here!)</a></td></tr>
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When I was in fourth grade, my whole class participated in a writing program in which we could write original stories on lined pages, adorn them with illustrations, and then have them laminated and bound with real spines by our teacher. Yes, the illustrations were in crayon, and the writing was very much at a fourth-grade level, but that program changed my life. From that school year up until this day, I have always believed I was meant to tell stories and to write. I find great fulfillment in doing so.<br>
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Allowing young minds to do the storytelling is the specialty of Flint Books. They are called Flint Books because, as creator Kevin Meier says: "...kids are amazing storytellers, but sometimes they just need a little spark." The books are designed to give kids just enough visual inspiration to get them started on their own completely original tale. There is even a space for them to dedicate the book and write a little "About the Author!" The eye-catching and detailed illustrations by artist Kevin Meier are each followed by several lined, blank pages for the author to tell the story of what they imagine to be happening in the picture. The series will most likely be released in a subscription format. Kids will periodically receive a new book - each one containing a fresh adventure.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2014/03/sparking-imagination-look-into-flint.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-85659911988540273602014-03-04T14:08:00.000-08:002014-03-04T14:09:48.731-08:00Hayao Miyazaki's "The Wind Rises"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTyAe3BQGx9QO5jhczFSAIS1jUgqpt1M-38j-Xlv9kOAVlElvf2O_D4U2gVZ3hoJuYW1O102B7WOyddnt6SD3nQpRVfo5uSsDut_3npqgllS1DN2L0Y9Rxcyw_j_bxqdEbHl7YzDSgM8/s1600/hr_The_Wind_Rises_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfTyAe3BQGx9QO5jhczFSAIS1jUgqpt1M-38j-Xlv9kOAVlElvf2O_D4U2gVZ3hoJuYW1O102B7WOyddnt6SD3nQpRVfo5uSsDut_3npqgllS1DN2L0Y9Rxcyw_j_bxqdEbHl7YzDSgM8/s1600/hr_The_Wind_Rises_2.jpg" height="320" width="216"></a></div>
<a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2013293/">"The Wind Rises"</a> has to be my favorite Miyazaki film since <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096283/">"My Neighbor Totoro."</a> While still whimsical, beautiful, and fantastic, "The Wind Rises" will be much more appreciated by adults than by children, which isn't always true for Miyazaki's work. The story follows the career, aspirations, struggles, and romantic life of Jiro Horikoshi - a Japanese airplane engineer who designed aircraft for the Japanese military during WW II. The film has themes of corrupt and flawed governments, life-threatening illness, and war, much of the dialogue about which might be a little bit lost on younger audiences. But just because "The Wind Rises" is animated doesn't mean it cannot entrance adults. It is a very artfully told story. The scenes in which Jiro is dreaming are especially beautiful and really showcase Miyazaki's unique style.<br>
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My favorite parts about the film were the cast chosen for the voices of the main characters - John Krasinski, Emily Blunt, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt - as well as the use of human-generated sounds for many of the sound effects. Everything from airplane engines, the starting up of airplane propellers, and even the sounds of an earthquake were all sound effects made with human mouths and vocalizations. Pretty cool! And it aided in the personification of the inanimate objects in the film.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2014/03/hayao-miyazakis-wind-rises.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-4425203234197774532014-01-01T21:14:00.000-08:002014-01-01T21:14:04.579-08:00This Week's Window ShoppingWho would have thought that Loki could help you explain to all those relatives of yours why you are still single?<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPVUxu9lPbiRL_U83geiZJaKUYb89sshAUkIXdg45K-w7rhZ1zlt_nfd_kJawaEMiGG9owmenRJI6Q0q67FnLPn-6SnmWGVG_R7hGOwDm4CGX5ps7KlPN6uat3opbGJXe1Iq8PDCbWek/s1600/Loki+shirt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguPVUxu9lPbiRL_U83geiZJaKUYb89sshAUkIXdg45K-w7rhZ1zlt_nfd_kJawaEMiGG9owmenRJI6Q0q67FnLPn-6SnmWGVG_R7hGOwDm4CGX5ps7KlPN6uat3opbGJXe1Iq8PDCbWek/s400/Loki+shirt.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Product page: <a href="http://skreened.com/filmsandsuch/single-taken-burdened-with-glorious-purpose-3524376">Skreened.com</a><br />via <a href="http://fashionablygeek.com/t-shirts/are-you-single-taken-or-burdened-with-glorious-purpose-t-shirt/#!q6MKi">Fashionably Geek</a></td></tr>
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For the, shall we say...younger?...geek in your life:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnLAUGfL_wmCd_9AcBPx7PAOq-enJGfP_85dk05G4BzqJ22pQYzhu0CmvrcHscEzNtY_JcLj98dsysozlPLiB7Xe7Vxj7G-GveHJpLjIyM0StPB5Np6rXK-t5csHClZcXT6mU5hk0Sfc/s1600/Baby+Lord+of+the+Rings+Onesie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWnLAUGfL_wmCd_9AcBPx7PAOq-enJGfP_85dk05G4BzqJ22pQYzhu0CmvrcHscEzNtY_JcLj98dsysozlPLiB7Xe7Vxj7G-GveHJpLjIyM0StPB5Np6rXK-t5csHClZcXT6mU5hk0Sfc/s400/Baby+Lord+of+the+Rings+Onesie.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Product page: <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/124793749/lord-of-the-rings-bodysuit?utm_campaign=Share&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_source=Pinterest">Studio73Creations shop on Etsy</a></td></tr>
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Christmas has passed, unfortunately, but there is still a lot of Winter to go, so why not gear up for the remaining cold weather with Elwood the Rainbow Unicorn from Uncommon Goods?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbDQp6oD5_4s_GKpvZdcQPH0nA2K9S-E5GOObhXNLGRO9U64hex_104M1D-pTEr0Mf9twqUhi5Fuz20UJ3TmOOMrOvPt4GxE8gHK7vy2-6iFcyBvl98oD4_QV-ppQfpxOEJTWIBVvBpY/s1600/Unicorn+Mug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfbDQp6oD5_4s_GKpvZdcQPH0nA2K9S-E5GOObhXNLGRO9U64hex_104M1D-pTEr0Mf9twqUhi5Fuz20UJ3TmOOMrOvPt4GxE8gHK7vy2-6iFcyBvl98oD4_QV-ppQfpxOEJTWIBVvBpY/s320/Unicorn+Mug.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Product page: <a href="http://www.uncommongoods.com/product/elwood-the-rainbow-unicorn-mug">Uncommon Goods</a></td></tr>
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<br />M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-19460843112464460002013-12-15T21:43:00.004-08:002013-12-15T21:43:49.858-08:00Martin Freeman's Bilbo and 13 Other Reasons to Love "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe4n4-2sA9D06qvM1HvNw8a8t7wGrZ26AeBdw4wA4GGLz0Wk4Hc7YZ0ZejJ-qB58s_xPI-uXaqTosL-UmmRIbFg_twMXP2dCdlN3q1Kej_G3v-I-6j0dP4o7MSSn9DZTj_Fv6MvOpQkw/s1600/Smaug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="209" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTe4n4-2sA9D06qvM1HvNw8a8t7wGrZ26AeBdw4wA4GGLz0Wk4Hc7YZ0ZejJ-qB58s_xPI-uXaqTosL-UmmRIbFg_twMXP2dCdlN3q1Kej_G3v-I-6j0dP4o7MSSn9DZTj_Fv6MvOpQkw/s400/Smaug.jpg" width="400"></a></div>
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There are a lot of reasons to see "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," but I thought I would cut it down to fourteen - thirteen plus one for luck. Beware of spoilers after the break!<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2013/12/martin-freemans-bilbo-and-13-other.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-92162531807296106412013-12-07T16:38:00.001-08:002013-12-07T16:42:51.145-08:00Special Screening of "The Last Unicorn" at the Tower Theater with Peter S. Beagle<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ_Q2RPW4fb84YyyoM0GDejHm_nKXy2sdvbesDwN9Ba0NLiiL3qt8eYsvKmdqDauJjye_dV1VX5cb4TGJOzrDVpFpStnUpWzwOO7s5YMjaLgBLRUIcLpEy8_ZF3zn7yGJYSWVgGk6gZk/s1600/Peter+Beagle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJJ_Q2RPW4fb84YyyoM0GDejHm_nKXy2sdvbesDwN9Ba0NLiiL3qt8eYsvKmdqDauJjye_dV1VX5cb4TGJOzrDVpFpStnUpWzwOO7s5YMjaLgBLRUIcLpEy8_ZF3zn7yGJYSWVgGk6gZk/s320/Peter+Beagle.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
For the next couple years, Peter S. Beagle and his crew will be hosting special screenings of the 1982 animated movie "The Last Unicorn" all across the United States and Canada. The tour happened to be in my city on December 2nd, and the event was a relatively intimate gathering of a couple hundred people. The wonderful part about this was that Peter was able to stay and speak to/do signings for everyone in attendance who was interested. In fact, when the movie was about to start, the tour facilitators walked down the line of fans waiting to get an autograph and assured us all that it was okay to go get a seat in the theater - Peter would stay as long as it took after the show to meet everyone.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2013/12/special-screening-of-last-unicorn-at.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-71094896910512560462013-08-12T22:04:00.002-07:002013-08-12T22:06:23.676-07:00All This Business About Beorn<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93kY75T3fMvQ27xSTiXWiF-Gk8O8dKsR0ge-zZTPuNiKuxOik6ZWId08SRnY0vYyNnjh4tL6a-Vz4fkB8M-8nij3qyXa1KxFbfHkY03gFifFyStLdtT0oon9obb5x7V_pR9Ts1D_uW40/s1600/beorn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93kY75T3fMvQ27xSTiXWiF-Gk8O8dKsR0ge-zZTPuNiKuxOik6ZWId08SRnY0vYyNnjh4tL6a-Vz4fkB8M-8nij3qyXa1KxFbfHkY03gFifFyStLdtT0oon9obb5x7V_pR9Ts1D_uW40/s320/beorn.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Image Credit: The Brothers Hildebrandt</td></tr>
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Beorn the skin-changer in <i>The Hobbit</i> is one of those characters from Tolkien about whom you can't help but wonder. He has animal servants and speaks to them in a mysterious language that is not English, he vacates his great wooden house in the night only to be replaced by fearsome bear noises outside, and - oh, yes! - there's the fact that he can change his form into a bear's.<br>
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As any fan of Peter Jackson's <i>The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey </i>has known for some time, the appearance of Beorn is coming up in the next installment of the three-part epic - <i>The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug.</i> Just a few days ago, <a href="http://www.theonering.net/torwp/">TheOneRing.net</a> announced that they had discovered a very low resolution image - but a legitimate image, nonetheless - of Beorn himself on the back of a 2014<i> </i>Hobbit calendar. The picture has made its rounds on the Internet, and although I am not permitted to show it here, it can still be found if one makes a Google search for "beorn the desolation of smaug" and clicks on one of the movie blogs that are linked in the top search results.<br>
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The controversy surrounding the image centers around the fact that Beorn appears to have a Mohawk/mullet-type hairstyle that seems attached all the way down his back and dark markings, tattoos, or fur (it is hard to discern via the low-resolution image) on his arms and back.<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2013/08/all-this-business-about-beorn.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-58638581185399402202013-04-19T21:14:00.000-07:002013-04-19T21:14:07.207-07:00This Week's Window ShoppingWhile I think in many cases leggings tend to get mistaken for a garment you can wear by themselves, I would make an exception for these <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/124994521/sword-leggings?utm_source=Pinterest&utm_medium=PageTools&utm_campaign=Share">awesome sword leggings</a> from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/SOVRIN?ref=seller_info">SOVRIN</a> on Etsy, which I LOVE.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JvbpweAMy6JZj1nvkjkQ6uLEcIazxm71V2hHhbKUbnxwh3QtUW8wXM7zAPjq1INqmNSSF9cQrH092ECU7DC4V15opWXNkbcioRn5ItGgEO6O4Dg5Wghr7WamST5iQpvH7F5phwi6K80/s1600/il_570xN.432639207_ls8v.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0JvbpweAMy6JZj1nvkjkQ6uLEcIazxm71V2hHhbKUbnxwh3QtUW8wXM7zAPjq1INqmNSSF9cQrH092ECU7DC4V15opWXNkbcioRn5ItGgEO6O4Dg5Wghr7WamST5iQpvH7F5phwi6K80/s640/il_570xN.432639207_ls8v.jpg" width="392" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sword leggings - click <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/124994521/sword-leggings?ref=shop_home_feat">here</a> to go to product page...</td></tr>
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Also, check out <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/114459805/i-still-believe-in-3982-fairy-tale?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=books&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=AU&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all&ga_facet=books">this incredibly clever Dewey Decimal System pendant</a> from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/thependantemporium?ref=seller_info">thependantemporium</a> shop on Etsy. I want!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwxtr3ULLF6eHzkNy2uRXny0zB1sFsHtJhyphenhyphen3dT4mXL6I1NiZ_s8_OnARmekDLmPIaFNaMntcyOE8pFG3IFxT8mwomd6twy6Q5rjAkehKnuY5QSq2qibC703sHrDZe-S65dT2cVBUOAvA/s1600/il_570xN.393327449_sk7k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglwxtr3ULLF6eHzkNy2uRXny0zB1sFsHtJhyphenhyphen3dT4mXL6I1NiZ_s8_OnARmekDLmPIaFNaMntcyOE8pFG3IFxT8mwomd6twy6Q5rjAkehKnuY5QSq2qibC703sHrDZe-S65dT2cVBUOAvA/s400/il_570xN.393327449_sk7k.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dewey Decimal System pendant from <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop/thependantemporium?ref=seller_info">thependantemporium</a></td></tr>
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Last but not least, if you are a shop-happy geek like myself, you are probably already aware of this site, but if not, you should know about <a href="http://www.teefury.com/">teefury.com</a>, which has a different geeky T-shirt every day for $11. If you see one you like, you have to act fast! But there are so many awesome designs, including today's, which features a quote from Vasquez in "Aliens." :)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzR_rn1hD0NkG76J4FW0v6VfWAhyYzta2PAZ69R0SW_W4tNEZZcUw7RWLphRBm2FDxTamU2R0dW4tcE2TxOqClLj1BYftSV4lBq0WdTwXwVjDjHhCdIlgZHJGrLq7Xe2Zng9sOOGfoI1E/s1600/1363277491_b-MCO-aa.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="301" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzR_rn1hD0NkG76J4FW0v6VfWAhyYzta2PAZ69R0SW_W4tNEZZcUw7RWLphRBm2FDxTamU2R0dW4tcE2TxOqClLj1BYftSV4lBq0WdTwXwVjDjHhCdIlgZHJGrLq7Xe2Zng9sOOGfoI1E/s400/1363277491_b-MCO-aa.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Space Marines tee from <a href="http://www.teefury.com/">teefury.com</a></td></tr>
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<br />M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-59620192764168345332012-12-18T21:40:00.000-08:002012-12-18T21:41:26.778-08:00The Geek and Inkwell Celebrates One Year of Establishment!Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear Geek and Inkwell! Happy birthday to you!<br />
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Today marks one year to the day that I began writing on this humble little virtual tavern - The Geek and Inkwell. Of course, keeping shop around here would be no fun without readers, so I would like to issue a very heartfelt thanks to anyone who has ever stopped by and to everyone who continues to stop by. We live in a very exciting time for geeks, nerds, and for casual fantasy or science fiction fans, as well, and I feel so fortunate to be able to share my musings and enthusiasm so easily through the invention of the internet and consequently, a blog. Honestly, I am honored that anyone at all takes the time to read and give me feedback on the thoughts I post here. Thank you, thank you, thank you.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWS3jIcXyg3V6wwbqCVln1eXkA15zv6FVocUpucvk7AIMq1QFWZD72jNXYNuAnv5pBT2z60HbNBHQdr11bTyYOJVQXJ4rH5g4ITovFcXmhJNwveWzAJm8d962cc5lJuUZNSLw10ehvyk4/s1600/ScreenShot00267.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWS3jIcXyg3V6wwbqCVln1eXkA15zv6FVocUpucvk7AIMq1QFWZD72jNXYNuAnv5pBT2z60HbNBHQdr11bTyYOJVQXJ4rH5g4ITovFcXmhJNwveWzAJm8d962cc5lJuUZNSLw10ehvyk4/s400/ScreenShot00267.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Screenshot taken in Frostbluff in <a href="http://signup.lotro.com/lotro.php?ftui=LOTROWeathertopHC&cl=75&hf=1&abrs=555_1355895081&interstitial=true">The Lord of the Rings Online</a></td></tr>
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So, if you are having a glass of anything tonight (hard cider is my favorite!), give it a little raise for one year of The Geek and Inkwell. By this time next year, we will most likely have experienced the opening of a second Hobbit film, as well as countless other exciting happenings in the geekverse. Happy Christmas, everyone. :)<br />
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<br />M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-47137502869138807902012-12-16T22:35:00.000-08:002014-03-16T15:21:16.357-07:00Movie Review: "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3Gr-NW2XuVE5YxXKQi-Lo8k1WHzHA-YRl7uR8HfGuDMT-5hFQVwlwkoYW-P-rcFyKFIwbiy2vE-8PRGL1WomOh4fVEh7DTTIwgFXG81UYkeVD6ASQRMWAJEhZBMCV923s3NzIfYjaW4/s1600/The-Hobbit-image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW3Gr-NW2XuVE5YxXKQi-Lo8k1WHzHA-YRl7uR8HfGuDMT-5hFQVwlwkoYW-P-rcFyKFIwbiy2vE-8PRGL1WomOh4fVEh7DTTIwgFXG81UYkeVD6ASQRMWAJEhZBMCV923s3NzIfYjaW4/s320/The-Hobbit-image.jpg" height="214" width="320"></a></div>
Peter Jackson's <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0903624/">"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey"</a> is the first feature film to be shown at 48 frames per second, as opposed to the usual 24 frames per second, but even so, I loved this film so much that I'm not sure there could ever be enough frames of it to make me happy.<br>
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As a longtime Tolkien fan, I can assure you that if you are a reasonable person who understands that books and film are two very different mediums, then you will be pleased with - and maybe even excited by - the changes that Jackson brought to the adaptation of our beloved story. The pace is ever so slightly slow in the beginning of the film (not complaining!), and this is understandable because audiences - especially those who have never read the book - need to hear quite a bit of exposition and background before the tale can proceed. Once the quest of Thorin Oakenshield's company is truly underway, however, the pace is breathtaking and there are mishaps and perils at every turn. Some of the changes to the story that you will see were added, I feel, to lend even more suspense to those parts of <i>The Hobbit</i> during which we always hold our breath and bite our nails.<br>
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What I especially loved about this movie:<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2012/12/movie-review-hobbit-unexpected-journey.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-48195410919464474242012-10-20T12:36:00.001-07:002014-03-16T15:22:07.558-07:00Crushes of Dwarf Proportions<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQIJg4TnBDUljGK7wNg6Xa_lu9COoiAPf0CEmXcxwk3gKSA6HGk1aFEUpI4DvNWT-9u4ouM19GL4ON6X7w1qZiOGFtlZIZ9vYQo7pMSv11vURQpkFg1xdGZ2RAJaBY6z_KUEPMLBjZtM/s1600/hobbit-dwarves-poster.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguQIJg4TnBDUljGK7wNg6Xa_lu9COoiAPf0CEmXcxwk3gKSA6HGk1aFEUpI4DvNWT-9u4ouM19GL4ON6X7w1qZiOGFtlZIZ9vYQo7pMSv11vURQpkFg1xdGZ2RAJaBY6z_KUEPMLBjZtM/s400/hobbit-dwarves-poster.jpg" height="400" width="273"></a>Not everyone concedes the genius of Peter Jackson and his adaptations of <i>The Lord of the Rings</i> and, more recently, <i>The Hobbit</i>, into film. It's a free country and you can hold whatever opinion you like, so that's fine. But I'd like to point out an example of why his creativity and interpretation of Tolkien's beloved books adds just the magical touch needed to make the films as beloved (or almost as beloved) as the books.<br>
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What most caught my attention in the first visuals to emerge from the making of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," including stills, photo shoots, the first trailer, and so on, was neither how perfect Martin Freeman seems for the role of Bilbo (which he is) nor how exciting it was to see a hobbit hole again (which it is). Rather, I was struck and delighted by the attention Peter Jackson and his scary-artistic, visionary team paid to the thirteen dwarves. While watching <a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2012/02/detectives-and-dragons.html">the first trailer</a>, I marveled at how each dwarf had a different hair style, a different lively expression to match their demeanor, and a different detailed, yet functional-looking costume. And oh, my goodness -- those beards. No ordinary beards will do for Peter Jackson's dwarves. A beard is, after all, the mark of a dwarf. These beards are braided and sculpted and manicured and have every color of the hair rainbow. Fans, myself included, find themselves fascinated by these thirteen wild, larger-than-life personalities whose on-screen presence, at least, we haven't even had a chance to meet yet, and shall not until December.<br>
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But another phenomenon has been sparked by the anticipation of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" -- the idea that dwarves can have (dare I say it?) sex appeal.</div>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2012/10/crushes-of-dwarf-proportions.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-2473479476965618002012-08-23T10:26:00.002-07:002012-08-23T10:26:25.331-07:00Think Geek Introduces Hobbit Feet Slippers: Well, It's About TimeI'm sure many of you, like me, have always felt that somehow there is a little hobbit blood in your family tree. Well, now, thanks to <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/?itm=think_geek&rkgid=274502626&cpg=ogb1&source=google_branded&gclid=CLeymc-h_rECFYeDQgodohMALQ">Think Geek</a>, you can display that halfling nationality on the outside.<br />
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(via <a href="http://www.themarysue.com/">The Mary Sue</a>, via <a href="http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/ee7f/?cpg=cj&ref=&CJURL=&CJID=3195556">Think Geek</a>)M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4483545380497216894.post-68302090687764079602012-08-11T15:01:00.000-07:002014-03-16T15:23:22.484-07:00For the Collectors Out There: "Hollywood Treasure"Sometimes, deep in the bowels of Netflix's streaming selections, after wading through a hundred different B movies and other obscure titles, one happens upon a treasure - "Hollywood Treasure," to be exact. I can't actually take credit for discovering this addictive show - one of my besties checked out the program and knew I would love it.<br>
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<a href="http://www.syfy.com/hollywoodtreasure/">"Hollywood Treasure"</a> is a "Pawn Stars" style show, except the name of the game is auctions, and the big ticket items are purely movie and television memorabilia. Even though I am separated from <a href="http://www.profilesinhistory.com/meet-joe-maddalena">Joe Maddalena's</a> company <a href="http://www.profilesinhistory.com/">Profiles in History</a> and their auctions by about 400 miles, it feels like you can almost reach out and touch some of the invaluable pieces of movie and television history that Joe and his team find. Even if you are not a collector, if you are at all interested in 60s television, science fiction, Disney, comics, iconic movies, etc., you will find something that fascinates you while watching "Hollywood Treasure." At the very least, you might learn something. And of course, it's nice to live vicariously through these mysterious millionaire collectors who will drop hundreds of thousands of dollars on a prop. :)<br>
<a href="http://www.thegeekandinkwell.com/2012/08/for-collectors-out-there-hollywood.html#more">READ MORE...</a>M.E. Davishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16772131255975127998noreply@blogger.com0