I saw Peter Jackson's film yesterday and loved it.

The Battle of the Five Armies is fast paced, thrilling, full of surprises and, unlike most literary adaptations, the movie is actually more complex and detailed than the original book.

I particularly enjoyed the final sequence, so simple and yet so meaningful and brilliant, one of the greatest ellipsis in the history of movies.

So, what's next? The Silmarillion?

132 school children and 9 staff dead

Killed by a Taliban attack.

This is just wrong.

I mourn.

Here is a link to a news story that is on our local news these days. The South African model pictured may not have been what the advertisers bargained for.

http://www.nbc12.com/story/27608187/open...ard-reacts

Does anyone on the forum have autism?
In honesty, I don't resort to doom and gloom intentionally, I also have chronic depression. It is a challenge to interact and have connections. Isolation is something very easy to fall into. I have very little experience interacting casually, and having a casual social life is something foreign to me, even though I crave it probably like everyone else.

Does anyone relate? If not anything else it might bring attention to issues which deserve discussion. Being the focus of attention isn't for everyone.

For me it has to be the duel from Kill Bill vol I.
The scenery, the snow, it's so beautifully shot from every possible angle. And the music, you'd normally think it'd be out of place but it fits so damn well. The build up to this scene was insane. I had goosebumps all over. Lucy Liu was devastatingly mesmerizing.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the next edition of the Oscars could be amazing, especially the best actor category.

Just look at the possible candidates:

- Ralph Fiennes in The Grand Budapest Hotel

- Jake Gyllenhaal in Nightcrawler

- Michael Fassbender in Frank

- Michael Keaton in Birdman

How can you possibly choose?!

I love Michael Keaton and I haven't seen his performance yet but my favorite so far is Ralph Fiennes. He was so brilliant and energetic in Wes Anderson's movie, even my teenage students loved him - I showed them a clip and then they posted a review of the hotel on TripAdvisor.

Gyllenhaal is a got bet too, he was brilliant in Nightcrawler, the press loves him and he's very influential in Hollywood.

I loved the Jurassic Park series...just for the visuals if nothing else...so I can't wait for this next one. The plot is weak...sounds like they ripped off Aliens 4 : Resurrection...but I can live with that...

Did anyone see the short film Grind? It was a musical movie entered in a bunch of film festivals this year and won a significant amount of awards. It starts out being really fun but the ending really throws you through a loop. I'd love to discuss it with anyone who's watched it If you google it, it's available free online for anyone's who's interested.

Anyone seen Blended? I just saw it for the first time and it was hilarious! If you have seen it, what did you think?