Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug

[woooooooo]

Like it?

[FrithRae]

Definitely. Want to see it a second time.. in 3d IMAX...

But that was just for the Smaug scenes...

Definitely liked. Definitely things I would have changed. Definitley things Jackson *NEVER NEEDED TO CHANGE TO BEGIN WITH!*

Yea.. don't get the Smaug colored dragon... on that subject of Jackson's Smaug..

But I still couldn't help but love him...

When a few mopre weeks go by I'd love to talk spoilers

[kirinir]

Disappointed with the "Mad King" and not enough with the spiders.

Much faster pace than the 1st film and a good flick.

I don't know about the 3rd film, it's pretty much just going to be one big battle/war....

[xaeris]

Blah. I hate how they make all the DVD people wait so long to see a movie, to try and get people to go to a cramped theater where you're just going to get a sore neck and a giant headache trying to see something on a giant screen 300 feet away with sub-par sound (ridiculous amounts of bass/hollowness).

Meh.

That, and there's no good theaters around here anyways. But I suppose someday when this finally comes out on DVD I'll get to see it -- while sitting in a nice office chair, with expensive headphones that allow me to hear the slightest pin drop if I wished, while eating almost-free popcorn (<$2 for 2x the popcorn), on a 24'' widescreen monitor 2 feet away from my face.

[FrithRae]

make all the dvd people wait? *laughs* Yea, its so unfair and illogical...

Are you being serious? XD

I have never had a sore neck or a giant headache from going to a movie in a theater. Ever. Sounds like a personal problem and NOT the reason the studios want you to go to the movie in the theaters .

They just want you to go to the theater cuz more money...

But no, I don't care how big that screen is 2 feet from your face.. It won't be half as awesomely overwhelming as seeing Smaug on an Imax theater screen in full 3D... =D

But that's me, that's WHY I don't buy DVDs and I go to the movies. Its why I pay happily at least twice a month to go to the movies (I don't buy the popcorn...lol).

Cuz until the giant theater screen gets in my house - on a television its just never, at all, even close, to being as pretty/overwhelming/immersive/surrounding to me...

You buy DVDs and you want them faster and I get that - I want you to get them faster.

But don't ever ask me to give up my movie theater experience for that to happen... *chuckles* But the two are definitely connected...(not exclusive but very much connected..)

Plus, speak to the varying directors on how long those DVDs get out. I know plenty of movies that come out in a very short time of their movie ending, and then there are the "special everything extra dvds" that just take that much longer to put out for ya.. THOSE are the ones that take forevah!! LOL

[xaeris]

I've seen movies in theaters and they weren't all that they were cracked up to be, at least IMO.

Some people like it, sure. I'm not saying to get rid of theaters, I'm just saying that they should release the movies faster on DVD (it takes several weeks to a month+ because they want to get the most money they can at the theater first).

And I guess I'm just the sort of guy who doesn't ooo and ahhh over visual effects (I routinely scale resolution down in video games because I find it wholly unnecessary; I'd rather have smoother FPS than higher resolution). For example, most games my computer will handle 1440x900 and the 1600+ resolutions.... but I set it at 1280x768 if I possibly can, because it really doesn't bother me to see a little pixellation on the edges of characters and such.

[FrithRae]

Several weeks to a month? HA it can take waaayy longer than that which has nothing to do with time in the theaters... but all to do with all the special stuff they want to throw in, undirected, extended, unedited cuts of behind the scenes with dialogue tracks etc.etc.etc..

Which is something I NEVER give two shits about so I agree. If people would stop buying up (and paying more) for all the extra shit and be happy with the movie - you'd be getting them a whole heck of a lot faster.

But yes, as long as a movie is in the theaters it won't be out on DVD - and that of course includes the 1.00/discounted first run theaters too.

BUT at the same time - movie turnover rate is MUUCHH Faster these days. At least where I live, which granted while its a medium sized urban location it in no way is anything close to places like LA or NYC or Chicago...

But here, if a movie stays more than a month in a release then it has to be doing EXCEPTIIONALLY well. Most movies get a month, maybe. Some movies are gone in two weeks (the ones that don't do well off the bat) out of the not-dollar movies.

Vast majority of movies are in the "first run not 1.00" theaters around here for 3 weekends to 5 weekends. If a movie doesn't do great, I've seen them be pulled in TWO weekends, to make room for the new stuff that's coming out each week that will do better. (Missed several movies this way, just because our Movie Sunday happened on the wrong sunday and the movie was gone before another week came around...)

Now dollar theaters, well sure those can float around awhile...

I mean take the Riddick Release on BLue Ray. Its almost (to the day) A YEAR after the movie opened, and almost a year after the movie left the theaters. Riddick wasn't around until a couple of months ago.. Riddck was GONE from the theaters here by November 1. (baring 1.00 movie theaters).

No, 1.00 movie theaters didn't show Riddick until last month.

But... because its the unrated director's cut blueray with commentary and ALTERNATE ENDING. Its coming out... couple weeks after its 1 year anniversary from release.

That isn't because it was int the movies until last month. Unless they are also counting the drive-in theaters in Poducknsville, Arkansas that gets 10 people a week... =D

Maybe... then maybe..that would be the case LOL. Somehow I doubt that's it.

Cuz certainly I see plenty of those movies that get out in less than a month - yes - two months later (or less) they are out on DVD. Without all those special accountraments other than perhaps a quick behind the scdenes, or a couple of blooper reels.

[FrithRae]

(oh and yes if you don't care about visuals I wouldn't pay theater prices either... unless it was something I really want to see NOW and don't want to wait. Like you know.. the Hobbit...)

(and I won't go into how I feel very strongly about supporting THEATERs as an institution (and not dvd/home sales) and the fact that less people are going bothers me as to its future... simply because no, its not the same at home.)

[xaeris]

(and I won't go into how I feel very strongly about supporting THEATERs as an institution (and not dvd/home sales) and the fact that less people are going bothers me as to its future... simply because no, its not the same at home.)

Hmm.

Apparently a lot of people disagree, which is why theaters in smaller towns are suffering. More people take the home DVD route because that is so much easier for many, than going to the theater. And I imagine there must be more people like me who would rather the ease and comfort of viewing said movies at home, AND I'm sure there are people who have even better TVs than I do (50+ inch TVs) with $300 sound systems who can get something pretty close. Maybe not 3D/IMAX, but hey. Still quite good either way, esp if you're someone who gets headaches from that (I've heard of some who do).

That, and there's the fact that the nearest movie theater is 30min+ drive from my house. Nah, I'll wait until the rental kiosk has it where I work (10min drive). Rather than paying whatever the theaters charge these days, $1.69 + a couple bucks for food I already had around the house will do just fine.

I'm not saying we should get rid of theaters, I was just explaining why I don't go to them myself. Perhaps it is kinda sad that they seem to be losing the battle, but then that's the Age of Technology for you -- more people have better technology at home and would rather do this stuff at home. Brick&Mortar game stores are suffering for the same reason; digital downloads are just so much easier and more convenient. That and B&M stores are usually ridiculous ripoffs with trade-ins anyways (or at least Gamestop is).

You could have a $60 game that has seen maybe 20 hours and get what, $5-10 for a trade-in so they can resell for $45? lol. Nice $35 markup they go there, eh?

EDIT: Forgot to mention the fact that very few movies have come out that I'm even interested in, in the first place. The Rental Kiosk currently has a "Free one-time one night rental during January" sale.... but I've yet to use it and its' Jan 16th, over halfway through the month. Why? Because I can't really make up my mind on what I really want to watch because there's nothing I'm really interested in. This Hobbit Movie, sure.....but it isn't out on DVD/Rental yet.

[Pharcellus]

Meh. Won't be seeing it unless someone I know gets it on DVD and just happens to play it when I am around, so feel free to spoiler all you want.

I don't support the MAFIAA. Haven't bought a single RIAA-backed artist's music or MPAA movie in years, and have no plans to. They have permanently and forever lost my business.

Beyond that, PJ has proven he's just another hack. If he's not going to at least be faithful to a popular literary story already well-loved in that form, he should just write his own.

[FrithRae]

Apparently a lot of people disagree, which is why theaters in smaller towns are suffering.

You missed my point...

My point was I'm aware theaters are suffering. Which is why I choose to support theaters and not DVD sales. I never watch the dvd's I buy more than like once anyway *shrugs*. But it would be another reason on the list of "Why (some) Movies are Worth Going to Theater's for."

And no, no 300 dollar sound system is going to give you quality surround sound. BUDGET surround sound yes, but not high quality. But that's irrelevant just pointing it out...

And Phar, who said anything about having to monetarily support anything... you can get it yourself without waiting ont he friend IF you know you really wanted to see something..or listen to something =D

And I disagree about PJ. I'm not saying he's god's gift to Directing. But for me, he does a really good job with a story that's so well-loved I was pretty convinced NOONE could do it a fair job even halfway. I'd rather have his versions up on screen for me to watch than probably 90% of every other director's version.

I mean I clearly disagree with some of his decisions (Far more with what he's done to The Hobbit actually I had no issues at all for the most part with LOTR), but even with those changes I don't agree with I still think he does a better, more thoughtful, job than the vast majority of other directors out there would have done.

Whether you think it should have been made in the first place is a whole other discussion .

Me. I'd be THRILLED if he decided to direct the Dark Tower Movies...

[xaeris]

I don't support the MAFIAA. Haven't bought a single RIAA-backed artist's music or MPAA movie in years, and have no plans to. They have permanently and forever lost my business.

Sadly, it seems that the majority of stuff falls in this category.

But then I will have to admit, I almost never buy movies anymore and if I do I wait until they're in the budget bin, or the rental kiosk is offering it for $5 or less. I bought The Hunger Games for $4 from that Kiosk. Other than that... I think the last movie I bought straight up was.... HTTYD I think it was.

The last time I bought a Music Album? Oh my.... long long time ago. Evanescence's Fallen (I think that was the name of it?) and it happens to be the 1-and-only-1 I've ever bought, though I did buy a few songs on iTunes, but less than $20 worth over the years.

So yeah, I haven't been giving them much of my money either.

Now, if they ever decide to make some similar organization for video games, meh.

[Pharcellus]

Jan 16, 2014 18:38:38 GMT FrithRae said:

And no, no 300 dollar sound system is going to give you quality surround sound. BUDGET surround sound yes, but not high quality. But that's irrelevant just pointing it out...

I hate to break it to you, but over 90% of the movie theaters out there have HORRIBLE sound setups, or have the sound levels set completely wrong for the movie. The last time I was in a theater, my ears were ringing from it being far too loud.

And Phar, who said anything about having to monetarily support anything... you can get it yourself without waiting ont he friend IF you know you really wanted to see something..or listen to something =D

Well, see, that's the thing. On principle, I don't even want to pirate it, because that is simply another justification for the MAFIAA's business model. I don't WANT to see their crap anymore, and yes, the vast majority of it is just that, CRAP. I also have decided that, even if I *REALLY REALLY REALLY* wanted to experience some media from a verboten source, I won't pirate it; I will just make do without.

..and that's one of the biggest problems with our society today. People hate the status quo, but cannot find a way to stop feeding it, simply because they can't bring themselves to make do without. It's "inconvenient". Well, the end result of this path we are on is going to make life far worse for far longer than simply being "inconvenient".

And I disagree about PJ. I'm not saying he's god's gift to Directing. But for me, he does a really good job with a story that's so well-loved I was pretty convinced NOONE could do it a fair job even halfway. I'd rather have his versions up on screen for me to watch than probably 90% of every other director's version.

After all the changes and hacks in LotR, I knew the Hobbit series was going to be even worse and, from what the Tolkien literary fandom is saying about it, he didn't disappoint in that regard.

You might be right that he did a better job than everyone else out there, but that really isn't saying much, considering how poor a job it was to begin with.

Great literary works RARELY translate well to the big screen, and there's kind of a rule about it in Hollywood. However, PJ is his own actor, for the most part, and tends to buck the 'stablishment whenever and wherever he feels like it. That's part and parcel why he takes so much creative license to modify the story to fit his perspective. Some laud that boldness; when it comes to rendering such classics in another media, I curse it. I would rather he not have made them if he's going to essentially just use the names, add his own made-up shit, and play silly CGI tricks for the "bread and circuses" masses.

Why? Because when someone, who has never read the books, goes to read them after watching what PJ shat out onto virtual celluloid, they will be disappointed in the story in the books, because it won't be "faithful to the movie". I know that's insane, but I have gotten that numerous times in one form or another from people who have gone from the movies to the books they were based on. I end up having to "edumacate" them on the concept of enjoying classics for what they are, and not judge them through the lens of pop-culture avant-garde re-interpretations of them.

[xaeris]

Great literary works RARELY translate well to the big screen,

I'd argue that Watership Down is an exception, but then that was made by the British (both the book AND the animated movie), rather than Americans and it shows.

The movie isn't 100% faithful to the book, it changed some events just a tad (the movie would have been 4+ hours long if they hadn't), but the spirit of the book was well-preserved.

EDIT: Not that many people even know what Watership Down even is....

Also,

I hate to break it to you, but over 90% of the movie theaters out there have HORRIBLE sound setups, or have the sound levels set completely wrong for the movie. The last time I was in a theater, my ears were ringing from it being far too loud.

SO VERY MUCH THIS.

Maybe its my lifestyle of gaming with headphones, but I have very sensitive ears, and above-average (according to an ear doctor) hearing. That really deep bass/hollowness in theaters just throws everything off, and is part of why I got headaches whenever I went to one.

It is also the reason I will almost never willingly go to a Bar/Tavern/etc. The music and racket is just too darn loud. 2012's Employee Christmas Party was at a bar and I came out of that place with a near-migraine after 30min.

[kirinir]

Oh I loved Watership Down, I've got it on DVD