Thursday Thoughts: The Hobbit

By Geeky Gem

Now I know there have been a lot of blogs about this movie already and they are all over the web and that’s a good thing as it means people had thought’s about it. It’s not like me to sit down and tell you about a movie I have just seen, in fact many of y blogs are about movie’s I want to see or have seen. However on Tuesday evening my boyfriend came home and said I got  you this, handing me a ticket to the movie I have been waiting for all year. Yes folks that’s right The Hobbit.

We sat down to a 2D showing of the movie, I was little bit more excited than a 29-year-old should be but I didn’t care. However this always makes my boyfriend giggle. Anyway the adverts and trailers rolled on and An Unexpected Journey began. I have tired to read this book a few times, in high school it was our book for one ear but we neer finished it the second time I was up to chapter seven and lost my book. Dont panic I just brought a new one and as soon as I finish Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire I will be all over it. Anyway, the movie began and the screen fell silent, 2 hours and 48 minutes later we emerged from what I can only describe as nearly 3 hours of awesomeness.

The story for those of you who may not know is about a young Hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), who one day has a visit from an old family friend Gandalf the Grey Wizard (Ian McKellen). Who informs Bilbo that he wants him to join him on an adventure. Soon after 13 dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) arrive at Bilbo’s home at Bag End in the hope that Bilbo will join them. At first Bilbo say’s no and asks them all to leave, after a good nights sleep he joins them on thier quest to reclaim thier home from the dragon Smaug.

One of my favourite parts from the book is kept in the movie and that was the scene with the trolls, I was so happy when I saw this bit as it happens just as I pictured it when I read the chapter in the book. The Hobbit is a little lighter than The Lord of the Rings and has a bit more humor in it. Which makes for a great story, Peter Jackson just takes you back to the land of Middle Earth as if you are sitting down with an old friend. That had been away for a while and had a really good story to tell. Being back in Middle Earth is every thing it should be. My other favourite part is Riddles in the Dark, where Bilbo first meets Gollum.

Andy Serkis again brings Gollum to life and he does it so well, in this one however I felt sorry for Gollum, his love for the ring has driven him made but there is an innocence about him in this one that only Serkis could bring. Serkis even took on the added role in this movie as the second unit director which is great for him. There are so many great actors in the is movie as well that I just can’t name them all. If you havent seen and like the Lord of the Rings then The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey will fill you it joy. If you have already seen, then go again I know I will be.

If you do enjoy it it’s a only a year’s wait to part two in this trilogy, which is called The Desolation of Smaug. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, i going back to my Hobbit hole now where its safe and nothing ever happens.

12 Movies of Christmas: Elf

By @hmsbeefnuts

12 Movies of Christmas rolls on here at All Geek To Me, and I have chosen a rather obvious Christmas film, but you know what? If this isn’t one of your favourite Christmas movies, you are without doubt, a cottenheaded ninny muggins. I am of course talking about Elf, and it is without doubt, a must see at this time of year.

I know some people can not stomach Will Ferrel, and if that is the case, you are wrong. He is a genius and this is one of his best roles. As Buddy the Elf, Ferrel brings a wonderful sense of childlike excitement and glee to his human in Elf’s clothing. It is one of the most Christmassy films I have ever seen, as well as being very funny too.

If that’s not enough to convince you, then how about the fact that Tyrion Lannister himself is featured in the film, Peter Dinkledge is hilarious as a short tempered author for hire. Want more? Then how about the adorable Zoey Deschannel as the love interest?

Basically if you don’t like Elf, you are dead inside. I will just leave you with this thought, and something that all Elf fans know for sure, the best way to spread Christmas cheer, is singing loud for all to hear…

My Geeky Trivia

By Geeky Gem

Movie Pick by Hmsbeefnuts

This month’s trvia will be a little different from past months, seen as its December I have asked each member of the All Geek team to pick their favourite Christmas movie and I will do trivia about that movie. This week we start with Hmsbeefnuts’ pick.

When this screenplay first emerged in 1993, Jim Carrey was attached to star in the lead.

Terry Zwigoff was offered a chance to direct the film, but turned it down.

Near the end, when Santa is showing Michael his nice list, all of the people on Santa’s list worked on the movie

The scene where the fake Santa is chasing Buddy had to be done in one take because it was too hard to rebuild everything.

The elf Ming Ming, who appears briefly in the beginning of the film, is played by Peter Billingsley, who starred as Ralphie Parker in the classic holiday film A Christmas Story.

Buddy’s 12-second belch was supplied by voice actor Maurice LaMarche, best-known for his cartoon character, “The Brain”, from Pinky and the Brain, and who also did the operatic belching in Animaniacs as “The Great Wakarotti”. LaMarche also worked with Will Ferrell on the animated series, The Oblongs.

When Buddy goes to Gimbels to ask Jovie out on a date the song we hear playing over the loudspeaker is “Christmas Island” sung by Leon Redbone. Redbone also provided the voice of Leon the snowman at the North Pole.

The brief TV news clip showing Buddy walking in Central Park (just before Buddy’s dad and brother find him), and the still picture of Buddy in the news clip, closely mimic the famous 1967 film of an alleged Bigfoot (“Patty”) taken by Roger Patterson and Robert Gimlin.

The sound effect used by the jack-in-the-box is the same sound effect used by the laughing hyenas at the Magic Kingdom at Disney World in Orlando, Fl.

Will Ferrell caused several minor traffic accidents when walking through the Lincoln Tunnel in his costume because people were so surprised to see him wearing an elf outfit.

There we have it for Hmsbeefnuts pick, join me next week for another Christmas related trivia.

World of Warcraft: Or How To Lose Hours Of Your Life In One Go.

By Geeky Gem 

Now we all know that I am geek, but did you know I am the type of geek that likes to play online games? Well just one online game to be honest, not that many online games were played before I got into this one, but I am ever so glad I did. I’ve been playing this online game for about two years now on and off. I am of course talking about World of Warcraft, or WoW, to those in the know.

 WoW is massive multi-player online role-playing game or MMORPG by Blizzard Entertainment. It is the fourth game released in the Warcraft universe, the first being Warcraft: Orcs and Humans back in 1994. WoW takes place within the world of Azeroth, about four years after the events in Blizzard’s previous Warcraft release, Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. The game came out in November 2004, 10 years after the first Warcraft game hit the shelves.

The game is so addictive, it has expension packs in order to make the world bigger for players, these are The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King and Cataclysm. There is soon to be a new expension pack called Mists of Pandoria.

 In game you can choose a number of races with a number of roles. You can be anything from a Human to an Elf, and have the skills of a Mage, right though to a Paladin.

MMORPGing is not for everyone and I can see why, it can be a bit of pain when there are loads of poeple around trying to talk to you and all you want to do is kill the big bad beasty that is coming right for you. I however really enjoying playing this game and will spend hours at a time lost in the rich world and story as I try to level my Paladin higher then my Boyfriends Mage.

The graphics in the game are really good, and some levels you get to fly a Dragon or Girffin depending on the race you choose to be. The game is set out for all levels of gamers from the novice to the well experianced and this is a good thing, as we all have to start somewhere. If you have never played it before and fancy giving it go then I would reconmend it.

Happy Gaming.