19 June 2011

The Troll Hunter



I had the great fortune to watch this film the other day; it is a wonderful inversion of "The Hobbit", in that three rather hobbit-y film students (they must be Tooks...) chase after Hans, a real-life Gandalf and troll hunter. Hans eventually, grudgingly allows them into his world of Ringlefitches and Mountain Kings, as he tries to discover why the local trolls are leaving their territories and causing havoc.

It is a wonderful, enthralling film, and I highly recommend it. Please note: it is rated PG-13, more for general "scariness" than language or nudity, but I agree that it might be too intense for little hobbits.

If you get a chance to see this film, do so!

Link: Official Site



Summer's Welcome Mat




Oh my, what a wonderful view! I could sit there all summer, eating fresh-baked bread with honey and strawberries, drinking tea in the morning and mead in the afternoon, and not feel a whit of guilt.

Welcome, summer!

14 June 2011

Watch It Now!
Wild Balkans



Mrs. Meadows and I watched an interesting program on PBS this morning: "Wild Balkans", which is part of the Nature series. It is a documentary of (mostly) untouched wilderness areas - places where humans either cannot go, or live in harmony with the land.

So how is this at all Hobbit related? Well, according to the official description, "ancient forests and vast wetlands harbor pristine wilderness, and sheer cliff walls and desolate plateaus preserve a seemingly unchanged past. Surveying these striking and stark landscapes, one might think they’ve ventured into the Middle-earth of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings."

The program is narrated with Tolkien's work in mind, with comments on how wood elves would live near the Adriatic Sea, and hobbits would live in the Steppes. It was a fun, and beautiful program. And perhaps best of all, you can watch the entire show for free! Click here to visit the official site.