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The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, a review by Danae Cassandra

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
Year of Release: 2012
Directed By: Peter Jackson
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Ken Stott, Graham McTavish
Genre: Fantasy, Adventure, Action

Overview:
The first in a trilogy of films based on the enduring masterpiece The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follows title character Bilbo Baggins, who - along with the Wizard Gandalf and 13 Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield - is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor from the fearsome Dragon Smaug. Their journey will take them into the Wild, through treacherous lands inhabited by Goblins, Orcs and deadly Wargs, as well as a mysterious and sinister figure known only as the Necromancer. Along the path, the unassuming Bilbo Baggins not only discovers depths of ingenuity and courage that surprise even himself, he also gains possession of a "precious" ring tied to the fate of all Middle-Earth in ways he cannot begin to imagine.

My Thoughts:
Am I the right person to review this film?  That may be a question that may puzzle us for some time.  I say that because I love Middle-Earth.  No, I LOVE Middle-Earth.  LOVE LOVE LOVE it.  A year hasn't gone by since I first read the books that I haven't re-read them.  My professor at UofL in a class on fantasy literature said I knew more about the books than he did.  My fellow geek co-workers turn to me when ephemera questions about something in Middle-Earth comes up (we got into Silmarillion happenings a few weeks back).  I'm such a Middle-Earth fan girl, I knew going in that I would enjoy this trilogy.

But neither this one, nor the second one, are as good as Jackson's The Lord of the Rings. 

Unexpected Journey is a fun movie.  It's full of action, adventure, humor, and if LotR wasn't there would probably be considered a better film.  But LotR is there, and it was a masterpiece.  It was spectacular.  And Unexpected Journey isn't, for all of Jackson's trying to live up to LotR. 

This is my third time seeing this film, however, and I'll watch it again when 5 Armies comes out for extended blu.

Let's enumerate the good first.  Martin Freeman does a really great Bilbo.  Richard Armitage is a great Thorin, even if his Thorin is very, very different from book-Thorin.  I think I could watch Ian McKellen do anything.  The scenery is spectacular, and you get a real feel for travelling through Middle-Earth.  The riddle sequence with Gollum was really well done, and might be my favorite scene in the film.

Still, especially this third time around, you get a feel for what is wrong with the film.  They should have kept the way they showed Bilbo find the ring in LotR.  It's a glaring change, and one that not only really wasn't needed, but jars.  In seeing the extended film for the first time this viewing, I really, really think they should have kept the sequence in Rivendell where Gandalf and Elrond are talking about a streak of madness in Thorin's family.  It's so obviously foreshadowing what's going to happen that leaving it out in the theatrical was a pretty obvious mistake.  The extra lines in the White Council scene I'd have kept too. On the other hand, some of it really did need to be cut - especially some other parts of the dwarves in Rivendell, like the bathing sequence, that make them seem extremely uncouth.  Yes, we get that dwarves and elves are different, and it's supposed to be funny, but all that bit did was make them the butt of a joke that wasn't funny but kinda cruel, IMO.  It also looks a lot more artificial than LotR sometimes, almost like a video game rather than a movie. 

Still, if this is the only way we get the explore more of Middle-Earth and spend more time there, then I'll take it.  I love Middle-Earth too much not to.  It's still a fun movie, a great ride, and vastly entertaining.  It's just not a masterpiece the way the original trilogy was, and that's a shame.

Bechdel Test: Fail

Overall: 4/5

(From Within My (Mom's) Lifetime Marathon on January 29th, 2015)

A View to a Kill, a review by Rich

A View to a Kill





Unconvincing and dated plot and a tired Moore in a corset as Bond, made this outing slightly below par. There is still plenty of action and memorable excitement, the scenes around the Eiffel Tower and the opening skiing shots especially. Walken, McNee and Grace Jones are welcome additions to the 007 film series, Tanya Roberts an unmitigated disaster.
The best part of the film is of course the superb role of Alison Doody as Jenny Flex, who can forget these immortal lines on meeting Bond?;

Jenny approaches Bond wearing tight Jodhpurs outside Zorins residence...

Jenny - Good afternoon, I'm Jenny Flex
Bond - of course you are (raises eyebrow)
walks up stairs...
Bond - I expect you spend a lot of time in the saddle
Jenny - Oh I love an early morning ride
Bond - I'm an early riser myself (raises eyebrow)

Classic lines, not sure if they could get away with so easily now.

Overall though as Moores last outing, this movie does not deliver enough punch, and the storyline has proved flimsy and dated.
 



(From Riches Random Reviews on May 13th, 2009)

Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Marathon, a review by addicted2dvd

1. Pilot (9/12/93)
Mild-mannered Clark Kent arrives in Metropolis, becomes a reporter for the Daily Planet, and creates his secret Superman identity. His first challenge: stop Lex Luthor from sabotaging the Space Station.

My Thoughts:
This is a double length episode that started the series. I enjoyed every minute of this episode. It is a good introduction to the characters. I did find it strange that they had Lex Luthor with hair.... but that is ok... it didn't take away from the show for me. This season is the only one to have the character of Cat played by Tracy Scoggins.  I don't mind that she was in the only season... as Cat has always been my least favorite character of the series. I really enjoyed the scene where Martha Kent was making Clark's Superman outfit. Some of the costumes they came up for him was pretty funny... but there was actually one or two that I kinda liked. Of course not as much as the real costume... but cool for some newly made up superhero.  Another reason I really like this show... it focuses more on the lives of Lois and Clark... making Superman something Clark can do... not who he is.



2. Strange Visitor (From Another Planet) (9/26/93)
Superman discovers his roots. A phony warrant leads Clark to proof of his alien origin... and to a shadowy federal agent who wants Superman dead.

My Thoughts:
A very good episode to continue from the pilot movie. It had a great story. I really liked how they handled Clark finding out where he is from. It was only a short piece of the story... but it was done well. I did like the pilot movie a little better then this episode... but that could be because of the length. Where they had more time to tell the story then they did in this episode... which was maybe just ever so slightly rushed.



(From Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman Marathon on July 13th, 2009)