Is There an Issue with J.R.R. Tolkien Being a Christian?

Ridiculous but true: some "Tolkien fans" actually complained on the Internet because an article dared to present J.R.R. Tolkien as a devoted Christian (!). The reaction was simply terrifying: a number of so-called fans, not numerous but very aggressive, attacked the article author for spitting out that horrible label, claiming that they should "leave Tolkien untouched by Christianity" or something like that.

It doesn't take a brilliant intellect to simply know that Tolkien was a Christian. It's been stated a billion times and from highly reliable sources. He simply adhered to that faith and, by all means, it seems he actually practiced it. There is plenty to prove that, whether his fans like it or not. Now, to claim that he should never be mixed with his declared faith is beyond ridiculous. It's incomprehensible. Firstly, one cannot be seen as a Tolkien fan if they are not aware of whom this author was and what he was about. Information like this has never been hidden. It doesn't matter what his work was like. It could be 100% pagan. The man was a Christian, as everyone around him knew and all scholars and real, educated fans know to this day.

It's no isolated case. Many anti-theists and fanatic atheists often happen to be in denial. Their intolerance to Christianity reaches aberrant levels. One excellent example is the infamous C. Carrie, of whom we shall only mention very little. this is a person who normally wouldn't deserve a mention, but I believe it's necessary to point some things out for those who have not had the chance to find out.

This man's hatred for Christianity wouldn't allow him to accept that a Christian writer could become so famous and inspire millions. You may look it up, the case is well explained online. It looks like this Carrie hated it so much that he started a fake pedophilia scandal in an attempt to defame the author's son, Fr. John Tolkien (Hating a Catholic priest? You know what to do! Just accuse him of pedophilia!). He wouldn't stop, but actually drag other members of the Tolkien family to the court. If you find his comments, you realise what he's all about - just pure hatred for Christians. Thankfully, he lost big time.

Even if Tolkien didn't write his works as Christian allegory, you cannot separate his faith from his art. It can never be done, because a faith - any faith - or lack thereof, is deeply embedded into a man's being. It is the sum of all that they believe about the world, about life, about how people must behave. If you know what Christianity really is about, you will find it in Tolkien's work. It's in the message, attitudes, in the choices made by characters, in the final developments, the moral layer and much more. The work itself doesn't have to be in any way Christian, but the essence will always shine though, simply because artists don't just adopt different views than the ones they've got. And why would they? After all, each artist is trying to promote something. Naturally, it is in tune with what they believe.

To those saying that "you can be food without Christianity", a little more education would do good. in Christianity, there are many more aspects that go beyond the common rules of 'being good'. It's a wholly different paradigm.

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (Review)

As of 20 December 2014, I joined the ranks of those who could proudly wear a t-shirt with the "I survived BOFA" inscription. Many tears were shed, priorities were re-checked and all hope was lost. Not sure if that qualifies as proper surviving though...

Much has been speculated, many endings envisioned... Like some dedicated fans have said, this version that we saw on screens was probably the best possible for a story that was, sadly, rather carelessly written by master Tolkien (all made worse by the film team's efforts to make it more mature and more fitting to LOTR - therefore more tragic for the audience). I'm not meaning to be disrespectful to the author. It's just that The Hobbit as a book was not intended as a piece of writing for adults, nor was it meant as a prequel to The Lord of the Rings. It became so only much later. The difference was huge and, when this book had to be filmed, they had an almost impossible task to deal with.

Did I like it as a work of art? Oh yes! Did I find anything to criticise? Sure, but that was too little in comparison to all the things I applauded. The 'sins' of this 3rd installemnt can be easily counted as below:

• poorly inserted comic moments (I know there is a rule of breaking tension or tragic moments with a comic relief, but it didn't work here. Yes, I'm looking at Alfrid.)
• subplots and story moments that were important to the theatrical version but were left for the EE
• too much fight scenes with Legolas, for the sole purpose of pleasing his fans
• rushing events and leaving too much to the EE.

Generally, there was this obvious struggle of having to please both the old fans of the Elves and the new ones, of the Dwarves. I understand it was a tough thing to do, both sides demanded to be pleased. As for the often-mentioned 'rushed pace' of the film, it's the whining viewers to blame. Honestly, I have no idea why they were even cared for. they were the ones to complain about the length of the two films (and no real fan would ever want less of what he loves!) and now I bet it's the same ones that whine about how it's been cut too short.

Let's go on to the juicy part now... although it's hard to have any positive attitude when it comes to a film that's grabbing your heart and tearing it to pieces, a film that's built the most lovable characters for you, only to have them mercilessly killed by deadly weapons in the end.

Success Is Counted in Tears

Well, we can look in a different way at it, though.
Tragic as it may be, it succeeded in drawing many tears in every theatre around the globe. For weeks during the screenings (and even weeks before), pretty much every Hobbit-related social media comment would mention tissues for the tears. That is another definition of success - to make people cry at your show. Congrats for that! I bow down to those who managed to give Thorin Oakenshield a heroic death and who made those plot twists that clearly showed who was more of a villain and provided some ways of evolving (Thranduil being metaphorically slapped for his bitchy-ness and then admitting his parenting failure - Yes, thank you!)

Shakespeare comparisons

This is not your average fantasy/medieval/hero production. This is something far deeper and complex. Don't get fooled by its popularity and take it for an action flick set in mythical times. A psychologist would find a lot of delight in this film, especially in seeing what exactly is happening to Thorin and to his friends in close connection to him. The 'madness' is so realistically portrayed! Richard Armitage knew so well what he was doing there. He can act with even the smallest muscles on his face. He can show you one emotion, then go to its opposite in a split second. These quick changes are impressive and what's even more impressive is that they are real - they really happen so when one is affected in that way. There is no exaggeration about that.

Thorin here is a deeply troubled character, a king with a burden. Consumed with his duty feeling of protecting the treasure and facing the reprimand of others, as well as the hostile armies at his gate, he goes through a personal inferno and comes out of it on his own. He's brave beyond measure, fair in his dealings with the enemies, stoic, caring and truly warm to those whom he cares about... and really takes on the role of a magnificent, legendary warrior king. It was pleasing to see that even those bitter, usually overly critical reviewers have said grand words about his interpretation and compared his drama to that of Shakespearean kings.


Bilbo. Martin Freeman. Damn, he can act!

His acting is superb here. I don't know who was responsible with writing his final lines next to a dying Thorin, but that person should be probably banned somehow... My apologies, but that makes me burst into tears whenever I think of it! "The eagles are coming... Thorin... the eagles are coming", all said in a cracking voice, so innocently, like a child hanging on to the smallest hope... No, that was too much. That was premeditated murder of thousands of sensible fans.

Some voices informed that the scene we're talking here was mostly spontaneous and the actors never really rehearsed it. If this is truly the case, it's hats off again...


The one scene that's worth all the gold in Erebor. And then some.

Is there anything more touching than the Bilbo-Thorin scene? For me, it is. And it's touching in a most positive way. Thorin charging for battle. There, I said it. As he comes out of Erebor followed by his loyal Dwarves, with Dain shouting enthusiastically "To the king, to the king!", I can't help but feel shivers from head to toes. It makes me ecstatic. It's beyond goosebumps. The cinematography is excellent, it builds anticipation in a stunning way. Just watch as the huge bell smashes the gate and the camera goes backwards... yet you can't see a thing coming out of the mountain, but you expect it, and seconds later they appear, running full speed but in slow motion. Fabulous! That's the one scene that gets me every time, that seems the best of the entire movie... of the trilogy... of maybe of all 6 movies?

I'm usually judging my films based on my first reaction to them. Nevertheless, I'm surely paying attention to how my feelings change with the 2nd, 3rd, 4th viewing... and this battle charge hasn't changed a bit. 100% success. I just want to install a big screen on a wall of my room to play that scene in a loop. I need it in my life.

Pleased with the fan service

Of course, some basic needs couldn't be left out! A sure fan favourite is Thorin's majesty being completed by a most majestic battle mountain goat (or battle ram, as is frequently encountered). apart from this, it was vastly enjoyed that Kili finally learnt to smoulder majestically, like his uncle. Not only that, but he actually breaks into some serious anger there, shouting about how he's not going to let others fight their battles for them. Then comes that sweet Thorin and Kili family moment. Precious! Dwarf fans like me also got a generous share of fun and joy as Dain was allowed to mock Elf king Thranduil by calling him a 'woodland sprite' (it gets a satisfied smirk from me every time). Another moment of similar intensity (but of a very different tone) was when brave Tauriel confronted the same elf king and called him loveless.

No Tauriel hate, really. Her presence is essential, she gets to oppose characters and attitudes that are so negative. I can't describe how happy I am to see someone facing Thranduil and wording out his biggest flaws. Also, she's one to show that the Dwarves are cared for, that they can conquer and melt hearts, which is important for this film. Ultimately, she is the voice of the fandom. "Because it was real" speaks volumes about who we are and how we feel as fans... and why it hurts to see BOFA. That may be an overly simple dialogue, but she's right. Too right.


Further thanks to Howard Shore for extending some of his best musical themes.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Review & Richard Armitage's Perfect Thorin

This could have been an early review, as I watched the film right on its premiere night in Madrid, but in the torment of events I could not allocate the needed time for this post. Is it better than AUJ? Is it more like LOTR? Considering that AUJ was pure bliss to me, I can only say about DoS that it is equally stunning, but in a very, very different way.

The editing is much closer to LOTR, the succession of thrilling events is spectacular, the details are too many to remember after just one viewing. Finally we see Smaug in full and there is a lot of it. Wonderful!


Attention, heavy spoilers begin.

• The opening scene is gold. It's taken straight from my most daring dreams and from The Quest for Erebor/The Appendices. It is beyond delightful to see Thorin's meeting with Gandalf at The Prancing Pony, all bearing some obvious similarities with the Aragorn scene in the same location. Great way to start it!

• Beorn comes in quickly. Serious action begins really soon and the pace rarely slows down throughout this film. The bad guys Azog, Bolg and the Necromancer also make an entrance very soon. The Mirkwood scenes, especially those with the spiders, are well crafted, thrilling and rendered in a unique way.

• Legolas, Tauriel and Kili - In all honesty, I found myself enjoying this triangle, although I was strongly opposing the presence of the new feminine character. However, Tauriel does find her place in the story, acts in a decent manner, metaphorically slaps Legolas when he doesn't care about the fate of the world and has a strong sense of purpose. The only down side is that Kili seems way too much into her and that feels sort of overplayed. In any case, Kili playing it cool with Tauriel in the beginning was adorable. Smart boy, he really gets to melt her heart.

• Bard is a well played character. Kudos to Mr. Luke Evans, he did a wonderful job and I could

empathise with Bard, even though he opposes Thorin (and Thorin is always right, keep that in mind, ok?). His confrontations with the Dwarf king make the story a lot more tense.

• Laketown. Sit back and absorb its beauty. Laketown was made to be fascinating in such a different way. It is a city of humans, where poverty, ruin and apathy seem to reign, yet it has a fairytale feel to it. The snowfall is a great touch. Watching Laketown felt like truly witnessing the events of a childhood story. Also, the music is stunning here. Look for the track titled "Thrice Welcome" and you will know what I mean. Perfection.

•  The amount of touching moments... If you are a fan, you might just cry a few times (hah, and we thought we'd be doing that only during the 3rd film!). Get your tissues out when Thorin has to leave Kili behind (and when Fili decides that he stays too, because he belongs next to his brother). Also, it is quite impressive when Thorin finally finds the entryway to Erebor - but alas, can't open the door! I could add also the moment when he finally enters the mountain... and so on...

•  Bombur barrel fight machine got everyone in the theatre laughing.

Now allow me to discuss the one character that stole Bilbo's spotlight right from the trilogy's start: Thorin Oakenshield. Played by the much-loved Richard Armitage, who has been visibly involved a lot in creating this character, Thorin does not yet become the frightening, corrupt guy some feared he would become. Many scenes clearly depict his emotional side. He has difficult decisions to make, has moments of weakness and gets to feel terrible disappointment at times. Just watch him as he gets to the door to Erebor and as he enters the mountain (by the way, the cadavers inside are quite a horrifying sight).

DoS turns Thorin into an action hero also. As he meets Smaug, two great forces unleash. Here comes one great moment and I am very curious to know if it was really intended like that and if other viewers have also seen it this way. It is about the liquid gold statue the Dwarves make towards the end. At first you wouldn't know it's liquid and you see the magnificent statue of the King... but then it all collapses... a metaphor for Thorin's brief reign?... That was the way I saw it. I did not have to think of it, I just felt it instantly, which makes the film a lot more extraordinary.However, a friend delivered another interpretation, which I find equally fascinating: the scene shows that Thorin is immune to his father's gold sickness and he needs no gold idols.

By the way, remember Thorin's majestic armour from the early stills from trailers? That's just something the humans give him and not the actual armour he will be using. We will see that only with the next installment and now I am pretty sure it is going to be amazing.

As for picking the best moment, I have to copy Mr. Armitage and say it was the Thorin and Thranduil confrontation. Finally, some justice. I loved the way the noble Dwarf spat all his anger to the Elf's face - and it was nothing but the truth. The way he rages and shouts at Thranduil - much more than I expected - is liberating and delightful.

I leave you now with some photos from the Madrid events with Richard Armitage and Luke Evans, two most lovely British blokes.

Richard Armitage (Thorin)

Luke Evans (Bard)

Costumed Spaniards in the theatre after the screening of DoS

Richard and Luke at Premios 40 Principales in Madrid, one day after the premiere

From the Fandom - The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug Trailer 2 Review

Sure I knew they would chisel it to the point of perfection (hello, we've been waiting it until 1 October!), but I did not expect a trailer which would have a *GASP* moment at every 2 seconds! I couldn't process the whole amount of information from the start - this trailer is an overdose!

Disturbingly cold day in my side of Europe. It gets nicer though, it brings about a scent of Christmas,. and Christmas is the time for these lovely films, isn't it? It's the first day of October though. Midday, forgetting about work tasks and pouring a cup of strong beverage. Waiting. 04:00 p.m. precisely - here comes the trailer!! Fandom, your time has come, once again!

It starts with a fake-sounding Bilbo voice trying to deal with the dragon. I can already hear all the excitement coming from the Sherlock fandom, as we are clearly about to witness some fine John/Bilbo and Sherlock/Smaug moments. Are we going to hear the voice, anyway? The big 'spoiler'? Smaug's voice? (= Benedict Cumberbatch)

Next: Thorin's known line about reclaiming his homeland, followed by Thranduil's shocking declaration: "I offer you my help". Wait, that can't be, no. This must be out of context. They're playing with us. Thranduil would never say that in reply to that! No no no... Coming quick (and another gasp) - Thorin in armour! Spoiiileerrrrr! Did we really see that, did we...?

Bard: "There is no king under the mountain, nor will there ever be." Another line to star a flame! Seriously, Bard? what sort of trolling is this? Have you skipped the Middle-Earth history classes in school or what? There were plenty of kings under the mountain, and everyone knows that. Are you Middle-Earth's chief ignorant or what? You surely beat even Thranduil himself with that. The fact that the place is vacant now doesn't mean that it's always been Dwarf-less.

Thranduil to Tauriel: "Legolas has grown very fond of you..." *gasp* Ooooh, now that's a spoiler! I can't believe they actually revealed it in the trailer! There have been so many speculations about the Kili/Tauriel and Thranduil/Tauriel pairings, all in vain! Look where the romance is in fact! Uh-oh... I just cannot believe the spoilers this trailer is delivering... (and only 50 seconds covered so far)

Bard:"You have no right to enter that mountain", says troll Bard again. To Thorin. He had some sort of bad childhood I believe. Or maybe he just really doesn't have a clue about Dwarves and he's never seen one, or ever known how one of them looks. Behold his new terrible line... to which Thorin replies, righteously: "I have the only right." Gotta love his composure when saying that, his condescended look and sarcastically 'almost whispered' voice. Nice! Please, Thorin, shove the truth in that ignorant's face.

*gasp* Army of orcs marching towards the battle field... bone chilling moment. Isn't it a bit early for that?

Sauron's eye for 1 second on the screen. It has got everything, really!

Sneaky Bilbo... "I found something in the goblin tunnel", he tells Gandalf, thinking about the ring. Suddenly he changes his mind and continues with "My courage..." Oh you little treacherous one!! It's humorous to see the next line Gandalf delivers, though.

Bard again (!), spilling his rage and hate towards Thorin, yelling from the bottom of his lungs about how "he cannot see beyond his own desire!" ...and no, things don't stop here. We are served with a beautifully acted and directed scene of how Thorin has a "respect my authority!!" moment, in which he clearly shows Bilbo, using the sword, that he cannot go into the treasure room. His treasure room. Gasping at Thorin's drastic, unexpected move. Ok, now you go and see the rest. It's crazy. We are living times of legend, like we knew we did 10 years ago. In fact, that time we couldn't really see the greatness of these films, I think...

Oh, did I mention Smaug's voice in the end, a total premiere?...


Watch The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug trailer 2 below:

Setting a Fandom on Fire: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Teaser Trailer 2013

If there is something that has truly helped me regain my faith in human kindness, virtue and friendship, it's the Tolkien fandom. During the LOTR times, it was in no way organised, as there was no big social media, but now with Facebook, Tumblr, blogging platforms and Twitter, fans have their places where they can express their excessive love without fearing the outsiders' reaction.


So how does the fandom fare in June 2013, 6 months since the great re-ignition with The Hobbit and 6 months away from the second installment of the trilogy? Well, I am glad I'm writing this 24 hours after the 2nd trailer release and not right away because, in the meanwhile, one marvellous thing has happened.

Two daring girls filmed themselves while waiting for, watching and then commenting the hot trailer - typical lovely fangirl reactions, that many respectable fans also confess to have had. One thing we need to clarify here: real, respectable fans always watch a trailer right when it's out. It's the magic of the moment. Being present right from the start, before it gets shared by your Facebook friends, is essential. And there you go, this is how you get to have all that thrill, anxiety and insane reactions when the time comes. The girls posted their video and the unexpected, the incredible happened just shortly after.

In our dear "planet Middle Earth" aka New Zealand, the big crew is still filming for The Hobbit. Besides, it seems they're keeping an eye on the fandom! This is how we got a brilliant response from Peter Jackson's crew itself to the girls' crazy little video! Lee Pace (Thranduil), Evangeline Lilly (Tauriel) and Orlando Bloom (Legolas) themselves, in the flesh, in costume, have watched the video and filmed their live reaction to it! Thumbs up guys, I'm sure no other fandom has ever been rewarded with such a gesture!

Watch the already super-famous footage here.

My reaction to the Desolation of Smaug trailer:

There's a tense, darker feeling right from the start, enhanced by a mysterious narrating voice... The Lonely Mountain now closer and more majestic, colossal entrance statues... wait, who is the narrator? For a moment I thought it's Benedict Cumberbatch as Smaug, freaked out a bit because it wouldn't sound at all like expected... then saw it was Thranduil. Oh! Fantastic job... This film really manages to create believable creatures that belong to other races... that just can't be topped. Thranduil the Elvenking looks spectacular, although I hate that, as a most loyal supporter of the Dwarves. But what is wrong with Legolas? In an attempt to make him look younger and more 'otherworldly', he simply looks 'too photoshopped'. Add the terrible eyeliner effect and you'll have a Legolas that just doesn't look like the one we knew. Hopefully this will change in the final version.
Barely any Dwarves, barely any Thorin... so scarce, yet so enrapturing! Some primitive effects and too much unrealistic tree-jumping and loops...Hopefully this will also change in the final version. Apart from these, I am overall satisfied and declare this a historical moment (which it is, with or without my acknowledgement of it)... Oh, Tauriel says one wise thing (maybe she won't be that bad) and later Balin delivers a killer line on Smaug to get the fandom gasping! Fading to black... now we must hear the dragon or have a glimpse of it... bring it on, Smaug, say something... A-ha! There is Smaug.. there he is... his face!! Unbelievable! While most people bet we would only hear the Voice, we got NO voice, but his face! Cheers to a really unexpected twist!
Bonus: unforgiving music - dark, crushing, thrilling.
Important remark: here we have one elven kingdom that isn't in the usual blueish or light colors - Thranduil's Halls in Mirkwood are so earthy in those dark honey shades!

The Trailer 24 h from its release -
Casualties so far:

• A video response from Tauriel, Legolas and Thranduil to the fan's reaction, straight from the set in NZ.

• Tumblr: within 1 hour, not only there were .gif files available, but also fanart containing these!

• YouTube:  >1,6 million views on main channel (I predicted it would easily go past 1 million). 
• 140,000 'Likes' on Facebook, >11,000 comments.

Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage)

Thranduil Oropherion (Lee Pace)

P.S.: Where is the singing? The Dwarven singing? I demand songs, as promised and confirmed by the holy words of Mr Armitage!
P.S. 2: Long live the fandom!
P.s. 3: The fandom is on fire, seriously. I can't believe how fast and active these people can be.

A little Tumblr .gif (from the trailer itself) to represent the exact situation we have here - our little trailer just coming out, with the big scary army of fans lurking and quickly setting its greedy eyes on it:

We Want Kings! On the Fascination for Monarchs (Richard III, Aragorn, Thorin)

by N. C. Wyeth

Royalty has always been impressive, and not all due to the fairy-tales hailing from medieval times. It tends to go beyond the opulence of royal families and the attractive high social status. Even the power factor itself doesn't fully justify the fascination, as we can see there is more to it. Presidents, statesmen and politicians today certainly do not have the same aura as a king, nor could ever inspire the same sympathy. 

People in need of true leaders

Even those who would never admit it still need them. Not to be controlled by them, but to be inspired. A loyal, caring but fierce, righteous and firm leader easily becomes a role model. For this reason, people have usually loved kings - those of older times mostly - and still do. Have a look at the quest for Richard III's grave. Many had even donated money to support the archeological dig. The people were there, for a king dead long ago, a king who was vilified. As the findings were made public in February 2013, enthusiasts from all over the world knew a renewed interest in ancient British royalty. It was fascinating. Moreover, it was not about him being a presumed murderer (there is nothing unusual in that, considering his era and status), not about the discovery itself even, because it could simply be reduced to a skeleton found underneath a parking place. It was about having found someone important from those times, someone who ruled and fought.

Warrior kings

King Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen)

Unfortunately, the days of true monarchs are gone. There is no way to compare an 'office ruler' to a sovereign who would take his horse and sword, charge the army and go into battle. Those sovereigns of the past were ready to die - and for a noble cause. To this aspect let us add the values they used to embody and profess. Kings, unlike state leaders nowadays, based their rule on certain ethics. Unless we are talking about tyrants, they were quite charming, captivating, awe-inspiring, courageous.

What do we have left today?

The history passionates may not feel completely deserted, because they can easily take refuge into history books and contemplate what once was. Nevertheless, this could hardly be a universal solution to our hunger for kingly values. Luckily, for the rest of us there are the books - the fiction ones especially. Also, there are the movies. It seems that, wherever we look, the best stories are those involving royalty and perhaps some war, too. 

Kings in movies and the people's reaction nowadays

Prince/crownless king Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage)

Without a doubt, they absolutely love them, plain to see. Fantasy writer J.R.R. Tolkien and now director Peter Jackson have been milking this frantically. They created fascinating monarch figures, addictive even. (The Game of Thrones is not far from that, either).

Pop culture has been invaded by long-haired, more or less bearded, armed kings and princes - characters the world once thought to be just relics, incompatible with our times. For the disbelievers, there is always available evidence online of the legacy of Aragorn Elessar, to give the most prominent example. More recently, another warrior king claimed the spotlight. As of December 2012, when the first film of The Hobbit trilogy got on screen, Thorin Oakenshield quickly gathered an army of thousands of followers. The character, although invested with traits that weren't supposed to attract sympathy, surpassed all expectations and became a detached favorite of the crowds. Handsome, incredibly daring and courageous, fighting for honor, loyal, caring for his kin, proud, determined, rugged, aware, this noble hero enraptured viewers in a way rarely seen before.

Kings with all their might, even with their burdens, turmoil and failures, embody everything that many of us find fascinating. Some may have forgotten, some may be denying it, but there is a longing for all of their kingly traits, for their rare qualities. Those like me are fully confessing it: we feel that the world has never been in a greater need of righteous kings than it is now.