Genre Character of the Week: Bilbo Baggins

 So after looking over the many different characters I have enjoyed throughout the genres of Fantasy, Horror and Science-Fic... Oh who am I kidding - I just saw The Hobbit and today we’re looking at Bilbo Baggins.

Here’s what I love about Bilbo (whether played by Martin Freeman in the new film, or by Orson Bean in the animated 1977 TV Movie I grew up with), he is a small kind person who also has great courage in his convictions.  Also I love the fact that he lives a quiet, comfortable life and yet also answers the call to adventure when it comes.

Although I actually find The Lord of the Rings to be a more engrossing story, I was introduced to The Hobbit, when I was in the third grade, and Bilbo ended up as one of my favourite childhood heroes.

Gene Character of the Week: Dr. John Watson

On Christmas Day my family and I continued our yearly tradition of seeing a matinee showing at our local theatre of whatever tickles our fancy. In years past we've seen Sherlock Holmes, Gulliver's Travel's, and Yes Man (Which involved a pretty awkward scene to sit through with my two teenaged daughters). This year we saw Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, and that brings me to this week's genre character, Dr. John Watson.

Although not my favourite Watson (that would be Martin Freeman in the BBC series Sherlock), the Watson in these two most recent motion pictures based on the character is a lot of fun. Yes, he does punch, kick, and shoot much more than any other version of Watson I've come across, but at the same time, actor Jude Law does a wonderful job of showing us a character trying desperately to be a responsible doctor and husband who just can't shake his BFF Sherlock (like a fungus, Sherlock kind of grows on you).

The film was full of action and some pretty spectacular effects, and I would be remiss not to mention Jared Harris as Moriarty in a particularly chilling performance. The film was fun, impressed both my wife and my teenaged daughters and did a great job of mixing action, thrills and laughs.