The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring

The Lord of the Rings is an epic film trilogy consisting of three fantasy adventure films based on the three-volume book of the same name by English author J. R. R. Tolkien. The films are The Fellowship of the Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002) and The Return of the King (2003).

The films were directed by Peter Jackson and distributed by New Line Cinema. Considered to be one of the biggest and most ambitious movie projects ever undertaken, with an overall budget of $285 million, the entire project took eight years, with the filming for all three films done simultaneously and entirely in Jackson's native New Zealand. Each film in the trilogy also had Special Extended Editions, released on DVD a year after the theatrical releases. While the films follow the book's general storyline, they do omit some of the plot elements from the novel and include some additions to and other deviations from the source material.

Set in the fictional world of Middle-earth, the three films follow the hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) as he and a Fellowship embark on a quest to destroy the One Ring, and thus ensure the destruction of its maker, the Dark Lord Sauron. The Fellowship becomes divided and Frodo continues the quest together with his loyal companion Sam (Sean Astin) and the treacherous Gollum (Andy Serkis). Meanwhile, Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), heir in exile to the throne of Gondor, and the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) unite and rally the Free Peoples of Middle-earth, who are ultimately victorious in the War of the Ring.

The Fellowship of the Ring opens as Frodo came of age (at 33 years old) and Bilbo left the Shire for good on his one hundred and eleventh birthday. Frodo inherited Bag End and Bilbo's magic ring that was introduced in The Hobbit. Gandalf, at this time, was not certain about the origin of the Ring, so he warned Frodo to avoid using it and to keep it secret. Frodo kept the Ring hidden for 17 years, until Gandalf returned to tell him that it was the One Ring of the Dark Lord Sauron, who desired to use it to conquer Middle-earth.

Realizing that he was a danger to the Shire as long as he remained there with the Ring, Frodo decided to leave his home and take the Ring to Rivendell, home of Elrond, a mighty Elf lord. He left the Shire with three companions: his gardener Samwise Gamgee and his cousins Meriadoc Brandybuck and Peregrin Took. They escaped just in time, for Sauron's most powerful servants, the Nine Nazgûl, had entered the Shire as Black Riders, looking for Bilbo and the Ring. They followed Frodo's trail across the Shire and nearly intercepted him.

At the Inn of the Prancing Pony in the village of Bree, Frodo met Aragorn, also called Strider, a Ranger of the North, who became the hobbits' guide while journeying through the wilderness towards Rivendell. The One Ring slipped onto Frodo's finger inadvertently in the Prancing Pony's common room, turning Frodo invisible. This attracted the attention of Sauron's agents, who ransacked the hobbits' rooms in the night. The group, under Aragorn's guidance, quickly fled through the Midgewater Marshes and again escaped the Black Riders.

While encamped at Amon Sûl, they were found and attacked by five Nazgûl. The chief of the Nazgûl, known as the Witch-king of Angmar, stabbed Frodo with a Morgul-blade, before Aragorn routed all five of them. A piece of this blade remained in Frodo's shoulder and, working its way towards his heart, threatened to turn him into a wraith under the control of the Witch-king. With the help of his companions and Glorfindel, Frodo was able to evade the remaining Ringwraiths and reach Rivendell. Although almost overcome by his wound, once there he was healed over time by Elrond; it was said and later seen that the wound would never completely heal, however, as it was as much spiritual as physical.

In Rivendell, the Council of Elrond met and resolved to destroy the Ring by casting it into Mount Doom in Mordor, the realm of Sauron. Frodo, realizing that he was destined for this task, stepped forward to be the Ring-bearer. A Fellowship of nine companions was formed to guide and protect him: the hobbits, Gandalf, Aragorn, the dwarf Gimli, the elf Legolas of Mirkwood, and Boromir, a man of Gondor. Together they set out from Rivendell. Frodo was armed with Sting, Bilbo's Elvish knife, and wore Bilbo's coat of Dwarven mail made of mithril. The company, seeking a way over the Misty Mountains, first tried the Pass of Caradhras, but abandoned it in favour of the mines of Moria. In Moria Frodo is stabbed by an Orc-spear, but his coat of mail saves his life. They were led by Gandalf, until he fell in Moria battling a Balrog, and then by Aragorn to Lothlórien. There Galadriel, the Lady of the Woods, gave him an Elven cloak and a phial carrying the Light of Eärendil to aid him on his dangerous quest.

Having then travelled some miles down the Anduin by boat, the Fellowship reached Parth Galen. There, Boromir, having fallen to the lure of the Ring, tried to take it by force from Frodo. Frodo escaped only by becoming invisible by again donning the Ring. This event broke the Fellowship; Boromir was later slain defending Merry and Pippin from invading Orcs, who captured the two hobbits. Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas gave him a hero's funeral before setting out after the two hobbits. Frodo chose to continue the quest alone, but Sam followed his master, joining him on the journey to Mordor.

-www.wikipedia.org


Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the ring trailer

read full article "The Lord of the Rings - The Fellowship of the Ring"

The Bodyguard Movie

Rachel Marron (Whitney Houston) is an Oscar-nominated music superstar who is being stalked and sent death threats. Frank Farmer (Kevin Costner) is a former Secret Service Special Agent who served as part of the presidential protection detail during the presidencies of Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan. Frank is haunted by the fact that he was not there when Reagan was shot because he was off duty at the time. He is now a highly successful private bodyguard who protects corporate VIPs. He is hired by Rachel's manager, Bill Devaney (Bill Cobbs), to protect her after she receives a number of threats against her life and a small bomb detonates in her dressing room.

The film follows Rachel's singing career and family life. She performs Houston's hits, such as "I Will Always Love You" and "I Have Nothing." Frank is unsure about accepting the job because he sees Rachel as a spoiled diva who is oblivious to the threats against her life. Rachel's handlers had kept the bomb in the dressing room secret from her. At first Rachel looks upon Frank as paranoid and his protection techniques intrusive. Rachel's existing bodyguard Tony (Mike Starr) resents Frank's presence. But at a concert where Rachel is performing there is a riot and Frank successfully protects her from danger and as a result of his protection, Rachel falls in love with Frank. He initially tries to keep the relationship professional, but the two sleep together. However, recognizing that their relationship may compromise his protection of her, Frank breaks off their affair. Hurt, Rachel begins to push Frank's buttons by violating their security routines and attempting to sleep with his former Secret Service co-worker, Greg Portman (Tomas Arana). After she has personal contact with her stalker via a creepy phone call, Rachel realizes that she must put her trust in Frank ahead of her own desire for success. She finally recognizes the seriousness of the situation and cancels the rest of her tour.

Frank, Rachel, Rachel's driver Henry (Christopher Birt), Rachel's son Fletcher (DeVaughn Nixon), and her sister Nikki (Michele Lamar Richards) then travel to Frank's father's home, which is a large log-cabin in the mountains by a lake. Frank's dad, Herb Farmer (Ralph Waite) is a semi-retired attorney who welcomes the group to his home. At the mountain retreat, Nikki attempts to seduce Frank, and becomes angry when her advances are refused. Fletcher is almost killed the next day when a bomb explodes inside the boat he had been riding in moments before. After finding footprints around the cabin, and finding the automobiles sabotaged, they realize Rachel's stalker has followed them.

They lock down the house for the night, with plans to leave in the morning. It is then revealed that Rachel's obsessive stalker and the person trying to kill her are not the same person when an upset and drunken Nikki admits that in a drug-induced jealous fit she hired a hitman to kill Rachel, but that the letters from the stalker came before that. After Fletcher was almost killed, Nikki realized the hitman she hired would kill anyone to get to his target, including her beloved nephew. However she cannot call it off because she does not know the identity of the killer.

The hitman breaks into the house, Nikki tries to stop him, and he shoots and kills her before escaping. Frank ensures that his father, who is armed with a large caliber revolver, has secured the rest of the group on the second floor, then pursues the killer into the woods. Frank shoots at the hitman, but he escapes through the dark woods. Frank learns the next day from his Secret Service colleagues that they have apprehended the stalker and were interviewing him when Nikki was shot.

A few days later, after Nikki's funeral, Rachel attends the Academy Awards where she is nominated as best actress. As Rachel is accepting the award for best actress, the assassin attempts to murder her again with a gun hidden inside a video camera. Frank jumps in front of her to save her life, and is shot himself. Before losing consciousness, Frank fires a shot through the camera lens, penetrating the eye of the hitman, who is revealed to be Greg Portman. During the ensuing melee, Tony's eye is gouged out by Portman, but both he and Frank survive their injuries.

Frank sees Rachel off at the airport. His arm is in a sling. Frank has arranged for another protection detail to augment Tony who is back on the job wearing a black eye patch. Frank's duty having been fulfilled by successfully protecting Rachel, they part with a kiss. Frank then moves on to his next assignment.

-www.wikipedia.org

The Bodyguard (1992) - Movie Trailer

read full article "The Bodyguard Movie"

Titanic Movie

Jack and Rose

In 1912, 17-year-old first class passenger Rose boards the ship in Southampton with her fiancé Cal, the son of a Pittsburgh steel tycoon, and her mother, Ruth DeWitt Bukater. Ruth stresses the importance of Rose's engagement, as the marriage will solve the DeWitt Bukaters' secret financial problems. Distraught by her engagement, Rose considers suicide by jumping off the ship's stern. A drifter and artist named Jack Dawson stops her. Discovered with Jack on the stern, Rose tells Cal that she was looking over the ship's edge in curiosity and that Jack saved her from falling. At Rose's insistence, Cal invites Jack to dinner the following night to show his appreciation. Jack and Rose develop a tentative friendship, though Cal and Ruth are wary of the young third-class man. Following the first-class dinner that night, Rose secretly joins Jack at a party in the ship's third-class quarter.

Forbidden to see Jack by Cal and Ruth, Rose attempts to rebuff Jack's continuing advances. She soon realizes, though, that she prefers him over Cal, and meets him at the bow of the ship during what turns out to be the Titanic's final moments of daylight. They go to Rose's stateroom and she asks Jack to sketch her nude wearing the Heart of the Ocean, Cal's engagement present. Afterward, the two evade Cal's bodyguard, and make love in the ship's cargo hold. Going afterwards to the ship's forward well deck, they witness the ship's collision with an iceberg and overhear the ship's officers and designer outline its seriousness. Rose tells Jack that they should warn her mother and Cal.

Rose

Cal discovers Jack's drawing and a mocking note from Rose in his safe along with the necklace. Furious, he has his bodyguard slip the necklace into Jack's coat pocket. Accused of stealing it, Jack is arrested, taken down to the Master-at-arms's office and handcuffed to a pipe. Cal puts the necklace in his coat. Rose runs away from Cal and her mother (who has boarded a lifeboat) and releases Jack. The ship then starts to launch fireworks in order to attract any nearby ships.

Once Jack and Rose reach the deck, Cal and Jack persuade her to board another lifeboat, Cal claiming that he has arranged for himself and Jack to get off safely. After she boards, Cal tells Jack that the arrangement is only for himself. As Rose's boat lowers, she realizes that she cannot leave Jack, and jumps back on board the Titanic to reunite with him. Infuriated, Cal takes a pistol and chases them into the flooding first-class dining saloon. After exhausting his ammunition, Cal realizes to his chagrin that he gave his coat with the diamond to Rose. With the situation now dire, he returns to the boat deck and boards a lifeboat by pretending to look after a lost child.

Jack and his Friend

Jack and Rose return to the top deck. All lifeboats have departed and passengers are falling to their deaths as the stern rises out of the water. The ship breaks in half, and the stern side rises 90-degrees into the air. As it sinks, Jack and Rose ride the stern into the ocean. Jack helps Rose onto a wall panel only able to support one person’s weight. Holding the panel's edge, he assures her she will die an old woman, warm in her bed. Meanwhile, Fifth Officer Harold Lowe has commandeered a lifeboat to search for survivors. He saves Rose, but is unable to reach Jack before he dies from hypothermia.

Jack and Rose

Rose and the other survivors are taken by the RMS Carpathia to New York, where Rose gives her name as Rose Dawson. She hides from Cal on Carpathia's deck as he searches for her. She learns later that he committed suicide after losing his fortune in the Wall Street Crash of 1929.

Her story complete, Rose goes alone to the stern of Lovett's ship. There she takes out the Heart of the Ocean, which has been in her possession all along, and drops it into the ocean. While seemingly asleep in her bed, the photos on her dresser are a visual chronicle that she lived a free life inspired by Jack. The young Rose is then seen reuniting with Jack at the Grand Staircase of the Titanic, cheered and congratulated by those who perished on the ship. 

- wikipedia.org 

Titanic - Official Trailer [1997]

 
Deep-sea explorer Brock Lovett has reached the most famous shipwreck of all - the Titanic. Emerging with a safe believed to contain a diamond called 'The Heart of the Ocean', he discovers the safe does not hold the diamond but a drawing of a beautiful woman wearing it. When Brock is later interviewed on TV, he shows the drawing to the cameras, and a 100-year-old woman named Rose Calvert living in Michigan recognizes the woman in the drawing - herself! On a visit to Brock's explorer ship over the wreck, Rose tells her story of the Titanic and its ill-fated voyage. Engaged to a would-be steel magnate, Caledon Hockley, she boards the Titanic's first-class suites with him & her mother in Southampton. Also boarding are Jack Dawson & his friend Fabrizio, after a lucky poker game wins them tickets in steerage. When Rose attempts suicide by jumping off the stern in 3rd class, Jack pulls her back onto the ship...and a bond is forged between them as Jack is invited by her into 1st-class the following day. Rose's mother & Cal Hockley try desperate measures to keep them apart. But that strategy goes out the window when the Titanic collides with an iceberg, and due to a design flaw begins to sink - despite being proclaimed 'unsinkable'. Now Rose & Jack must fight to stay alive, but is young Jack already doomed because of his lower status as a steerage passenger? Written by Derek O'Cain
[IMDB.COM]

Release: 19 December 1997
Running Time: 194 min
Awards: Won 11 Oscars. Another 76 wins & 48 nominations
AFI Recognition:
100 YEARS100 THRILLS #25
100 YEARS100 PASSIONS #37
100 YEARS100 SONGS #14
100 YEARS100 MOVIE QUOTES #100
100 YEARS100 MOVIES 10TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION #83
Producers: James Cameron, Jon Landau
Executive Producer: Rae Sanchini
Director: James Cameron
Writer: James Cameron
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio (Jack Dawson), Kate Winslet (Rose Dewitt Bukater), Billy Zane (Cal Hockley), Kathy Bates (Molly Brown), Frances Fisher (Ruth Dewitt Bukater)
Genre: Drama, Romance
Domestic Total Gross: $601 million
Worldwide Total Gross: $1843 million
[AFI.COM][IMDB.COM][BOXOFFICEMOJO.COM]

read full article "Titanic Movie"

Avatar (The Last Airbender)

The Cartoon Series

Avatar: The Last Airbender takes place in a world home to humans, fantastic animals, and spirits. Human civilization is divided into four nations: the Water Tribe, the Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, and the Air Nomads. Each nation has a distinct society, wherein people known as Benders have the ability to manipulate the eponymous element of their nation using the physical motions of martial arts. The show's creators based each Bending style on an existing martial art, leading to visual differences in the techniques used by Waterbenders (T'ai chi ch'uan), Earthbenders (Hung Ga kung fu, for the most part), Firebenders (Northern Shaolin kung fu) and Airbenders (Baguazhang).

At any given time, there is only one person alive in the story's world capable of 'bending' all four elements: the show's eponymous Avatar, the spirit of the planet in human form. When an Avatar dies, this spirit is reincarnated into the next nation in the Avatar Cycle, in the order of the seasons, and must master each bending art in seasonal order, starting with the native element. 
 
Additionally, the Avatar possesses an ability called the Avatar State, which briefly endows it with the knowledge and abilities of all past Avatars as a self-triggering defense mechanism, which can be made subject to the will of the user by extensive trial and training. If an Avatar is killed in the Avatar State, the reincarnation cycle is broken, and the Avatar status will cease to exist.Through the ages, the succeeding Avatars have served to keep the four nations in harmony, and maintain world order.The Avatar serves as the bridge between the physical world and the Spirit World, allowing each to solve problems that normal benders cannot.                      source: wikipedia.org

read full article "Avatar (The Last Airbender)"