What have I to miss?

One of the things that my Bible college pushes is missionary work. Now when I think of missionary work, or people who are missionaries, I think of people who live a life of discomfort and with great hardship. I always thought of it as something to be avoided. I really, really did not want to be a missionary. And of course all the guilt that comes with that. I felt a crushing guilt for the majority of the first half of my semester. Every time someone would stand up and talk about the work being down in far flung countries, and as we were being encouraged not to have any ties, anything to hold us in one place. To be ready and waiting for God  to call us to some country.

Three quarters of the way through the semester, a speaker stood up; and offered a more balanced view. Every Christian, no matter where they are, or what they do, is a missionary. The world is full of lost and needy people. You don't have to be in Africa or Russia, there are plenty of people to share with all around you.

My realisation was that I am free, and untied. I live out of two suitcases. My childhood bedroom is no more; it doubles as my youngest sister's room and my Dad's study. I have maybe three medium sized boxes of miscellaneous items, that are unnecessary and superfluous. I have no debilitating desire to return to my own country. The only thing that I miss is my family. But I do not miss places, or things. I am free to go wherever, and more importantly whenever. There is no great community of friends calling me back to a particular place. Life is unpredictable and seemingly to us, random. But God is in control and as I look back over my life I can see how everything that has occurred in my life has allowed me to be unrestrained. I am not one of those people who feels a deep sense of patriotism to the country of their origin. I feel no great belonging to a certain country or region.

Since August I have condensed my life down to two suitcases and have twice picked them up and moved on. I am ready to go anywhere. The feeling of lightness and ease of mobility is freeing and in a strange way joyous. Life is strange, but wonderful. And the lighter your suitcases, the easier and more enjoyable it is.

Thanksgiving in Phoenix

So tomorrow I will experience my very first American Thanksgiving. I am in Phoenix for this holiday. my second state, so that's only 48 more to see, hehe. I can't tell you how excited I am about pumpkin pie, sweet potato mash, cornbread, pecan pie, pumpkin bread, turkey and cranberry sauce, to name but a few of the things I have heard rumours of. 

I can't tell you how many years I have been desperate to try pumpkin pie. It's strange how we hear about certain things and can't forget about them ever. My American friends would post photos every year and I always longed for a slice of pumpkin pie. 

 Everyone has been amazing and is going all out to make sure that there is plenty of delicious gluten free fare for me.

And at this time I am feeling rather homesick too. We watched Brave today too, which made me even more homesick and I had to fight back those tears. 

I love my Mummy, and I love my Daddy, and all my siblings!! I love all my college friends, and my church family, and my family back in England!!

Meeting a cyber friend! And Jamba Juice!

So a couple of weeks back I had a pretty exciting Saturday.

Way back in 2008 I met three girls online. Now, I know that statement sounds slightly sketchy; please let me clarify it a bit. We came across them on Myspace, there was a funny video posted up and everyone was commenting on it, and well we all just became friends, and then Myspace became unfashionable, and we moved over to Facebook.

On Saturday the eighth of September I met one of these girls and her fiance as they travelled right past my college in California!
I can't tell you how exciting it was! It was also weird to meet someone who you feel like you've known your whole life, and constantly see status updates and photo updates for online.

They weren't able to stay long, but we had a great morning. AND they introduced me to Jamba juice!! I'm in love!

The glory of God

This morning by a seemingly natural course of events I wound up reading Isaiah 43 as my morning devotions. And more specifically verses one to seven. This chapter pretty much sums up why God created us. I mean why would God make us? We must have a purpose. God does nothing randomly like we may do, he is not led by impulse and whatever takes his fancy; Everything he does is carefully planned and apart of a far larger plan that he formed before the foundations of the earth were even laid.

Now, this is what the Lord says,

the one who created you, O Jacob,

and formed you, O Israel:

“Don’t be afraid, for I will protect you.

I call you by name, you are mine.

When you pass through the waters, I am with you;

when you pass through the streams, they will not overwhelm you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned;

the flames will not harm you.

For I am the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel, your deliverer.

I have handed over Egypt as a ransom price,

Ethiopia and Seba  in place of you.

Since you are precious and special in my sight, 

and I love you,

I will hand over people in place of you,

nations in place of your life.

Don’t be afraid, for I am with you.

From the east I will bring your descendants;

from the west I will gather you.

I will say to the north, ‘Hand them over!’

and to the south, ‘Don’t hold any back!’

Bring my sons from distant lands,

and my daughters from the remote regions of the earth,

everyone who belongs to me,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed – yes, whom I made!

Isaiah 43v1-7

We are made in God's image. And an image is created in order to point back to the original. So we are to reflect, like a mirror, God's glory. Through what we do and say. We are to be like God, to imitate his attributes and live according to his will.

The world around us is spectacular! Think of all the billions of stars, or the Niagara falls, the green rolling landscape of New Zealand, the Northern lights, the oceans so deep they cannot be explored, or the simple everyday things such as sunrise and sunset, the sun and moon. Everything displays his might and majesty. We are apart of his creation. Are one purpose is to worship and glorify God. God doesn't need us, but he wanted to display his mercy and grace.

The Northern Lights.

He accomplishes this through his redemptive plan; through the crucifixion of his one and only son. This sacrifice reveals his faithfulness, love, grace and abounding mercy. Nothing that we truly deserve. God, the most holy one, owed us nothing, yet he did this for us. When we were nothing but dead in our transgressions.

China

God's ultimate glorification comes through the death of Jesus Christ upon the cross as a way for all those who believe in him, but repent of their sins will have eternal life. This act displays the grace that is literally lavished upon us. We have been given so much grace we are practically drowning in it. We did not deserve salvation, why do we so often think that God owes us?
This is God's world and he can do as he sees fit. We cannot demand from him, and insist he do what we want. We are not in control; he is.

This passage speaks primarily of the nation Israel, and how God will never abandon her, and how he has preserved her through so many hardships and difficulties. And even though this doesn't directly apply to Christians, we can draw encouragement and hope from this passage because it tells us why people were made. And it reminds us that even though we are fickle and break our promises to each other, God is always faithful and he never breaks his word. If we have been saved, he won't let us go.

I am here to display God's love and mercy. Are you?

Does your life reflect the salvation that you have received from Christ? Mine often doesn't, it is something I fail at daily.

Machu Pichu in Peru

The Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

A prayer request

I am normally fairly anonymous on my blog. I prefer to be unknown, however I have a big request of anyone who reads this.
My family is trying to save enough money in order for my Dad to study for his MDiv (Master of Divinity) at the Master's Seminary in LA, California.
We will need a not so small miracle to be able to move to California and to pay the tuition fees, getting a place at the Seminary was the easy part! 

I just want to ask for your prayers, they are deeply coveted right now. 

Check out the information page here,

 Supporting the Forsyth family through Seminary

Thank you =)

The Winco and Trader Joe's experience!

So, I've been in the US of A for over a month, and I had never been to Winco or Trader Joe's! How bad is that, right?! Pretty awful, especially for a complete foodie like myself. So a couple of nights ago I went with two friends to both Winco and Trader Joe's. And let me tell you, this country just gets better and better, and hasn't disappointed as yet.

Winco is so big and awesome! On the down note, I found out I had paid a lot more for my organic creamy peanut butter online, and left Winco with a very large jar of Adams crunchy peanut butter. When I see peanut butter, I get peanut butter. But anyway, they have these huge bins of nuts, granola, dried fruit, grains, seeds, everything!! They even had chili coated mango?! Yes! And you could buy chocolate by the pound. For the record, dark chocolate coated strawberries are divine. Fact.
And then they had fridges full of almond milk and, even better, coconut milk. Hmmmmmm, hmm.

But then we hopped back into the car and went to Trader Joe's. I guess it's like Wholefoods but a little cheaper. They have some amazing dark chocolate bars, imported from Belgium, naturally.

All this, and it wasn't even 7:30pm.

I was also introduced to organic peanut butter panda puffs! It is so lush! I had it in a mug with coconut milk. It's like that really unhealthy, too sweet golden nuggets cereal back in England, but a hundred times better. And um, eating cereal from a mug is so cool, go try it.
also what I love about this cereal is that it doesn't have bucket loads of sugar, which would give me a headache, it is sweetened with cane juice, which although not ideal is far better and healthier than what they could put in it.

So this was pretty much the highlight of my weekend; don't judge, you know you're jealous!

Letters from home

I got post this week. I was so excited to have a little brown envelope with a Royal mail stamp in the upper right hand side! Inside were three letters; one from each of my youngest siblings.

I was so happy! A letter is like your character bound up in ink. You can convey who you are through the words you choose. A letter is so personal and means so much. It's like sitting next to that person and having a conversation with them, albeit a one sided conversation.
Reading my three letters was like spending minutes with them, talking to them, enjoying their time. They took time out of their day to remember me, and took the effort to let me know that they missed and loved me. They love me enough to give up their time to make sure I don't feel forgotten and unloved.
The Atlantic ocean is vast, yet I feel the love of my siblings, trussed up in paper and ink. It's incredible how such small things bring happiness to one's heart and brightens everything around you.

Learning to trust

Sometimes God takes you completely out of your comfort zone in order to force you to trust in him. Sometimes the only way to make you entirely dependent on him is to change your situation so drastically that you have no other option but to give it all to God.
Sometimes your circumstances are so incredible that in order to truly believe where you are, you have to trust in him.
Sometimes in order to not be completely overwhelmed by terror and fear at your position you have to entrust every single aspect of your life to God.
Sometimes God tests you in many different areas all at once and all you can do is cry to God for help.
Sometimes you can find utter peace when you look back at what has come about, and trust that he has everything that is to come in his hand.

I'm a wee bit busy these days....

I know I haven't blogged for a while. But I have been so busy recently. I have been in the US of A for 8 days now.
My flight was 10 and a half hours long. And there was very little for me to eat on the plane as I am gluten intolerant. Luckily I had a Tupperware tub full of dried goji berries, dates, apricots and mulberries. And I'll admit that yes I had a small bag of Thornton's chocolates, which I needed after saying 'goodbye' to my family; I will admit that I didn't eat them until after I'd been on the plane for around 6 hours though! That was when I got super hungry.
I also ate a tiny tub of ice cream and an even tinier tub of fruit salad, and two mini packs of cassava chips. I landed and I was half starved, had to drag myself through customs, which took over an hour and then had to remove my two rather heavy suitcases from the carousel, which was embarrassing to say the least, I'm all leg strength.
So to see a friendly face was so nice and comforting, and he carried my heavier suitcase and my backpack for me. I had a gluten free, or 'protein style' In'N'Out dinner, first ever, as I have never been stateside, but I was way to tired to recall what it tasted like other than, it was 'good'.

I was so tired, fell right asleep at midnight, US time, and woke up naturally at about half eight. Had a quick breakfast and was dropped off ready to go to Disneyland, also for the first time ever. I was excited chick!! You do not know how many times I have seen Disneyland advertised on the telly. I have always wanted to go. And a lovely family took me! They were amazing, they knew all the best rides, and looked after me so well, it was such fun!
I went on Space Mountain, It's a small world, Indiana Jones (okay, I went on that twice!), the Haunted Mansion, the Buzz Lightyear ride, the Peter Pan ride, and so many other rides too! I also saw the fireworks, the carnival and Fantasmic! Aaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!! 
And to top it off, Disneyland had a whole list of things that were gluten free! So I had a small gluten free pizza! The first pizza I've had in probably two years!!! It was such a treat.
Oh and did I mention, I met Mickey Mouse, Tinker Bell and my favourite Disney princess, Sleeping Beauty? I also spied Merida and Tatiana through the crowds, and waved at Cinderella!

We didn't leave Disneyland till midnight so I was super exhausted the next day, which was a Friday. We just chilled, which was cool, I had to go through my email, 56 emails! Woweee!

Then on Friday, I moved back to my friend's house and we went shopping, I got some things for college, and we met some people, I was pretty tired, so I cannot for the life of me remember any names. After that we went to church, my friend played piano that week, it was amazing! I also wandered around Wholefoods for about an hour and a half, did I mention how much I love Wholefood stores???

We attempted to watch a movie on Saturday night, John Carter, a real action film. And um, yeah, we um, kinda, um, fell asleep. One minute there's an intense battle raging and the next someone is nudging me saying, 'I think it's bedtime'. So I was in bed asleep by half ten on Saturday night.

Sunday was a blast. Back to my friend's church at about quarter to eight, yep, I've been getting up really early since I got here, and I just hung out in the back. We had breakfast at Wholefoods, man, I love that store! Then we went to Urban Outfitters, that is where the cool kids hang.

Then back for lunch, and we watched the Mummy Returns, then National Treasure, and most of us fell asleep, myself included. Which made it the perfect time to pack some towels and head to the beach! Bonfires on the beach, and lots of people! Yay!
But did I mention we managed to go to the wrong beach, and only realised after we bought a parking ticket??? Eeeeeek! So we had to turn around and go back. Luckily we were able to use the ticket at the correct beach, where my friend's church were actually meeting.

So after a few hours on the beach I went and stayed with some other friends, who were also so lovely to me; actually everyone has been lovely since I landed, but the three families whose homes I actually stayed in have been amazing and I love them all to bits!

We made a quick run to Wholefoods, and picked up lots of yummy, yet healthy snacks, including gluten AND dairy AND soy free cookie dough ice cream!! It was made with coconut milk instead of soy or dairy products. And let me tell you, I will no longer miss Ben and Jerries'; never thought I'd say that.

While eating delicious ice cream, we watched X-men 2, then BAM! I fell asleep, AGAIN! So bed, ready to be up again at six, because it was Bible college move in day!!!!! So exciting!

And that's all I have time for right now. I have some more sermons to listen to, and I want another banana, and I need some water and I just want to go to bed really.

The Dark Knight Rises

I actually saw this movie on the 20th of July, release day! As a dedicated Batman fan I couldn't wait any longer. I mean we have waited since 2008 for this film. I had greatly anticipated this movie for four years. Yep, since 2008, I have been speculating about the final chapter of Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy.

I was thirteen years old when Batman Begins was released and I remember vividly watching it at the cinema with my Dad. I think it was probably the first proper super hero film I'd seen. Yes, I'd seen cartoon superheroes, and I'd seen some rubbish, low budget Batman film, with horrific costumes and even more dire acting.
But this was the first well constructed, well acted, big budget superhero film. At the time, I didn't appreciate the film. However having viewed it several times over the years I can see just how good this film is.

This film blew me away.

I didn't really have much to say post film. I feel that Nolan delivered. Those years of waiting were worth it for such a closing film.

Casting, soundtrack, storyline, themes, script, everything came together, something that rarely happens in films.

First off, Christian Bale reprised his role as Bruce Wayne, a.k.a. Batman himself.
For me, Bale will always be Batman. Forget George Clooney and any future representations of Batman, Bale nailed it, no one will ever be as good a Bale. He expresses all the emotions you would expect Bruce Wayne to have.

Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle.
I have to be honest, I don't really like Hathaway. I find her irritating and I had my doubts about her. However I feel that she laid all those doubts to rest, she did a stunning job. She plays a character possibly as complex as Bruce Wayne. Someone who feels the need to dress up and hide their identity. However unlike Wayne she is a masked villain as opposed to a masked vigilante. There are similarities and contrasts between Kyle and Wayne.

Tom Hardy plays the true baddie in this film, a terrorist named Bane, who draws Batman out of his Batcave by threatening Gotham City. I love Tom Hardy! I think he's fantastic! I loved him in Inception, another Nolan film also starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard and Michael Cane. I loved the idea behind Bane as  a villain. At first glance he appears to be a black and white baddie, no complexity whatsoever. However he is a character with a story and Nolan weaves a masterpiece here, but I shall say no more as I don't want to spoil anything for anyone.

Good old Gary Oldman returns as Comissioner Gordon. Again, a seemingly straight forward character at first glance, but of course this is not fact. I love the steady and sane element that Gordon brings to the film. He is desperate to do that right thing. He is torn between duty and what he believes to be right.

I don't think I've seen Levitt in a film I didn't like. He is so versatile. And I loved his role in this film. There are contrasts and similarities portrayed between Officer Blake and Wayne throughout the film. Like Wayne Blake is an orphan. But unlike Wayne, Blake is not a millionaire and was raised in a boys home. Blake is driven and determined. He has similar characteristics to Wayne's. The way that Blake and Wayne focus their anger and emotion is contrasted continuously. But that is all I shall say for now, you must see the film to learn more.

And last, but by no means least,
                                           Michael Cane returns as the lovely Alfred Pennyworth.

I adore Michael Cane. Maybe because I'm British, and are there any Brits who don't love this guy??? Alfred Pennyworth is employed as a butler, but he's so much more than that. He's a Father, Uncle, friend, nurse, supporter and worrier all rolled into one. His primary concern is to see that Wayne is happy, safe and in control of his anger and guilt.

I'll start by saying that this film is intense. And long. At 165 minutes long it is a definite bum-number! But don't let that put you off, if you've survived the previous films you will be absolutely fine with this. To be truly honest I didn't even notice the time, I was completely engrossed; it does not drag. But you may wish to stock up on snacks and drinks and find a nice cushion.
It is a full 165 minutes of action, dialogue, twists and turns. It is non-stop and I felt exhausted afterwards as if I'd been running around Gotham myself.
The storyline is not straight forward, but then, you can't really expect something simple from the director of Inception!
I don't want to give too much away with regards to the story, however I will say that both Bruce Wayne and Batman face their past, their fears, and their future. Wayne is forced to choose and make decisions. There is danger and risk around every corner.

The relationships in this installment are twisty, turny. No-one is what they seem, everyone has secrets, but who can you trust?
The relationship between Wayne and Kyle is curious. Wayne realises how easy he has it compared to Kyle and Blake. All three of them had a rough childhood. However character, and circumstances dictated the paths they chose.
Loyalties, and motives are all put under scrutiny, and relationships are tested to the edge.

The music score is incredible, Hans Zimmer delivered yet again. The Batman soundtracks have been phenomenal. The soundtrack really adds to the tension and emotion of the film. You are completely unaware of it, yet at the same time conscious of it, and appreciative. The cinematography and music go hand in hand.

Costumes, well, they're mostly black or uniforms. The whole film is fairly dark in colour and slightly drab in that sense however this is Gothan not a Victorian ball. The wardrobe fits the film.

Props; the Batmobile, need I say more! And Batman of course gets some new toys in this film, including a plane.

So really in essence, this film is amazing, go see it now!!

What did you guys think of it?

The Midsummer Station - preview thoughts

The one minute long previews for the tracks of the new Owl City album, The Midsummer Station were released yesterday. And of course as a huge fan of all things Adam Young and Owl City I was very excited for a small taste of the anticipated album.

One small hitch stood in my way, I do not have Itunes, so no access to the tracks. But, 24 hours later and I was able to hear all the preview tracks thanks to tumblr and youtube.

The complete track listing for this album runs as follows;

1. Dream And Disasters
2.Shooting Star
3. Gold
4. Dementia (feat. Mark Hoppus)
5. I'm Coming After You
6. Speed Of Love
7. Good Time
8. Embers
9. Silhouette
10. Metropolis
11. Take It All Away
12. Bombshell Blonde

Tracks 2, 3, 4, 7 and 11 have already been released as either singles or on the 'Shooting Star EP'

Track 1, Dreams and Disasters

I have to admit, I like this tune a lot. It is happy, up beat, a great tune to dance around to. The lyrics are optimistic and encouraging. The lyrics are about looking for the silver lining always and striving on through the ups and downs of life. I love the chorus which runs 'follow the light through the dreams and disasters'. It's about being strong and not letting things get you down. I can't wait to experience this one at a live concert.

Track 5, I'm Coming After You 

I love this track! It's just so fun and in a way slightly odd. There is far more of a pop vibe in this track then most of Owl City's earlier work. And I can see why fans wouldn't like this track. But I think it is beautiful in strange kind of way. The lyrics conjure an almost comical image of a guy chasing and girl, tracking her down, trying to find her, he's chasing after her. Listen out for Adam's impersonation of a police car, and the way he says 'yeah' 45 seconds into the track, adorable yet funny. Even though it is a funny song, it can be taken seriously too. It has a balance of strangeness and charm.

'You've got the right to remain right here with me, I'm on your tail in a hot pursuit; Love is a high speed chase racing down the street. Woo,  woo, woo! I'm coming after you'

Track 6, Speed Of Love
Another brilliant dance tune. Very pop influenced. The lyric matter is very much in line with older Owl City work though.

'You were so hard to find, with oh so many clouds across my summer sky. You, my constellation prize, yeah every single star sparkling in your eyes'

Track 8, Embers
 This track sticks in my mind more than the rest for some reason, I love the lyrics. They're so uplifting. Just like 'Dreams and Disasters' it has a message of continuing on in life even when things get hard. These lyrics are more focused on not letting yourself get depressed and give up, but to keep fighting, to keep the embers alive, and not let the fire die out.
It is less of a dance tune compared to the rest, I'd probably say it is more rock influenced.

'And you'll find there'll be mornings when the ashes and embers are cold, but you'll fight with a passion and you'll never stop because you know, yeah, you know it gets better and your story is yet to be told'

Track 9, Silhouette
This track is very much reminiscent of 'Ocean Eyes' and the track 'Lonely Lullaby. It is mostly piano based, and so Adam's vocals take far more of a central role compared to some of the other tracks. It is a melancholy song I must admit, however it is so beautiful, and everyone can relate to the lyrics. Everyone has regrets they'd rather forget, and everyone had made mistakes they'd rather not be reminded of. I just love the  lyrics below; no matter who you are, you can nod your head and agree. This is I think my own personal favourite out of all the preview tracks. I feel that this is a very personal track from Adam too. I have to say I adore this track, and I feel that it reveals the hearts of many.

'I'm sick of the past I can't erase, a jumble of footprints in hasty steps I can't retrace, the mountain of things I still regret, is a vile reminder that I would rather just forget, the fire I began is burning me alive'.

Track 10, Metropolis 
Taking a leap back into pop after Silhouette is Metropolis. Although this particular track is far more subdued in comparison to the other pop tracks in this album. I found this track sweet and endearing, and the chorus is very upbeat. But I fell in love with it a little bit like he fell in love with Metropolis!

'A thousand miles feels like a million years, like hundreds of postcards that say 'I wish you were here'

Track 12, Bombshell Blonde
I have never heard a track like this from Owl City before ever. It is strange and quirky. And very comical! I love it! I think every album that isn't supposed to be taken seriously and is just a bit of fun, and I feel that is what this is. What's not to love about it?!
You get the feeling that perhaps as a boy Adam harboured that dream of being James Bond even if just for a day. But then, what little boy doesn't want to be a cool secret agent???
Just get a load of some of the lyrics;

'Her love is a dug laced with ecstasy, and her charm is spiked with a spell, a hot mess in a dress gets the best of me, she's ice cold but she's making melt'. 

In conclusion, this album is far different to any of it's predecessors.  But different isn't necessarily bad. If every album were the same we would soon get pretty bored. This album really changes things up a bit, and demonstrates a side of the artist that wasn't visible before. Whereas the previous albums are all be laced with optimism, this one is far more about taking control and going for it, and not letting anything hold you back. The tempos of the previous albums are slower and more laid back. This album is more jumpy and holds more dance tunes, which doesn't necessarily mean that the lyrics have lost any depth, the depth in the words are still there, but the packaging is different.
The songs themselves show an artist who is happy and enjoying life to the full.

I can see how some fans are disappointed in these tracks, however I feel it is unfair to the artist to insist that they never experiment with other styles and branch out. Artists would be so boring and one-dimensional if they only ever wrote the same old, same old.

But how about you, what are your thought???

The amazing Spiderman - he really is actually!

Oddly for me, I have been to the cinema two days running! What a lucky girl I am! Normally I cannot afford it. On Tuesday I saw the new Spiderman reboot with a very good friend of mine. She wanted to see Men in Black, but, when I head she had never seen a Spiderman film, I insisted upon the Amazing Spiderman. 

I have been very curious about this new Spiderman film as I saw the earlier Spiderman series back in the 00s with Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. I can remember all the hype surrounding the film, I remember the Spiderman toys at fast food restaurants, and the controversy of the first 12a film certification. But I wanted to see how it would differ and whether it would be as good. Obviously I expected a lot in the CGI and special effects department as that has advanced so much over the past ten years. 

I think, however that I can safely say that this new film is pretty awesome! 

Let me say, I loved the casting! 

The relatively little known Andrew Garfield plays Peter Parker, otherwise known as Spiderman. 

I was vaguely aware of Andrew thanks to Doctor Who! He played a character called Frank in two episodes of Season 3 (5 and 6, for the really interested!), alongside David Tennant and Freema Agyeman. He also played a role in the imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, a film which bored me out of my mind!

I thought Garfield played this brilliantly! In reality he is 28 years old, however he pulled of the nerdy, awkward, 17 year old high school kid superbly. Something that in retrospect, Maguire was not half as good at. So that's 1-0 to Andrew?! 

On the opposite side is, Rhys Ifans. you may know him better as Luna Lovegood's hippy Father, Xenophilius Lovegood, or more recently as James Hook from the Tv mini series Neverland, in which he was very good. 

Ifans plays Dr. Curt Connors, or the Lizard. 

I thought Ifans pulled it off. Creepy, scary, dark, sinister, confused and insane. But I don't want to give too much away now!

In the love department, we have the beautiful and talented Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy. 

I personally first met Stone in The Help, which as some of you may know from earlier blog posts, is one of the only films that can actually makes me cry. So I was very excited to see her star in this. She was everything that you would want, sweet, kind, funny, etc. But she's not some dumb blonde, she is top of her class, something she points out to Peter Parker during the film. 

There is a host of other actors in this film such as, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, Campbell Scott and Embeth Davidtz, to name but a few. 

Now moving on. 

Storyline, felt fairly fast paced. Didn't drag too much, unlike the third Spiderman film. Also this story line, I have been told, is more in line with the original comic books. I have briefly looked into this; and it would seem that some things are very similar while some things are different. Such as the fact that Gwen Stacy never went to Peter's school, but they really met at university. Neither was she Peter's first love. 

I had hoped to find out a little more about Peter's parents in this film too. However I learnt nothing new in that respect, which was a little disappointing, although in this version both of Peter's parents were in the employ of Oscorp, the same corporation that Dr. Connors works for and Richard Parker and Connors were very close and working on the same gene-splicing project.

I also notice the absence of Peter's best friend, Harry Osborne, son of Norman Osborn, founder and owner of Oscorp, who was mentioned in this film but never made an appearance. 

Anyway..... 

I found this film very entertaining. I was slightly embarrassed as no one else seemed to be laughing as much as I was. (Upon exiting the screen I found out there were only a few other people in there with us!)

One scene in particular, where Peter discovers his new powers on a train full of other people is highly amusing, and very well played out. 

The struggles that Peter has as a teenager are highlighted by his relationship with his Aunt and Uncle who practically raised him, and his past. He feels abandoned by his parents and although he is grateful to the people who have cared for him, he sometimes takes them for granted and lashes out at them. The relationship between Aunt May, Uncle Ben and Peter is often times rocky and harsh words are exchanged. It is probably just like any other parent/teenager relationship. Peter feels they don't understand him, and once he has his powers this is true, they will never understand that.

But more importantly in this film is the idea that your actions have consequences. And you have to choose to do the right thing or the wrong thing. And you cannot blame anyone else for the bad choices you've made. When you make a mess you need to clean it up and not leave it for someone else. Peter shows how we need to take responsibility for our actions, and set things right. 

With regards to the 3D effects, let me state that I am not a huge fan. I don;t really see the point of it. I think it's a novelty that will eventually wear, and I feel very stupid sitting in the theatre wearing two pairs of glasses; my prescription glasses so I can see the screen plus the 3D glasses. I also get seriously frustrated when there are ten showings in 3D and three showings in 2D, but that's another story. So anyway, I had planned o seeing it in 2D, however I missed that showing and had to see it in 3D. Now, this is perhaps one movie where the 3D has a point to it. It was pretty cool when Spiderman was swinging from building to building, I did genuinely flinch at one point due to the swinging and falling. However later on in the film I removed my 3D glasses for a while, to relive the pressure on my skull, and found that the screen was far brighter without them, and fairly clear. And the majority of the film does not involve swinging, so the screen is dark for a large portion of screen time. I feel that the 2D showing would have been just as enjoyable as the 3D. So yes, the 3D was applicable and enjoyable at points, however overall I feel it was unnecessary. 

But all in all I really enjoyed this film. And I think that it is different enough compared to the Maguire trilogy to allow for such a short time period between the two. I really hope that they produce a sequel. And there is talk of Spiderman possibly joining the Avengers' team, which would be awesome! 

Oh, and in other news, Batman is out in 8 days! I'm so excited!!

Crunchy vs. Smooth; the great peanut butter debate

I was tweeting with a friend this week on the topic of peanut butter. And specifically on which one is better. She was decisive in this matter and said that she liked both however if push came to shove and she had to say which was better, she would have to go with crunchy.

I, being more indecisive as I usually am, said that it completely depended on what kind of mood I was in. And thinking about it there are many other factors too such as how I am feeling, who I'm with and most importantly, what I'm eating it with.

Now I love nuts, and I love nut butters, but peanut butter has a special place in my heart. And I'm not talking about that Skippy stuff with it's added partially hydrogenated vegetable oils (very bad for you), and sugar.
I prefer my peanut butter to be peanuts, peanuts, peanuts, with a little dash of peanuts and salt and sometimes peanuts.
Yes, I know companies add oil, usually palm oil or vegetable oil, i.e. oils with none or very little health benefits.
But this isn't a health rant, boring! As all things are okay in moderation, except perhaps trans-fats, aspartame, MSG and glucose corn syrup, but pretty much everything else, unless you're allergic, then I strongly recommend avoiding!

But, back to the issue at hand here.

CRUNCHY VS. SMOOTH

Now, I personally feel that smooth is my preference after a hard day, or emotionally draining day. There is something hugely comforting about coming home from stress and hard work and eating a peace of  bread (gluten-free off couse!) covered in perfectly smooth peanut butter with lashings of Grandma's deep pink, dripping, seed-studded, feel-good homemade raspberry jam. There is no effort needed to eat this, it is all soft and good. There are not bits of nuts that need to be crunched down, it's just easy chewing. After a tiring day you don't want to eat something that takes effort!

When comfort is key, I must admit that a peanut butter with little added sugar can sometimes be preferable. As long as it's not Skippy.
When I'm ill, and I haven't eaten anything for near 24 hours my go-to meal is always lightly toasted bread smothered in smooth, slightly salty peanut butter, topped with beautiful golden honey and garnished with banana slices. When you're completely wiped out after an illness you don't want the harshness and abrasion  of crunchy peanut, you want the smooth, texture that sticks to your teeth, as if it were giving you a hug.

However on a normal day, when I am not ill, emotionally or physically, you know, those days when you can jump out of bed and get on with life easily enough; well on those days I like my peanut butter, loud and crunchy!
I like my peanut butter to be more savoury than sweet, I mean it's far more natural that way, and it tastes much better. Who wants added sugars and syrups that were synthesised in a lab? Eeew, no thanks!
 Besides, if it's not quite sweet enough than you have the excuse to add honey.

Crunchy peanut butter on rice-cakes is a brilliant pre-exam meal. And if you're like me, it's a good post-exam meal too.

So to be really honest, I really don't ever want to have to choose between the two. I love my peanuts whole, blended to a semi-smooth butter, and completely pulverised into a smooth and comforting goodness.

And of course there are all the different things you can make with peanut butter.......... hmmmmm, the possibilities are endless..... now I must go in search of peanut butter.......

How about you guys, which do you prefer? How do you enjoy your peanut butter?

Also, I know it's early but international peanut butter and jam day is on the 2nd of April!!

Chow now!

Penultimate Ballet Class

In less than an hour I will be at my second last ballet lesson, possibly forever. I've been attending my ballet school for seven years now. And this year three of us are leaving. I must admit that while I am eagerly anticipating college in California, I am very sad to say 'goodbye' to my amazing ballet teacher, and my friends. One of the girls used to tie my shoes for me, she did this for a whole term as I was not very good at it! I've relied on various girls in my class to teach me steps that I did not know due to an absence from class. And one of the girls held my hand during an exam so I would not cry after seriously messing up a port de bra exercise.

We are an odd bunch of girls. But we all mesh, and get along, We have a real laugh, and even though classes can be stressful sometimes, especially in the run up to exams or shows, we have always kept going.

When I first started dancing at LBS, there were about fifteen girls in my class, now we are down to six, myself and five other girls. Our teacher used to be super strict with us too, but she has mellowed so much, and we are very adept at sidetracking her; we love it when she goes off on a tangent and describes the latest ballet she saw, or the origin of a particular dance.

I cannot quite contemplate how much I am going to miss these girls. I've taken four RAD ballet exams, performed in three shows and had a ball for the last seven years at LBS.
The amount of times we have giggled through pirouettes, or stumbled over bar de bourges, or attempted to dance as light weight fairies, fallen on the floor after a jete, and countless other balletic feats.

I love my ballet babes!! And I am going to miss them enormously, and even if I take classes in CA, I will never find girls as amazing to dance with as them <3

Vain, me? Yes, guilty...

Title says it all really.

For years I've been under the impression that because I don't cover my face in foundation, blusher, rouge, eyeshadow, mascara, lipstick and powder, and because I don't really bother with my nails, I just cut them short and very occasionally paint them, that I was far from being a vain person.
I have acquaintances who refuse to leave the house without their makeup on. I know people who keep their nails in top-tip condition, and visit the nail salon often.
I also know people who spend an absolute fortune at the hairdressers. Who dye their hair once a month, and fret because they cannot remember what their natural hair-colour is anymore.

I was actually banned from wearing make-up, except from lip-gloss, nail varnish and concealer for the worst of spots, until I turned eighteen. And once I was eighteen it didn't really appeal to me, especially when I realised how expensive it all was! I am indeed a skin-flint, and the thought of forking out an additional £10 or more a month on what I viewed as grown-up face-paint, was not pleasant to me whatsoever.

I've always thought that wearing a tonne of make-up was akin to lying, because that's not the real you, it's a created face, and beneath all that powder your face is far more unique and interesting. With all that make-up you just look like any other girl is striving to look like a doll, with flawless skin, thick eyelashes, perfect complexion, etc, etc.

But I'm not saying make-up is inherently evil. Don't mishear me. I'm just saying that being completely obsessed with it, and not letting anyone see you without isn't healthy.

Now, as I said before, I'm not one of those girls. But does that mean I'm not vain?

No, I'm afraid not. My vanity merely lies elsewhere.

Namely, my hair.

Now I don't spend much time at the hairdressers, in fact the last time I was at a salon was the 18th of August 2011, if I recall correctly. I have my hair cut by a local lady, who charges far less; remember what I said about being a skin-flint?!

However, my most prized possession is.............

my pair of hair straighteners.

I love them. I love having my hair silky smooth and shiny. And the thought of having to buy a different pair that I can actually use in America is simply horrendous to me! No lie. I have been researching and googling and I can't seem to find a pair that equal my current pair for a decent price. I am really quite annoyed and unhappy about this situation. 
So I deduce that maybe I have a small problem here. Like maybe, I'm vain.

Hmmmm, yep, more than likely. I must be honest I don't really like people see me without my hair straightened. Confession time, when I was about fourteen, my Mum had bought me my straighteners and I was hooked, addicted, obsessed, whatever, and we had to go out somewhere, and I didn't have time to straighten my hair before we left. And boy, did I sulk about it! I was pretty miserable kid that day. Thankfully, I don't behave like that anymore. But, that doesn't mean I'm not vain.

I used to get up super early to wash, dry and straighten my hair whenever we were going out for the day; Woah, did I say, 'used to', as in past tense? I mean I still do!

Maybe I need to learn a lesson here. Is frizzy hair the end of the world?

In which I watch THOR!!

I am a major Comic book hero fan! Batman, Captain America, Spiderman, Ironman, you name it I love it.

However Thor was one that I didn't really know much about. But when I realised that he featured in Avengers assemble, and was a Marvel Comic hero I had to watch it of course.
I watched it last night. So I am now finally ready to watch Avengers! Which I plan on saving until my flight to LA, along with the Hunger Games; I've got to have some things to make an eleven and a half hour flight exciting, otherwise I'd probably go mad.

Anyways, on we go.

I will start of by saying that, I love Tom Hiddleston. Not in the irritating, fangirl way; you know, the girls who sit in front of you at the cinema and sigh and squeal the whole way through the film and really, really get on your nerves. Nope, definitely not like that.
On the other hand, Chris Hemsworth, well, I found him...... annoying. Even though, I'd only ever seen him in Star Trek, and the trailers for Cabin in the woods and Snow White and the Huntsman. Yep, that's the truth, hehe, confession over.

However, having seen this movie, I am now even more impressed with Tom Hiddleston, he truly is a superb actor. And I don't find Hemsworth quite as annoying, so good job all round really.

So, casting ran as follows,

Chris Hemsworth as the arrogant, vain and frustrating god, Thor.

Tom Hiddleston as the silver-tongued god of mischief, Loki.

Anthony Hopkins as King of Asgard, the god Odin.

More minor yet important characters include,

Natalie Portman as the woman of science, Jane Foster.

Jaimie Alexander as the female warrior of Asgard, Sif.

Idris Elba as the gatekeeper, and Sif's brother, Heimdall.

There are of course many others including, Agent Coulson, Darcy Lewis, Erik Selvig, Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun, and of course, Jeremy Renner cameo as Clint Barton, aka, Hawkeye.

Moving along. 

The storyline is about growing as a person really. Thor is arrogant and likes to be noticed; he is also headed for the throne of Asgard, when his Father Odin dies. His brother, Loki is far less exuberant and colourful a character to begin with. However it quickly becomes clear that he is not to be trusted. After disobeying a direct command from Odin, Thor is banished to Earth. Where he learns to respect others and be humbler and serf-sacrificing, etc, etc, etc.

Turns out Loki has issues too, and before you know it *BOOM* fight! 

Turns out Thor's a pretty nice guy really. And Loki, well.. I'll let you watch the film and find out. But turns out Odin knew what was going on all along, and wanted to teach his son a lesson. 

To be honest this film doesn't have the best storyline. In fact it's probably rather weak; but I do still think it's worth a watch. There are valuable lessons that can be learnt from it. And it's got a few laughs. 

                                           "This drink, I like it, ANOTHER!"

Yep, this is  while he's still a doochebag!

Also, I must admit, I wasn't hugely impressed with the soundtrack. It was barely there. I usually notice the music. But not this time. I hope the Avengers soundtrack is better.

Another that I found weird, Thor sounds American, and Loki, British?! But they were raised in the same house? Okay then......... We'll just suspend reality for a moment, *wink, wink*

The costumes were pretty epic too. Watch out for Loki's deer helmet! And Sif's outfit it pretty cool too.
I wasn't hugely impressed with the CGI around Asgard, and the Bifrost, however in retrospect it highlighted the fact that Asgard is not like Earth, it is a separate realm, and has a magical quality, after all it is home to the gods.

But, all in all, not bad. Go watch it!

What were your thoughts on Thor?

Updating......

Whew, it's been a looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong time!

Anyway, this is more of an update than a blog post.
The college have started to process my application, so I should get my visa in six to eight weeks, which is super exciting.

I've sorted out someone to collect me from the airport in August. She's an old friend, I haven't seen her since I was about seven, she is about four years older than me, with three babies of here own. So I am really looking forward to seeing her again and meeting her family.

I have bought a few summer clothes off ebay and from our local charity shop, however it is rather depressing that I only been able to wear one of them as the weather here is simply awful! I was woken up at half past five this morning by rain hammering down on my windows. I really don't like cold, wet weather.

Next week I am going to start doing some serious reading. My Dad has a pile of books he thinks I should read before I go to Bible college, so I excited about that.

Oh, and I still haven't quite got my head around the fact that I won't see my Mummy for a whole five months.............. and of course my Daddy and siblings, but especially my Mummy. Who am I supposed to ask about laundry? Can I wash this colour with that, etc........???

Unchristian behaviour from those you least expect

Recently I have been absolutely shocked and stunned (and many other adjectives besides) by the behaviour that I have witnessed or the things people have said. The most astounding thing is though, that it is people who call themselves God-fearing Christians who have been indulging in gossip, slander, lying and deceiving.

Now I know I'm not perfect, I will happily be the first person to point that out. I have lied, gossipped, slandered deceived and committed numerous other sins. To claim I have never done any of those things would be an outright lie and no one would believe me because I mean really, deep down everyone knows they are flawed and imperfect; only one man ever was perfect, and that was Jesus Christ.

However as a Christian we have been freed from the bondage of sin. Whereas an unregenerate person has no choice in the matter and is a slave to sin, we do have a choice, we also have God on our side and we can do all things through his strength:

I am able to do all things  through the one who strengthens me. Philippians 4v13

But more importantly it is our duty to strive to be as Christ-like as possible, we are to be imitators of him. Being a Christian is not about having a ticket to Heaven that you whip out of your pocket and redeem when you are on your deathbed. We live to serve God, not ourselves, and God doesn't promise an easy or fun life. Trials, yes. 

Temptation, yes. 

Pain, yes. 

But nothing we can't bear. 

1:9 For this reason we also, from the day we heard about you, have not ceased praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 1:10 so that you may live worthily of the Lord and please him in all respects – bearing fruit in every good deed, growing in the knowledge of God, 1:11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might for the display of  all patience and steadfastness, joyfully 1:12 giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share in the saints’ inheritance in the light. 1:13 He delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, 1:14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.                        Colossions 1v9-14

 We are supposed to stand out from the crowd. Not for the wrong reasons, being a notorious liar, having loose lips or being two-faced; but for the right reasons, being kind, caring, looking  out for others, being self-less, etc. 

Recently my family and I have experienced the worst treatment imaginable from the people you would least expect, our 'church family'. I don't want to go into details. It's not really necessary and to be honest I want to forget everything. But I am sadly dismayed that non-Christians seem to understand the decent way to treat one another better than Christians these days, and these 'fake-Christians' give us all a bad reputation. 

Here is a link to an article I read earlier today - How to avoid spreading gossip in 5 easy steps

 Hellogiggles is a secular website and it has not Christian links whatsoever, yet there I found this gem of an article. 

 

This week I bought a flight to LAX

Yes, I did, there's no going back, and although I know it was a wee bit premature to book a one way flight to Los Angeles when I haven't obtained my visa yet, I still think it was wise. Well, my parents thought it was a good move to make, and I always listen to them, no really, *wink, wink*

You would not believe how cheap my flight was, especially for the middle of August. I felt that it would have been stupid not to book the flight. The way I see it is that God has already fixed everything up this far, in that I was offered a scholarship, then everything else just slotted into place, I needed something, I somehow obtained it, etc, etc.

I also bought my international student card at the same time! It arrived in the post this morning! I was so excited, I've never had a student card before, and I can't wait to start using it. Whoooo!!

And in other news, I've started reading a brilliant devotional book on the Psalms. It's really encouraging. I had no idea how relevant they were for us today, this morning I read about Psalm 3, and the chapter heading was 'advice for insomniacs'. But I won't go into that in this post, I'll post about it later.

xxxxx

Just something that caught my attention....

This popped up on my facebook a while ago;

This kind of thing makes me shake my head and wonder. So many Christians seem to think that the devil is some creature who is easily defeated and can be inflicted with pain by simple actions we do each and every day.

But the devil is strong and he is powerful. The world in which we live in is his domain; just look at all the sin that goes on all around you. You only need to read the book of Job to see what he is capable of inflicting on people.

Job was a righteous, god-fearing man, and he was blessed for this. Yet God allowed him to suffer at the hand of Satan.

 1:7 The Lord said to Satan, “Where have you come from?” And Satan answered the Lord,  “From roving about on the earth, and from walking back and forth across it.”  1:8 So the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on the earth, a pure and upright man, one who fears God and turns away  from evil.”
   

 Jesus himself was tempted by Satan while in the wilderness. 

4:1 Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil.

 Satan is a powerful being, who are we to 'stomp' on him? He is powerful, and we need to guard against him, however the above is not the way to defeat him. 

Only by studying the bible, praying, staying close to God and living what we learn can we have any hope of resisting him. We are weak on our own, we cannot 'beat' Satan on our own. Carrying a bible does not worry Satan, forgiving someone who has treated you badly is more likely too. 

 We are incapable of saving ourselves from hell, so what makes us think we can 'crush' Satan? 

Just some thoughts.... 

What do you think?

The year in film releases......

Don't you just love the excitement the anticipation of film releases gives?! Yes, there is that feeling of 'aaargh, I can't take the wait any longer!!' But in general the build up is such fun. I have compiled a list of the films that I am definitely more than a wee bit excited about this year, or what's left of this year.........

At number 1, and this is going in order of release date, as opposed to anything else, is;

The Avengers - released on the 26th of April (UK)

I have to admit I am a massive fan of Marvel Comic heroes (well superheroes in general really)!! So I have been rather looking forward tot this one for a while now! I must admit, I haven't yet seen Thor, or the first Hulk film, they need to be seen first I think. Also I have reservations about Scarlett Johansson; I find her irritating, and that's about it really. But I managed to tolerate her in the second Ironman film so I'm sure I'll be fine for this one too. Also, it's out in 2 days!! Aaaaaaahh!

At number 2

Men in Black III - released 25th of May (UK)

I'll be honest here, I hadn't properly seen the two preceding Men in Black films until this month. Which is pretty bad for someone my age. Now that I have seen one and two I can officially join everyone else who is excited for this film. I'm hoping that the special effects are a wee bit better than the last two though.

Number 3

The Amazing Spider-Man - released 4 July (UK)

Although I have been looking forward to this film since Christmas, when I saw one of the early posters at the cinema, I do have some major reservations about this film. Having seen the Toby MaguireKirsten Dunst versions I'm not entirely sure that these actors are going to be as good, however I would love to be proven wrong. And I am sure that Emma Stone will be brilliant, as she was in 'the help'. My other reservations regard the names and the storyline. I'll be honest (again) I haven't read the comics, I'm not really a comic girl, however I'm pretty sure that Peter Parker's crush was called Mary-Jane, not Gwen. And I don't recognise most of the character names listed in this film, and I don't recall any mysterious disappearance of Peter's parents. But on the other hand the storyline is intriguing and makes you curious as to how it will unfold. That being said, all the good bits and funny lines may have already been seen in the trailer. I am rooting for them to pull it off though.

Number 4

Ice Age 4: Continental Drift - Released 13th of July (UK)

 Come on, who doesn't love these guys?! I mean really! I know the story-lines aren't the best, but really these films make me laugh so much! I don't know how many times I've seen the third one, but it's still so funny everytime I see it. I'm sure this ones storyline will be just as awful as the second and third, but who cares, it's fun!!

Number 5

Okay people, I've been waiting for this one since 2008. I am a huge Batman fan!!

The Dark Knight Rises - released 20th of July (UK)

 So, more excited about this than I can say!! Batman is my all time favourite superhero, period!! Also kind of sad as it's the last one; but still looking forward to this so much. My Dad and I will be queueing up to see this no doubt.
I only have one small issue and that is on the casting of Catwoman. I find Anne Hathaway annoying and I can't take her seriously, sorry. However that being said, I have never been disappointed by a Chris Nolan film, and I'm pretty sure that this one won't either, so again, I am pretty sure Nolan will prove me wrong here. I really hope so anyway.

Number 6

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days - Released 3rd of August (UK)

Another film that is a guilty pleasure really, like Ice age. Very funny, and entertaining. Best enjoyed when watching with younger siblings. The last two were very funny and I'm sure that this one will be too.

Number 7

The Bourne Legacy - released 17th of August (UK)

 Okay, okay, I feel asleep for half an hour half way through the the third Bourne film; one minute Jason was in one country and the next thing I knew he was in Russia?!!? But I was really tired, really tired, I never fall asleep in films! Anyway, it's still an brilliant series and I am really looking forward to this new instalment. And having seen Jeremy Renner in Mission Impossible 3: Ghost protocol I am pretty sure he will play the part very well.

Number 8

Looper - released 28th of September (UK)

I just love the idea behind this movie. And Joseph Gordon-Levitt is always funny and believable, and Bruce Willis, well, you know, he's pretty good at action filled films. The trailer was pretty impressive, go check it out!!


Number 9

The Hobbit - released 14th of December (UK)

I am so excited about this film!!! I have to say that I didn't like the Lord of the Rings books, I found them boring. I managed to read the Fellowship of the ring and half of the Two Towers before I gave up. However I read the Hobbit first and I really enjoyed it. The Hobbit was a far more interesting story for me personally, so I am really looking forward to it being brought to life.
Also the cast is very impressive, Martin Freeman is perfect for Bilbo; grumpy, funny and of course short. And the majority of the original Lord of the Rings cast is back too. Eeeeeeeeek!!
And yes, I will go back and re-watch the Lord of the Rings films, see if they are as boring as I remember.

So that's my top nine films to look forward to this year, what are yours?