The Hobbit

[BeyondTheGrave]

As someone who's never read the hobbit. I really don't care. And can pass on this.

Edited August 31, 2012 by BeyondTheGrave

[azrael]

New trailer:

Gotta love the comedic relief of the Dwarves.

[mechaninac]

That's looking pretty good, except for some of the dwarves. This is my own bias speaking, but I've always pictured fantasy dwarves to be stocky, barrel chested, bearded/hairy beings (Gimli's portrail was more in line with my expectations of those particular folk). While some of the dwarves fit the template I'm accustomed to picturing in my mind's eye, the slim, clean faced ones just look "wrong"; but this may be a case of my needing to broaden my expectations of this particular genre. I'll withold judgement until I've seen them in full context.

Edited September 19, 2012 by mechaninac

[PetarB]

I was sold with the previous one, but this looks even better. It's a pity we won't get to see the spiders of Mirkwood for a while now though, with the split, or maybe they will be at the end of the second movie? I can't wait for this one!

[Marzan]

I wonder at what point of the book the first film will finish? I'm thinking maybe at the house of Beorn, after being chased by the goblins and Wargs but before entering Mirkwood.

[Mommar]

I wonder at what point of the book the first film will finish? I'm thinking maybe at the house of Beorn, after being chased by the goblins and Wargs but before entering Mirkwood.

That would be a tough one to figure out since they originally said they've padded out/added stuff to the later half of the story and, somehow, have managed to bloat it up more recently from being two movies to being it's own trilogy.

[azrael]

It's been mentioned that they would included material from the appendices Tolkien wrote to flesh out the movies. Where they will end, well the titles might help:

An Unexpected Journey (2012), The Desolation of Smaug (2013), There and Back Again (2014)

[PetarB]

I think we would have seen some of Mirkwood in the trailer if it was in this movie... it's a long set-piece. In fact I think it may have been my favourite part of the book.

[The Shade]

My guess for the ending points for each film would be:

1) Escape from Misty Mountains or maybe after the Eagles have rescued & dropped them off. I would rather go with the Misty Mountains escape as you can then start movie 2 with the action sequence culminating with the Eagles rescue.

2) Escape from the Wood Elves (where I would not be surprised to see a Legolas cameo)

3) End of the book, with possible foreshadowing of the true nature of Bilbos magic ring.

Oh, and Petar B, I second the Mirkwood sequence. It was also my favourite part of the book.

[David Hingtgen]

An Unexpected Briefing:

(Air New Zealand often has interesting/innovative safety videos, it's a hallmark of theirs)

[sketchley]

An Unexpected Briefing:

That was... incredibly engaging.

Why can't all takeoff safety briefings be like that?

[Zor Primus]

That was... incredibly engaging.

Why can't all takeoff safety briefings be like that?

Agreed...makes for something to look forward to on a flight

I still haven't flown on a B777

[David Hingtgen]

I still haven't flown on a B777

There's more of them than the 757 or 767 now, they're everywhere if you fly across an ocean. They're even more common than every widebody trijet ever built, combined. (more than double the production run of the DC-10)

[Omegablue]

Gonna watch this for the special effects, but doubt my laughter and sighing can be withheld as like the LOTR series.

[Dobber]

That was very good! Loved the inflatable device part! Lol

Chris

[Zor Primus]

There's more of them than the 757 or 767 now, they're everywhere if you fly across an ocean. They're even more common than every widebody trijet ever built, combined. (more than double the production run of the DC-10)

Yeah, sadly they aren't used between FL and SC...and if I were to go to Chile LAN still uses 767's...I'd probably get on a 787 by LAN before a 777

[Duke Togo]

I can smell this movie coming. This is going to end up being Peter Jackson's "Phantom Menace."

[Mommar]

I can smell this movie coming. This is going to end up being Peter Jackson's "Phantom Menace."

Why?

[Mr March]

Advance buzz has been positive but reserved and the early reviews are about the same. Word is the film will be enjoyalbe, but it's not the great films we got with the original trilogy. Slashfilm has a review for anyone interested:

http://www.slashfilm.com/the-hobbit-an-unexpected-journey-hfr-3d-review-peter-jacksons-latest-is-rousing-yet-repetitive/#more-150583

I am eager to see the movie, but from what I've read many of my reservations were justified. Not sure if I'll see it in HFR or not. I suppose it depends upon what is available.

[Mommar]

"Freeman’s turn as Bilbo is particularly wonderful. You’ll see Bilbo’s personal growth throughout the film, even if he doesn’t always have a lot to do."

Essentially this is what I'd go (and intend) to see the movie for. Martin Freeman is a wonderful delight to watch and I have no doubt Bilbo will be the more charming because of him.

[Mr March]

Casting has always been a strong point of the Jackson/Walsh/Boyens films, so I'm not surprised to hear the performances are amazing. Freeman has been enjoying quite a lot of attention lately, with his Watson in the BBC series being another role attracting a lot of critical adoration. I think as a performance piece, the new Hobbit film will definitely deliver.

[Hoptimus]

I am very excited to see this. I am still worried about it being 3 movies. I could easily have seen two 2-2.5 hour films but 3 of them? Not too sure.

I am gonna go check it out when it opens. I have recently re-read the book twice in the past month.

[David Hingtgen]

I am very excited to see this. I am still worried about it being 3 movies. I could easily have seen two 2-2.5 hour films but 3 of them? Not too sure.

That's my concern as well. There's "stretching out a novel" but I never imagined they'd make a trilogy out of it, even using every other source possible to fill out bits.

[Marzan]

That's my concern as well. There's "stretching out a novel" but I never imagined they'd make a trilogy out of it, even using every other source possible to fill out bits.

Look out for the 45 minute battle scenes, specially in movie 3. That's the only way I can imagine they'll stretch it that much.

[Mr March]

I wonder if it was pressure from the studios, the producers or Jackson himself that decided the three films needed to be really long. I agree that if the Hobbit needed to be three films, why not just make each of them 90 mins and keep the format tight? There's no reason to make each one like a book from the Lord of The Rings; the story and material from the Hobbit just doesn't justify it. Plus there's tone to consider as well; the lighter, more adventurous tone of the Hobbit is very different from serious war and drama of LOTR. So why make the Hobbit into LOTR with such exaggerated length? I suppose we'll find out soon enough, but it does explain the reviews.

[Uxi]

Sounds like the first one is going to have a fairly extensive flashback with casted roles for Azog, Thror, and Thrain. Without going to into pure inventions like the Evangeline Lily character or the idea/rumor(?). Course, then there are the rumors that Azog is ressurected by the Necromancer.

[azrael]

Since this film opens at midnight and some places are having the Lord of the Rings marathons in preparation for this gawd-damn trilogy (really???) again film:

Anyone going to the midnight screenings, have fun. I'll see it in a week...when I head into my holiday vacation.

[areaseven]

Reviews are out, and it's turning out to be a bit of a disappointment compared to the trilogy.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating: 69%

[nexxstrait]

Rotten tomatoes isn't that reliable anymore, I'm afraid

[myk]

Anyone seeing it at midnight?

[areaseven]

Rotten tomatoes isn't that reliable anymore, I'm afraid

Then what is?

[myk]

Then what is?

Macrossworld is!

[sketchley]

Then what is?

Ebert is!

[Duke Togo]

Rotten tomatoes isn't that reliable anymore, I'm afraid

It's as reliable as it ever was. Fact is even the positive reviews of this movie are mixed at best.

[Dynaman]

Ebert is!

He really is, even when I don't agree with his opinion he always gives enough of a description for why he did or did not like a film for me to decide if I would like it or not. Other reviewers, not so much.

Only exception was the time he went off the deep end about something - I don't even remember what it was, perhaps he was on some kind of medication at the time and needed his dosage changed.