I loved Radagast. Seventh Doctor on a chariot pulled by rabbits? Someone fic this, stat!
If there's one thing I joke about the movie (I presume you've read the Hobbit, if you haven't, please ignore the following) The Hobbit showed us it is possible for dwarves to be pretty. Thorin. Kili. Fili. They just die young. It's like being a pretty dwarf is a death sentence.
Haha, I mostly agree with your sentiments for the movie! I saw it last night and I was like ARGH NOW I NEED TO GO WATCH LOTR AGAIN. Heck, I might even do that this weekend, screw chores. XD
The escaping the mine section was probably my favourite part, and I kind of loved this hinting at the ring. Like, first they say that people think Bilbo's getting a little weird and then they go back and show him already starting to kind of covet the one ring when he gets it. Nice parallel, imo.
I thought Azog was an orc, though?
I was eagerly awaiting the scene with the eagles. It's been years and years since I read the Hobbit so I can barely remember some parts but the eagles stuck out to me and I was like YES HERE THEY COME :D
I enjoyed your review - the Radagast portion alone was worth the price of admission! He brought in the whimsy that LOTR skipped over *Bombadil* and the 'these are Rhosgobel!!!! Rabbits!' made me laugh like a loon. There were only 5 other people in the theater, but I enjoyed it a lot, maybe as much as if there were a theater filled will folks. Honestly did not expect to like it this much because while adoring the LOTR trilogy, the Hobbit left me cold. I guess it's an example of the film having its own life? Dunno, but am looking forward to the rest of the series.
Freeman was a fine Bilbo, making the role his own, with no echoes of Frodo that I could see.
I also loved The Hobbit; more superficial than LoTR, but still lots of jolly good fun.
I've also uploaded a response to the film, but due to work/some problems with livejournal it hasn't gone live yet. I'll get there eventually. Though.
I dunno, Pacific Rim looked pretty ... bad, really. I mean, great visuals, probably the first live action mechs-vs-aliens movie ever, but the actual story looks bog-standard and boring. The best thing about it, really, was that I saw the trailer on December 21st, and when one of the actors (might've been Idris Elba) said "The apocalypse has been canceled" I was like 'You have no idea how right you are.' (Of course, what probably happened was that the Earth was destroyed all in one go, but then it was put back together again all in one go the next instant, so that worked out all right.)
+ Also, Gandalf's words about evil not being defeated by brute strength, but by the everyday acts of kindness by people like Bilbo. Another quote that really means a lot to me. Yeah, I really wish that thought would
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Re: Sorry if I don't make sense; bit tired. arkan2January 12 2013, 22:00:20 UTC
I forgot in my first comment to include this pair of videos of the Spoony One and his brother talking about the movie; most of the former's comments aligned more-or-less with my feelings about it.
I just saw a video of cast interviews, where Christopher Lee was explaining that at this point in the chronology, Saruman is basically decent and upstanding if a bit stuffy and irritable, but there's little hint that he's going to turn one day. Which is funny, because to me, in the theater, he came across as one short step away from twirling his moustache. If I'm the only one seeing it, though, then maybe that's something to do with me, not the film. Odd.
I think it was mostly there if only to create tension and show just how bleak everything was. I get that, but I think playing it this way was a little bit lazy on Jackson's part, and that depicting the events more or less as Tolkien set them up (but did not depict himself) would have been at least as interesting and exciting, and perhaps more so. Big missed opportunity, to my mind
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Re: Sorry if I don't make sense; bit tired. ladyhadhafangJanuary 12 2013, 22:38:28 UTC
*Makes a note to watch that video*
Nah, I say that come to think of it, you're right. I mean, I will admit there are times when Saruman's evil became a little obvious (not to the extent of mustache twirling, but mostly to the extent of "Did we mention he's a bit suspicious?" His casual ridiculing of Radagast didn't help -- although the mentioning of mushrooms was a pretty amusing nod to the original films). And yeah, you're right. I mean, I guess the White Council was like, "Oh dear Valar, not this shit again", but outright ignoring evidence? *Headdesk*
And that's good to know. :) *Sighs* I guess I've just been feeling alone at times regarding Frodo in the original films, so that's definitely reassuring. :)
Yeah, that is true. I think chalking it up to a technical failure would be pretty good. I guess it just flew over my head a bit when I was watching, really.
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If there's one thing I joke about the movie (I presume you've read the Hobbit, if you haven't, please ignore the following) The Hobbit showed us it is possible for dwarves to be pretty. Thorin. Kili. Fili. They just die young. It's like being a pretty dwarf is a death sentence.
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And I know, right? Seriously! :D
And yeah, I know what you mean. :( It's really going to hit hard when they die; they were just such lovable characters.
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The escaping the mine section was probably my favourite part, and I kind of loved this hinting at the ring. Like, first they say that people think Bilbo's getting a little weird and then they go back and show him already starting to kind of covet the one ring when he gets it. Nice parallel, imo.
I thought Azog was an orc, though?
I was eagerly awaiting the scene with the eagles. It's been years and years since I read the Hobbit so I can barely remember some parts but the eagles stuck out to me and I was like YES HERE THEY COME :D
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And thanks. :) And this, seriously! *Can't believe she forgot that*
He is, he is. It's mostly because the movie (and book, I think) calls them goblins there.
And I know, right? :D It was awesome! :D
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Freeman was a fine Bilbo, making the role his own, with no echoes of Frodo that I could see.
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And this so very much regarding Freeman.
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I've also uploaded a response to the film, but due to work/some problems with livejournal it hasn't gone live yet. I'll get there eventually. Though.
I dunno, Pacific Rim looked pretty ... bad, really. I mean, great visuals, probably the first live action mechs-vs-aliens movie ever, but the actual story looks bog-standard and boring. The best thing about it, really, was that I saw the trailer on December 21st, and when one of the actors (might've been Idris Elba) said "The apocalypse has been canceled" I was like 'You have no idea how right you are.' (Of course, what probably happened was that the Earth was destroyed all in one go, but then it was put back together again all in one go the next instant, so that worked out all right.)
+ Also, Gandalf's words about evil not being defeated by brute strength, but by the everyday acts of kindness by people like Bilbo. Another quote that really means a lot to me.
Yeah, I really wish that thought would ( ... )
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I just saw a video of cast interviews, where Christopher Lee was explaining that at this point in the chronology, Saruman is basically decent and upstanding if a bit stuffy and irritable, but there's little hint that he's going to turn one day. Which is funny, because to me, in the theater, he came across as one short step away from twirling his moustache. If I'm the only one seeing it, though, then maybe that's something to do with me, not the film. Odd.
I think it was mostly there if only to create tension and show just how bleak everything was.
I get that, but I think playing it this way was a little bit lazy on Jackson's part, and that depicting the events more or less as Tolkien set them up (but did not depict himself) would have been at least as interesting and exciting, and perhaps more so. Big missed opportunity, to my mind ( ... )
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Nah, I say that come to think of it, you're right. I mean, I will admit there are times when Saruman's evil became a little obvious (not to the extent of mustache twirling, but mostly to the extent of "Did we mention he's a bit suspicious?" His casual ridiculing of Radagast didn't help -- although the mentioning of mushrooms was a pretty amusing nod to the original films). And yeah, you're right. I mean, I guess the White Council was like, "Oh dear Valar, not this shit again", but outright ignoring evidence? *Headdesk*
And that's good to know. :) *Sighs* I guess I've just been feeling alone at times regarding Frodo in the original films, so that's definitely reassuring. :)
Yeah, that is true. I think chalking it up to a technical failure would be pretty good. I guess it just flew over my head a bit when I was watching, really.
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