【推荐1】New Zealand’s towering mountains, temperate rainforests and remote river valleys all fueled Sir Peter Jackson’s creative spirit when he was crafting (精心制作) the well-known films The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. Let’s explore New Zealand, the real Middle-earth.

Start in Hobbiton

The journey starts from the exciting urban center of Auckland to Matamata—the home of the Hobbiton Movie Set. Your knowledgeable guide will help you fully understand the history and the on-location filming processes around The Shire.

Journey to Mordor

Experience wilderness in Tongariro National Park—an area known for its mountainous, desolate (荒凉的) beauty. This region was used as the location for some of the filming of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Stand among the greenest of forests

Dewy (带露水的) scenery and natural spectacles (壮观的景象) are New Zealand’s biggest draw-cards and a sure reason why the country was chosen as the home of Middle-earth. Explore this magical world of tall trees, clear rivers and sweet bird songs on a short walk or famous multi-day hike. From Cape Reinga all the way down to Bluff there are national parks covering the country.

Discover Earnslaw Burn and the Misty Mountains Pathway

One of the most magical locations in The Hobbit trilogy is Earnslaw Burn. Here you will find sheer (陡峭的) walls of granite (花岗岩) rising 800 meters from the basin floor, and a glacier (冰川) creating a number of waterfalls from its meltwater that spill down from the cliff-tops.

【推荐2】Four Films You Might Like

Meet Me in St. Louis

It is introduced by Khori Dastoor, General Director & CEO at Houston Grand Opera. Dastoor now serves on the Board of Directors for Opera America.

Judy Garland and Margaret O’Brien star in this heart-warming music al from Vincente Minnelli. The story concerns a colorful, early 20th-century St. Louis family’s emotional experience when they learn their father has been promoted to a nice position and they must move to New York.

Breaking the Code

Named “Best Historical Film” by the Dallas County Historical Commission in 2023, Breaking the Code is a deep introduction to Vernon Fisher (1943—2023), among Texas’s most praised and important artists. Director Michael Flanagan conducted many interviews with Fisher and his students to offer a unique understanding of the humorous style of Fisher’s practice and the unusual independence of his career.

This film is free with Museum membership. Seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis.

About Dry Grasses

The latest movie from famous Turkish filmmaker Nuri Bilge Ceylan is a work based on a novel. Samet, a school teacher working in rural eastern Anatolia, hopes to move to his native Istanbul after being charged with punishing a student. A fellow teacher (Merve Dizlar, Best Actress winner at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival) offers Samet a new viewpoint on life.

The Artist’s Daughter, Oil on Canvas

A visit to her separated father’s art exhibition recover s the filmmaker’s relationship with him, but not the way she expected. Through conversations with her family, she discovers her feelings of neglect (忽视) throughout her life, and she begins to understand how much her father’s absence has damaged her sense of self, but she remains determined to find meaning from the emptiness.

【推荐3】Now that the holiday is coming, there is no doubt that it’s relaxing to watch a movie. Here we have chosen three exciting movies for you. Let’s take a look!

Chibi Maruke Chan: The Fantastic Notebook

Anime (动画)’s favorite third-grade schoolgirl is about to make the jump from 2D to 3D. Early 2022, Chibi Maruko-chan will star in her own feature film.

Maruko will jump out of her everyday life and travel on a mysterious adventure in a new world of fantasy, according to Sakura Production. “We delightedly expect everyone to enjoy the charming world of Maruko in the movie.”

Turning Red

This movie is a story based on a girl Mei Lee’s changing emotions. Mei is a Chinese-Canadian teenager. As she starts adolescence, an ancient curse put on her family means that every time she has a sudden outburst of feelings, something strange happens she turns into a giant fluffy red panda.

The message of the movie is that you don’t have to push emotions away or get rid of them to be considered a good girl or a good woman. The key is, to be yourself and be able to own your emotions.

Only Fools Rush In

The movie tells the story of a motorcycle enthusiast living in an island town. After falling in love with a waitress, he approaches her and joins her drama-prone brother’s motorcycle team, competing in local races. But their lives are turned upside down after an accident, then, the innocent young man and his girlfriend, has to go on a motorcycle road trip to Guangzhou where they end up drifting in the city as they struggle to deal with their difficult situation.

【推荐2】What will our world really be like 20 years from now? What does the future hold for the food we eat, the technology we use and the homes we live in? It would be beyond imagination--food pills, flying cars and bases on the moon--but the reality will probably be less exciting. The world in 2040 will probably be much like it is today, but smarter.

The next major food change will be vertical farming (垂直农业) in which we grow food in AI-controlled vertical buildings rather than horizontal land. We could be eating insects in 2040. Insects are rich in proteins, low in fat and a good source of calcium.

The Internet has forever changed the way people meet and fall in love. Online dating and location-based services have opened up possibilities that allow people to look beyond their friends, friends of friends, and co-workers.

We’re heading into a future where improved battery technology will make better electric cars, personal flying machines, and private space tourism possible.

Rather than humans working with machines, robots are likely to reduce some jobs. Taxi drivers will be replaced by self-driving cars, for example. Clearly, there will also be new jobs created: the computer engineer, mechanics who fix the self-driving taxis, programmers, space tour guides and vertical farmers. Technology will continue to disturb businesses and get rid of some jobs, creating new professions we can’t yet imagine.

Hospitals are the costliest part in the health system, Prevention will become the center of attention as we gain greater control of our health information.