Man Crush Monday: Dan Stevens

Why We Love Him: Honestly I had no idea who this guy was before Sunday. I went and saw the last Night at the Museum movie and Dan Stevens was in it. He played one of the few new characters in the movie, Sir Lancelot. His character plays a pretty big role in the new movie and he was very nice to look at! I guess he was in a couple of seasons of Dowton Abbey too. Other than that he was in The Fifth Estate with Benedict Cumberbatch.

Upcoming Role(s):

• Criminal Activities 
• The Ticket 

Man Crush Monday: Lee Pace

Lee Pace:

Why We Love Him: I have to admit that I had never heard of Lee Pace before The Hobbit. I guess he was in one of the Twilight movies but I haven't watched those movies since they first came out. We can just forget Twilight and skip right to his amazing performance in The Hobbit. He makes a perfect Thranduil, he is so regal and flawless. His piercing, blue eyes really make the character too. Then he plays Ronin in Guardians of the Galaxy which is a great role as well. I could have used a little bit more of him on the screen though. 

Nerdy Role(s): Pushing Daisies (never watched this but it has a following on Tumblr), The Hobbit Trilogy, Guardians of the Galaxy. 

Upcoming Role(s):

• The Mindy Project
• Revolt
• Icon
• Halt and Catch Fire (TV series)

The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies Review

**Minor Spoilers Ahead**

     I just got back from seeing this movie tonight (12/19). We saw it in 3D and it was well worth the extra money! Having re-read the book recently, I knew what to expect in terms of story-lines and character deaths. I was not disappointed at all in how the book was portrayed. I felt that it was fairly accurate, minus the stuff that they had changed in the previous movies. 

    The movie started off with the death of Smaug, which in my opinion, really should have been the ending of the second movie. It was called The Desolation of Smaug after all. Oh well, still an awesome part of the movie. Seeing it in 3D just made it all the more real. Bard is extremely sexy too ;) thank you Luke Evans!

     

     I think that my biggest issue with these last two Hobbit movies was the love story. Everyone who has read the books knows the Kili is going to die at the end. To have a love story featuring a character that doesn't even exist in the books was annoying. I do really like Tauriel, a strong female character was needed. Galadrial fits that role but she is not featured nearly enough in either trilogy. Now my favorite character of all time is Legolas. Yes, he isn't supposed to be in the Hobbit either but he is just such a great character. His reason for being in the movie makes way more sense in BOTFA. 

     I really liked the ending to this movie. It ends with Bilbo coming back home to the Shire, I'm not going to share many details as to not ruin it for anyone. It ends almost the exact way LOTR: The Fellowship of the Ring begins. It truly brought all 6 movies together in the very last couple of minutes. 

     I am pretty sad that these movies are over. I really don't see any more Tolkien adaptations happening. I really hope that they do not ever re-boot these movies. I don't think it will happen, just like how I doubt Harry Potter will ever be re-booted. The LOTR movies/books really started to kick off my love of all action movies and nerdy things. Now after watching the Hobbit so many years later, I am glad that this was one of the first fandoms (before it was called a fandom) that I became a part of. Thank you Peter Jackson for brings these amazing books to life! 

On the 4th day of Pottermas....

A whole lot of nooothing! Yea, the fourth riddle gives you a new chapter in the story but nothing Potterfans didn't already know. There a few collectibles you can pick up if you wish such as Imps and woodlice.  The answer is (highlight to view) "Chaser"
Same goes for the next chapter which is called "The Orphanage".  The password to view that part of the story is "Professor Dumbledore" (highlight to view).
Although this is one of my favorite chapters in the book and the artwork is great, I was slightly disappointed.  No new content and not even a collectible.  I am very sad now.    O well, onto the next chapter called "Slughorns Party"
Finally new content.  The password is "Luna Lovegood".  This time we are shown a lively party scene.  Here we get new info on vampires.  Not going to lie, I forgot vampires existed in the wizarding world, therefore this is a great piece to me.  We learn that Snape is not a vampire.  That's something I never believed or considered anyways.  There are also a lot of collectibles if you are into that as well.  As usual with my Pottermas posts click the show/hide tab with info as to how to get to the new content. 

Click on the Vampire on the left side of the image to get the content about Vampires. There is also mistletoe on the top of the tent to collect.

On the 3rd day of Pottermas J.K. Rowling gave to us...

..Amazing info about Potions and Cauldrons!
In Felix Felicius there are two new writings.  The first is about Potions class.  The idea of creating potions has always interested me.  It is great to know that the same holds true for J.K. Rowling.  During this writing we also get insight as to why Snape is Harry nemesis.  We also learn that us puny muggles cannot create potions of our own.
There is also a piece about Cauldrons.  With this writing we as readers learn why witches and wizards use cauldrons still.  In addition, we get J.K.'s insight about cauldrons.  It makes for an interesting read.

This next one is in the chapter titled Felix Felicious. You once again need to answer the riddle: Professor Slughorn. You will be taken to the potions class. Move your cursor along the back bookshelf here you will not only find exlusive info about Potions class but also a variety of collectible potions and ingredients. To get the writing entitled "Cauldrons" double click to zoom in. Next to who I believe is Harry there is a cauldron you can hover over and click to get the new writing.

12 Days of Pottermore #2

Today I am going to let you guys in on A) How to get to the new content, and B) my thoughts.
Day 2 features original content about Diagon Alley.  More specifically The Leaky Cauldron and Florian Fetescue.  Both are found in Weasley's Wizard Wheezes.  There is a lot to look at there and collect.  First up, there is background info on The Leaky Cauldron which was very interesting.  Apparently, at one point in the wizarding world, muggles could see and enter the Leaky Cauldron.  We also learn more information about the ice cream man Florian Fetescue whom we meet in the Prisoner of Azkaban.  By getting this content we learn that there was originally a plotline about Fetescue that got cut.  It also explains his capture by Voldemort and why J.K. Rowling did so.  Lots of great information any Potter fan will enjoy.  Like my last post, click the show/hide button to view how to get to the new exclusive content.

Once you crack the code which is Diagon Alley by the way you will gain access to Weasley's Wizard wheezes. There is alot to collect here so keep you eyes out. To get to the story double click twice to get a closer look at the balloons in the window. Click the pinwheel for the information on Florian Fetescue. One of the balloons contains info about the Leaky Cauldron. You will also find lots of other collectibles behind the balloons, click all of them to be on the safe side. There are also other collectibles throughout the shop to look out for like Extendable Ears.

12 Days of Pottermas: Day 1

Hey Potter fans.  The always wonderful J.K. Rowling has been at it again and is releasing brand new stories and background information on Potter more.  Word is there will be 12 new short stories leading up to Christmas.
 The first debuted yesterday exclusively on Pottermore and is just some short background info about the town of Cokeworth where Severus Snape and Lily Evans grew up.
To get to this story you need to first get on Pottermore.  After that follow these steps-They are blocked out for those who want to find the stories on their own. Click the show/hide button to reveal.

Go to chapter 2 of the Half Blood Prince called Spinners End. Once there you will see the image of Snape, Bellatrix, and Narcissa Malfoy making the unbreakable vow. You need to double click to zoom in and click on the white drape in the back. There is also a book on the left hand side of the image that you can collect

 I personally think this is some great background info on Snape and Lily. It helps to understand the character of Snape a little better to me. I cannot wait to continue to search on Pottermore and see what else Mrs. Rowling has in store for us over the next week.

Weekly Etsy Find #12

Hello and welcome to another week of Etsy finds.  This week I am featuring not a single item but a shop.  I am also going back to my Harry Potter roots this time around.  I just cannot resist.
This week I chose to feature The Thinking Gallery.  This shop features hundreds of t shirts.  I chose to feature them for the awesome Harry Potter themed shirts like the one pictured below.  There are also a few other shirts in the shop as well such as one about Lord of the Rings.

I like this Expecto Patronum one as well as the next two pictured.  There are more I like as well, but I would be posting pictures all evening if I included them all. 

If you can't tell from the photos there is sale going on right now at the shop.  If you are a Potter fan, you should definitely check out this page.  

That's all for today folks,  Until next week.  

Man Crush Monday: James Franco

James Franco:

Why We Love Him: James Franco may be one of the strangest actors out there. He is very eccentric and does things his own way. He makes really great movies among the other million things that he does. He dabbles in pretty much everything in the entertainment field among many other things. He is an author, director, producer, teacher, and artist. He has a huge list of projects going at one time. It's amazing that he has time to do all of it. 

Upcoming Role(s):

• The Interview
• Black Dog, Red Dog (actor and director)
• Don Quixote: The Ingenious Gentleman of La Mancha
• I Am Michael
• True Story
• Yosemite 
• Memoria 
• The Labyrinth
•  Queen of the Desert
• NAYA: Legend of the Golden Dolphin
• Every Thing Will Be Fine
• The Little Prince
• The Adderall Diaries 
• Zeroville (actor and director)
• Sausage Party 

Top 10 Classic Disney Movies

There are so many Disney movies that mean something to me. This list is just a small sampling of those movies. I didn't include any of the Marvel movies or Pixar, I wanted to focus on the classics from my childhood. These are just a some of the movies that I have loved my whole life.


1. Hercules:

I absolutely love Greek mythology, ever since I was little. I really like learning about all of the gods and the demigods. Hercules for me, was a way to learn more about that history in a fun way. The songs are amazing as well and are still classics today. Hades has to be my favorite villain out of everyone too. He is bad but he is really funny in the movie.

2. Beauty and the Beast:

This was my very first Disney movie when I was 1 year old. It has always been one of my favorite movies because it was the one that started my love for Disney. The main song, Tale As Old As Time, is my Dad and mine's special song. He cries every time that he hears it.

3. The Sword in the Stone:

This is another movie where my initial love came from the real history. I love everything England and medieval so I instantly fell in love with this movie. It sparked further interest in the time period which I am still interested in today. I love Merlin and Archimedes are my favorite characters. The two of them together is just so funny and sarcastic.

4. Black Cauldron:


I have no idea why  I love this movie so much. I guess I just really love the Disney movies that everyone seems to forget about. I found the Horned King fascinating but evil, more evil than any other villain that I had seen before. Most other Disney villains have a hint of humor to them and they seem human in every sense of the word. The Horned King does not fit that mold which makes him all the more intriguing.

5. Treasure Planet:

Another forgotten classic of Disney's. The story of pirates and treasure island is one that has been told over and over again. This had the same plot but the location and characters makes it so much different than any other retelling of the story. I love the link pink blob, Morph too!

6. Muppet Treasure Island:

This is my all-time favorite Muppet movie! That's really all I can say about this movie. I love the songs, I love the characters, I love everything about it. The jokes are cheesy but that is what makes the Muppets so much fun.

7. Hocus Pocus:

I watch the movie every Halloween and pretty much all of October. Every 90's kid grew up with this movie. I don't remember when I first watched it but it quickly became a classic to so many people. I can't listen to the original version of "I Put a Spell on You" without hearing the movie version in my head.

8. The Great Mouse Detective:

This is another Disney movie that isn't very popular. This movie started my love for all things mystery and crime solving. This was the first version of Sherlock Holmes that I was exposed to as a kid. I still love all things Sherlock Holmes today.

9.The Muppet Christmas Carol:

I watch this movie every year on Christmas Eve. It has been a tradition of mine every since my parents allowed a TV in my room. This story has been done over and over but adding my favorite Muppets added a little more to the story. I always love how every Muppet character is incorporated into the movies.

10. The Nightmare Before Christmas:

This movie was my Grandma's favorite movie before she passed away. Now every time that I see some from the movie I can't help but to think of her. This is also one of the few Halloween movies that I will actually watch because it isn't scary.

There you have it, my top 10 Classic Disney Movies. There are so many of the Disney movies that I love that this list was pretty hard to make. I decided to choose the ones that I loved as a kid and still love as an adult. Most of them aren't very popular anymore and they get little to no recognition at the parks. But to me they will always be special.

Weekly Etsy Find #11

I told you guys I would get away from Harry Potter Etsy Finds. I actually told the truth too.  This is the third week in a row where it hasn't been HP themed.  Cecelia said I needed something for you Lord of the Rings fans.  Its personally not my favorite fandom.  I've seen the first three movies.  I will say this weeks item is cute though and I would so buy it.
This week I give you this adorable scarf.  I don't know why, but I am finally jumping on the scarf bandwagon this season.  I would wear this gem.

This scarf is a map of middle earth.  It is also an infinity scarf.  So no worrying about tying the scarf in a cute fashion.  This beauty comes from Nerd Alert Creations.  First off I love the name.  Secondly, this look well made.  It also look as if they have other great items to look at and buy.  Click on the link above to check out this particular item as well as the remainder of the shop. 

Next week I may return to my Harry Potter roots.  We shall see.  Until next time. 

  

Man Crush Monday: Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal:



Why We Love Him: He is such an involved actor. He transforms himself into his characters in no way that I have ever seen before. In Nightcrawler especially, the transformation was like night and day. It is so refreshing to see an actor take on roles so intensely. My personal favorite movie of his was Zodiac. I love that genre of movie and I am very interested in crime movies. Jake Gyllenhall is fantastic in every movie that I have seen of his, I know that he will continue to choose amazing roles.

Upcoming Role(s):

• Nailed
• Southpaw
• Everest
• Demolition

Top Superhero Animal Sidekicks

I recently adopted a pup.  He is my new best friend and a family member.  When trying to come up with a name for the little guy I turned to comic book characters for inspiration.  At one point his name was going to be Loki since he is mischevious and another idea was Ace who is Batman's canine sidekick.  This got me thinking of a post of other animal sidekicks to heroes.  Most people know about Krypto the superdog, whereas Ace doesn't seem to be very well known.  Here is my list of animal sidekicks to our wonderful heroes.

Ace the Bathound
Ace appeared in the comics in the 1950's and 60's.  He was inspired by the success of Krypto and was based on a German Shepherd dog.  Ace was found by Batman and Robin when his scientist owner was kidnapped.

Krypto the Superdog
Krypto first appeared in 1955 as a white dog of unkown pedigree.  Krypto has most of the same abilities as Superman such as super strenth, speed, and flight.  He is the family dog from Krypton of Kal-El as a toddler.  One Superman was sent to earth, Krypto was used as a test subject.  But his rocket went off course and to Earth.

The Legion of Super-pets
DC really got into the whole super-pet thing with the Legion of Super-pets which was first published in 1962.  Not only does the Legion of Super-pets include Krypo, but it also has Comet the Super-Horse, Streaky the Super-Cat and Beppo the Super-Monkey.  Yea, that's right, Super-Monkey.   I swear I am not making this up, the picture is proof.

Lockheed
Lockheed is the alien, dragon companion of Kitty Pryde (Shadowcat).  He first appeared in 1963 and is a member of the X-men along with Kitty Pryde.  In addition to flight and fire power like other dragons, Lockheed is immune to telepaths.  He also has the power of empathy and can understand human speech.  He has even spoke on a few occasions.

There is more comic animals where that came from.  I found evidence of Throg the Frog and Jumpa the Kangaroo, as well as an octopus.  Yea, an octopus.  This is however TOP Superhero Animal Sidekicks.  Not little known, odd, and useless animal sidekicks.  Lockheed and Ace are probably my favorite two listed.

Casting News Galore!

This week has been big for casting news in the superhero movie world.  I mean BIG.  If you just haven't had time to check out this weeks announcements or live under a rock, here's a rundown of the news from Suicide Squad to A Deadpool movie.
First up, we have casting for Suicide Squad which is to be released in August, 2016.  This week we got confirmation that Jared Leto will be playing the Joker.  I am not sure how I feel about this one.  I realize that the studios cannot retire the character of the Joker, but still I am weary of the casting choice.  We shall see how that plays out.  In addition to Jared Leto, the cast will feature Will Smith as Deadshot, Tom Hardy as Rick Flag, and finally my favorite news: Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn.  I have no clue who Margo Robbie is, but Harley Quinn on the big screen finally!  Continuing on with finally...
A confirmation of Benedict Cumberbatch playing Dr. Strange!  This has been rumored for a while now, it is great to have a confirmation.  Now all the fangirls can rejoice and hope that their dreams of Cumberbatch and Tom Hiddleston being ont he same screen is indeed possible.  Not to mention this script sounds like it was made for him.  As of now the plot on IMDB reads "After his career is destroyed, a brilliant but arrogant surgeon gets a new lease on life...".   I am unbelievably excited for this.
I am also excited to see that there will indeed be a Deadpool film.  Not just a Deadpool film, but one that features the amazing Ryan Reynolds!  Was the Deadpool story line in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, horrible.  Yes, yes it was.  That had nothing to do with Ryan Reynolds portrayal though.  I think he is another perfect for the role of the Merc with a Mouth. There is supposed leaked test footage on Youtube-by supposed I mean its the internet and people post fake stuff all the time so watch with caution. It shows just how great the fast talking actor is for the role.  I also read that the events from Origins will not exist/be rewritten somehow in this film.  Thank the movie gods.  It is also great to see Ryan be the one to portray this character again.  Why Fox Studios couldn't have kept the same actor for Gambit I do not know.  I will end that rant here though and finish up this post of great news here.
What are you thoughts on all of the casting news this past week?  Who are you most excited to see on the big screen, or not excited about? Let me know in the comments.

Mutant of the Week: Professor X

Name: Charles Frances Xavier
Powers and Abilities: Telepathy.  He is quite possibly the worlds strongest telepath.  He can read minds and project thoughts into other peoples minds.
First Appearance: X-Men #1 (1963)

Most everyone who has seen the X-Men films or even seen even a page of the comics knows who Professor X is.  Therefore, I do not feel the need to explain his whole story.  Instead, this week I am just giving quick bullet points and important notes.  As always, you can read his full story at the Marvel page here.

-Born to a nuclear physicist Brian Xavier and his wife Sharon.  His father passed away and Sharon remarried his partner Kurt Marko.  Charles was then bullied by his step-brother Cain.   Kurt knew and beat Cain as punishment.  Charles could feel this pain due to his emerging abilities.
-His mother and stepfather died in a house fire.
-Went to Oxford University
-Fell in love with Moira Kinross.  Entered the army to win her affection.  He was put into the same unit as his stepbrother and witnessed what he thought was his death.
-Spine shattered during battle with his old enemy Farouk.

Professor X is portrayed by Sir Patrick Stewart.

 

Bond 24 - Spectre

The newest Bond film was announced this morning!!! 

The title comes from the organization SPECTRE which stands for Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion. This organization was first mentioned in the book Thunderball back in 1961. 

Some of the major actors have been announced as well:

Dave Bautista of Guardians of the Galaxy Fame

Monica Belluci

and....

Andrew Scott!! Who plays Moriatry in the very popular Sherlock series. 

He is going to play such an awesome character whether it be a villain or not. 

The filming is set to start sometime next week with locations in London, Rome, Mexico City, the Alps and Morocco. Look for the movie in November of next year!  

Weekly Etsy Find #10

Guess what day it is?  Guess what day it is?  Hump Day!  And also Weekly Etsy Find Day!!
This week I have not just a single item, but a whole shop for you.  Yay!

Frostbeard Studios (click the link, you won't be disappointed) specializes in candles.  Not just everyday boring candles.  No, these are epic, geeky candles. They are all book themed.  For exampke, Sherlocks Study which smells like sweet pipe tobacco, cherry wood and fresh pine.  There is also Winterfell which is scented like scotch pine and firewood.

I should also note that they are all soy candles and hand made.  They also have little scentsy type things too for the plug in candle warmers.  

My personal favorites in the shop are the Winterfell, the one called the Shire, and the Bookstore because who doesn't love the smell of books (only crazy people).  

So, if you like books, or candles, or both check out the shop by clicking the link above.  There isn't a crazy huge selection, but enough, and I think they regularly change stuff up.  Check it out.  

Why I'm Over Frozen

    Let me start off this post by saying that I actually do like the movie. I really like the characters and the songs throughout the movie. Mostly, I like the different messages seen throughout. I liked how Anna's want to marry Hans after a couple of hours was frowned upon and people's disdain for the decision was made know. I liked how Oaken was hinted at being gay, go Disney! That may ruffle some feathers but I feel that it is a step in a positive direction regarding gay rights.I also really liked how true love's kiss was not a theme to this movie. Yes, there was some romance but it wasn't the solution to the problems going on in the movie. These reasons are why I still enjoy the movie. My reasons for being over the whole Frozen craze gets a little bit deeper. 

      What I have a problem with is that massive takeover of the Disney Parks. It started with the above, Frozen Summer Fun at Hollywood Studios. That was just supposed to be a month long event that turned into a way bigger spectacle. It was extended twice because it was so popular. I was there during it and did none of the activities associated with it. Even if I wanted to, the crowds were not worth the time. The problem with bringing this into the parks are the crowds! Anything Frozen automatically means more people. Our trip was more crowded than anything in the past and Frozen played a huge part in that.

      The next thing that Disney did was take out the Norway ride, Maelstrom. Yes, it did need to be updated. However, I don't think that Frozen belongs in one of the countries rides unless they incorporate the country into it. The Mexican boat ride added Donald Duck and the other Caballeros but they still teach you about Mexican culture. I do not think that is the case with the new Frozen ride. It needs to be Norwegian culture with a little bit of Frozen thrown in. The ride should still fulfill the goal of EPCOT, to educate the public about the world.

      Now that the holidays are upon us, Frozen is everywhere. They changed the name of the parade and they changed the castle lighting ceremony. The Fairy Godmother lights the castle because it is CINDERELLA'S castle!! Not Elsa's! This infuriates me the most out of all of the changes. It just does not make sense. Yes, you get to see Olaf that's kind of cool. However, this is just shoving Frozen into your face. This is just one tradition that should not be changed.

     The last change, so far, has moved over to Disneyland. Frozen's Freeze the Night Party is Disneyland's first major change in regards to Frozen. This will be replacing the much loved Mad T Party dance show. I never went to this event, it just didn't interest me. I guess a lot of local Disneyland fans are not happy about it.

      I'm fine with the onslaught of merchandise and character meet and greets. I just don't want o visit Disney World one day and see nothing but Frozen advertising. I feel that Disney is just getting as much money as possible from all these changes and don't really care what the public thinks. I am happy that Disney is making so much money. That means more great things in the future. I just hope all of those future great things don't have to do with Frozen. Enough is enough when it comes to the parks. 

Man Crush Monday: Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp:


Why We Love Him: This man has done so many iconic characters over his career. All of his characters have been vastly different from role to role and I think that is what still makes Johnny Depp relevant today. My favorite has to be Captain Jack Sparrow. I had a love and interest in pirates before I ever saw the movies. To watch Johnny Depp bring pirates into our living rooms was astounding. His career has lasted such a long time and he shows no sign of stopping. I am always excited for what he is going to do next.



Upcoming Role(s):

• Into The Woods
• London Fields
• Mortdecai (With Gwyneth Paltrow and Ewan McGregor)
• Black Mass (With Benedict Cumberbatch)
• Yoga Hosers
• Alice in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

A Ranking of the Harry Potter Books

Let me preface this post by saying I truly do love each Harry Potter book.  There are some books that I like better than the others.  So here is my ranking of the 7 books.  This does not include my thoughts about the movies.

#7: The Order of the Phoenix
I love the beginning of OotP.  And by beginning I mean the part where they are at Grimmauld Place.   I however despise Umbridge.  So much that I had trouble finishing the book recently when I was rereading it (yet again).  I also hate certain deaths at the end.

#6: Chamber of Secrets
Was just never my favorite. Wish I had a good reason.

#5: Goblet of Fire
Harry is just so angst ridden in this one its annoying.  Its also ridiculously long and drawn out.  Love the Quidditch World Cup though and the fact that we see other wizarding schools.

#4: Half Blood Prince
Here is where ranking them gets tough for me.  I love all the rest of the books.  I choose #4 for again certain deaths that take place.  Also since Slughorn slightly bothers me at times.

#3: Prisoner of Azkaban
The first time we as readers meet Lupin and Sirius.  Also Harry has a parental figure for once!  So much good in one book.

#2: The Deathly Hallows
Is there a lot of death and sadness? Yes-staring from.the beginning.  However it is so well done and is a perfect ending for this epic series.

#1 The Sorcerers Stone
The book that started it all and introduced us to the wizarding world.  So much great stuff.  The book that got us all hooked.  Need I say more?