30-Day Writing Challenge Day 1: Write Some Basic Things About Yourself.

Always start with the easy ones, I always say.

Well, since my last post was a good two-and-a-half years ago, this one is perfect as a starter for my new Challenge! I know, I know. I always said that each post will be the beginning of a newer era with more dedication to posting entries! But as I have said in the post before last, things were very very trying in my life and no matter how many times I said I would try to write more, once the mood is gone you won't have the inspiration to write anything. That dark cloud will prevent motivation no matter how hard you try.

Anyway, that is in the past and now is the time to try harder!

So... basic things. I have three nicknames : Belle (close acquaintances), Anne (my family) and another name I call myself. As I have written in my previous post, I just turned 30 a few days ago. Still single as hell, I am a self-confessed dreamer. I think more than I speak, unless I am around the people I trust, then I talk more than I think haha.

Currently, I am in a job I love. It's not always great every day, but I do come to work with a smile most days so that is good enough for me.

Okay! That basic enough for you?

My 30-Day Writing Challenge Project

Last Friday was my 30th birthday. Happy birthday to me!

In honour of turning 30, I want to start the 30-day writing challenge for myself, just to see how far I can achieve it and if I can actually accomplish it this time.

Let's start with something easy shall we? Starting today until 26 October 2016, here are the writing prompts:

Let us begin!

30 Day Fandom Challenge *REPOSTED*

As promised, I am reposting this challenge to correct some minor viewing glitches It is still on my favourite book series: Harry Potter (but with some changes haha)

Day #1 First Encounter With This Series (i.e. how you discovered it, first episode you watched, ect...)

It was 1999, in an attempt to lure me away from my boyband obsession, my aunt bought me The Philosopher’s Stone as my 13th birthday present. I have never looked back since, and to this day my aunt wasn't sure whether or not she regrets introducing me to this mania.

I’m still a huge fan of the Backstreet Boys and Westlife though :D.

Day #2 The Moment That Made You Fall in Love with this Series

I cannot be sure when. But I know it was around the first book- Philosopher’s Stone. It might be when Hagrid took Harry Diagon Alley, and the rich way Joanne Rowling described the wizarding shops and people entranced me to push further. It might be her description of Hogwarts at the beginning of chapter 8 ("The Potions Master") made me fall in love with Hogwarts in whole. It might have been on Harry's first Quidditch Game, when he swallowed the Snitch instead of capturing it.

All I know is, the moment I finished that first book, I was clamouring for more. And the very next day I begged my parents to buy me the next two books in the series: The Chamber of Secrets and The Prisoner of Azkaban. By the time my 14th birthday rolled in, all I wanted was The Goblet of Fire (which was released the same year). In a way, the Harry Potter books also began my ritual of having at least one storybook as my birthday present every year.

 Day #3 Favourite Female Character

This is a toughie. Loads of people might say Hermione or Ginny or even Luna. While I like them all just fine, I do not really have a favourite female character. If I have to really choose, I have to say it is Professor Minerva McGonagall. I like her stern, steadfast character, her sharp sense of judgement, and her loyalty to the school. Her role as Dumbledore's second in command cannot be easy either. Her finest moment had to be when she led Hogwarts in the battle against the Death Eaters in the seventh book, while allowing time for Harry to muster his advantages to fight Voldemort.

Day #4 Favourite Male Character

 It would have to be Ron. Unlike the other two of the trio, Ron is the underdog at Hogwarts. Of the three he is the least well-known, least brainy, least wealthy and for parts of the time least sensible. He was not renowned for anything special, the way Harry was for his heroic deeds and Hermione for her intelligence. Oh, he has his special skills and talents, like playing chess, but they're not blatantly obvious the way the other two were.

Ron's frustration to being the wallflower of the bunch was obvious time and time again throughout the series, particularly in later books when Harry was pushed further into the spotlight and Hermione's intelligence and blossoming beauty caused her to be noticed by boys and adults alike. In his eyes, everyone gets more attention than him, be it his best friend, love interest, his sister or even his many brothers. He clings to his moments of glory (like when he helped won the Quidditch Cup for Gryffindor) fiercely and protectively. 

Ron is not the most rational of all the main characters. He has more tendency to flare into tempers, likes to jump into conclusions, and he has an occasional mean streak (as pointed out by Luna Lovegood). His resentment has sometimes caused a rift with Harry or Hermione or both. Harry because of his uncontrollable jealousy of his fame and fortune, and Hermione because of his inferiority complex that he might never be good enough for her. It came to a point where he thought both Harry and Hermione were seeing each other behind his back, and caused him to walk away from the team. 

But to me, these are the things that makes him human. Out of all the main players in the story, he is the character that made the story most real and believable. Ron echoes the human side of us all, whether it is good or bad. Be it in his choices (he chose the Elder Wand because really, who in their right mind does NOT want an Unbeatable Wand?) or the way he reacts to things (with that hilariously snappy humour to boot), he is what makes the Harry Potter stories relatable to me. Moreover, Ron showed me that it is okay to make mistakes, as long as you learn from them and went back to do the right thing. All these human qualities in Ron made me feel more attached to him than the rest, and I am so glad Rowling refrained from her decision to kill him.

Day #5 Favourite Romance/Rivalry

I would love to say Luna & Neville. But alas, apart from that one tender moment during Dumbledore's funeral where Luna helped Neville to his seat, this relationship was never again mentioned. Neville went on to marry a Hufflepuff classmate, Hannah Abbott post-war, while Luna married Rolf Scamander. The only consolation was that the romance was continued in the movie version of the series.

Day #6 Least Favourite Female Character

An obvious choice here would be either Dolores Umbridge, Petunia Dursley, Pansy Parkinson or Bellatrix Lestrange (There's so many hateful female characters! Is Rowling secretly a chauvinist? Hmmm...). However, Umbridge is simply one that goes without saying and she is just too cliche of a choice. Petunia is a debatable choice, because we know why she was nasty throughout Harry's life with her family. Pansy simply had no character development to speak of, just being there as Malfoy's female admirer or to give Hermione grief. Bellatrix is actually a character I'm amazed at, because of her maniacal loyalty to Voldemort which bordered on rabid love.

Being honest here, I would say my least favourite female character is Ginny Weasley. I find her annoying, especially towards later books when she suddenly gone from Harry's fan to a blooming beauty that suddenly made Harry in love with her. I mean really, what are her traits? What's so special about her, apart from being Harry's courageous female counterpart? And while she did join in the battles against the Death Eater at Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic, what, exactly is her special skills apart from Bat-Bogey Hex? Oh, and another thing, does she really have to be so critical towards Ron?

Molly Weasley can be very annoying too. I guess like mother, like daughter.

Day #7 Least Favourite Male Character

I have to think really hard on this one. Voldemort is not a choice. He is the main antagonist and is necessary to the storyline. Plus, we know by the Half-Blood Prince that his inability to truly love can be contributed to his parents' history. Draco Malfoy, I actually have a soft spot on (I will elaborate in later points). His father, Lucius, is just an opportunist. As is Wormtail.

Raking my brains, I will have to settle on Gilderoy Lockhart, self-promoter extraordinaire, and Vernon Dursley, because he is simply an unrepentant idiot.

Day #8 Least Favourite Romance/Rivalry

In writing this, I have sealed myself as a Ginny-hater (apologies to all Ginny-lovers out there), but I think her romance with Harry is not properly spread out throughout the series. To me, in the end, she is just someone Harry could be thinking of during cold nights or when Hermione & Ron gets too overwhelming. She is conveniently necessary to Harry, and nothing much more. 

Day #9 Funniest Moment

Most of my favourite funny moments involve Ron, whether in deed or words. Most of the things he said is hilarious, and combining his ignorance, sarcasm and bewilderment with Hermione's frequent exasperation, they make a comical pair.

Since I will not pick one Ron moment over others, I will say that the funniest moment would have to be in the Order of The Phoenix, when a tattered Umbridge spent her first day as Hogwarts' 'beloved' new Headmistress putting away fireworks set by Fred and George all over the school. The finale was when Professor Fillius Flitwick thanked her after a difficult piece of show in the Charms classroom, in sweetness dripping with sarcasm, and told her that he "could have got rid of the sparklers myself, of course, but I wasn't sure whether I had the authority..." and slammed the door to Umbridge's snarling face.

Oh bravo Professor!

Day #10 Saddest Moment

There are many deaths that can be mentioned here as the saddest moment in Harry Potter history. Cedric Diggory, the first death witnessed by Harry in Goblet of Fire. Sirius Black, who is the closest thing Harry had to a father figure. Albus Dumbledore, who chose death for 'the greater good'. Dobby, whose last breath was for helping Harry escape the Malfoy Manor. Remus and Tonks, whose son inherited Harry's fate as an orphan, though probably not his hated and neglected condition as a child. And Snape, who died loving Harry's mother Lily.

I mourn for all these characters, but for me the saddest death belongs to Fred Weasley. Fred has a twin, and they were two halves of a whole. I cannot imagine how George felt in the aftermath, having to live without his twin, who really is an extension of himself. Futhermore, Fred had just reconciled with his estranged older brother Percy. To be taken away after only just gaining back one family member is just sad. 

Day #11 Something You Wish Hadn’t Happened

I honestly can't think of anything that I wish hadn't happened, since the Harry Potter series is like a well-arranged domino set, in which every turn of events affect something. I would like to say I wish Cedric hadn't died (it'll be good for Harry to have a strong, talented ally on his side that is a Hufflepuff, as Luna is representing Ravenclaw), but without his death Harry would not be able to see the Thestrals and might not have all the emotional angst that is necessary to his development in the Order of the Phoenix. Fred could also not have died, but that might have the books feeling a little too convenient. The Weasleys are in the thick of the events, they can't come out without losing someone. 

Day #12 Something You Wished Would Happen But Never Did

Ahhh... I have been waiting for this question. I know exactly what I would really love to have: Draco Malfoy turning over a new leaf and join the rebellion against Voldemort.

Draco Malfoy had been Harry's rival throughout school. He is everything Harry is not. Sneaky, a bully, rich with a doting mother and imposing father. Surprisingly I find Draco and Ron have a few similar personality traits, in which both were mean when they want to be, and the inferiority complex that they feel over Harry. Draco leads a group of Slytherins whose sole purpose is to make all the other houses miserable. Draco's favourite targets are the timid Neville Longbottom, the underprivileged Ron and the Muggle-born Hermione, and he hated all the glory given to Harry as the Boy Who Lived. He is very proud of the fact that his family are pure-blood Slytherins through and through, has powerful influence in the wizarding community and he supports Dark Magic the same way his parents have.

However, beginning at the Half-Blood Prince, things weren't so rosy for Draco. With his father in disgrace, both with the wizarding community and with Voldemort, he was tasked to kill Dumbledore and find a way into Hogwarts for the Death Eaters to lay siege for the first time. Determined to restore his family into Voldemort's favour, he worked at both his tasks, but with extreme difficulty. But for all his talk and swagger, in Draco's heart he finds killing repulsive and torture disgusting. Throughout that book and the Deathly Hallows, and through Harry's eyes, we can still see this constant struggle in Draco. At a climatic scene where he held Dumbledore at wand's end, with no one watching (except Harry, who was under an invisibility cloak), he almost dropped his wand, not wishing to continue with killing Dumbledore.

For all that his family were Dark Wizards, Draco was not evil. He could be nasty, but then again Ron can be nasty too.

At the end of the books, Draco subsided into a cowardly character who struggled to ally himself with the winning side, despite no longer being sure which one it was. He was spared most of the Death Eater's fate when his parents walked away from the war during the Battle of Hogwarts. He lived indebted to Harry, Ron and Hermione, who saved his life twice, but they never become friends.

I was disappointed with this substory, if only just a little. I think it would have been better if Draco openly turned against Voldemort and joined Harry and the rest in the fight somewhere in The Deathly Hallows. He could be partners with Neville, calling Voldemort out in the scene where Harry was believed to be dead. Oh, what an epic scene that would be!

I know that Hollywood toyed with that idea. In one of the making videos of the Deathly Hallows movie, Draco can be seen shouting, "Potter!" and throwing his wand to Harry as he returned from the dead to face Voldemort. Unfortunately it never made the movies. Such a pity. 

Day #13 A Song That Reminds You of this Series

"Hedwig's Theme"- easy! 

Day #14 Favourite Villain

Bellatrix Lestrange's twisted character is always interesting to watch. Here is a character that is evil, plain and simple, no excuse given. Even Voldemort has a sympathetic angle to him (although he would probably Avada Kedavra anyone who said so to his face). Not Bellatrix though. She likes Dark Magic, is a Pure-Blood fanatic and thrives in claiming someone's life. 

Day #15 A Character Everybody Else Loves That You Hate

 We're back to the Ginny question, aren't we?

Day #16 A Character Everybody Else Hates That You Love

Most probably Peeves, but does anybody actually hate Peeves?

Day #17 The Character You Love To Hate

I know I probably should hate Lavender Brown, like many Ron/Hermione shippers who hissed everytime she jumped on Ron. Also, she is whiny and clingy and... seriously, baby names? But the thing is, I don't hate her. Not really. Ron needed  her whininess and clinginess to realize what a complete prat he was when it comes to girls. In that sense at least she taught him a lesson. 

Day #18 The Top Three Things on Your To-Do List if You Suddenly Found Yourself in the Series

a) Figure out whether I'm a Muggle or a Witch

b) i) Muggle- pray that Dementor of Death Eaters won't get to me, and try to befriend Hermione's family

    ii) Witch- Go to Hogwarts, get a wand, help Harry in whatever quest he's in at the time, knock some sense into Draco's head if I can. Not in any particular order

c) Find Harry and tell him he's got to get all the seven items on the Horcrux list and where he can get it. Even if he was only 11 at the time (I am SO going to be a walking encyclopedia to Harry in this series) 

Day #19 A “Ship” in the Fandom You Can’t Stand (canon or non-canon; of characters or actors)

CAN WE STOP WITH THE HARRY/DRACO SHIPPING ALREADY? It drives me nuts!!

Day #20 The Worst Fanfic You’ve Ever Read of this Series (include links if possible)

I don't really read Harry Potter fanfic, because I think the story is already complete in itself. But really, any Harry/Draco fanfic make me cringe. And I can only imagine what Lucius Malfoy would react, if he truly exists. ("MY SON AND POTTER? TOGETHER?" *Dies*)

Day #21 On a Scale from Secret Admirer to Panty-Sniffer, How Obsessed Are You with this Series?

I wait at my window for owls to send letters from Hogwarts (even though I'm past school age). I'd go even if it means becoming Filch's assistant. Does that count?

Day #22 The Character You’d Want as a Drinking Buddy

 Fred & George of course! I would think they'd have invented a  beer that turns you into a monkey or something. 

Day #23 The Character You’d Want as a Fuck Buddy

 *I'mNotTelling* 

Day #24 The Character You Find Most Relatable

Had to be Luna Lovegood. Dreamy, weird and isolated. I sound a lot like her. Although I find it hard-pressed to imagine myself as a Ravenclaw. 

Day #25 Favourite Object/Prop

The WAND! Most important equipment for a witch!

Day #26 Favourite Costume

Harry's Triwizard champion outfit or Quidditch uniform, if they are anything like the one in the movies

Day #27 Favourite Quote

"It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." - Albus Dumbledore, The Chamber of Secrets

Day #28 Favourite Climax (i.e. series finale, battle, conclusion of a subplot, etc…)

The battle at the graveyard in The Goblet of Fire was both gory, suspense and heart wrenching. 

Day #29 A Moment That Made You Question Whether You Would Continue Reading/Watching…

None

Day #30 Will Anything Ever Replace this Series for You?

While The Hunger Games and The Song of Ice and Fire came as close second and third, nothing would really replace Harry Potter for me. It represented my childhood and moulded me into what I am today.

Let's Start This Over Shall We?

First of all I don't think it's too late to wish everyone a very happy new year! 

Hopefully you have been able to look back to 2013 and smile. And may all your dreams, new and old, will be able to come true this year.

It has been a good 11 months, since I last wrote in this blog. As much as I hope last year had been wonderful for all you readers, sadly I cannot say the same for myself. While I will not go into detail over the things that had happened during the 11 months, I feel it is sufficient to say that it has been trying for me, both personally and professionally. There had been moments where I doubted myself as a person, and others where I felt as if I am hitting dead ends all over. It is hard to be in such a dark place, to feel so lonely that one cannot appreciate being alone. And although things are still not as good as I would have liked, I can say that I am finding my way out of the maze. So with all the prayers in my heart I hope 2014 will be better for me, for you and indeed for all of you.

All right, emo moment over. Now let's talk about this blog!

I am looking into honing my writing skills even more. Indeed writing is the one thing I am absolutely sure I'm good at, so one of the promises I made to myself this year (NOT a resolution though, I never keep those :P) is to write more in this blog, as well as my other blog throughout the year. It's a pity as I have had some interesting moments last year but never seemed to have the mood or energy to put them down in writing. So this year is going to be all about improving myself in the DISCIPLINE and COMMITMENT department. I'm sure this year will have it's fair share of interesting things, so watch this space!

Now, my plans for Midnight Scrolls: The first thing I am going to do is to rewrite one or two of my previous posts, particularly the Fandom Challenge post, which I thought was really good, but appeared as a real mess when viewed. I copied the questions from the website directly into the HTML on  my dashboard and wrote my answers underneath, so that was why it went black, white and different fonts altogether. So I'm rewriting that in a proper word document before posting it again. Hopefully it will turn out well. Once I've done rewriting that, I will continue with the rest of the Challenge Marathons that I promised :)

Next, I'm planning to expand my subjects on Midnight Scroll. I noticed that so far, I have only written my take on movies I've seen. I will be doing just that, even reviewing some of the previous movies I've seen which might been outdated (but I don't care haha), and more. I will be writing about TV series and books, perhaps even food (although honestly my opinion on anything eatable is either DELICIOUS or NASTY). I have always intended Midnight Scroll to be my two cents on anything I have encountered, and I plan to do just that this year.

I am still on the fence about what to do with posts like Battle Dream Royale. Originally I had meant to also use this blog as a platform for my fiction writing, but I see that it might not be practical mixing it up with reviews. Especially since I haven't finished the story. I might pull it down, write it properly and then  post somewhere else. So we'll see. 

Lastly, I am going to minimize the personal-emotional-reflection posts. Those are meant for journals, not blogs like this. 

Well... I guess that is the outline for Midnight Scrolls hereafter. Let's see if we can get this on the road, for real this time.

2014, please be good!

Hansel & Gretel: Fun, If A Bit Inauthentic, Entertainment

The trend in today's Hollywood is to pick a ready-made story and turn it into the next cash cow. Lord of The Rings, Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, Narnia, The Wizard of Oz, Peter Pan... all these were literature favourites that has seen transaction to the big screen. Some were transferred to the smaller screen, like the Game of Thrones.

Don't Mess With These Siblings

Fairy Tales are no exception. Over the years, we see stories from ancient folklores and the Grimms Brothers converted into box office movies with a little bit of Hollywood magic. Most of the good ones are animated versions, such as those made by Disney, one by New Line Cinema (Swan Princess) and another by 20th Century Fox (Anastasia). Only one live action adaptation that I know of is worth watching. Others, unfortunately, are not so commendable. Equally unfortunate, is that this category exceeds its commendable counterparts. Too many to mention and in too many variables to be able to digest.

The latest, and for now the only well-known, adaptation of Hansel and Gretel, actually falls close into the first category, although not without faults. The plot serves as a sort of extension to the story of the two siblings who were left in the forest by their father, only to encounter a house made of confectionery and almost be eaten by a witch. Both were under the impression that their parents had left them in the forest as children to die, though they didn't understand why.

Somebody call for an exterminator?

Fast forward to 15 years after the incident. Hansel is diabetic due to eating far too much sweets in the candy house, while Gretel has frequent dreams about their mother. The aftermath of their ordeal was that the siblings combined both their skills (they are immune to evil spells and witchcraft for unknown reasons) and knowledge (they learned various effective ways to trap and kill witches) and became expert witch hunters. News traveled fast and they became well-known across the lands (I'm assuming Germany).

After years of making a living as witch hunters, they came at last at a town blanketed in fear, for many children have been missing and word has it that witches are involved. They arrived just in time to stop the condemning of a young redheaded woman, Mina, who was accused of witchcraft. The siblings freed her, announcing that she has no mark of witchcraft on her. But there were indeed witches at large, and as it turned out, the missing children served a bigger purpose for the witches than just to make a feast.

I mentioned previously that this version of the story was quite good, because it talked about the siblings' psychological state after they almost became witch supper as children. The injection (no pun intended) of Hansel's diabetes was a brilliant touch, and it was implied that he never touched candy for the rest of his life. I also like the sibling relationship between Hansel and Gretel. Hansel's character was swashbuckling and all about action, though he softened and amusing when it comes to his sister. Gretel is thoughtful and sensitive, and spends most of her time trying to watch over her brother, despite everything that was happening around her.

That horrible moment when you 
realize you date is not pleased

Other characters worth mentioning had to be the Leader of the Evil Witches, Muriel, who seemed to know more about the siblings' past than they do. The redheaded Mina, who turned out to be a witch after all, but a good one, was passable (somebody had to romance at least one of the siblings I suppose), and so is the town Sherrif (equally, someone has to be the secondary, bumbling antagonist). I don't know why Ben the fanboy had to be there though. They can easily relate the tale of Hansel & Gretel's past in plenty other ways. Best had to be the Troll (I love the fact that they named him Edward! Much better looking that the cough*vampire*cough).

Say What?

However, on the other hand, a gattling gun and a taser in 18th century Europe in a tad too over the top. It would have been a lot more authentic if they had worked with super-huge swords and mega-huge crossbows. The firearms are all right, but putting a gattling gun and a witch on broomsticks in the same frame is just plain wrong.

So in short, this movie makes of good entertainment if you keep you mind wide open and don't worry about details. I would recommend to see it once, if only to drool over Jeremy Renner and/or Gemma Arterton.

Don't look now Hansel, but I think there's a creepy old lady behind us.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Movie

I remember when I watched the first movie of the Lord of The Rings franchise, back in 2001. I was fresh out of the equally first of the Harry Potter movies, and at the time the two franchises were placed against one another in a form of media rivalry ( as it will be later in the future, for Harry Potter vs. Twilight, Twilight vs. the Hunger Games and so on)

The story of the Hobbit

The Hobbit is an extension of The Lord of The Ring, its prequel. Before Frodo set off on his journey to the pits of Mount Doom, the story of Middle Earth wasn't always about the Dark Lord Sauron or the One Ring, though as one may found out, they're interconnected with every other tale in that land. Before the Elves, Men, Dwarves, Hobbits and other creatures of the Light joined forces to protect the kingdom together from their mutual enemies, they very much minded their own businesses. Elves stayed in their forests or valleys, while Hobbits keep to their Shires. Wizards roamed the land, but precious little is known about this unique kind.

Gandalf & Radagast

Dwarves lived in the mountains, as fiercely protective of their domain as Elves were coolly hostile to intruders. In the War of The Ring, dwarves were featured very briefly as an active force against Sauron, taking part in the Battle of Dale alongside the Men of Dale against the Easterlings, but little elsewhere. This, of course, is with the exception of Gimli, a member of Durin's folk which represented the Dwarves in the Fellowship of Nine, and also forged a friendship with the Elf Prince Legolas, personifying the end of the age-old Dwarves-Elves hostility.On the other hand, Dwarves took center stage as the most prominent race throughout the Hobbit.

The Hobbit was set years prior to the events in the Lord of The Rings. We see Bilbo Baggins (far younger than we know in the LOTR movies, played by the delightful Martin Freeman), a well-off hobbit who was enjoying his bachelorhood and the comfort of his home. He encountered Gandalf (still the Grey at present), who unwittingly introduced him to a band of 13 dwarves. These dwarves were led by the grim leader Thorin Oakenshield, on a quest to reclaim their home under the Lonely Mountains, which had been pillaged by the dragon Smaug during the reign of Thorin's grandfather Thror. Bilbo was then hired as their burglar for a particular task of their expedition.

The first part of The Hobbit trilogy, in general, pretty much goes along the same line as The Fellowship of The Ring, in which it was the story of a group of people on a journey. I was, however, pleasantly surprise because the vibe is a lot less depressing and benign than it had been for the Fellowship of the Ring. Here are some of the thoughts that I had throughout the movie.

1. Martin Freeman is an excellent choice for Bilbo.

A young Bilbo Baggins

I love Martin Freeman as John Watson in BBC's Sherlock. He was fun to watch, the exasperated-yet-faithful partner of the belligerent, eccentric Holmes. In the Hobbit, he was often bewildered by his surroundings and his companions. But that does not seem to hinder his easygoing ways, not even when the imposing Thorin brushed him off as weak and homesick. Bilbo has a good heart, he is a Hobbit of the Shire through and through, but he does not hesitate to use trickery and even threat to save himself. I find him a nice balance of humour, simplicity and cunning, which is a nice change to the previous hobbits (which I will not criticize in this blog).

2. Gandalf had a lot more sense of humour before the One Ring was found.

Don't be fooled by that serious look

Gandalf is a wizard. So it is expected for a wizard in Middle Earth to be benign, even in light occasions  Tricking people and talking in ways that made other want to tear off the long white (or grey) hair is more reserved for wizards in another dimension (cough*Dumbledore*cough). So it's refreshing to see him talk in riddles and sending dwarves into a shocked Bilbo's house, just so they would clean off his (Bilbo's) larder.

3. Return of familiar characters

Thought you won't see me again eh, precious?

We all know Gollum is coming back, so is Elrond, Saruman and Galadriel. Even through previous press releases, we know Elijah Wood will make an appearance, even though the Hobbit is set before his time. But it still makes me smile when I see each and every one of them onscreen. Some scenes make you feel like you're living in time backwards, other scenes (like when Bilbo and Gollum were playing the Riddle game) makes you want to cry out "Don't go there!

Slight hitch: Where on earth is Legolas Greenleaf? We want more Legolas!!

4. There are actually some pretty good looking dwarves in Middle Earth
Look, in my defense, aside from the 30-second appearance of the dwarven representatives in Elrond's council in the Fellowship of the Ring, the only visible dwarf all throughout the trilogy had been Gimli. While I adore Gimli (he is funny as hell), I would not exactly trade Legolas or Faramir or even Aragorn for him in the looks department. The Hobbit actually showcases a pretty impressive lineup of dwarves, some even decent-looking too. My opinion is, if Snow White had seen these guys, she would have ditched Prince Charming, pronto.

Someone Called for a Good-looking Dwarve?

 In a way, I see it as a catch-up lesson on these mountainfolks. We have so much exposure to the Hobbits, Men and Elves in LOTR (even orcs have their share of glory in there), it's time to shine some spotlight on this race.

5. Oh Eagles! Where were you for the past two and a half hours of the movie?
Towards the end of the movie, at the very edge of mortal peril, Gandalf summoned his Eagle friends to carry their group away from Misty Mountains and from the group of orcs attacking them. And before that, they almost got eaten by Trolls, got in between a Stone Giant fight, captured and escaped a community of Goblins and, yes, being chased left right and center by Orcs on Wargs, its leader being Thorin's old foe. And here you are, at the edge of a cliff, the dwarves a slip away from falling to their deaths, the dwarven king nearly dead, with a hobbit between him and his Orc enemy, and...

Oh, wait a minute let me summoned my trusty gigantic winged friends. Really Gandalf, it's not as if there's the Eye to worry about this time around. Would have saved a lot of trouble if you had whistled for those birds way earlier.

But then, the movie would have been reduced to five minutes, plus credits, instead of the usual 3-hours.

 Great movie. I like how it's a lighter vibe than LOTR had been.

What the heck are you people doing in my house??

My New Favourite Song- But it has nothing to do with "You-Know-Which-Movie"

Heart beats fast
Colors and promises
How to be brave?
How can I love when I'm afraid to fall
But watching you stand alone?
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow

One step closer

[Chorus:]
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

Time stands still
Beauty in all she is
I will be brave
I will not let anything take away
What's standing in front of me
Every breath
Every hour has come to this

One step closer

[Chorus:]
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

One step closer
One step closer

[Chorus:]
I have died everyday waiting for you
Darling don't be afraid I have loved you
For a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I'll love you for a thousand more

I think this will be an awesome first dance song... along with 'All This Time" by OneRepublic