2023 Tolkien Blog Party This or That Tag // I Test My Sanity Through Seeing Fire

Greetings friends I don't know half of you half as well as I should like!

Just kidding, I like all of you as much as Gollum likes his precious!

Happy birthday to both Bilbo and Frodo, as in the world of Tolkien, today is Hobbit Day! Hamlette is hosting her eleventh(ty-first?) blog party in honor of all things Middle Earth. 

Since my (academic) test for the day is done, I'm here to quickly fill out her tag while "I See Fire" - by Ed Sheeran is on repeat (I've never seen The Desolation of Smaug, but I discovered this song a few weeks ago and it's making me want to watch it.) I was going to link it for you guys, but my computer is being rude and not letting me. Sorry. But that means you should go look it up!

I am far from a Tolkien expert and am in the lower ranks of fans, among the people who are merely pleased by the professor's stories. So make sure you check out every one else's posts HERE!

This is a blanket statement of SPOILERS for The Hobbit (book and third movie) as well as Lord of the Rings (books and unextended versions of the movies.)

Which of each pair do you prefer, and why?

1. Rohan or Gondor?

Honestly, I can never remember the difference between these two! I know Rohan has Riders...but that's my only difference. Okay, Theoden King is in Rohan, right? Then Rohan because I love Theoden King. And I also have a soft spot for my boi Eomer.

2. Rivendell or Lothlorien?

Lothlorien all the way. Trees are all I need in life.

This is how I picture it.

3. Erebor or Moria?

*blinks* That is a huge assumption that I know what Erebor is. *quick internet search* Oh, the Lonely Mountain! I feel like I should say Moria because I knew what it was...but Imma say Erebor because it has dragon hoards inside it instead of orc hoards.

Source

4. Bilbo or Frodo?

Cruel. I feel like I talk about this all the time, but here it is for newcomers: I am Frodo. He's one of the fictional characters I relate to the most. The struggle between asking for help and doing something on my own is very real.

But after all that, I'm picking Bilbo. Because I love the adventure in his heart.

Source

5. Merry or Pippin?

Easiest question ever: Merry. Pippin is the kind of person who in real life I would want to strangle all the time and yell "FOOL OF A TOOK" every few minutes. Merry is overlooked because he just chills. Give him some credit for doing what he's told, okay? He's vibing.

6. Galadriel or Elrond?

So, before I watched Rings of Power (which I'm still working on. I was originally going to do a post on it for this party but I still haven't finished. It's taken me over a year, but one of the reasons is I love it too much and don't want it to be over) I would've chosen anyone over Elrond. Elrond could be paired with about anyone in all of Middle Earth and I would've picked the other person. I mean, I don't actively dislike him. In the trilogy, his actions make sense and are reasonable, I just don't have any reason to like him. I'm very neutral.

BUT THEN I WATCHED RINGS OF POWER.

akjfslkjglkdjglkajg

I love Elrond with all my heart in this show. His humor, his SMILE, his care, his diplomacy, his concern...I could go on. But I haven't finished the show, so I'm trying to remain calm until I see what made him turn into the character we know.

This isn't to say I didn't like Galadriel in Rings of Power; quite the opposite! I thought she was amazing. I just have always liked her, so I didn't do a 180 the way I did with Elrond.

7. Eomer or Faramir?

NO.

NO.

NO.

Don't make me choose! I already mentioned how much I love one of them this post. I feel like Eomer doesn't get enough credit for being a good brother. I mean, neither does Faramir, but Faramir is also dealing with parent problems, so my heart breaks for him more. But I relate to Eomer more. But I don't want to choose the person I relate to. But I don't want to NOT choose the person I relate to because I already did that this post.

I haven't read anyone else's answers yet, but I feel like everyone is going to choose Faramir. And he deserves it because he's probably in my top 5 favorite characters. Maybe top 3. But I want to let Eomer know he's loved, too.

8. Fili or Kili?

Do you guys know how long ago I had any experience with these characters? 8 years. I just know that they are darling together and I will not separate them. I just remember that it was THEIR FAULT that poor little me was crying over The Hobbit at midnight.

Source
I feel like I'd get more of the context of this if I'd seen the movies, but I still find it hilarious. And no, this doesn't mean I'm picking Kili. I'm picking both.

9. Bard or Beorn?

*pretends I know the difference*

I mean, I have stickers of Bard that I won from Hamlette a few years ago which usually generate the question "Is that Orlando Bloom?". So we'll go with Bard because I see him on a regular basis.

If anyone knows what he's saying, tell me. I just like the gif for his expression.

10. Gandalf the Grey or Gandalf the White?

This is not fair! You can't choose to like one character before and after an event because they are the same person! But we change every second of every day, so you would have to pinpoint a specific second. Anyway, I'm not deciding. Though the Grey has many more quotable lines. But that's all I'm saying.

Source

And you guys thought that I was joking, but in the hour it took for me to type this up, I listened to "I See Fire" without stopping. One reason was I was trying to block out my roommates playing Super Mario. The majority of the reason, though, is that it is INCREDIBLE and such a jam.

Thank you to Hamlette for hosting this year after year! Make sure to check out the other posts. Thank you to all of you for reading!

Which side would you pick for each of these characters or places? How do you feel about characters changing over time? And most importantly, have you listened to the song??

Chloe the MovieCritic

2021 Tolkien Blog Party: 9 Fellowship Members Tag

Hello, all you Tolkien fans!

"A very merry unbirthday" to both Bilbo and Frodo Baggins! Yesterday was "Hobbit Day" as it was both of their birthdays. What nicely lines up with that is that Hamlette is well into the swing of her 9th Tolkien Blog Party! Check out all of the goodies of the giveaway HERE and all of the precious party entries HERE.

Nine years, folks. That is unbelievable. And I love that I can claim to have been a part of five of them, as this is my sixth year! Each year I have so many plans on how to participate fully...and every year I end up just answering the tag. Which is very cool and very different every year.

Any guesses of what I'm doing this year?

You got it, solely the tag answers. I had another fantastic post idea, but I highly doubt I will get it out before the week ends, so you'll have to wait for another whole year. Maybe not. Who knows? I guess as I had so much fun last year reviewing the movie Tolkien (2019) that this is a good break.

(If you're curious, here are what I said in all the other tags: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, & 2020.)

As this is Hamlette's 9th year doing this, the tag questions are around the Nine members of the Fellowship. (I totally made up the title "9 Fellowship Members Tag" for the title of this post but I thought it was cute)  Nine is a big number in the Lord of the Rings! 

"Nine rings for the elven kings..."

For those of you who are not familiar with Tolkien (don't worry, I was like that for many years), you don't have to worry about spoilers from this post of mine. It's your decision if you want to read this anyway if you have no idea what I'm talking about.

I'm answering these question through the lens of having read:

The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King)

And having seen:

The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies (2014), The Lord of the Rings (The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), The Return of the King (2003)), and Tolkien (2019).

1. Aragorn: Favorite Tolkien hero/heroine

Hands down, Bilbo Baggins. He is what kept The Hobbit as my fifth favorite book of all time for so long (I recently bumped it down to number 10 just because it has been a really long time since I read it. Once I read it again, though, it will probably go higher). He is so relatable in his fear of leaving his home and security, but having that desire kindled within him to go somewhere new. I really have felt that so much this last year. And am still feeling it.

Or Faramir. Faramir deserves all the love.

Source

2. Boromir: Favorite Tolkien character arc

I have to say Boromir, because he arguably has the best arc. I hated it in the books but absolutely loved it in the movies. I have no idea why. Frodo also has a great character arc, one that is well worth following, but there is so much pain. And I don't really want to go through that.

Maybe Pippin? He makes me want to pull my hair out and lock him in a dark room in the beginning, but by the end he has mellowed out.

3. Frodo: Favorite song or poem by Tolkien

"Far over the misty mountains cold,

To dungeons deep and caverns old,

We must away, ere break of day,

To find our long-forgotten gold.” 

I have to go back to my Dwarven roots. I think of that almost every single time that someone mentions Tolkien. It's easy to memorize, which is another reason I have it here. Some things that Sam says are hauntingly gorgeous in their simplicity, but I don't have a good (i. e. Accurate) example to think of at the moment.

Source

4. Gandalf: Favorite wise Tolkien quotation

I feel it is cliche to answer this question with the one I'm going to use, but well, I'm going to use it. It has helped me a lot in the last few years.

'“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. 

“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”'

-The Fellowship of the Ring

It has been a long time since I read the books, but I don't think it is exactly the same phrasing? Or is it not the same phrasing in the movie? If I had my book copies I would check, but we're stuck with not knowing for now. Can anyone help me out here?

5. Gimli: A Middle-earth location you'd like to visit

Right now I'm not in the mood for any specific place. If I were to visit a Middle-earth location I would want to wander everywhere. In the forests of Mirkwood (trying to stay away from spiders), in the glades of Lothlorien, in Hobbiton, and even on the Barrow downs. I'd be fine with anywhere in the fresh air, so just not the mines of Moria. I don't usually consider Gondor or Rohan as I think of them as windy plains that seem too flat and dry, but they could be nice. Anywhere I can see the stars.

Source

6. Legolas: Favorite Middle-earth Weapon

This is often a question, and it is another thing that I never ponder. There are only two answers to this question: Legolas's bow and arrows or Sting. I guess The Ring could be considered a weapon, so if it is my favorite as in the one I am most impressed about its destructive abilities but wouldn't it used or to be anywhere near it, then that one. It is darker and deeper than terrifying.

Sorry, that's very confusing and I don't even know what I'm talking about at this time.

Yes. And you should be, too.

7. Merry: Favorite way to celebrate Tolkien's stories

With friends! To be completely honest, I don't usually think about Tolkien when I'm on my own. What I love is how there is so much fellowship surrounding these works. They are well known and well loved for so many around the world. I've had so many great conversations started because of The Lord of the Rings and I'm so grateful for that. That's why I love this party!

8. Pippin: Favorite funny Tolkien quotation

Books:

"Bilbo Baggins, a bur--a hobbit," said poor Bilbo, shaking all over, and wondering how to make owl-noises before they throttled him.

   "A burrahobbit?" said they a bit startled. Trolls are slow in the uptake, and mighty suspicious about anything new to them.

   "What's a burrahobbit got to do in my pocket anyway?" said William.

-The Hobbit

(I say it every year and never get tired of it.)

Movies:

-The Two Towers (2002)

9. Samwise: A Middle-earth food you'd like to try

I know people are always talking about the food, but I actually didn't notice them from reading the books at all. I'll say the only things I remember at the moment, which is Ent Draught and Lembas bread.

There you have it! Of the nine listed there, my favorite is definitely Sam, followed by Legolas. If you ask me about Frodo I'll pretend I'm not looking into a mirror.

A ginormous thank you to Hamlette for keeping this up for NINE WHOLE YEARS! It was one of the first blog parties I participated in, so I always look forward to it, especially when I have read more of Tolkien's works each year. Make sure to check out what everyone else says about Tolkien, HERE!

Thanks to all of you for reading, friends! How would you answer these questions? Does anyone else have a hard time paying attention to the food and weapons used? Can you rank these nine characters for your favorites?

Chloe the MovieCritic

Inklings // October 2020: Tolkien

Greetings, my literary people!

Here we are in October. While we now have snow here, which makes me so happy, the start of the month was the ideal autumn. What I'm posting today has to do with that in the month's Inklings prompt! Inklings is a monthly linkup hosted by Heidi of Along the Brandywine.

How it works: 

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt, including a link back to the original post in your post.

2. Leave a link to your post in the comments section of the monthly post and she'll post all your links with the next prompt.

You don't have to do it every month, just whenever you feel like it! It is so much fun, I highly recommend trying it.

I have participated in July 2016, August 2016, September 2016, July 2020, August 2020, & September 2020.
Read what Heidi started us off with for October HERE, and check out Ivy Miranda's HERE.

October 2020's prompt: A scene that shouts 'autumn' to you in book or film 

I would've posted mine earlier in the month, but I couldn't decide what to write about! I considered using a scene from the movie Penelope (2006), but that entire movie has such a wonderful fall aesthetic that I couldn't pick just one. But, now I want to rewatch it, so that's a win in my case.

I admit, usually when I read Heidi's prompt for the month an idea pops into my head immediately, but I don't use that one because I know that I can think of something better. In this case, I decided to use what came into my head first even though I don't exactly remember the details. Thanks to my sister for listening to me talk about it and helping remind me of what happens. 

I don't know if it was because of Skye's post HERE, or my review of it last month, but the first thing that came to me and my pick for this month is from the movie Tolkien (2019).

Now, I won't be going into as much detail as I usually do with this post because...I honestly don't remember what was happening in this scene. I remember exactly how it looks and the utter feeling of fall that accompanies it, but I can't remember any dialogue that was happening. So, there are NO SPOILERS here because of that.

My sister and I using our heads together think that this is what happens in the scene (don't by any means hold us to it, though!). Tolkien and Edith live in the same house, boarding under an old lady. They become friends and love to spend time together. In this scene they are enjoying a glorious fall day and Edith begins to spin in the leaves. While Tolkien watches her, he begins to come up with his famous poem Beren and Luthien.

Source

There you have it! My sister and I really need to rewatch this, especially because it is one of her favorite movies and therefore she should remember all of the details.

Thanks for reading! Are you going to join the link up? You have a little less than a week left! What scenes in books or movies, or whole books and movies for that matter, that are perfect for fall?

MovieCritic

Movie Review: Tolkien (2019)

Greetings dwarves, elfs, hobbits, and wizards!

Today I am reviewing a film about a very famous author. Someone who created worlds and languages now explored by many. If you haven't guessed from my salutation (or the title of this post. I always forget about that...), you soon will!

My guarantee: On ALL of my reviews there are NO spoilers unless I give you warning. This is spoiler free!


Tolkien (2019):

Based on: the life of author J. R. R. Tolkien.

"Men should be comrades wherever they come from."

John Ronald Reuel Tolkien is in the middle of WWI. After receiving a letter from the worried mother of one of his friends, he begins a trek to find her son, though he himself is sick and feverish. While doing this he relives his past, all of the years he was growing up, and begins to find inspiration in the terrible war scenes. Accompanied by Private Hodges he walks accross abandoned battlefields in search of his comrade, will they be able to find him?

'"Now what do we do?"

"We change the world."

"Oh good, something simple."'

Genre: Biography, Drama, Romance.
Length: approx. 112 minutes.
Costumes: 9, very fitting for the time, plus there are some lovely dresses and whatnot.
Script: 10, no bad words or swearing, I believe!

"Things aren't beautiful because of how they sound. They're beautiful because of what they mean."

Crew: Directed by: Dome Karukoski. Written by: David Gleeson & Stephen Beresford.
Starring:
Nicholas Hoult as J.R.R. Tolkien.

Harry Gilby as young J.R.R. Tolkien.
Anthony Boyle as Geoffrey Smith.
Adam Bregman as young Geoffrey Smith.
Tom Glynn-Carney as Christopher Wiseman.
Ty Tennant as young Christopher Wiseman.
Patrick Gibson as Robert Gilson.
Albie Marber as young Robert Gilson.

"We are your brothers through everything."

Craig Roberts as Private Sam Hodges.
Lily Collins as Edith Bratt.

Mimi Keene as young Edith Bratt.
James MacCallum as Hilary Tolkien.
Guillermo Bedward as young Hilary Tolkien.
Laura Donnelly as Mabel Tolkien.
Derek Jacobi as Professor Wright.

Genevieve O'Reilly as Mrs. Smith.
Colm Meaney as Father Francis.
Pam Ferris as Mrs. Faulkner.
Owen Teale as Headmaster Gilson.
Mia Woods & Sienna Woods as Priscilla Tolkien.
Paul Gurcel Escudero as Michael Tolkien.
Harry Webster as John Tolkien Jr..
Jack Riley as Christopher Tolkien.
Kallum Tolkien as Second Soldier.
Cinematography: 10, there were a lot of elements woven in that made it pretty spectacular on a visual scale!
Cinematography by: Lasse Frank.

Music: 9, I've been listening to the score while writing this and I'd forgotten how pretty it is! Light and airy while being magical.
Music by: Thomas Newman.
Quotability: 6, I haven't found myself quoting this a lot since I watched it, but my sister has. I thought that this was a trifle amusing:

"The stick was a metaphor, drop the stick." (paraphrase)

Content: 6, there are many war scenes involving the aftermath of battles, death, sickness, blood, and people on fire. In addition to that there are sometimes when characters are a little intoxicated, and one or two suggestive comments. If you don't feel good about those war scenes, you might want to be ready to skip a tiny bit. It's not super bad, but it's present. You know, I've seen far worse.
Originality: 9, I hadn't heard about Tolkien's life, so I didn't know much besides his most famous trilogy. In fact, anything that I did know about him took place after the timeline of this film, so it was unique to look into his childhood and young adult years.

Good For: Lord of the Rings fans, anyone who has lost friends and needed to find them.
NOTE: I recommend this movie, but there are lots of spoilers for the Lord of the Rings books, so don't watch this until you read those, or see the movie adaptations.
Age Range: It is PG-13, but primarily for those gruesome scenes. Violence and that kind of thing doesn't bother me as much as other things, but as I always say, it depends on the person.
Overall Score: 8.5!
Worth watching?: Oh yes! Though I'm sure a few things were fictional to add suspense and the like, I really enjoyed this glimpse into his life. It was an all around enjoyable movie and I can't think of a part that I didn't like.

"Lock all of this in you heart, lock it tight, and it will be there forever. I promise."

Will I watch again?: It is one of my older sister's favorite movies, so yes, I imagine I'll be watching it with her in the future some more.
Bonus thoughts:

"Languages never steal. Influence."

I would never have picked Nicholas Hoult to play Tolkien, but after watching it I can't think of anyone else. He is so earnest, you believe him in whatever he says and are interested to see where he goes. I'm not even that interested in languages and the structure and origin behind them, but when he talks about them I think, "Ah, this is so fascinating!". As for the other actors, Lily Collins was lovely and I was happily surprised to see Derek Jacobi (because, as you can see on my sidebar, he's one of my favorites).
I'm becoming more and more familiar with stories told in a broken timeline, and this one was ideal for it. Instead of dragging in places you are always wanting to know what will happen next. I loved looking for the references to his books, though I am sure that I missed many. I will fully recommend this to any and all Lord of the Rings fans, because even if it doesn't turn out to be your new favorite thing, it is a goregous way to spend a couple of hours.


And, as per usual I can't find half as many pictures as I want that do it justice, so you'll just have to watch for yourself!

Guess what? This is another entry in Hamlette's Tolkien Blog Party! I'm so happy to be joining with two posts this time around when I only had one in the four other years I did it. This is her eighth party, and here's to many more in the years to come! Check out all of the other entries HERE.

Thanks for reading! First, let me know if you've seen this, then tell me your favorite biographical film!

MovieCritic

2020 Tolkien Blog Party Tag!

Come one, come all, Tolkien fans!

This week, from the 20th-26th Hamlette is hosting her 8th Tolkien Blog Party! I have participated at least a little in 2016, 2017, 2018, & 2019.

I am planning to have more than one post this year, but for right now it is time to fill out her tag! She comes up with so many different questions each year, it's always a good time.

Needless to say, SPOILER ALERT. I'll be talking about The Lord of the Rings trilogy, so if you haven't read those books or seen the movies, go no further!

Also, this is my first year answering questions when I have seen all of the movies! Previously I'd only seen The Fellowship of the Ring and parts of Return of the King.

Questions:
1. What Tolkien character do you think you're the most like?

Well, this is pretty funny, because I've spent years denying that I am anything like Frodo, but in point of fact, I am. We both are quiet personalities. We feel that sometimes the weight of the world is upon us, but don't want anyone else to feel it, too. We are always trusting people and looking for the best (even if the creature *coughcoughGollumcoughcough* will turn against us). As I said, I've been avoiding it for so long, I can't really say what makes us alike. Just when I watched the movies I had this feeling of, "Yep, that's me". I would say mostly with how he treats Gollum.

And when reading the books I thought I was a mix between Faramir and Eomer? Don't ask me why, I don't remember.

2. What Tolkien character do you wish you were more like?

The hero, Samwise Gamgee. I am incredibly loyal like him, but I would like to have his bravery and perseverance and good nature and also maybe some of his caution. He is the best!

Source

3. What would your dream home in Middle-earth be like?

Rocks and volcanoes.

...

Just joking! I love trees, so it would be in either the Shire or Lothlorien. Can I have Bag End? I would be like Gandalf and be a little too tall, but it would still be lovely.


4. You get to make a movie of the story of Beren and Luthien!  Who do you cast as the leads?

Awesome question, but I have no idea because I haven't read that yet! One of these days...


5. Have you ever marathoned the LOTR or Hobbit movies?

Nope, but I totally want to do it with the LotR movies! Now that I've seen them I want to watch the Extended Versions because everyone recommends them.


6. Do you have a favorite song or track from the movie soundtracks by Howard Shore?

This perfectly beautifulness:

7. Which of Tolkien's characters would you like to be best friends with? 

Obviously the two troublemakers. They would add so much excitement to my life. I feel like my little sister and I would get into boatloads of mischief with them. It would be awesome!

I'm taller than both of them and I would rub it in constantly.

8. Who of the people in your real life would you want in your company if you had to take the ring to Mordor?

Whoa, I was not expecting this question! Let's see:
My older sister (Em) would be very practical and would be a fierce fighter should anything try to attack us. (Whereas I would curl up in a corner and cry)
My dad would be our Gandalf and would deal out wise sayings. Would also probably catch food and whatnot.
Dance friend (M) is the most positive person ever and would keep us going.
Blogger friend (M) is an avid fan and would help navigate.
Friend (N) has told me about his expertise with knives, which would be handy.
Friend (C) would make us all laugh.
Friend (L) would probably get us all lost, but provide music and entertainment.

Um, I'm not sure if they would all get along, but I fell like it's a good range.


9. Have you read any of Tolkien's non-Middle-earth works?

Actually, no. There are quite a few that I want to, though! Namely Letters From Father Christmas.

10. Is there a book by Tolkien you haven't read yet, but want to?

Aside from the previously mentioned one:
Beren and Luthien
The Children of Hurin
The Silmarillion

And more!


A huge, huge, huge thank you to Hamlette for hosting this again! Make sure you check out all of the fun HERE. In addition to awesome posts there are games and a giveaway! You don't want to miss out.

Thanks for reading! What do you think of my answers? Who else is going to participate in the blog party?

MovieCritic

2019 Tolkien Blog Party: Would You Rather Tag!

Hello, fellow Tolkien fans!

This week Hamlette who blogs at The Edge of the Precipice is celebrating all things Tolkien with her Tolkien Blog Party! There is a giveaway, two different games, and lots of blog posts, so be sure to check it out!

Isn't this button great? These are what my book covers look like.

This is her seventh year hosting this! Three years ago I participated for the first time, and it was the very first blog party I ever joined! Ever since then I've made sure to participate in one way or another. Last year I was in a different country and therefore very late in my answers, so this year I made sure to be on time!

Here are my posts from past years: 2016, 2017, 2018.

For the tag this year Hamlette has switched it up and made it a would you rather tag, and I am very excited to answer! I hope you enjoy!

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't read The Hobbit or The Lord of the Rings then spoilers are ahead, so please don't read any further.

And just to be clear, I'll be answering these based on the fact that I've read:
The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, & The Return of the King.
And I've watched:
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies, & The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.

Would You Rather...

1.  ...join Thorin's Company or the Fellowship?

Oh man, just when I thought that the would you rather questions would be easier...

I'm going to have to choose Thorin's Company. I love The Hobbit to bits, and I feel like the Fellowship is perfect the way it is and I'd only get in the way.

2.  ...ride Shadowfax or an eagle?

I've ridden a horse before, but I've never ridden an eagle, so definitely that.

3.  ...travel through Moria or Mirkwood?

Mirkwood, 100%. I wouldn't want to be trapped underground, I'd rather be able to breathe fresh air. Though Moria is a very friendly place, right? (hahahahaha NO.) At least you just speak friend to enter...

4.  ...learn to make elvish rope or mithril chainmail?

Does it seem like I have enough patience to make chainmail? A clue: no. I have a very short attention span, but I think I could make rope.

5.  ...try to outwit Smaug or Saruman?

Outwit? I would never outwit either of them, but if I had to try it would be Smaug. I would hope to just be funny enough that he thinks I'm entertaining to watch and doesn't want to eat me.

6.  ...spend an hour with Grima Wormtongue or Denethor?

When I was little and saw part of The Return of the King movie, I was absolutely freaked out by Denethor. The guy is a total creep and I don't want to be anywhere near him. I feel like I could be in the same room with Wormtongue for an hour and just ignore him.

7.  ...attend Faramir's wedding or Samwise's wedding?

This is not fair because Sam and Faramir are two of my favorite characters in the whole trilogy. I'll have to pick Sam, just because I feel it would be nicer. And also because I don't really like Eowyn. Sorry! Maybe when I see the movies I'll like her more.

8.  ...have to care for the One Ring or the Arkenstone for a day?

Now, I don't think that I would be tempted to ever put the One Ring on, but just the strain of carrying it around for even an hour would kill me. I get super stressed really easily and it would be too much for me to handle, it would tear me apart. To that end, the Arkenstone for sure. A lot of people want it, but it doesn't mess with your mind, right?

9.  ...have tea with Bilbo or Frodo?

Definitely tea with Bilbo. I'd do something else with Frodo, but I would love to hear Bilbo's stories while drinking hot tea.

10.  ...fight alongside Boromir or Eomer?

Not going to lie, Eomer is another one of my favorites. But, I'd rather fight along side Legolas, if I had the choice. Sadly, he's not part of the question, so Eomer.

Thank you so much to Hamlette for hosting this again! It is a treat each year to participate! Everyone, please go make sure that you read all of the other posts HERE!

Thanks for reading!

MovieCritic

The Hobbiton Tag!

Hello, everyone!

We Lord of the Rings fans get really excited around this time of year because on the 22nd of this month is Frodo's and Bilbo's birthday! Emily who blogs at The Ones That Really Matter created this tag in honor of them, and tagged all of her followers. I knew that I had to do it. I had a movie review planned for today, but you'll be getting a lot of those in the next few days, so this will be a nice break, right?

The Rules:
1. Please use the above graphic and link back to me!
2. Answer the questions!
3. Tag as few or as many people you'd like!

The Questions:
1. You've invited Bilbo over for second breakfast. What are you serving?

The traditional Irish breakfast! I went to Ireland for about a month with my mom last year (today is actually the year anniversary of our leaving!) and I was about to experience the Irish breakfast which consists of: A fried egg or scrambled eggs, a rasher, black pudding, white pudding (both are sausages), Clonakilty sausage, fried tomato, beans (if you are near Dublin), and toast.
I know, I thought that it sounds gross and the first day I had it I thought that it was gross, but then I had it every morning. You get used to it and it tastes so good and seems very much like what a hobbit would eat.

2. It's a nice, cozy evening in your hobbit hole. What kind of hot drink do you relax with?

Tea! I drink a lot of tea. I used to be very picky and only like it a certain way, but now I drink any kind of tea, any temperature. I also really like hot chocolate.

3. You have to invite either Gollum or the Sackville-Bagginses to your birthday party. Who do you choose?

Oh dear. Well, I feel like I could entertain the Sackville-Bagginses, but I'd be really worn out.

4. Cold weather has hit the Shire. Do you curl up with a sweater or a blanket?

Answer: run around outside! I love the cold weather. I'm like Elsa.

"The cold never bothers me anyway."

In our house because we have a wood stove it gets really hot in the winter, so you don't really need either, but I'll pick a blanket.

5. Who would you rather go on an adventure with, Bilbo or Frodo?

Bilbo! I really like Frodo, and we have a lot in common because we are both INFPs (Myers-Briggs), but Bilbo is one of my favorite characters ever and I would love to spend time with him doing something adventurous.

6. You're stuck in your hobbit hole with a snowstorm outside. How do you spend your evening?

How do you know I'm not creating the snowstorm? Just joking! I would either be reading, watching a movie, or playing some kind of game with my family. Most likely Catan.

7. You're planning your birthday party. What's the entertainment: Gandalf's fireworks or Merry and Pippin's singing and dancing?

Merry and Pippin! They are hilarious and I love to laugh. It is the perfect situation! 'Cause, this is what happens when there are fireworks:

8. Of course as a hobbit, you prefer to go barefoot. But if you were the sort for such things, would you prefer fuzzy socks or cozy slippers?

Probably both, socks inside slippers.

9. Sam's brought you some of his autumn harvest! What do you make; pumpkin pie? Baked apples? Butternut squash soup? The options are endless!

That is very kind of him! It is known that I am a terrible cook (I just need more practice), but I have made an apple pie in the past, and I've never done it, but I know how to make apple sauce, so one of those.

10. It's a beautiful, crisp autumn day in the Shire. What are your plans for the day?

Probably take a walk, admiring all of the pretty leaves!

I tag:
Hamlette
Fawnabelle Baggins
Ceci
& anyone else who wants to do it!

Thank you to Emily for creating this tag. Am I just a little obsessed with being cold?

Later this month Hamlette who blogs at The Edge of the Precipice is hosting a whole week devoted to Tolkien, so click here to check it out!

Thanks to all of you for reading!

MovieCritic