Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Peter Jackson [IMDB]

The LOTR/Hobbit films will probably always score a 4 Arnold or higher as long as Peter Jackson is handling them and I will always go out to see them in the theater... why? Because they are awesome, that's why. At this point you're either on board or you are not, so really... it's like preaching to the choir doing this review. Jackson has crafted the art of Hobbit film making and I don't think you can win over anyone who's not already in agreement with me on that.

Synopsis: Bilbo and his posse continue their journey to the Lonely Mountain in order to reclaim Erebor from Smaug... the badass dragon.

This installment is a lot more energetic than An Unexpected Journey (click that link to read my review... do it.) and I found it to be more entertaining. The special effects, especially on Smaug and Sauron were fantastic, some of the best CG work I've ever seen. The action was innovative, including a fight that took place going down a river that was incredible and felt like nothing I'd seen before. Kate from LOST was a new addition to the roster and now I have an elf crush on her... but seriously she was great and perfectly cast. The Lake town of Esgaroth looked insane and to think of the time it must have taken to render that blows my mind.

The film ends on a cliff hanger and it just made me end up wanting more. I can't wait till next year... no... actually I can't wait till 2016, so I can own all of them and have a super Hobbit/LOTR mega marathon.

Before Midnight

Before Midnight
(2013) [Trailer]
Director: Richard Linklater [IMDB]

Back in February I watched and reviewed the two precursors to Before Midnight... which are Before Sunrise and Before Sunset, you can read about them HERE. I love Richard Linklater and those of you that read that review could tell I was a huge fan of both of those films. I knew going into Before Midnight, I was in for a treat... could it be the crème de la crème of the trilogy? Could it make my best of the year list? We'll see.

Synopsis: We drop in, once more, on the lives of Jesse and Celine (Ethan Hawke and Julia Delpy) and find out where the last 10 years has taken them.

Everything that makes the first two films work so well is resurrected in Before Midnight. The characters feel so real and comfortable to you which helps immediately settle you into it. I loved watching where they took the story.... now the couple are older and the love you saw in Sunrise has matured. You see what it's like for them to keep their shit together and to fight with one another. Love isn't easy sometimes, some people can make it work, others cannot... and you'll find out what category these two fall into.

Linklater steers Before Midnight in a perfect direction, an honest direction and one that seemed pretty authentic. My wife said "I feel like a lot of the stuff they are telling each other would have already come up and some point in their relationship." While she may be right, maybe she's wrong, either way the dialogue worked for me and I bought what they were selling.

Obviously, watching the other two films in this trilogy is an absolute must... so go get all of them and enjoy the ride.