The Hobbit

[Zeus]

i liked it.
i havnt read the hobbit in 10+ years (probably more like 15-20...) so the differences from that didnt bother me at all - indeed, i wouldnt have noticed them if the gf wasn't pointing them out
i did feel some bits were just... unneeded. the stone giants, while cool, have no real place there. they dont do anything for the overall story, and they're never (As far as i recall at least) mentioned again. all of the underground goblin stuff wasnt really necessary, but i suppose there needed to be something for everyone else to be doing while bilbo was off stealing jewellery from an old man.

the HFR stuff was weird. mostly it was fine, and i really liked the effect in some places (being able to see sparks properly for example, rather than just as a blur.), but for some reason it made some of the walking and riding bits look like they were being played in fast forward - and i dont quite know why it does that. i assume my eyes are trying to sort out the faster framerate for me, and getting a bit confused.

oh yes, and Martin Freeman = much better hobbit than elijah wood.

 

[Anubis]

Overall I did enjoy it, highlights the riddle game, Rhosgobel, Rivendell and the eagles were good. A lot was not in the book, but I did like how they used Middle Earth Lore to fill in some of the gaps between the Hobbit and LOTR.

However, a few bits were a overly silly and could have been omitted - the stone giants, overdoing the party itself and too many instances where falls of several hundred feet ended up with hardly a scratch (goblin town for example). Rhosgobel rabbits outrunning wargs... hmm. A rather well spoken great goblin?

Overall very good but not great, but very enjoyable.

 

[Guy]

The unnecessarily long Goblin King escape scene pissed me off no end and made the film longer than was needed. Otherwise I enjoyed it immensely, but I am a total Tolkein nerd.

 

[Cullhaven]

Just got back from seeing this with Chris and his girlfriend. Loved it, didn't mind the changes half as much as I did in LOTR. Cant wait for the extended dvd to see it again.