The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (Peter Jackson, 2013)

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Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession

Scale 1=4, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=4

Fantasy, Adventure, Action, Based on Book
 

I was so pleased with this second installment of The Hobbit. More narrative, more character development, more detail... I was particularly impressed with how the higher resolution and frame-rate made the film feel more intimate. At first I was jarred--it took me a while to get used to the movement of the camera--but soon it was like the characters and world was right outside a window.

Surprises came with an excellent performance by Luke Evans as Bard and more elements/characters of the Lord of the Rings stories to make a cohesive epic. This seems to be a trend in Hollywood. I think people want movies to be more like long TV show episodes. And why not? More time with a fantasy world. This one makes me pretty happy.
 

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The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games (Gary Ross, 2012)

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Rating: Q=7, P=7 / Obsession

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=4, Scale 3=4, Scale 4=3
 

Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Coming of Age, Survival, Corruption
 

I know, I know... it took me a long time to see this film which was completely my cup of tea. I loved the premise, the symbolism, the many narrative themes. I was immediately reminded of many other stories told about corrupt governments and poverty-stricken people, spying and manipulating systems-- but that's OK. This was also a story about children and how all of the above play out when personalities are still forming. I liked it a lot. And really great soundtrack, too.
 

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (Stephen Chbosky, 2012)

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Rating: Q=6, P=6 / Average OJ

Scale 1=3, Scale 2=3, Scale 3=3, Scale 4=3

Coming of Age, High School, Coping, Complex Relationships

This film had a nice balance of drama and comedy, light-heartedness and serious subject matter. Each character felt real and much of the time I was drawn back into my years as a teenager. It's amazing to me that no matter your particular situation, era, or group of friends, everyone seems to go through the same rites of passage, the same trials, scenes...growing up: it is the same but different.

I recommend this film to anyone who loves a good high school movie but especially to those who like a bit more substance, too. Oh, and great music!

 

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Yet Another Post Delay...

Sorry for not posting any reviews for almost two weeks--still not set up in my new house to watch films yet. I'm confident, though, that Thanksgiving week will see time to get back into my regular stream of movie-viewing. I'm been staring at the DVD cover of The Perks of Being a Wallflower forever, it seems. So look forward to that review first.

Happy Thanksgiving (soon)!

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