It’s funny how our perception of things changes as we get older. We can read the exact same book we read as a kid and come away with a completely different assessment. The characters we found delightful now seem annoying. The characters we thought were terrible now seem reasonable. As we grow up, our maturing standards provide a different lens through which to view the world.
That’s what happened with me and Gandalf. (Yes, I’m still thinking about that Hobbit/LotR movie marathon. It was a lot of hours, folks. So much walking, so many battles.) I first saw the LotR movies when I was in high school, and I viewed Gandalf the way most people probably did—a wise wizard, a sage guide.
I went to see Ender’s Game a couple weekends ago, admittedly with some trepidation. Why the trepidation? Well the move I saw before that was Gravity. Not a fan. (Can you say cheesy dialogue and never-ending, super-repetitive story-line?) And since all I knew about Ender’s Game was that it took place in space and involved kids, I kept flashing back to my previous exceedingly dull and never-ending experience. So I was more than pleasantly surprised by this movie. (more…)
He’s one of the best supporting characters in literature. He bumbles right into the story, seemingly by accident and becomes one of the hero’s greatest allies.
I am, of course, talking about none other than Samwise Gamgee.
My husband and I have been rewatching our LotR movies in preparation for The Hobbit (and no, before you think it, let me assure you we’re not the people who dress up in weird costumes to see a movie). I think the sign of a great movie/story is that every time I watch it, something new strikes me. (more…)