The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies

Peter Jackson, 2014

IMDB

2/5

Five Armies is the final chapter in Jackson's revisit to Middle Earth with his Hobbit trilogy. The film itself is similar to the last film The Return of the King in the Lord of the Rings in the sense that it's the previous two films set you up for an epic conclusion which includes a battle and the hopeful restoration of order. But while Return of the King is arguably the best in the trilogy, Five Armies immediately feels like the worst of the Hobbit trilogy. What is supposed to be a significant end to the story comes off as a jolting and depthless special effects showcase.

Armies starts off where the last film left off, where Smaug has now exited the Lonely Mountain with plans to attack Lake-town. The whole cliffhanger device is a weird one to use when Smaug is ultimately dealt with quite quickly and without much spectacle. After this Armies continues to be problematic for a variety of reasons. Very much like the Lord of the Rings, the stakes are high for all of the characters involved. They all have something significant to gain or lose, and there is a collective need to work together to obtain victory over the dark elements. In Rings Frodo Baggins is desperate to destroy the Ring that has caused so much turmoil in Middle Earth. In the Armies film, his father Bilbo is not the central character but more of a secondary support character. They have all pulled together to get to this point in the story. But instead of a Hobbit in the spotlight, this part of the story is heavily focused on Dwarf king Thorinn Oakenshield. There are many eyes on the mountain that he wants to reclaim for his people. But he has grown intoxicated by the newfound treasure that had been held captive by dragon Smaug. As the various races of Middle Earth zero in on the mountain, there should be a sense of tension brewing. There should be a certain pacing at work. The Elves, the humans, the Orcs. There should be some ebb and flow to their saga. But no, instead the story just throws itself into a battle quite coldly. And where is Thorinn? Oh, he's not fighting. Because he has become so obsessed with the treasure inside the mountain that he has become the coke-head who won't leave the bathroom. So instead of the Lonely Mountain becoming this backdrop for a mesmerizing battle scene, it becomes a canvas for a lot of copy and paste CGI. It is all action with no emotion. Something happened with this final chapter where all of the human elements are nowhere to be found. It's difficult to get invested in any of the characters. Jackson spent too much time in the editing room and not enough time in the writing room.

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Peter Jackson, 2013

Can I Stream It?

4/5

The second film in the Hobbit trilogy catches up to Bilbo Baggins and his Dwarven companions as they inch closer to Erebor which has been guarded by the legendary dragon Smaug for some time.

The second installment in Peter Jackson's Hobbit trilogy bears quite a bit of resemblance to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and there is nothing wrong with that. Jackson has a great track record of providing great style with great story, albeit it mostly CGI'd. The alternate universe depicted in Desolation is a much less forgiving one than the first in the series. Enlarged insects. The dwarves find themselves running into old enemies. The orcs build strength. There is an ominous build-up of dark energy. Bilbo is finding himself falling victim to his new-found ring's powers. Even the landscape itself is a much more bleak one. Absent of the vibrant colors shown in the first film, this one is decorated with cobwebs and gray tones. Unlike the first film, there isn't a lot of time for all-night feasts in pubs. The clock is ticking. While Smaug has a more mythical presence in the first film, he is certainly a physical presence in this one. The enormous digitized beast does not disappoint.

Now with fifteen hours of film created, is there anything more thoroughly entrancing than Jackson's wide-screen depiction Middle Earth? Of course people could say Star Wars, or Star Trek, maybe the Harry Potter films or any other franchise with hours and hours of material. But they just don't feel as detailed. While some of the other franchises may have a more complex story-line, an argument can be made that they fall short visually. Jackson has put the Tolkien-created world on film in a way that when you sit down and start watching, depending on your viewing environment (and you aren't watching it on your iPhone with no headphones), you are IN his world. Those three hours fly by. You don't want it to be over. They are always a feast for the eyes. Candy for the cortex. Merrymaking for the mind. You can't blame the guy for building himself his own Hobbit house in New Zealand. He did that, right?

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Peter Jackson, 2012


4/5

Bilbo Baggins is surprised to find his normally quiet home suddenly filled with dwarves, at a dinner organized by Gandalf. He learns that his presence is requested on a journey to the Lonely Mountain to reclaim their home that has been overtaken by the dragon Smaug. Hesitant and not so ready to leave his peaceful life, Bilbo realizes that it's a once in a lifetime opportunity that will provide him with a fascinating tale to tell.

Well, it's been ten years since the last film. And Mr. Jackson, you did it again. You once again bring everyone into Tolkien's world. As the camera flies over the Shire, you look down and pick the dwelling that you would want to occupy. When the dwarves surround the thick wooden table with drink in hand and ready for song, you wish you could be there to join in. It's interesting that Tolkien's world becomes so inviting, because when it comes down to it - it's quite volatile. Even Bilbo himself can't escape the conflicts outside of his small community. This film feels largely consistent with the Lord of the Rings Trilogy, and Peter Jackson has a proven track record of meeting and beating expectations with the films. It's more of a micro story than the very macro feel of the Rings films. Martin Freeman seems like he's born to play Baggins, never missing a cue and delivers a great deal of energy. The film is of course a feast for the eyes. The saturated greens of The Shire, the endless plains, the shadowy forests that are just exuding bewilderment. You venture below ground, to the firelit crevices where the Orcs dwell. Everything feels so elaborate. There's some familiar faces, and of course some new ones. CGI Porn at it's best. There is a sense of refinement to the effects. Perhaps it's because of the advances in technology, or perhaps it's been a while since the last viewing of the Trilogy. The sudden shifts in perspective that the camera makes are so fluid and they never take you out of the moment. There's of course not one bad shot in the film. The Lord of the Lord of the Rings does it again, and why wouldn't he? He's had practice. It's just another great story of the underdog. Themes of loyalty, courage, companionship. Not looking back, pushing forward - even if you're homesick. The universal clinging to materialism. Old grudges. Honor. Drunkenness and dwarf songs. It's all there. And it's put together so nicely.

Game of Thrones (Season 3)

David Benioff & D.B. Weiss, 2013


5/5

          There has been much bloodshed, and no end is in sight. Rumors of dragons continue to echo through the world. Many of the royal families have endured much loss and many of of them are struggling to find their way back to each other. The death of Ned Stark still lingers. While Daenerys slowly builds her army piece by piece, King Joffrey Baratheon becomes more consumed with his rule in King's Landing. Robb Stark seeks vengeance for his father's death, while Stannis Baratheon continues to plan his next move using darker methods. 
          Season 3 of Game of Thrones appears to have more gore and torturous violence than the previous seasons. The series is incomparable, and each episode could be on par with any feature film. The study on such a barbaric existence that it makes you question what your own life expectancy would be if you were there. The series continues to prove that it's another trophy on the shelf of HBO's achievements, with much company. Each episode has a $6M budget, and you can see it in the rich effects and detailed set design. Joffrey Baratheon is one of the most cruel and sociopathic characters ever put on the screen. Still laughing over the scene where Tyrion asks him "did you kill any puppies today?" You get a sense of the arch's that are bound to happen at some point in the distant future. Some of the scenes this season are haunting, and will certainly stick with you (especially one of the episodes in particular, which may be one of the most shocking of the series thus far). Intricate story and sophisticated character structure, distinguished imagery. It's certainly hard to find a flaw with this series, and it continues to maintain all of its qualities. It's gained much popularity - fortunately or unfortunately. I would imagine years from now my son (who doesn't exist yet) will be dating girls named Sansa and Cersei - and they won't be nearly as interesting as the characters on Game of Thrones.