The Positive Thread

[Eldorion]

There have been a few brief flashes of positivity in the members' reviews thread, but I thought it might be nice to have one thread dedicated to things that actually worked in PJ's Hobbit movies. Having just seen DOS, I'll start with...

Thorin waiting for Bilbo in the barrels. While the mechanics of the barrel scene didn't make a lot of sense in general, Thorin holding everyone back and waiting for Bilbo beneath the trap door was a really nice touch IMO. It showed that their moment of reconciliation at the end of AUJ hadn't been forgotten, and despite the dragon sickness later on Thorin did carry a respect for Bilbo that he had not initially had. It was a very short snippet of a scene, but it made me smile and considerably lightened my view on movie!Thorin as a character.

NB Posts saying "nothing" will be met with vicious mockery!

[Mrs Figg]

Bilbo in the tree tops looking at butterflies, that was lovely. lovely colours, very nice.

[Eldorion]

Agreed, Mrs Figg. That stood out to me in the trailer and was just as nice in the finished film.

[Sinister71]

ok I'll say something positive... I thought Smaug looked pretty good. i mean I had my doubts before but seeing him in all his glory other than not having 4 legs and wings. he was pretty amazing to look upon. For the most part his conversation with Bilbo was alright.   

[Carcharoth]

I liked Smaugs chest and throat glowing just before he belched out the fire.

Smaug covered in gold looked amazing no matter how silly it was.

Bombur running faster than all the other dwarves near the beginning, though a cheap gag, was hilarious.

Bilbo being able to understand the spiders only after putting on the ring was a good idea. The spiders in general were very well done.

Gandalf vs the Necromancer was surprisingly awesome.

[Ringdrotten]

Ooops, wrong thread!

{{{ I didn't say "nothing" }}}

[Mrs Figg]

the landscapes of NZ were pretty nice.

[malickfan]

Yes that was a very nice moment.

I think the quicker pace at the start was a good idea (if painful for us book fans) made it feel more like a film, rather than a reunion in Middle Earth i.e we launch stright into the action with new environments.

Smaug's design (though the wrong colour of course) and voice were perfect or at least the stand out of the film IMO.

The obvious enthusiasm the cast and crew had for the film-even if the film is kinda shitty at least someone had some fun out of it!

Bombur was hillarious, the fat old uncle who's secretly a ninja.

Lee Pace, Martin Freeman, Jimmy Nesbitt, Ken Stott, Evageline Lilly and Ian Mckellen and gave great performances (even if some of them weren't well served by the script).

Laketown and Thranduil's halls were fabulous and far enough from my own imagery to cause no issues for me.

The opening in Bree and The references to the significance of Starlight to the Elves made me sorta hopeful that Jackson and co had actually read beyond the basic story of LOTR and The Hobbit.

Even if you think it was bloody awful as a film, personally I think we can largely agree it felt mostly consistent-i.e the same visual palette and tone throughout, instead of the bi polar mess of AUJ.

The spiders sequnce was well done, and rather creepy (though Yes, I would prefer the attercop song just to see Freeman's expression singing that)

The cinematography and scenery were nice.

Less Fork Monster and Bunny Wrangler!

Petty's got lots of good material   

[Mrs Figg]

Balin is my favourite character, well acted.

[Norc]

I liked Smaugs chest and throat glowing just before he belched out the fire.

Smaug covered in gold looked amazing no matter how silly it was.

Bombur running faster than all the other dwarves near the beginning, though a cheap gag, was hilarious.

Bilbo being able to understand the spiders only after putting on the ring was a good idea. The spiders in general were very well done.

Gandalf vs the Necromancer was surprisingly awesome.

agree on all points

may i add beorns horses was wonderful, although they looked like clones.

[Pettytyrant101]

Sorry, wrong door    

[Norc]

and i like bombur even though he's mute secret ninja
the spider scene wasn't too clumsy done, i really liked it. creepy as hell. and whatever you guys say, bilbo's relasation that he killed something for a silly ring and almost puked, i liked that.

also lee pace as thranduil was PERFECT! he's perfectly arrrogant and aloof and wise i loved it

[malickfan]

I think Thranduil is possibly the most Elvish Elf thus far.

And yes Beorn's ponies were a nice little touch. I liked the brief shot of the chess set, in my mind he's playing a game with his animal servants.

[Eldorion]

I liked Smaugs chest and throat glowing just before he belched out the fire.

Smaug covered in gold looked amazing no matter how silly it was.

Bombur running faster than all the other dwarves near the beginning, though a cheap gag, was hilarious.

Bilbo being able to understand the spiders only after putting on the ring was a good idea. The spiders in general were very well done.

Gandalf vs the Necromancer was surprisingly awesome.

I agree with everything you say {{{except the Necromancer part of it}}}. The Bombur running gag surprised me in that normally PJ's jokes like that fall flat for me but it was actually funny.

The Bard and Lake-town stuff was pretty interesting. I wish they'd developed it more, though when it comes to stuff I want to see in the EE, more time spent with Beorn and in Mirkwood would be my priority.

[Norc]

yepp. that's about the only thing they did right with Beorn.

Thranduil is just magnificent. Lee Pace described him as having lived so long he doesn't really care what other people think of him, just what use they can be for him and "that's just how kings are" i think he really captured Thranduil

[Norc]

i loved the look of lake town btw.

[Ringdrotten]

Thranduil is a forgiving character to play as he plays such a minor role in the books. Slap some Elrond on him, some Legolas and some Galadriel and you've got a character. Not saying he was bad, Thranduil was ok - it was the silly scar thing that ruined him for me (not Pace's fault, of course, but it's not always easy not to shoot the messenger).

[Norc]

yeah, i agree the scar was silly, but i still think overall Thranduil was pretty solid. and i disagree, i don't think he is easier than any other character.

i like how this threads focuses on the good things

[Pettytyrant101]

Im amazed its two pages long.   

[Radaghast]

I like New Zealand and want to visit someday...

[Ringdrotten]

I worded that post a little poorly, I think. I didn't mean to say he is easy to play - it's just there's so little material in the book that even the purest purists can't really bash movie Thranduil since there's so little to compare with in the book.

And even if I don't have much strictly film-related to contribute with, there is one big positive thing about it: it's 00:02 am here, and we have 13 people online, and there were more earlier today

[Eldorion]

Related to that, Raddy, I was really pleased with the color grading in DOS being so much better.  I wish that PJ had gone back and changed that for the AUJ-EE, though.

Im amazed its two pages long.   

You have literally every other thread in this forum to bitch about DOS in.  Cut it out.

[Eldorion]

I worded that post a little poorly, I think. I didn't mean to say he is easy to play - it's just there's so little material in the book that even the purest purists can't really bash movie Thranduil since there's so little to compare with in the book.

I see where you're coming from on this, Ringo. I can't say I ever had a particularly distinctive mental image of Thranduil, at least not until he shows up at Lake-town. And despite imprisoning the Dwarves he never seemed like a major douche in the book, being willing to help the people of Lake-town rebuild and all, so I'm curious to see how that plays out in third film.

And even if I don't have much strictly film-related to contribute with, there is one big positive thing about it: it's 00:02 am here, and we have 13 people online, and there were more earlier today

Last month was our biggest ever, and we're on track to surpass that record this month. I'm excited.

[Pettytyrant101]

I wasnt bitching about DOS, since I love that film so much I want to fellate it, I was bitching about the length of the thread. I had Angmar and Sons check my legal coverage first  

As promised, your vicious mockery! -Eldo

[Ringdrotten]

I wasnt bitching about DOS, since I love that film so much I want to fellate it, I was bitching about the length of the thread.

 

Edit: That was originally a response to Petty's bitching about the length, but you must've edited it the second I pressed quote, so here's one for you too, Eldo -