Nat's Take on Battle of the Five Armies

*Spoilers, of course.*
I wrote this last week, but just now getting around to posting.

It’s Christmas Eve’s Eve,

and I have a million things I should be doing,

but all day long, my mind has been on
The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Hot Guys...

Fili & Kili count as one for inclusion purposes.

...I mean ARMIES.

I couldn’t sleep last night after seeing it.

I don’t know if it’s because I took an afternoon nap,

 or all that Mountain Dew I drank at the theater,

but my mind was wide awake until 2 am,

 consumed with the movie I had just seen.

I looked at all The Hobbit fan art I could access online.
I watched fan videos on YouTube.
I obsessively tweeted about my Thorin Feels.

Please tell me you are as pathetic as me!

There are a few things I think would have improved this movie, 

which I’ll mention in a bit, but overall, I enjoyed it.  

(Despite being in mourning over the 3 handsome dwarfs, 

which I knew was coming, though I was still in denial.)

I feel like I need to go back and watch the movie again 

to really let it sink in, but as of now, the parts that have 

stuck out in my mind are the following:

*Bard opening a can of whoop-ass on Smaug.

You get 'em, Bard!

*Kili and Tauriel’s farewell by the lake.

I was not a fan of this pairing until I saw this scene.

The way Kili gazes (up) into her eyes is so sweet.

And then Legolas is all, "Get away from my woman, you little punk!"

I have to admit, between the two, I'd choose Legolas!

*Thorin going cray-cray with dragon sickness.

Snap out of it, Thorin before they send you to the loony bin!

*Bilbo’s facial expressions

Martin Freeman is SO brilliant.  All of the little twitches
and body movements he does as Bilbo are great.  My favorite
in this movie was the nose twitch.

*Thorin's smile in this movie!

You can't really see his smile in this pic, but you can see it in his eyes.
Despite all the craptastic stuff happening, it seemed like Thorin smiled more
in this movie than the others.  As in, full-teeth smile.  There were a few times
when he was talking to Bilbo when he unleashed THE SMILE and then
this moment... which looked like Thorin and Kili were going to give
each other an Eskimo kiss... I loved seeing Thorin's smile!

*Thandruil’s snobby awesomeness

So Thranduil is pretty much a jerk.  But I love him.
He's just too fabulous, with those flowing locks, "I don't give a crap" attitude
and chopping orc's heads off left and right.  The guy is scary and powerful
and does actually have a soft side, as we see at the end of the movie.

*Dain showing up in his 
hog-riding glory and head-butting everyone.

The mohawk & tusk mustache was an added bonus.

*Thorin snapping out of his nuttiness.

*Alfrid’s comic relief.  He’s like the Worm Tongue of The Hobbit series
as the greasy sidekick... only less creepy and more icky.

Alfrid in all his hunched, unibrowed glory.

*Bilbo taking matters into his own hands

I enjoyed seeing Bilbo doing what he felt needed to be done...
like taking the Arkenstone to bring peace and telling Gandalf not to boss him around.

*Fili’s death and Kili’s reaction.

My heart sank when Fili was killed.
Though I knew it was coming, I wasn't ready.
Then I sort of sat through the rest of the movie feeling a bit numb.

*Kili’s death and Tauriel’s reaction

I know that many Tolkien fans are upset that Fili and Kili
didn't die defending Thorin like in the book.  I, however, haven't
read the book, so this story line didn't bother me.  It was bittersweet and
meant to tug at the heartstrings.  And it did!  *sniff*

*Thorin’s death and Bilbo’s reaction

 Surprisingly, I was fine during Thorin's fight & death scene...
until Bilbo started trying to point out the eagles to Thorin and then
hung his head and sobbed over the loss of his friend.
I was crushed!  Crushed, I tell you!!!

There are two things I wish 

would have been included in this movie~

First of all, where in the heck was THIS scene?  

They shouldn't show something in the trailer
and then not include it in the movie!

Also, I am most disappointed about not seeing 
the funeral/feast in honor of Thorin and his nephews.   
I bet it will be included on the extended version, but that’s
like a year away from being released, I’ll betchya! 

"The Death of Thorin Oakenshield" by Darrell Sweet

In the book, Thorin is buried in the Lonely Mountain.
Bard places the Arkenston on his chest and Thranduil lays
Orcrist on the tomb.  I know this because my 9 year old son HAS
read the book. :)  WHY WAS THIS NOT INCLUDED?
I would have appreciated this closure.  It would have healed a 
little of my mourning-over-a-fictional-character heartache.

Despite my complaints, like I said before,
I did love this movie and give it a thumbs up, for sure.

I saw it twice and enjoyed it more the second time.
If you haven't seen it yet, go!  Then report back and tell
me what you think.  For those who have seen it,
what was your favorite part?

Armitage Coat of Arms

I was scrolling through a website called Society 6

(which has all sorts of cute & quirky t-shirt designs)

and stumbled upon an Armitage Army t-shirt.

It proudly displays an Armitage Coat of Arms,

featuring elements from North & South, Robin Hood,

Spooks, The Hobbit & Strike Back.

SOOO cute!

I have to have one.

Get yours in any color HERE.

Another One Bites the Dust

*Spoiler Alert!*
Don't read this post if you haven't read

The Hobbit and want to be surprised about

about Thorin's outcome.  Even though the title

pretty much gives it away.  Sorry.

I am SOOOO excited to see

the final Hobbit movie next week!

As in freaking out excited.

All the movie trailers,

interviews, and premier photos/videos

have left my Armitage-Tolkien

fangirl heart a-flutterin'.

Having said that...

I'm feeling anxiety over seeing it since

I don't know how I'll feel at the end.

I'm always sad when a movie series is complete,

(no matter how satisfying the ending) due to

it being THE END.

And in THIS case,

I know that the ending for our Thorin
isn't to live happily ever after. *sob*

I'm aware that Thorin dies...

and don't know that I'm mentally prepared

for another Armitage death scene.

~Let's review some, shall we?~

I'm not doing this to be morbid, 

but as a reminder that Richard plays dead

often, and does it well.

Heinz Kruger in Captain America.

Self-poisoning Nazi.

I didn't really care about this guy.

John Porter in Strike Back.
Killed by terrorists in the line of duty.

Sad. But I wasn't too gutted.

Lucas North in Spooks.
(Or whatever his real name is- John again.)

It is implied that Lucas jumped off a building

and we see Sir Harry looking over the edge all glum,

but a body isn't shown.  This is good for our tender

minds, but didn't give me closure. I kept hoping

He had somehow faked his death like Sherlock and

would suddenly appear in the final season.  But no.

Lucas was gone.  I didn't like his demise one bit.

I handled all the above character deaths okay...

but then there was Gisborne in Robin Hood. 

That's another story, folks!  Sure, we can all probably agree 

the script for Season 3 was nuts.  But this is GIZZY 

we're talking about here.... the bad boy with a soft core that we

learned more about in Season 3.  (Meg episode, anyone?)

This death scene broke my heart.

I shed some tears and was in mourning for a week!

  THIS scene is why I'm so worried about watching

Battle of the Five Armies.  I know Thorin's death scene

will be dramatic and that there will be sad music playing
in the background and his comrades grieving his loss...

Chances are, I will be sobbing into 

my popcorn with snot running down my face.

It won't be a pretty sight!!!

I guess the only solution will be to take a big box

of tissues and wear waterproof mascara.

So that we don't end on a depressing note,

let's gaze at a few pretty RA pics.

All better. 

Armitage-Outlander Connections

Outlander has been one of my latest obsessions.

(Both the Starz TV show and the
book series by author Diana Gabaldon.)

So for all the other RA fans out there who

enjoy the television show, here are a few connections.

First, there's the obvious one:
Richard's co-star, Graham McTotallyAwesome,

plays Dwalin in The Hobbit series...

and the War Chief, Dougal MacKenzie, in Outlander.

Both characters are tough and sport amazing beards to prove it.

Look at these two...

besties off and on screen. *tear of joy*

They must bond over brooding

because they both do it so well. :)

The second RA-Outlander connection I've made is with
Tobias Menzies, who plays both Frank and Black Jack Randall.

By the way... wouldn't Richard make a great Black Jack???

He plays bad guys so well!  (Think of a sadistic version of Gisborne.) 

With that being said, I do think that Tobias Menzies has been

playing his parts perfectly.  Plus, he's so charming and funny

in all of his interviews... I'm a fan.

Anyway, when I watched the first episode of Outlander,

Tobias looked familiar to me.  It wasn't until recently, when 

I looked him up on IMDb to do a lil' internet stalk-a-roo,

that I realized he played Andrew Lawrence (the Home Secretary)

in Spooks, Season 8.  In fact, he died with Ros in the explosion. *Sniff*

You can see both Richard and Tobias in this gut-wrenching scene:

There you have it, folks.

If you were hoping to find a connection involving
Armi in a kilt, click HERE and HERE 

I Dreamed a Richard Dream

I had a Richard Armitage dream last week, out of the blue.

I shall share the experience with you through song!

Richard is on the edge of his seat.

As you read this, be sure to sing it out loud to the
tune of "I Dreamed A Dream" from Les Mis~

I dreamed a dream in time gone byyy...

of meeting my favorite actor, Richaaaard.

I stared into those deep blue eeeeeeyes!
He was even taller than I pictured.

Then I was blunt and unafraaaaid,

when I randomly bumped into him in my children's school offiiice.

Could I just, but persuaaaaade...

him to take 2 pictures with me, then leave him alone, I'd promiiise?

But the other parents saaaw,

and started crowding 'round obnoxiouslyyy...

I wanted to punch 'em in the jaaaw,

when he slipped from them, oh-so flawlesslyyy!

Then I dreamed he came to meee...
agreed to pose for those stinkin' picturrrres.

One respectable, one goof-yyyy,

while I told him all 'bout Stick Figure Richaaaard.

I had a dream our Riii-chieee...

was no different from that guy I'd beee-lieved.

No different from the fellow that we've seeeeen,

'Til hubby's snoring woke... me from... my dreeeeeam.

One year older and wiser too... Happy Birthday *clap* to you!

HAPPY ARMITAGE DAY!

Ah, the photo seen round the world...

Yes, it IS Richard's birthday!

Don't tell Stick Figure Richard that,
because he thinks it's all about HIM and HIS cupcake.

Although he was nice and sent 

the "real" Richard a message through

RichardArmitageNet.com

The Richards have had a busy year,

what with "Into the Storm" coming out...

and performing in The Crucible at he Old Vic.

Although there was apparently an incident where

Richard threw a book that hit a woman in the audience?
Oh well, he made it up to her.

She should have faked needing CPR.

And now, for a
birthday video flashback...

*click HERE if you can't see this on the blog*

How special.

Although, this video takes the cake.

*click HERE if you can't see this on the blog*

Happy Birthday to "our" Richard

and Happy Armitage Day to all you Armi-fans!