Re: In theatres: 'Desolation of Smaug' | SPOILERS

by bungobaggins Sun Dec 15, 2013 2:49 am

Seriously, though. I need a photoshopped picture of Azog in a fedora wearing a Guy Fawkes mask.

by bungobaggins Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:01 am

I really don't understand how this movie is getting good reviews.

One review said it was all "sound and fury signifying nothing." And that is exactly correct.

by Carcharoth Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:07 am

It is entertaining and interesting. As a book adaptation it is horrific (putting it mildly). As a standalone film, as it is to those who don't read good books, it is better than most others, for me at least. And many will say DoS is better than AUJ because they hated the slow start to the latter.

by bungobaggins Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:14 am

The funny thing is, after I saw AUJ, I wanted to see it another time. Now, after I've seen DOS, I don't want to see it again. But I probably will see it at least one more time because I want to see what HFR is like and I don't want to wait until Avatar 2 to do so.

by Eldorion Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:23 am

bungobaggins wrote:Seriously, though. I need a photoshopped picture of Azog in a fedora wearing a Guy Fawkes mask.

In theatres: 'Desolation of Smaug' | SPOILERS - Page 14 RUV4Tf1

by Carcharoth Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:23 am

Agreed on that. I went to see AUJ 3 times and could have gone again. Saw FotR 4 times when I was but a wee lad. I can't see myself going to see DoS again unless coerced.

Don't know if it is a brand new thing or if my showing was a one off, but I got to my seat at around 7:45 for an 8 kick off, with trailers starting very soon after sitting. The film did not start until 8:45. One full hour of advertisements............. :facepalm:

I nearly died.

by Eldorion Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:25 am

bungobaggins wrote:It was hard to sit through, and there were moments where I just had to shake my head and put my hands over my eyes.

There's no point trying to compare any of this to The Hobbit book.

At least parts of AUJ were recognizable from the book. There's very little, if any, here.

Yeah, I think DOS has crossed a line that not even AUJ did with regards to throwing out the book. And it goes hand in hand with Jackson's admission that he doesn't care about adaptation, as well as his earlier "I'm enjoying deviating from the book" comments. Once the hype (and tensions) die down I wouldn't be surprised if we start to see a more pronounced change in fandom dynamics even on older sites.

by Eldorion Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:26 am

Carcharoth wrote:Don't know if it is a brand new thing or if my showing was a one off, but I got to my seat at around 7:45 for an 8 kick off, with trailers starting very soon after sitting. The film did not start until 8:45. One full hour of advertisements............. I nearly died.

What the crap. I thought I had it bad with 25 minutes of trailers after the designated starting time. (They show various other ads before the designated time.)

by bungobaggins Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:27 am

Eldorion wrote:
bungobaggins wrote:Seriously, though. I need a photoshopped picture of Azog in a fedora wearing a Guy Fawkes mask.

Oh Em Gee.

Thank you, Eldo! cheers

by bungobaggins Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:28 am

Eldorion wrote:
Carcharoth wrote:Don't know if it is a brand new thing or if my showing was a one off, but I got to my seat at around 7:45 for an 8 kick off, with trailers starting very soon after sitting. The film did not start until 8:45. One full hour of advertisements............. I nearly died.

What the crap. I thought I had it bad with 25 minutes of trailers after the designated starting time. (They show various other ads before the designated time.)

We had like...3 trailers. Shrugging

by Eldorion Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:29 am

My pleasure. Very Happy

bungobaggins wrote:We had like...3 trailers.

Lucky.

I thought it'd at least be worth it to see the Interstellar trailer, but either they didn't show that at my theatre or I missed the first trailer or two when I ran out to go to the bathroom. Although I did see the Godzilla 2014 trailer and I must say, it was far more impressive on the big screen that it was on my laptop. Nod

by bungobaggins Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:31 am

I'd like to take this time to complain about the price of concessions at the theater.

I was planning on getting a popcorn and a pop, because I thought it would help the experience seem more enjoyable.

Well, I looked at the price of a small popcorn and it was $4.?? and a small pop was $3.??. The price of the ticket was $5 because it was a matinee. There was no way in hell I was going to pay 1.5 times the price of my ticket for concessions.

by bungobaggins Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:32 am

I saw the trailers for The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, and... some movie about Hercules, and another one that I forgot.

by Eldorion Sun Dec 15, 2013 3:34 am

Concession prices at movies are outrageous, but it's only one part in a chain of outrages. Movie theatres don't really have a choice but to charge out the ass for snacks because that's where they make the bulk of their money. The studios take the vast majority of profits from films, and it's not like theatres have a strong negotiating position when all of the biggest films come from a handful of established studios with similar interests.

by bungobaggins Sun Dec 15, 2013 4:51 am

Yeah, I guess it's kind of like gas stations not making money on the gas and having to rely on the sales of other merchandise.

Another thing I want to say/ask about DOS.

Did anyone else find it absolutely ridonkulous that the master comes out from around the corner of a building (after Alfred has tripped Bard) and bonks Bard on the head with a big piece of wood (which in turn knocks him out)?

I think it might have been one of those unintentionally funny moments.

by bungobaggins Sun Dec 15, 2013 5:19 am

Eldorion wrote:Damn, I miss Ebert.

Me too. Had a good long cry when he passed. Sad

I enjoyed watching Siskel and Ebert when I was a kid, and I even enjoyed watching Ebert and Roeper. It was always on tv on Saturday evenings at 6:30 if I remember correctly. Those two really brought some respectability (and fun) to film criticism.

In theatres: 'Desolation of Smaug' | SPOILERS - Page 14 8623268874_d68feb587d_z

In theatres: 'Desolation of Smaug' | SPOILERS - Page 14 8623268874_d68feb587d_z

Loved those guys. I love you

by Ringdrotten Sun Dec 15, 2013 9:27 am

Music of the Ainur - Even though Bungo's Ebert clip describes how I felt about DOS (mildly so), I am glad that you liked the film. I don't wish what I felt watching it and having watched it upon anyone (except maybe the fanboys on TORn whom it might do some good to see Jackson's film in a different light). I wish I could separate book and film like you do, but I couldn't.

Eldorion wrote:
bungobaggins wrote:Seriously, though. I need a photoshopped picture of Azog in a fedora wearing a Guy Fawkes mask.

"Alfred has a unibrow. Are they trying to make up for Grima having no eyebrows? " - Bungo

Laughing

I'm in a bit of a hurry, but great review, Bungo - I don't envy you the prospects of having to see it again, but it'll be interesting to hear what the HFR is like Smile

by Pettytyrant101 Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:41 am

You are going back for more Bungo! Shocked

by Bluebottle Sun Dec 15, 2013 10:56 am

He must have some Scottish ancestry. Laughing

A long and cohesive review Bungo. It was a interesting read.

You are completely right on the snack prices too. A whole bag of pop corn costs about 2-3 cents to make, and they sell it off at those prices. So some profit margin. There's a reason they call it the biggest earner in film. Laughing

by feanor 1999 Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:21 pm

Ayup All...

So, a few hours after viewing DOS. I can finally give a one word review: Turkey.

Forget worrying about following Tolkiens material, forget state of the art special effects. the word is Turkey. Even in 'normal' cinematic terms. Normally the SP FX can lift a bad film and make it acceptable. This one cannot. The only positive that i can give his film is that is more or less kept to the sequence of locations as written by the prof. IE: beorn, Mirkwood, Laketown, Erebor. And thats all.

This film makes AUJ an almost Verbatim version of the first half of the book. and that's it. Individual facets of the movie i'll have to discuss as others make threads for... I'm just blown away.

what sums it up totally to me are Bilbos last words, as a Golden Smaug shrugs the molten Gold (!) off himself to go wreak vengeance on Laketown, and says: 'What have we done'... I couidnt have put it better myself.

by Ringdrotten Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:30 pm

"The only positive that i can give his film is that is more or less kept to the sequence of locations as written by the prof. IE: beorn, Mirkwood, Laketown, Erebor. And thats all. " - feanor

Indeed, the places were there, but that was it. Rubbish from the first minute 'till the last.

by Pettytyrant101 Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:30 pm

Turkey. - Stu

And just in time for xmas, how thoughtful of PJ!

by Radaghast Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:34 pm

Thanks for the latest reviews, guys.

by Mrs Figg Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:38 pm

thanks for your reviews everyone, they all have their own unique fingerprint on them. I love you

I can relate to taking an almost sadistic pleasure in the pure awfulness of it, I have never seen such a mind bogglingly cheap shallow warped 'adaptation' ever. Worse. it was boring, derivative, hackneyed, hack writing of the dumbest kind. It was an insult. An affront, barbarism, I could go on but I will just get steamed up for nothing.

by Bluebottle Sun Dec 15, 2013 1:54 pm

It's certainly interesting to see poeple who go in to see it with mainly the same outlook come out with different opinions. Nod