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The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug trailer
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17097 posts
i know some people disliked the first movie but i absolutely loved it, so i'm really forward to this one.

07:13pm 12/06/13 Permalink
system
Internet
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07:13pm 12/06/13 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
22895 posts
My biggest problem with The Hobbit was that the stakes just didn't seem high enough. In LotR in the first half an hour the whole world is at stake, and all that needs to happen is for these scary-ass grim reaper dudes to take the ring from a docile little hobbit. The tension was dialled up to max from the very beginning and didn't let up until Gollum finally fell into Mount Doom. In The Hobbit it's all about some jewel dwarves need to find for some reason. Why do we care about these particular dwarves? Why do we care about their mission? We cared about Middle-Earth in LotR because it resembled our own world so much and also the problems our own world faced in the 20th century. There just isn't that same hook there with the dwarves and their story.

Having said that I did enjoy the spectacle of The Hobbit. When I first saw Fellowship I liked it but wasn't quite blown away until I saw Two Towers. I spent the whole next year salivating about Return of the King and I wasn't disappointed. Hopefully the same thing happens with these movies.
07:23pm 12/06/13 Permalink
Linker
Brisbane, Queensland
1768 posts
Lol. It's a TRAP!

I really liked LOTR and saw each film multiple times in the cinema. I even have an officially licensed gold "the one" ring, so I was a bit of a geek for it back then.

I saw the Hobbit in 48fps 3d. It was okay, but I'm not super hyped for this or anything, but I'm like that for a lot of movies these days I guess..
07:54pm 12/06/13 Permalink
Hogfather
Cairns, Queensland
14022 posts
Its a different kind of tale is all.

The Hobbit is a straight up adventure story, I get what you're saying but it doesn't feel valid somehow to compare the epicness, its not supposed to be there?
07:58pm 12/06/13 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
22898 posts
The stakes at play are a common element in any kind of story, whether it be a romantic comedy or a gangster flick. It is all about what the character or characters have to lose or gain and all the stuff that happens in the act of them losing or gaining it. The Hobbit just didn't get me in that regard. I loved Frodo for his bravery, Sam for his loyalty, and Aragorn for his baddassery from the very start of LotR. I engaged with them instantly and character engagement is another common element with every story told. The characters in The Hobbit just didn't have that distinction to me. I could barely tell you the difference between the dwarves apart from one was the leader and the rest were soldiers. I guess that might be because I have only seen the movie twice but I doubt it. I am not comparing epicness - I have read both LotR and The Hobbit so I knew what was in store for me. I understood that The Hobbit was going to be a story on a much smaller scale.

But understand that I didn't dislike the movie. I liked it plenty. I was just trying to outline my biggest problem with it and then draw a comparison between a movie it can quite easily be compared to.
08:06pm 12/06/13 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17098 posts
it didn't really help that only a few of the dwarves had lines. i don't think bombur even said one word during the movie. hopefully the next couple of films will help flesh out the other dwarves that didn't have much screen time.
09:13pm 12/06/13 Permalink
deeper
Brisbane, Queensland
4206 posts
09:37pm 12/06/13 Permalink
Viper119
Other International
2063 posts
I enjoyed The Hobbit, bit overlong but a cool adventure story. Looking forward to this.

I get fpots points.. but the stories don't always have to have the world at stake? I got onboard with the plight of the dwarves.
09:43pm 12/06/13 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
22904 posts
No they don't. For example one of my favourite movies There Will Be Blood. The only thing at stake in that movie is Daniel Plainview's pride. He doesn't care about family, friends or human relationships at all. All he cares about is money and himself winning at the expense of everyone else losing. However the movie overcomes these lack of stakes by having awesome characters that we can relate to. Perhaps not to sympathise with (just about everyone in that movie is a c***) but we can understand their motivations and why they're doing what they're doing. Also, Daniel Day Lewis knocked it out of the park with a performance for the gods. I'll admit that if it wasn't for his character and his performance it might not have been a very good movie.

The Hobbit was a little bit weak in both regards like I already said (but I still liked the movie okay!)
09:48pm 12/06/13 Permalink
shad
Brisbane, Queensland
3978 posts
What was with the dragons head at the end, looked terrible like it was almost an initial render.
10:12pm 12/06/13 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17101 posts
yeah some of the CG from the trailer looked iffy. hopefully they'll touch it up over the next 6 months.
10:58pm 12/06/13 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
22908 posts
So have we reached peak CG? What's holding it back from looking photo-realistic? Surely it's not hardware.
11:00pm 12/06/13 Permalink
Taipan
USA
4245 posts
+1 for Daniel Day Lewis fpot the guy is a f*****g genius and i would go as far as to say he is head and shoulders above every other actor on the planet. Bill the butcher from gangs of new york is one of my favourite movie characters and he has a list of quality performances second to none.
03:28am 13/06/13 Permalink
Reverend Evil™
Wynnum, Queensland
21399 posts
Was it just me or did the dragon look completely fake at the end?
07:21am 13/06/13 Permalink
Twisted
Brisbane, Queensland
11888 posts

The stakes at play are a common element in any kind of story, whether it be a romantic comedy or a gangster flick. It is all about what the character or characters have to lose or gain and all the stuff that happens in the act of them losing or gaining it.
There are stakes, it just depends how you look at it. The book is very enjoyable, and short. The movie is a CGI fest and long...far too long...3 movies? Seriously I'm pretty sure I read the book in 2 days :|
10:35am 13/06/13 Permalink
demon
Brisbane, Queensland
7181 posts
i liked the first hobbit movie. i had the book read to me when i was a toddler... so my memory of it is very hazy & watching the movie dredged up the memories of my childhood. good times.
10:48am 13/06/13 Permalink
Nerf Stormborn
Brisbane, Queensland
7790 posts
So have we reached peak CG? What's holding it back from looking photo-realistic? Surely it's not hardware.

Tbh I think that it's been a matter of skill over technology for a while now. DragonHeart is 17 years old (somehow), and still looks more "physical" than the Hobbit dragon to me.

http://images1.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120402050737/dragonheart/images/4/40/Draco.jpg
11:07am 13/06/13 Permalink
Mantis
Brisbane, Queensland
1141 posts
I recently backed this kickstarter by the people that did the physical special effects for movies like Aliens and Terminator. They wanted to raide $350k to make a movie with no CGI to highlight what is possible and how real it looks. Trying to revitalise the industry a bit i guess.
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1117671683/harbinger-down-a-practical-creature-fx-film
Always been a fan of physical creature effects over CGI in certain movies. The old school Alien vs the new movie CGI ones. There is something more gritty and real about using real props.

Looking forward to the next Hobbit anyways and will most likely see it in 48FPS and 3D like i did #1. Wonder if i will still get the same "sped up" issue i got with first one where my brain has trouble with fast moving objects seeming to move too fast. Apparently a lot of people had same issue but the more you watch of it, the better it gets as your brain adjusts to it.
11:29am 13/06/13 Permalink
Nerf Stormborn
Brisbane, Queensland
7791 posts
Yeah I prefer physical props as well, there's just no depth to most 3d rendered creatures still. Even the ships in star wars episode 3 looked unreal, compared to the models used in the older movies which looked fantastic. Then there's that they the animation is usually far too smooth/tweened to look remotely realistic.
11:45am 13/06/13 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17498 posts
new trailer released today!

06:56pm 02/10/13 Permalink
Tollaz0r!
Brisbane, Queensland
14394 posts
Well, I guess this shows that the 3 movies is more than just the Hobbit. I approve.
07:06pm 02/10/13 Permalink
PornoPete
Melbourne, Victoria
1092 posts
Yeah that render of Smaug looked a bit s***, but I would think they are going to hold off on showing him properly.

I remember for LTOR they were very tight fisted about showing the Balrog, and while I hated those films, they did the Balrog rather well.
07:10pm 02/10/13 Permalink
Spook
Brisbane, Queensland
36576 posts
looks even moar boring than lord of the rings (the most boring moofie series ever made)
07:13pm 02/10/13 Permalink
Crakaveli
6382 posts
I love LOTR and liked the hobbit but it was pretty weak in parts. Like the bit where they are going through the mountain pass and the giants are fighting eachother... wtf was that? Seemed like something that should have been in a directors cut version somewhere down the track.
07:52pm 02/10/13 Permalink
Phooks
Brisbane, Queensland
2680 posts
Parts of that trailer looked exactly like what I'd imagined while reading the book, I'm pretty exited.
08:22pm 02/10/13 Permalink
RuleofBooKz
Other International
77 posts
doesnt help that as source material the LoTR is a brick to read (three bricks really) and the Hobbit is only a take away menu.

Still they said they are filling out the Hobbit film story with stuff that is going on "around" what was written in the actual hobbit novel source material. Will be nice to see what they choose to add in.
08:30pm 02/10/13 Permalink
sLaps_Forehead
Brisbane, Queensland
6527 posts
I remember for LTOR they were very tight fisted about showing the Balrog, and while I hated those films, they did the Balrog rather well.


I agree, they made the Balrog quite well, almost as good as this classic illustration.

http://img.acianetmedia.com/i/71fnQ.png
08:54pm 02/10/13 Permalink
tspec
Melbourne, Victoria
3773 posts
Well, I guess this shows that the 3 movies is more than just the Hobbit. I approve.

From what I understand the 3rd movie is meant to focus around the battle of the five army's, nfi if that's in the hobbit book or something that's covered in the lotr appendices, never read the hobbit.
08:59pm 02/10/13 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17499 posts
the battle of the five armies only takes up a page of the book because bilbo sleeps through it all.

09:07pm 02/10/13 Permalink
Raven
Melbourne, Victoria
8159 posts
The real test of whether The Hobbit is any good will be seen when Smaug lays waste to the town. I don't know if that's to happen in The Desolation of Smaug or in There and Back Again, but that's the scene that I think will define whether the series is worth it or not. Screw that up, and it'll be a complete waste.
09:08pm 02/10/13 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17500 posts
i'm pretty sure that will take place in the movie. it is called the desolation of smaug after all.
09:45pm 02/10/13 Permalink
Tollaz0r!
Brisbane, Queensland
14395 posts
I hear they are taking stuff from The Silmarillion. That is a pretty hard slog of a read.
10:13pm 02/10/13 Permalink
PornoPete
Melbourne, Victoria
1094 posts
Yeah I wouldn't be too sure about that. They are also pulling stuff from the clear blue sky like the woman love interest for orlando bloom.

Milking 14 hours of footage from a ~250 book was always going to be an ask.
10:20pm 02/10/13 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
23479 posts
Who will be seeing it in that HFR? It took me about 30 minutes to convince myself that it wasn't being played in fast-forward the first time. I'm hoping that I won't have to re-adjust to it again this time.

I wasn't overly keen on An Unexpected Journey. It was good but it didn't wow me like LoTR did. I really liked that trailer though so here's hoping they deliver.

edit: also, wasn't the whole Aragorn and Arwen thing pretty much made up for the movie? I have only read LoTR once and I don't remember their romance plot being discussed much if at all.
10:25pm 02/10/13 Permalink
PornoPete
Melbourne, Victoria
1095 posts
It was mentioned in passing and there was an appendix dedicated to it.

The woman elf in this one is entirely new. Not from the books at all
10:31pm 02/10/13 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
23480 posts
I guess I am not the biggest fan of the book, but I am okay with PJ and crew adding new characters. They won plenty of goodwill with me with LoTR.

edit: having said that, being forced to watch Orlando Bloom 'act' in scenes that actually require him to display emotion will almost certainly be painful.
10:37pm 02/10/13 Permalink
PornoPete
Melbourne, Victoria
1096 posts
Meh, they are gonna do what they are gonna do. They are very male books, I guess hollywood types prefer to have a woman floating around.

Helps to offset the frodo sam relationship, which in transition to film became much more overtly gay than I remember in the books.

I always imagined them walking and talking like adult males do, rather than walking stopping and gazing into each others eyes for fourty minutes and then saying 'are we going to mordor mr frodo'.

I don't remember any women in the hobbit at all. 14 dwarves have to do something at night...
10:43pm 02/10/13 Permalink
trog
AGN Admin
Brisbane, Queensland
37582 posts
Saw this last night. I have mixed feelings about it - I think it was a pretty good action movie but there's so much creative license taken (and stuff thrown in from non-Hobbit books, like the Silmarillion, apparently) to turn it into a pseudo-LOTR that I was a bit irritated.

I will say that it was the best digital dragon I've seen, period. I'm always slighlty disappointed with dragons in video games and movies but man, this one is really awesome (and Cumberwhathisface does an awesome voice).

I think if you liked LOTR you'll be pretty happy with this one, but if you're a hardcore Hobbit-book fan you might be wondering why the hell there's hours of random stuffing that's not actually in the book.
06:08am 19/12/13 Permalink
Damo
Brisbane, Queensland
6722 posts
Been told that peter jackson used GoPro footage, how cheap and nasty especially since the type of cameras(RED) he has been using are more than capable of capturing images.
07:35am 19/12/13 Permalink
Sip
Brisbane, Queensland
599 posts
lol I went to the QLD premier on the 17th, twas better then the first hobbit movie.
08:19am 19/12/13 Permalink
sLaps_Forehead
Brisbane, Queensland
6626 posts
Is it 3 bum-numbing hours long?
09:08am 19/12/13 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17771 posts
(and stuff thrown in from non-Hobbit books, like the Silmarillion, apparently)


there shouldn't be anything from the silmarillion since the tolkien estate still owns those rights. most of it would be from the LOTR appendices or created (tauriel) by the writers.

Been told that peter jackson used GoPro footage,


not sure if a gopro was used, but there is gopro-esque footage during the barrel scene.
09:51am 19/12/13 Permalink
Sip
Brisbane, Queensland
600 posts
Is it 3 bum-numbing hours long?


161mins but the pace of the movie was good enough that it wasn't noticeable.
lol I just want to see the barrel scene again, super ridiculous but hilarious.
10:22am 19/12/13 Permalink
trog
AGN Admin
Brisbane, Queensland
37584 posts
I felt like it was way too long. That barrel scene pissed me off - one of my strongest memories from the book is that scene, so I was disappointed that the movie version was completely different and this big dumb slapstick thing they screwed in there just so they could have some orc combat
07:35am 21/12/13 Permalink
Sip
Brisbane, Queensland
601 posts
I don't know Trog, the ridiculousness of it all and how it kept going got people to chuckle in the cinema. I couldn't take any of the combat too seriously, all you can do is appreciate the flow of the fight because...lets face it... those dwarfs would of died 10x over by now lol.
09:11am 21/12/13 Permalink
Mosfx
Gold Coast, Queensland
1719 posts
I don't understand why they couldn't tell this story in one maybe two movies... Sounds like they are really dragging it out with a Hollywood touch.
10:44am 21/12/13 Permalink
Linker
Brisbane, Queensland
1796 posts
dat cliffhanger!

Damn, was very impressed by this one, didn't want it to end.

I really do like how they are linking it to the LOTR series too!

Fight scenes were very well done I reckon, and Tauriel is quite a hotty.
07:31pm 29/12/13 Permalink
Reverend Evil™
Wynnum, Queensland
21660 posts
Here's the Red Letter Media review.

07:34pm 29/12/13 Permalink
demon
Brisbane, Queensland
7337 posts
i likedthe movie but the new elf chick that likes dwarves... that just did not fit in the story & should have just been left out. it's just thrown in for some leet ninja elf moves & chopping orcs heads off.
That barrel scene pissed me off - one of my strongest memories from the book is that scene, so I was disappointed that the movie version was completely different and this big dumb slapstick thing they screwed in there just so they could have some orc combat

same. i remember feeling claustrophobic when i read the barrel part of the book... coz the dwarves were sealed inside! not riding rapids in inexplicably unsinkable barrels

i was pretty happy they had bjorn in the movie though... i thought they'd cut that bit out.

Spoiler:

also, fili copping a morgul arrow (in the knee lol) & staying in laketown with 2 other dwarves!? that didn't happen in the book.

08:08pm 29/12/13 Permalink
sLaps_Forehead
Brisbane, Queensland
6639 posts
^ hmm those dudes make a good point:

When the third film is released, someone will produce a fan-edit that cuts the three films down to one film that is 2-3 hours long that resembles the original Tolkien story.
08:24pm 29/12/13 Permalink
Eorl
Brisbane, Queensland
11086 posts
Wait its a trilogy as well? I thought it was just two movies? I've read the Hobbit book several times over, absolutely love it but how in the heck do you get three movies out of it?
08:36pm 29/12/13 Permalink
mental
Brisbane, Queensland
4063 posts
Add in a couple of bits, and make the battle of five armies.
I enjoyed it, loved the spider wrapping bilbo up and inside the lonely mountain.
I was also dissapointed by the barrels and with five more minutes of footage they could've really captured the amount of time they spent wandering in the forest (weeks).
From the first movie gandalf and thorin's swords should have glowed blue, the goblin king even says 'it burns so bright'.
Looking forward to the battle of five armies.
09:53pm 29/12/13 Permalink
RuleofBooKz
Melbourne, Victoria
751 posts
yeah i enjoyed the 2nd movie - better than the 1st i reckon

the xtra bits they added to the book (which is really what is going on around what was "the hobbit" story) did not feel tacked on

also looking forward to the 3rd
09:56pm 29/12/13 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17794 posts
Wait its a trilogy as well? I thought it was just two movies? I've read the Hobbit book several times over, absolutely love it but how in the heck do you get three movies out of it?


lol they announced the change to 3 movies before the first movie was released.

From the first movie gandalf and thorin's swords should have glowed blue, the goblin king even says 'it burns so bright'.


nope, only sting glows when orcs/goblins are around.

i enjoyed the movie more than the first one. the last 30 mins with smaug was f*****g awesome.

cant wait to see the epic battles in the third movie: smaug's death at laketown, the battle of dol guldur and the battle of the five armies.
11:20pm 29/12/13 Permalink
BladeRunner
Queensland
1532 posts
I will be happy to rent it when it comes out. There is already a dvd screener out around on the interwebz.
11:34pm 29/12/13 Permalink
mental
Brisbane, Queensland
4064 posts
No I'm not

http://i.imgur.com/IyhyV9k.jpg

last edited by mental at 00:11:17 30/Dec/13
12:09am 30/12/13 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17795 posts
i thought you were talking about in the movies, not the book. it's only ever been sting in the movies. gandalf used glamdring during the LOTR movies and it never glowed.
12:46am 30/12/13 Permalink
Monkeez
Sydney, New South Wales
300 posts
Sif hate the barrel scene, that was the best. Also Smaug was done brilliantly.
03:24am 30/12/13 Permalink
Damo
Brisbane, Queensland
6723 posts
Barrel scene = GOPRO, how s***!

I gave the movie 5 out of 10. CGI from the 90s, some useless scenes, just meh. Why dress people up as orcs in LOTR but use CGI orcs in this trilogy, makes no sense. the HFR 3D was good but at the same time bloody annoying. Jackson said everything was meant to have a more real feel, everything looked fake! The cows in that guys house just pissed me off.
10:37am 30/12/13 Permalink
Monkeez
Sydney, New South Wales
301 posts
The GOPRO shots did feel out of place, but there was only like 3 in the whole barrel scene, it's not like the whole thing was shot on a GOPRO.
01:38pm 30/12/13 Permalink
sLaps_Forehead
Brisbane, Queensland
6640 posts
The last 30mins with Smaug was worth the price of admission.

The barrel scene did suck the farts out of a dead Cave Troll's colon.

Evangeline Lilley > Liv Tyler

7 out of 10

Waaaaay better than the first Hobbit movie.
08:11pm 30/12/13 Permalink
HERMITech
Brisbane, Queensland
8411 posts
08:41am 31/12/13 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
23935 posts
The use of CG orcs really takes away the sense of danger for me. The costumed orcs in the LoTR trilogy had a real sense of menace about them. They looked and sounded dangerous when they were in the screen - invoking memories of marching Nazis in old WW2 footage. When Aragorn parried the throwing knife in FotR I remember thinking you f*****g bad ass. When the big orc dude (urakai?) was filling Boromir with arrows and was about to perform a coup de gras I remember being terrified for him. Same with all the other good orc scenes (Helm's Deep, marching out of the Dead City etc)

The CG orcs just don't elicit the same sort of visceral response from me which is a shame because they are one of the central threats in the movie. So much time is spent either running from them or fighting them and they really seem like nothing more than a trivial threat. I really believe it's because watching a seemingly invincible Legolas despatch CG orc after CG orc never feels dangerous. If the orcs were actually real I reckon things would be different.

But apart from that I liked it a lot better than an AUJ. The Smaug scenes were a real highlight. I still rate all of the LotR movies above the Hobbit movies though.
02:04pm 01/01/14 Permalink
Lynx
Brisbane, Queensland
2091 posts
Loved:
Gandalf's scenes - We finally get to see him do some serious wizard stuff.

Didn't love:
Smaug shaking off the gold - He would have looked more interesting being at least partially gilded.

last edited by Lynx at 15:35:09 01/Jan/14
03:32pm 01/01/14 Permalink
sLaps_Forehead
Brisbane, Queensland
6648 posts
^ The bog standard orc is supposed to be smaller, weaker and dumber than the Urak-hai orcs. I think the Urak-hai are supposed to be the super-orcs bred for war.

But I agree that the Hobbit Trilogy CGI orcs are more like video game fodder.
03:37pm 01/01/14 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
23938 posts
ALSO there were a couple of bad tell don't show moments in the movie which I would have liked to seen. Bandits mistaking Gandalf as a vagabond and getting ambushed would have been a better intro then some conversation that set up a plot-point from the first movie, and the Spoiler:
summoning and subsequent escape of the Ringwraiths from their tomb. The second one in particular kind of annoyed me. Seeing the birth (rebirth?) of the coolest and scariest characters from the LotR trilogy would have been a another highlight.
03:44pm 01/01/14 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17798 posts
i believe jackson recently said that he would have made the orcs in the LOTR movies CGI if he was able to. he's always envisioned orcs as being humanoid but with vastly different proportions to humans which is what he dislikes about the orcs in the LOTR movies.
04:39pm 01/01/14 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
23939 posts
Yeah well personally I preferred the costumed orcs. LotR was the perfect blend of optical and computer generated effects imo. Kind of bummed that The Hobbit movies have been much more heavy-handed with the CG.
05:58pm 01/01/14 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17799 posts
i preferred the costumed orcs too. with the hobbit they even shot the scenes with people in prosthetics and then placed a digital version over them. :/

i think these movies would have had a lot less CG if they weren't shot in HFR 3D.

last edited by ravn0s at 18:18:54 01/Jan/14
06:17pm 01/01/14 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
23941 posts
Another minor nitpick is how the orcs spoke orcish with subtitles. I preferred it when they spoke English. 'They are not for eating!'
06:27pm 01/01/14 Permalink
cherocha
Queensland
310 posts
i believe jackson recently said that he would have made the orcs in the LOTR movies CGI if he was able to. he's always envisioned orcs as being humanoid but with vastly different proportions to humans which is what he dislikes about the orcs in the LOTR movies.

The problem, is that nobody else dislikes the orcs in the LOTR movies. It's a fine line between "realising your artistic vision", and becoming the next George Lucas.

If Jackson had have stuck with what made the LOTR trilogy great, and adapted the book into two moderate length movies, at most - he'd have another masterpiece on his hands, instead of a polarising offering that has let down many fans of the books.
06:49pm 01/01/14 Permalink
fpot
Gold Coast, Queensland
23942 posts
I've gone on about this before, but a thing that made me like Hobbit less from the start is how the stakes are so much lower. In FotR the entire world is in peril, mysterious black riders are unleashed from a bad ass looking tower to hunt down the main protagonist, and the full scope of the ring's power and it's effects on those who bear it are revealed all in the first act. I've only seen AUJ once (which is telling because I have seen all of the LotR movies multiple, multiple times) and all that's at stake is that they are going on a journey to face a dragon to obtain a jewel that only really affects the dwarves. Didn't really get me hooked like FotR did.

I understand that's the plot of the movie and I honestly don't know how they could have handled it to make the stakes a bit higher but it definitely affected my enjoyment of the movies.
07:25pm 01/01/14 Permalink
cJay
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
1416 posts
Anyone have any thoughts on the HFR 3D version vrs the 2d/3d? I've seen the 3d version and am curious if there is any substantial difference between the formats?
I have heard some didn't like the clarity and depth on the HFR 48fps version.
10:29am 02/01/14 Permalink
parabol
Brisbane, Queensland
7663 posts
Anyone have any thoughts on the HFR 3D version vrs the 2d/3d?

My friends and I specifically seeked out the HFR 3D version, as the production quality of the movie is good enough to minimise the soap-opera effect that most high-framerate (usually just interpolated like on the TV) content has.

All I can say is that we didn't regret it in the first hobbit movie nor this one. The 3D was f*****g awesome especially during Gandalf's light-bubble fight on the stone bridge, and the HFR made the black smoke ripple/movement in that scene really cool.

3D done right is awesome and adds to the experience. 3D done after-the-fact (like in most movies out there) is incredibly horrible and an eye-sore.
04:17pm 02/01/14 Permalink
Deviouz
Melbourne, Victoria
385 posts
Saw both of them now in HFR-3D and really liked it, as far as seeing something in 3D goes, having it done in HFR makes it a lot clearer and to me seemed brighter, I much prefer it
05:02pm 02/01/14 Permalink
cJay
Sunshine Coast, Queensland
1418 posts
Thanks guys, very helpful might take the Mrs to see it in HFR3D.
06:33pm 02/01/14 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17801 posts
i haven't had the chance to see it in HFR. gold class only shows it in ordinary 3D.
08:24pm 02/01/14 Permalink
Jack
Sydney, New South Wales
60 posts
My biggest problem with The Hobbit was that the stakes just didn't seem high enough. In LotR in the first half an hour the whole world is at stake, and all that needs to happen is for these scary-ass grim reaper dudes to take the ring from a docile little hobbit. The tension was dialled up to max from the very beginning and didn't let up until Gollum finally fell into Mount Doom. In The Hobbit it's all about some jewel dwarves need to find for some reason. Why do we care about these particular dwarves? Why do we care about their mission? We cared about Middle-Earth in LotR because it resembled our own world so much and also the problems our own world faced in the 20th century. There just isn't that same hook there with the dwarves and their story.

Having said that I did enjoy the spectacle of The Hobbit. When I first saw Fellowship I liked it but wasn't quite blown away until I saw Two Towers. I spent the whole next year salivating about Return of the King and I wasn't disappointed. Hopefully the same thing happens with these movies.


We care, because if you know your lore, its suggested through many of the texts of tolkien's work, and also hinted at in the hobbit, that there is something much more sinister happening in the background of the hobbit , hence Gandalf is always pissing off and coming back. The whole world is at stake in this book also, it is just a lot more subtle is all. I know what you mean about its just a bunch of Dwarves that want their gold back, who gives a flying, but much more going on and Peter Jackson has really fleshed those parts out, which were only hinted at in the book!! YOu wont be disappointed with this film.
12:00am 03/01/14 Permalink
Mo
USA
161 posts
My brother works for people who are in charge of movie presentations/awards at the golden globes. He doesn't mingle with the rich and famous. He would probably get sacked if he spoke to one.But thanks to him i have seen a s*** load of other movies that aren't out yet. lolz
01:55am 03/01/14 Permalink
Khel
Brisbane, Queensland
21375 posts
But thanks to him i have seen a s*** load of other movies that aren't out yet. lolz


Is your brother the internet?
01:59am 03/01/14 Permalink
csirac
Brisbane, Queensland
3108 posts
My brother works for people who are in charge of movie presentations/awards at the golden globes. He doesn't mingle with the rich and famous. He would probably get sacked if he spoke to one.But thanks to him i have seen a s*** load of other movies that aren't out yet. lolz


cool story. lolz
02:50am 03/01/14 Permalink
Reverend Evil™
Wynnum, Queensland
21670 posts
Maybe his brother is Neo?
08:34pm 03/01/14 Permalink
Viper119
Other International
2282 posts
We care, because if you know your lore, its suggested through many of the texts of tolkien's work, and also hinted at in the hobbit, that there is something much more sinister happening in the background of the hobbit , hence Gandalf is always pissing off and coming back. The whole world is at stake in this book also, it is just a lot more subtle is all. I know what you mean about its just a bunch of Dwarves that want their gold back, who gives a flying, but much more going on and Peter Jackson has really fleshed those parts out, which were only hinted at in the book!! YOu wont be disappointed with this film.


Yeah I found that quite interesting in the first film, looking forward to seeing it all fleshed out a bit more.
09:32pm 03/01/14 Permalink
infi
Brisbane, Queensland
20959 posts
It was a s*** move, just as s*** as the first.
02:30pm 05/01/14 Permalink
sLaps_Forehead
Brisbane, Queensland
6650 posts
^ don't like dragons bro?
02:59pm 05/01/14 Permalink
infi
Brisbane, Queensland
20960 posts
don't like slow moving repetitive crap
03:05pm 05/01/14 Permalink
Superform
Netherlands
7885 posts
i watched this the other night in 3d dunno if it was hfr but the opening scene when the dwarf is walking in the street to the dancing pony was like watching a live stage performance.. was amazeballs
11:30pm 05/01/14 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17809 posts
did it look a little sped up at first? if so, it was HFR.
09:18am 06/01/14 Permalink
Mosfx
Gold Coast, Queensland
1764 posts
Yes defiantly noticed the HFR difference it was a lot smoother and clear I hope more directors take this up.

I enjoyed the movie and can't wait for the third movie, although from what I remember in the book I don't know how they will milk another three hours out of it.
11:35am 06/01/14 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17810 posts
easy. there's at least 3 big battles (smaug's death, destruction of dol guldur, battle of the five armies) plus other scenes inbetween.
01:00pm 06/01/14 Permalink
demon
Brisbane, Queensland
7341 posts
movie 1 : the walk there.
movie 2 : yay, we are here.
movie 3 : the walk home..

:D
01:55pm 06/01/14 Permalink
Mosfx
Gold Coast, Queensland
1765 posts
easy. there's at least 3 big battles (smaug's death, destruction of dol guldur, battle of the five armies) plus other scenes inbetween.


Battle of the Five armies, is that in the book?

Edit* I think I remember now actually it happens at the end when the dwarves are all back and stuff?
02:31pm 06/01/14 Permalink
Monkeez
Sydney, New South Wales
302 posts
The battle of five armies happens in the book near the end, it's just skimmed over quickly because Bilbo is knocked out or something and sleeps for most of the fight.
02:55pm 06/01/14 Permalink
ravn0s
Brisbane, Queensland
17811 posts
Battle of the Five armies, is that in the book?


yep, it's when the dwarves, elves and men stop arguing with each other and team up to fight the orc army that's coming to take erebor. then the eagles show up to help out.

the battle of dol guldur isn't in the book. it's only mentioned in the LOTR appendices.
03:42pm 06/01/14 Permalink
RuleofBooKz
Melbourne, Victoria
792 posts
if you played Lord of the Rings: War in the North it had much of the lore that these movies are now showing.



it was an ok game for a play thru - and the lore was interesting and there was a lot on dol guldur
04:01pm 06/01/14 Permalink
Some Fat Bastard
Brisbane, Queensland
1507 posts
Saw it. It's ok.
07:17pm 06/01/14 Permalink
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