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The Lord of the Rings franchise is full of incredible moments, scenes that range from beautiful to terrible, and sometimes both. So it’s no wonder the movies inspire artists to create. In their most recent line of Lord of the Rings collectibles (or “collectables” as they are called), NZ Post has once again joined with artist Sacha Lees. Lees “worked at Wētā Workshop during the making of the films” and was one of the artists responsible for bringing The Lord of the Rings movies to life. This time Lees lends her artistic expertise to the creation of beautiful The Lord of the Rings stamps and enamel pins that celebrate The Lord of the Ring: The Two Tower‘s 20th Anniversary.

The Two Towers Commemorative Stamps (Complete with Hidden Messages)

NZ Post has brought us some tremendously beautiful The Lord of the Rings stamps. And this set celebrates one of our favorite The Lord of the Rings movies, The Two Towers. Continuing in their playful and fun tradition, NZ Post has also hidden secret messages in these stamps which should delight fans.

We love seeing some of our favorite characters, like Legolas and Gandalf, being featured in these gorgeous renditions. And the The Lord of the Rings scenes depicted on these stamps are absolutely as stunning as ever. Antony Harris, NZ Post Head of Stamps and Collectables, mentions in a release that the previous set of stamps sold like hotcakes. He notes, “These sold across the globe like nothing we had ever seen before.” And for good reason. We’ve said it before, but these stamps aren’t just stamps, or even just collectors’ items. They are works of absolute art.

Can’t see the hidden messages from afar? Well Nerdist and NZ Post have you covered. Take a look a below to see the secrets of the stamps, and then head on over to NZ Post’s website to snag a set for yourself so you can take a look up close.

Click To View Gallery

The hidden messages on the stamps are absolutely a highlight of these stamps. They really bring the spirit of The Lord of the Rings to life.

The Lord of the Rings Enamel Pins

Lees and NZ Post also use their The Lord of the Rings powers to offer us a set of enamel pins. These Lord of the Rings enamel pins may not be the first ones you’d imagine, but they bring powerful parts of the movies to life.

Currently, three LOTR pins are available:

Gollum – a silhouette of Gollum in a forest over a green background, gazing up at the One Ring

Mount Doom –  an illustration of Mount Doom with the One Ring floating above

Eye of Sauron – Bag End, Barad-dûr and Mount Doom surrounded by the ominous Eye of Sauron

We have to say, we love that these enamel pins capture the darkness of The Lord of the Rings movies. It really adds a fun element to the merchandise. These pins remind us beautifully that the world of the Lord of the Rings is a harrowing one, especially if one gets too close to Mount Doom. Danger, in its many tempting forms, lurks around the corners. We’ll feel totally badass with these pins on our vests and lapels.

The image of the Shire burning surrounded by the Eye of Sauron makes for an especially visceral pin. The vision of the Shire in flames is one of the most harrowing ones Lord of the Rings creates as it offers us a total ruination of innocence. But it also reminds us of the importance of fighting for what we love. Even if that leads us into Mordor. As Stranger Things‘ Eddie Munson might say, “The Shire is burning, so Mordor it is.” And now, there’s an LOTR enamel pin for that.

NZ Post’s LOTR enamel pins, stamps, and other collectibles are now available for purchase through their website.

Originally published on July 28, 2022.

The post NZ Post’s Enamel Pins and Stamps Celebrate LOTR: THE TWO TOWERS appeared first on Nerdist.

This past week, Fantastic Fest returned once again and took the film community in Austin, Texas by storm. 

Moviegoers and industry leaders from far and attended America’s wackiest and largest genre film festival.

Fantastic Fest was critically acclaimed as the wildest film festival in America’ by The Guardian. It was also noted as “the coolest film festival in the world” by IGN. Fantastic Fest 2022 didn’t disappoint and gave attendees promising first looks at some of the season’s most anticipated films, including The Menu, Piggy, Hellraiser, and more.

Another notable mention and well-received film is Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All, starring Timothee Chalamet and Taylor Russell. Bones and All is set to premiere on November 23, 2022, and the festival screening had one industry lead tweeting:

“I knew I’d love it but #BonesandAll just became my favorite movie of the year. What a beautifully heartbreaking cinematic experience. Both Taylor Russell & Timothée Chalamet are exquisite & Luca Guadagnino is a true master storyteller. #FantasticFest”

So, what did you miss?

Luckily for you, BGN got the inside scoop. Check out some of our film reviews below:

Visitor from the Future (premiered September 7, 2022) 

Piggy (premieres October 14, 2022)

The Menu (premieres November 18, 2022)

Fantastic Fest officially kicked off on Thursday, September 22, 2022, and yesterday marked the end of the legendary film festival. The quirky, fun event was perfectly suited for Austin’s renowned love of all things weird.

If you’re new to Fantastic Fest, you’re not alone. It was my first time, too!

Historically, Fantastic Fest has always been a genre festival. The event typically caters to cult-classic crowds and hosts films from all over the world. Whether it’s action, fantasy, science fiction, or horror, Fantastic Fest has advocated for productions big and small. In fact, the festival has even been the host of world premieres for huge fan faves such as John Wick, Zombieland, Bone Tomahawk, and Frankenweenie.

Q&A with Hong Chau from The Menu (Photo Credit: Jack Plunkett)

How do films get selected for screenings at Fantastic Fest?

In their own words: 

“The festival is dedicated to championing challenging and thought-provoking cinema, celebrating new voices and new stories from around the world, and supporting new filmmakers. We work with various other festivals, archives, cinematheques, and individuals to spotlight lesser-known film regions, luminaries, and more in an ongoing effort to expand the general knowledge and appreciation of cinema.”

“We’re committed to supporting film in its most provocative, ground-breaking, and underseen forms, and giving the audience a chance to find new favorites and future genre classics. Each year we bring together fans, guests, industry, press, and others in an inclusive and fun environment for a weeklong celebration of film in all its forms through carefully curated screenings and events, both in and outside of the theaters.”

Although Fantastic Fest has been held for almost 20 years, it sometimes goes under the radar even amongst the most avid movie fanatics. I was surprised that it has historically been hosted at the Alamo Drafthouse since 2005.

Why the Alamo Drafthouse?

Well, it turns out that one of the founders of Fantastic Fest is none other than entrepreneur Tim League. Tim is the founder of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema chain and Drafthouse films. As an Austin native and local film producer, it’s no surprise to see why Fantastic Fest calls Austin its home.

Also, can I just say that if you haven’t had the herb parmesan popcorn at Alamo Drafthouse…you are SERIOUSLY MISSING OUT! I mean, was nobody going to say anything until I went??! My gosh!

Who is Fantastic Fest for, and is it worth attending?

If you love movies, ABSOLUTELY!

If you desire the opportunity to be one of the first to see specially curated indie films and big-time productions, YES!

If you want to support up-and-coming directors, artists, writers, and creatives, HECK YEAH!

If you want to connect with super down-to-earth industry professionals and fellow movie fans, THIS IS FOR YOU!

If you’re a horror or sci-fi fanatic who wants variety, NEED I SAY MORE?

If you’ve been waiting to explore diverse international films and documentaries without the added expense of flying internationally to attend large-scale festivals, COME ON OVER! 

If you couldn’t tell, Fantastic Fest 2022 was a major success. This first-timer had an absolute blast! It was quirky, humble, fun, and full of wonderful surprises. My favorite film was The Visitor from the Future – HANDS DOWN! I hate to admit it, but it was actually the movie I had the lowest expectations for when I walked into the theater to take my seat. However, within three minutes of the movie starting, I was immediately enthralled and laughing in tears. 

Goodness, even writing about it at this very moment brings a fond smile to my face! It’s safe to say I am obsessed with this hilarious French comedy and it was my personal standout winner of the event!

Till next time, y’all!

Don’t Worry Darling is a well-acted dystopian reality whose press tour drama really sells something the movie doesn’t quite have.  

We’re getting to a point in movies where the outrage of inequality is no longer just wearing black to the Oscars. The fruits of the labor are making their way to the big and little screens, and films are becoming the change they want to see in the world. Or the change the world has been demanding it makes. Unfortunately, some of the TV shows and films have you feeling…to quote The Matrix, “not like this…” The trailer of Don’t Worry Darling was giving very Midsommar, very Devil’s Advocate. It showcased a little bit of horror, a little bit of the avant-garde, and a STACKED cast. You may have heard about the film from its slew of rumors. You might not remember it by name, but you’ve heard about the mysterious tensions and speculations revealed during the press tour.

So, let’s get to the elephant in the room; what is with all the drama!? Did Harry Styles really spit on Chris Pine? Was Shia Lebouf really fired, does Florence Pugh hate Olivia Wilde? This isn’t a gossip column so I can’t say that I have all of the answers, but this Vice article runs down exactly what the drama is really about. While it sounds like Pugh wants to focus on her performance and Harry Styles probably didn’t spit on Chris Pine on stage, the real-life drama surrounding this film is more intriguing and mysterious than the film itself. Is the drama real or a publicity stunt? Since no one really knows any horror stories from set or any real beef, it could all just be a way to get people in the seats.

Before I get into the peaks and pits of the film – there will be light spoilers ahead so if that really concerns you for this film, you’ve been warned. 

Flip Your Lid

Truth be told, Don’t Worry Darling is a Stepford Wives tale retold at an age when we don’t need 1950s suburbia to tell a feminist story. The movie could have flipped the idea on its head in a provocative and forward-thinking way but in the end, it’s almost exactly what you think it is. The film looks at what happens when men are fed up living in a woman’s shadow. Contrary to what many believe, I am always rooting for movies to be beyond amazing. So, I even chalked this movie up to a commentary on the reversal of Roe v. Wade and women no longer having agency or control over their bodies. But that is me projecting and giving something to the film that most likely was not the intention. The problem is the movie uses a cast that has more talent than the story can hold and brings yet another white-centric feminist POV. If you’ve read my She-Hulk article co-written with my fellow nerd Frantz Jerome, you know this is an issue that I’ve recently explored. 

Let’s ease you into it all and start with the facts. The Stepford Wives in all of its re-tellings has always had stellar casting. Peter Masterson in the original with Kathrine Moss (The Graduate) to Nicole Kidman, Christopher Walken, and Bette Midler in the 2004 remake. This film is no different. Florence Pugh has proved time and time again that we will never know to what bounds her range has. Harry Styles, who is better known as the heartthrob boy band member of One Direction, has been really making a name for himself in the movie world. As we know, he even joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Eros in the Eternals film. 

Pugh plays Alice Chambers wife to Styles as Jack Chambers. They are living in this 1950s experimental community of Victory California where the men are working on a very important project for the government. Every morning the women make them breakfast and all the men leave at the same time to their wives waving as they drive off into the distance. While the men are at work doing…whatever – because the women actually don’t know and can’t ask questions, the women stay at home cleaning or going shopping or taking care of the kids. Yea, it’s all laid on pretty thick. Now, this community is created and run by Chris Pine’s character Frank. The style, roles, and responsibilities, their status, and their entire way of life is manufactured by this man. That right there is a little straightforward on the message. Frank runs the place with a cult-like energy. People fiend to be near him, they fawn over him.

In all of this, there is one rule in the community…you don’t go beyond the community bounds. The desert location makes it very undesirable anyways. But in all this something is off. Like all of it, the whole damn thing. Why are we here? Why did we agree to this?

Ain’t That a Bite

As we learn more about the characters, Alice (Pugh) is best friends with Bunny, Olivia Wilde’s character. She’s like a den mother for some reason. She knows everything and really keeps the ladies in line. When they sound like they’re getting curious, she shuts them down. But in the midst of this, there is Margaret played by Kiki Layne. The only Black character and what seems to be the only Black family in the community. She becomes quickly “unhinged.” Margaret knows something is up and becomes the catalyst for the unfolding of Alice and the road the the ‘big’ reveal. 

As the story progresses, Alice begins to see things we don’t quite understand but are visually intriguing: images of synchronized swimming, Frank’s voice repeating his ideals or mantras ringing in her head, and visions of being suffocated. Yes, the metaphor of the world closing in around her personified – and quite literally being suffocated. As Margaret unravels so does Alice. Again, we see the commentary of women being so easily dismissed as crazy and needing ‘fixing’ throughout the film. 

Herein lies my Black Nerd Problem. Margaret doesn’t get to be a person. She is truly a mechanism to drive the main character to her imminent ‘madness.’ We see her in moments and at the precipice of what we are to believe is insanity. While I’m all for having Black characters present, having them exist solely to go “crazy” and be the crux of the white character’s arc feels a bit ick. If we think about the time. It’s the 50s and in an intentional community they probably don’t even welcome the ‘Blacks’ so.. accurate I guess.

The film is not without its representation. The cast also consists of characters of Indian background and Chinese background with Asif Ali playing one of the husbands and Gemma Chan as Frank’s wife. There are Black and brown people present. Execution is a big factor for me and if I were to switch some roles around, I would have cast Kiki Layne as Bunny and Olivia Wilde as Margaret. This would have alleviated some of the trauma connected to Black bodies in film and given her a more prominent role. Still would have played into the ‘Black best friend’ trope (who definitely drank the Kool-Aid), but not the crazy outlier who is made an example of. 

Got it Made in the Shade

As bad films go, I wouldn’t say this is completely one of them. Where this movie excels is the performance. The cast out acts the script at every beat. Which makes you feel the intensity, but unfortunately it does not match up with the film as a whole. I found myself feeling moved by Pugh and Styles’ fights and then quickly feeling like why am I feeling so intense? It was like watching A Marriage Story, very dramatic and very well acted but for an average story. That aside, every actor gave this feature their all. Chris Pine was seductively creepy, and we’re surprised to see actors like Nick Kroll (Big Mouth) and Kate Berlant (Sorry to Bother You) all of whom really immerse themselves in the world. The visuals strike you and pull you into wanting to know more, wanting to understand really what is behind the curtain. 

Once the truth is all revealed, it all feels very meh, and you find yourself saying ohh ok – that’s a decision. The editing confused the watcher at times, and it may have been on purpose so the audience feels like they are trapped in some weird nightmare right along with the main character. Sadly, the end was a high-octane car chase with not a very big payoff. The twist does not diverge enough from the Stepford Wives to make you really buy into the experience at a deep level. All of this is fine. It makes it a fine film. 

For me, the story is written, it seems, with whyte feminism in mind: The male domination narrative and the idea of perceived control and the woman prevailing and escaping the nightmare of someone else’s paradise. This is yes, a story that is not extraordinary and women should have the ability to just create. We can make films that tell the story that moves us and have a message that doesn’t have to break a mold or live up to some higher expectation. This is all true. For whyte women, that is much easier to accomplish and to get a cast of their dreams. The advancements in the world are happening, and I’m excited to keep moving the needle. This time around if you want a feminist story that goes beyond, makes you feel seen, and have you feeling powerful, head to The Woman King. You’ll wanna watch Don’t Worry Darling for just an interesting take on a classic feminist story. 

Cover image via The Union Journal

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The post ‘Don’t Worry Darling:’ You’ll be Alright appeared first on Black Nerd Problems.

Orcs on The Rings of Power have a new home in the Southlands. But it was a man, acting on the orders of an elf, who opened the door to one of the most notorious locales in all of Middle-earth: Mount Doom. However, none of them will claim it as their own. All of Mordor will soon belong to Sauron, who will forge the One Ring in the fires of the infamous volcano. Mordor was not even a location on Middle-earth’s map when The Rings of Power began, but soon it will be a bane to all the forces of good. Why was that land of darkness lying in wait underground, though? And why was Theo’s sword hilt the key to creating Mount Doom and unlocking Mordor’s power in The Rings of Power? Those answers date back to the First Age of Middle-earth and the original Dark Lord, who made a secret plan to ensure his fight would never end.

Morgoth and His Volcanic Kingdom of Evil, Angband

Morgoth was Sauron’s master and Middle-earth’s first Dark Lord. But he did not begin his reign of terror from the now familiar Mordor and Mount Doom. Instead, one of the places he ruled from was his kingdom of Angband. The kingdom sat beneath the Iron Mountains of Middle-earth, which protected Angband, in the far north. After Morgoth’s first defeat and imprisonment by the Valar, the ruins of Angband became home to orcs—whom Morgoth created. There they multiplied in great numbers.

When Morgoth eventually returned to reclaim and restore Angband, he raised three giant active volcanoes over the land. Known as Thangorodrim, these The Lord of the Rings volcanoes were taller than any other peak in Middle-earth. They served as a testament and warning of Morgoth’s growing power.

All of Angband and Thangordrim fell after Morgoth’s ultimate defeat during the War of Wrath. But they were not the only places the Dark Lord prepared as a base for evil, enter Mordor and Mount Doom.

The Origins of Mordor and Mount Doom in The Lord of the Rings Lore

Mordor sits in Middle-earth’s southeast lands, far from where Angband stood. Yet Mordor and Angband both owe their creation to Morgoth. In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Peoples of Middle-earth (curated by his son Christopher), the author wrote the Dark Lord created Mount Doom. (Also known as Orodruin—“fire mountain”—in Sindarin elvish.)

Tolkien also wrote the lands surrounding the volcano were already known as Mordor before Sauron claimed the realm as his own. (It has not been named as such on the show, yet. Nor has Sauron even identified himself.) In Sindarin, Mordor means “Black Land.” The Rings of Power made clear why it earned that name. Mount Doom’s creation blotted out the sun.

Like Angband before it, mountain ranges protect and insulate Mordor from enemies. But The Rings of Power has shown why Morgoth and Sauron designed Mordor and Mount Doom to be more than just a home for evil.

Morgoth’s Secret Plan of Succession

In The Rings of Power‘s third episode, inside Númenor’s Hall of Law, Galadriel discovered Morgoth had a backup plan in the event of his defeat. Sauron would succeed Morgoth and continue their cause in Middle-earth. That old dark parchment also said Morgoth also made sure his loyal servant would have a new place to rule from, a land we, of course, know as Mordor.

This land would be a realm “where evil would not only endure but thrive.” But since Sauron would need time to gather strength and forces, Morgoth kept this land secret. He put the power of Sauron’s future kingdom underneath a mountain, just as he had hid Angband. Only instead of the north, where elves knew Morgoth to be located, in The Rings of Power Mount Doom was lying in wait in the Southlands where Sauron could find willing allies.

The Southlands are the lands of men who fought for Morgoth. And many of their descendants wish to continue serving evil. Locating the yet unnamed Mordor in the land of his followers was a smart move on Morgoth’s part. On The Rings of Power, that, along with Mount Doom’s strength, may give Sauron the advantage he needs.

Sauron’s Sword Hilt as the Key to Mount Doom’s Creation on The Rings of Power

To give his children a new home, Adar gave Waldreg the key to unleashing Mount Doom from the depths of the earth. Theo’s sword hilt did everything Adar wanted. It brought darkness to the surrounding lands so orcs can live safe from the sun’s light. But, whether Adar knew it or not, he unlocked a door Sauron helped lock and wanted to open.

Sauron made the key—Theo’s sword hilt—that freed Mount Doom and created Mordor, a land first revealed in Sauron’s symbol-map. It’s where orcs and other devotees of evil will serve the new Dark Lord, not Adar. It will be home to the Second Age’s evil lord, who has waited patiently for many years to claim his kingdom he helped hide. Perhaps, now that Mount Doom has been created on The Rings of Power, Sauron might finally show his face to claim Mordor.

Most importantly, though, is that Mount Doom will be more than Angband ever was. It will do exactly as Morgoth wished; it will be a place where evil not only survives, but thrives. For Mount Doom is where Sauron will forge the One Ring to rule them all.

And that darkness will spread throughout all of Middle-earth, just as it did long ago.

Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist. You can follow him on Twitter at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.

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