19 June 2011

Movie Delights: Tintin trailer and Hobbit casting

A Belgian action-adventure hero brought to life by Americans and Brits: Tintin and his dog, Snowy (or as the Belgians and other French-speakers know him, Milou), will escape the world of bande dessinĂ©e and hit the movie screens with the aid of motion-capture, the more-than-animation, not-quite-live-action form that brought Tolkien's Gollum and many other characters to life.  I am quite thrilled at the prospect of this movie particular since two of my favourite British writers, Steven Moffat (brill writer on BBC's Sherlock and Dr. Who) and Edgar Wright, have had their pen in the ink for this adaptation.   Then the added bonus of acting favourites like Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis, what can be bad about it: Rien.  Just look at the trailer...



Finally it is confirmed that Sherlock (aka Benedict Cumberbatch) will be joining his Watson (aka Martin Freeman) in Middle-earth as the dragon, Smaug!  Sir Peter Jackson has confirmed it on his FB page along with other casting news of Bard the Bowman and a new character who will be played by Evangeline Lily of Lost fame.  As Ian McKellan noted in his blog (and what made me come to my own conclusion that BC would be the infamous dragon) was the mention of being the third double-act in the precursor (not prequel) to The Lord of Rings trilogy.  It's elementary, my dear Baggins.  How could they be a double-act once again if it was Smaug pitted against Bilbo?  And, so it is and I can't wait!  Cumberbatch and Freeman work brilliantly well together.  I have no doubt that a Smaug vs. Bilbo confrontation will be just as brilliant as Sherlock and John's collaboration.
Sherlock and Watson transform into Bilbo and Smaug for The Hobbit.



So,  to the figurine travelers, you know who you are: how did you seeing fancy seeing yourselves in the trailer?  Dupont, I saw you behind that newspaper!  Travelers, look who turned up and has been missing the telling tales of your adventures...Snowy/Milou.  He very much regrets that he didn't get to go along and has to instead make due with facades and trailers...
Where in the World?
My report has been made,therefore, a return report is expected from Dupont or the Professor.  Your time is almost up.

03 June 2011

Delightful Travel...In British Columbia

For a self-proclaimed Anglophile,  British Columbia (BC-initials for many a good thing!) is quite a surprise.  How excited was I to see signs on the highway for Surrey and Westminster thousands of miles away from the originals!  But it seems the reference and resemblance to its colonial roots may end there.


Though a grey sky and fog sits on the waterfront and may indeed rival cold days in Britian, BC and, in particular Vancouver, can rival any American metropolis on the West or even East coast.  Last night saw an, what I gather was an unusual event in the city:  sports frenzy.  Like many Canadian cities, a pride of Vancouver is their NHL team the Canucks (I know I am spelling it wrong) and I managed to arrive just in time for it to show.
Upon arrival, one could already see the specks of blue and green (Canuck colors) spattered around the city dwellers and as the evening drew on and game time approached the specks became blobs and the blobs became masses.  Granville Street, a main city strand (and the location of my hotel) amassed itself in a sea of blue and green as hockey-goers filed into bars and out on the streets.  Even heard chants that made seem like a football (soccer) win rather than hockey...

Canadians celebrate after a hockey win (thanks to Katy for the pic)


Today the weather and the streets are calm, relatively.  I finish up my quick trip and head back down to the States.