What’s the last movie you watched?

[Bini]

Turbo.

I hadn't heard anything positive or negative about this movie - nothing - then last night we saw that it was on Blu-ray at Redbox. This movie is fantastic. It has a great moral to the story and the graphics are top notch, which of course, is no surprise because DreamWorks does a fabulous job with all their projects. I loved that they made the main cast Hispanic for this film. I hope to see more ethnic diversity in these animated films.

[mirkwood]

Gallowwalkers. It was okay. I was hoping for the "zombie apocalypse" in the old west setting.

A cursed gunman (Wesley Snipes) whose victims come back from the dead recruits a young warrior to help in the fight against a gang of zombies.

[dahlia]

I watched the extended version of 'Gettysburg' on YT. I have the DVD and have seen it a few times on TV, but it's worth watching every time. It's so long, I think that you can see new things with every viewing.

I have a hard time with Civil War stuff because so many died, and mostly from infection or bad treatment in the POW camps. We would never tolerate the casualty rates now. I think of the Southerners without proper clothing and shoes and the black soldiers so mistreated by the country they are fighting for.

But, the way the characters speak, the soft accent of Martin Sheen's Robert E Lee, so beautiful. I could listen for days.

[applepansy]

The Hobbit.

I was disappointed. The cinematography was gorgeous. It was well put together. They added a lot of stuff not in the book. My guess is that The Hobbit could have been made into two movies.

It was entertaining but I kept saying to my husband. "That wasn't in the book"

The other problem I had during action scenes was the camera was so close and twisty it was hard to follow the action. Especially during the barrel fight on the river.

Anatess, Yes Legolas is gorgeous.

Evangaline Lily did well as an Elf too.

Edited December 17, 2013 by applepansy

[Vort]

The other problem I had during action scenes was the camera was so close and twisty it was hard to follow the action.

They wanted you to have the feeling of being trapped in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

[Dravin]

While I'm enjoying the Hobbit films I'm not enjoying them as much as the LOTR and it's not for extra material so much (though obviously there are noticeable changes) but on it's own merits. I'm really finding I'm not a big fan of the action sequences, they go on too long and I find them kinda jumbled and cluttered. Also the whole love triangle they shoehorned in there, it's not that it's an addition but that it feel shoehorned in and has the whole, "In love in 60 seconds." aspect to it. One last complaint before I get on a roll and can't stop; I'm not a fan of the orc/goblin aesthetic in this film, I think they went overboard with the whole, "Lets have random bits of metal sticking out all over the place." Which is okay when we're talking about armor but they've got random plates of metal sticking out of their ribs and the like. It's a move with a freakin' dragon in it and the suspension of disbelief required for, "Lets shove plates of metal between his ribs as armor!" is somewhat taxing and requires effort on my part not to be thrown from the movie when it comes on screen, though I realize that's a personal peeve.

Edited December 17, 2013 by Dravin

[applepansy]

They wanted you to have the feeling of being trapped in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.

I just got dizzy and nauseous.

[Latter Days Guy]

It was entertaining but I kept saying to my husband. "That wasn't in the book"

.

Doesn't he fill in the back story using material from the appendices found in The Return of the King? If I remember rightly they contain a lot of Hobbit related stuff but it's been a while since I read any of it!

[Vort]

Aw. No one laughed at my clever and witty ADVENT/Colossal Cave ref.

I'm not angry, just hurt.

[applepansy]

Doesn't he fill in the back story using material from the appendices found in The Return of the King? If I remember rightly they contain a lot of Hobbit related stuff but it's been a while since I read any of it!

I don't know where he got it. I reread The Hobbit last year after the first one. I didn't reread the appendix

[beefche]

The story primarily centres on the middle portion of Tolkien's landmark 1937 youth novel, but Jackson and his writing partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens have expanded the narrative to include new characters and moments referenced in the appendixes of The Lord of the Rings.

Read more: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: Peter Jackson promises deeper, darker Middle-earth

[Guest]

Anatess, Yes Legolas is gorgeous.

Evangaline Lily did well as an Elf too.

Weeelll, actually, Legolas did not give me that impression in this movie. For some reason, the bright blue contact lens is throwing me off. His eyes were a darker blue in the LOTR - which makes it blend more and not pop out as "fake" too much.

But, man, that kid is super amazingly graceful with the fight scenes. It is a work of exemplary art.

Evengeline Lilly was great with the action too. The accent threw me off - she can't quite get that right but the elfin voice makes up for it. But, really, Legolas and Tauriel was a joy to watch together.

[Guest]

While I'm enjoying the Hobbit films I'm not enjoying them as much as the LOTR and it's not for extra material so much (though obviously there are noticeable changes) but on it's own merits. I'm really finding I'm not a big fan of the action sequences, they go on too long and I find them kinda jumbled and cluttered. Also the whole love triangle they shoehorned in there, it's not that it's an addition but that it feel shoehorned in and has the whole, "In love in 60 seconds." aspect to it. One last complaint before I get on a roll and can't stop; I'm not a fan of the orc/goblin aesthetic in this film, I think they went overboard with the whole, "Lets have random bits of metal sticking out all over the place." Which is okay when we're talking about armor but they've got random plates of metal sticking out of their ribs and the like. It's a move with a freakin' dragon in it and the suspension of disbelief required for, "Lets shove plates of metal between his ribs as armor!" is somewhat taxing and requires effort on my part not to be thrown from the movie when it comes on screen, though I realize that's a personal peeve.

I loved the action sequences! I watched it on Imax 3D even. And I watched it twice! Okay, okay, I really watched it again for the barrell scene.... I really really loved that one. But yes, the orc/goblins were kinda cartoonish.

[Guest]

I don't know where he got it. I reread The Hobbit last year after the first one. I didn't reread the appendix

There are stuff that is not in the appendix either. I don't ever remember reading about some elf named Tauriel anywhere in there. Or that Kili never made it to the mountain. Or that Legolas did anything on this quest...

The necromancer storyline is in the extra Tolkien material but I'm still not sure how this relates to this particular Dwarves' quest... but, I'm thinking that will be brought together in the 3rd movie. Right now, it seems like they just added it there to firmly tie this series to LOTR.

[Guest]

Blast From the Past

I thought a "gentleman" was somebody that owned horses. But it turns out, his short and simple definition of a lady or a gentleman is, someone who always tries to make sure the people around him or her are as comfortable as possible.

[beefche]

Weeelll, actually, Legolas did not give me that impression in this movie. For some reason, the bright blue contact lens is throwing me off. His eyes were a darker blue in the LOTR - which makes it blend more and not pop out as "fake" too much.

They forgot his contacts often in LOTR--he had brown eyes quite often in the movies.

But, oh my, he was really, really pretty in The Hobbit. I adore Legolas--always have. And he was fantastic in this movie!

I loved, loved, loved some of the nods to the LOTR in this movie. Peter Jackson eating a carrot, Legolas doing his sliding along a staircase on a shield thing, Gandalf's descent into darkness alone to fight evil....just great for the geek in me.

[Jenamarie]

Frozen.

LOOOOOOVED it!!! Great message! Don't be afraid of your power. :)

[Bini]

Frozen.

Had a good message but overall was not of the same calibre as "Tangled" - not even close! The character delivery was mediocre and the musical numbers were forgettable. Still cute for kids and families. Just not worthy of a re-watch ever in my opinion.

[Latter Days Guy]

I don't know where he got it. I reread The Hobbit last year after the first one. I didn't reread the appendix

The extra stuff is in the appendices of the Return of the King, from what I remember it fills in all the details about where Gandalf kept disappearing off to in the Hobbit. Tauriel is a completely new charactor made up by Peter Jackson so isn't in any of the books.

Saw Desolation of Smaug last night in 3D and though it was excellent! The 3D was amazing and the pacing of the film was spot on. Seeing Peter Jackson walking across the screen at the begining in Bree eating a carrott brought a few laughs :)

[mirkwood]

I watched Demolition Man again. Meh...it was not as good as I remembered.

[McLainDow]

I saw "The Book Theif". It was fantastic.

[Vort]

I saw "The Book Theif". It was fantastic.

Too bad you couldn't read it. Ar ar ar ar ar.

[Guest]

I saw "The Book Theif". It was fantastic.

It kinda dragged a bit but the girl was really engaging!

[Kawazu]

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Pros:

• The plot is snappier than the first movie in the trilogy. (It's my opinion that one could entirely skip The Hobbit 1–just ask any Tolkien movie fan for a two sentence summary.)
  
• It does a great job of developing its themes of personal responsibility.
  
• Less bodily function humor than The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.
  
• The audience gets to see why Gandalf was always disappearing. The question, "Why did the wizard leave so often?" puzzled me when I first read The Hobbit growing up. Now, we get to see some satisfying magical action.
  

Cons:

• The Hobbit movies, so far, do not rekindle the adventuresome, playful spirit of the original children's story. The Hobbit is about a humble homebody who discovers that he has the desire and ability to overcome the travails of the wide world. By expanding the narrative focus to include the point-of-view of many characters, a certain intimacy is attenuated between the audience and Mr. Baggins.
  

Who it's for:

"Lord of the Rings? Give me more!"

If you felt lukewarm about the first movie, I'd say the sequel is an improvement.

[dahlia]

I am reading 'Bilbo's Journey: Discovering the Hidden Meaning in 'The Hobbit,' by Joseph Pearce. If any of you saw the show on EWTN (the Catholic channel) of the same name, the show was based on the book. I think it is a good, accessible, discussion of religious and moral meaning in The Hobbit, obviously from a Catholic perspective, but still should be interesting to LDS.

I wasn't thrilled by the 1st movie the 1st time I saw it, but I've seen it a few times now and it gets better. I think we're going to see the new film tomorrow.