Official 'The Hobbit' Thread - Part 8

[def28]

Gonna go see this now.

I am curious about the 48fps 3D but would it be a better choice for a second viewing? I dont want it to distract from the film.

 

[terry78]

We're all just waiting for Smaug anyway. That tease we got shows he may be on par with Weta's King Kong.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Gonna go see this now.

I am curious about the 48fps 3D but would it be a better choice for a second viewing? I dont want it to distract from the film.

I'd suggest going straight 2D for the first time if you really care about the story. The 48fps will still be there afterwards if you want to give it a go.

 

[def28]

I'd suggest going straight 2D for the first time if you really care about the story. The 48fps will still be there afterwards if you want to give it a go.

Gotcha, thanks.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

We're all just waiting for Smaug anyway. That tease we got shows he may be on par with Weta's King Kong.

Those feet and tail in the prologue, made me drool. I thought the tease wasn't very good in terms of the quality of the CGI however. But I think it is a similar situation to that of Gollum in FotR. A lack of a final design means late game stuff. I am hoping they can finally top the Balrog.

Gotcha, thanks.

I hope you have a good time. A lot to enjoy here.

 

[kedrell]

Then why isn't it a 9.99999? If it all holds your interest of course. What is the difference between a 8.5 and a 9.5?

There's holding my interest and then there's knocking my socks off. They aren't the same thing. A film that I'd give a 9 or higher to needs to hit me in a way that stuns me(preferably more than once). This film felt like more of the same that we got with the LOTR films. Given that those were excellent that's not a knock of this film at all. In my mind, giving it a 8.5/10 is saying it's not just a good movie but a very good movie. But it isn't a great movie which is what I call something 9 or higher.

Now maybe my estimation of it will change with more viewings and/or seeing it fully in context with the next two films. That we shall have to wait to see.

 

[Kane52630]

I almost forgot, seeing Gollum and his home in 48 fps another favorite of mine, the amount of detail was improved vastly and Andy Serkis pulled it off again.

 

[kedrell]

Now that I've seen it in 2-D I think I'll check out what 48fps is like.

 

[flickchick85]

I'd suggest going straight 2D for the first time if you really care about the story. The 48fps will still be there afterwards if you want to give it a go.

I'd agree with this. I found the 48fps distracting, especially in the beginning, which is of course when you want to be getting drawn into the world and all the new characters. If I could have a do-over, I would watch 2D first...but I really wanted to see that 9-minute Star Trek preview, lol.

 

[kedrell]

I'm guessing Azog will survive all the way to the end of the series to be the leader of the goblin army in the 5 army battle and give a face to that threat.

 

[mclay18]

It's nice to see Guillermo del Toro not only get a co-writing credit, but also a 'visual consultant' as noted in the end credits.

On a different note, FilmNerdJamie actually had the gall to say "If you still whine about Lucas and the prequels, but give Jackson a free pass on The Hobbit, please shut up."

Wow... no where is "The Hobbit" being as reviled as "The Phantom Menace". And even though Jackson's bad tendencies have worsened over the years (like slow-mo and bloated running length), he can still conjure up cinematic magic.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

There's holding my interest and then there's knocking my socks off. They aren't the same thing. A film that I'd give a 9 or higher to needs to hit me in a way that stuns me(preferably more than once). This film felt like more of the same that we got with the LOTR films. Given that those were excellent that's not a knock of this film at all. In my mind, giving it a 8.5/10 is saying it's not just a good movie but a very good movie. But it isn't a great movie which is what I call something 9 or higher.

Now maybe my estimation of it will change with more viewings and/or seeing it fully in context with the next two films. That we shall have to wait to see.

Ah, but isn't that what pacing is all about? That is how I feel about films like "The Empire Strikes Back", "The Fellowship of the Ring", "Pride and Prejudice", "Seven Samurai", "His Girl Friday", "Gone with the Wind", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", "Goodfellas", "Pulp Fiction", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", etc. Scene after scene is transfixing. There is no holding my interest, it has my interest and is making sweet love to it. t:

 

[Kane52630]

It's nice to see Guillermo del Toro not only get a co-writing credit, but also a 'visual consultant' as noted in the end credits.

On a different note, FilmNerdJamie actually had the gall to say "If you still whine about Lucas and the prequels, but give Jackson a free pass on The Hobbit, please shut up."

Wow... no where is "The Hobbit" being as reviled as "The Phantom Menace". And even though Jackson's bad tendencies have worsened over the years (like slow-mo and bloated running length), he can still conjure up cinematic magic.

Seems like FNJ's antics haven't changed.

 

[kedrell]

Ah, but isn't that what pacing is all about? That is how I feel about films like "The Empire Strikes Back", "The Fellowship of the Ring", "Pride and Prejudice", "Seven Samurai", "His Girl Friday", "Gone with the Wind", "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly", "Goodfellas", "Pulp Fiction", "Raiders of the Lost Ark", etc. Scene after scene is transfixing. There is no holding my interest, it has my interest and is making sweet love to it. t:

Every one of those films(that I've seen, anyway) all had some point at which they lost my interest. That is, a valley. But their peaks were such that they overcompensated for those lulls. The Hobbit to me had less of a wide difference between it's lows and highs. True that it's highs weren't THAT high as in some of those other films but neither were it's lows as low.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I'm guessing Azog will survive all the way to the end of the series to be the leader of the goblin army in the 5 army battle and give a face to that threat.

What do you think Bolg is? He could have easily been the face of the threat. He actually is.

 

[Kane52630]

Yeah I have a feeling we will see [BLACKOUT]the end of Azog[/BLACKOUT] and the rise of Bolg in the 2nd film with Battle of the Five Armies in the 3rd film.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Every one of those films(that I've seen, anyway) all had some point at which they lost my interest. That is, a valley. But their peaks were such that they overcompensated for those lulls. The Hobbit to me had less of a wide difference between it's lows and highs. True that it's highs weren't THAT high as in some of those other films but neither were it's lows as low.

For me they have no lows. And it isn't in ways where I am looking for something either. No subtext needed if that makes sense.

With The Hobbit I was smiling constantly, but there were more then a few moments when I was thinking, yeah I like this but lets get going. The ride in the rain followed by Radagast is one of those moments in abundance.

 

[DarknessOfDeath]

Is there a pic of Blog?

 

[Marvolo]

What I dont undeestand is why they didnt have

Spoiler

Thorin kill azog at the end of this film and have Bolg after him in film 2&3.

It would have given this film more of a sense of completion and a better arc for thorin in this film. I guess I understand they wanted Bilbo to have his moment and earn Throin's respect but it seemed off the way that fight went down.

 

[Kane52630]

Is there a pic of Blog?

 

[kedrell]

What do you think Bolg is? He could have easily been the face of the threat. He actually is.

I suppose that's possible but as we haven't seen Bolg yet and Azog is being built up Lurtz-style I'd have to put my money on him. On a side not, do we think Smaug will be defeated in the next film or will that be held off to part 3?

Edit....nevermind. Looks like Bolg WILL show up based on that picture.

 

[DarknessOfDeath]

Nasty Orc...

 

[Kane52630]

I'm actually surprised that we haven't seen any official photo of Azog yet. It was a nice surprise to see what he looks like without getting spoiled.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

What I dont undeestand is why they didnt have

Spoiler

Thorin kill azog at the end of this film and have Bolg after him in film 2&3.

It would have given this film more of a sense of completion and a better arc for thorin in this film. I guess I understand they wanted Bilbo to have his moment and earn Throin's respect but it seemed off the way that fight went down.

Because it is 3 movies now and I think they want someone for Thorin to kill in the final battle. In other words, the story doesn't matter.

Glorious.

I suppose that's possible but as we haven't seen Bolg yet and Azog is being built up Lurtz-style I'd have to put my money on him. On a side not, do we think Smaug will be defeated in the next film or will that be held off to part 3?

Edit....nevermind. Looks like Bolg WILL show up based on that picture.

Lurtz got his head cut off in the first film. I am not doubting you though, it feels like the unnecessary move that Jackson would make.

 

[Kane52630]

I suppose that's possible but as we haven't seen Bolg yet and Azog is being built up Lurtz-style I'd have to put my money on him. On a side not, do we think Smaug will be defeated in the next film or will that be held off to part 3?

Edit....nevermind. Looks like Bolg WILL show up based on that picture.

Lurtz got his head cut off in the first film. I am not doubting you though, it feels like the unnecessary move that Jackson would make.

Imagine if they did kept Lurtz for the other films (at least up until the Battle of Helms Deep). I would've loved it.