The Hobbit (Peter Jackson trilogy)

Peter Jackson trilogy, from 2012 to 2014, adapting the book The Hobbit.
==An Unexpected Journey score==
On November 14th 2012 the score for the first film was released for streaming online, and I listened through once that evening before watching Princess Mononoke. I thought it was pretty good! Lacking the ethereal elements present in his Lord of the Rings score, but as the first film of The Hobbit I figured that made sense.
I proceeded to listen to it many many times before the first film was eventually released. I couldn't help myself! I found I really loved it, and had many favourite moments.
==An Unexpected Journey release (December 2012)==
===Format===
First watch
In 3D at Tottenham Court Rd Odeon (a rather small and very hot cinema in London), with Adam, Craig, and Adam's flatmate and his girlfriend.
Second watch
In 3D HFR, at the IMAX screen in Sheffield's Cineworld.
Third watch
In 2D at Lincoln's Odeon, with Luke.
===Journal===
Went to see the first film a few days after it was released, while I was in London to see Matthew, Caroline and Oscar, and thought I'd use the Saturday to meet Adam and see this film. I plaited my hair like Legolas for a lark :P We saw it at a pokey little cinema in the centre of London, and it was really hot and the screen fairly small, that and the 3D and copious CGI meant I had a lot of variables getting in the way of deciding whether I thought the film was good or not!
Knowing the score so well was a little distracting too, since it was a bit chopped up in the film, and inevitably (though I didn't see it coming) I'd made assumptions about when each track would be played and was wrong on several occasions.
So with the noise, the heat, the 3D, the CGI, and all the other changes from my mental idea of what I was expecting/wanting, I honestly couldn't say how much I'll end up liking this film.
I couldn't tell if I'd seen it in HFR though, but according to the internet it wasn't. So on the 17th I decided to go see it in HFR at the local Cineworld, and plumped for the IMAX screen to experience that too. If I take Luke over Christmas I'll stick with 2D! It was good again (much more comfortable and quieter this time around!), but I don't think it will ascend to a 2. I couldn't notice HFR at all, so maybe it wasn't? Cineworld's website said it was, though...
On January 26th I took Luke to see it in Lincoln. He really liked it I think, again I wasn't blown away. Almost tempted to make it a 0 actually. We'll have to see what the subsequent films do for me!
===Rating===
0
==An Unexpected Journey fourth watch (December 2013)==
===Format===
At home
===Journal===
Watched it at home the night before I went to see The Desolation of Smaug with Luke. I think it was the first time I'd seen it since it came out, and I'd settled firmly on a 0 rating for it by then. However, watching it again, fresh, a year on, I quite enjoyed it, and I've tentatively giving it a 1. It remains to be well it fits into the trilogy once completed.
===Rating===
1, probably.
==The Desolation of Smaug release (December 2013)==
===Format===
First watch
3D HFR at Lincoln Odeon cinema, with Luke.
Second watch
3D HFR IMAX at Sheffield Cineworld.
===Journal===
Went to see it on its first night out with Luke in Lincoln. I wasn't like mega excited, but since Luke was up for it and I was available I thought we might as well. I went to school with Legolas-hair on the day (to the bewilderment of three classes of Barnsley Year 6s) so that I could go to the cinema like it, which I also did for An Unexpected Journey. This time Sarah did a better job of recreating it I think, but I didn't straighten my hair and the colour's way off so I doubt I was his spitting-image :P
I watched it again shortly afterwards at Sheffield's IMAX screen, sat right near the front so it filled my vision!
Having watched it I'm tempted to work on a Thranduil costume for next time, shock horror!
It was actually good, with some great bits. I was really pleased with Thranduil, so glad the film had a genuinely interesting and unexpected character. I have only read the book once and can't remember it, so I only had references to the book from general reading I'd done about the lore to go on. I was surprised by Thranduil's quirkiness, Beorn's inconsequentialness, and the extent of Smaug's screentime. I think, if I were going to be critical, it didn't seem like much really happened somehow, even though it did. Probably there wasn't any battles so it didn't feel like Lord of the Rings :P
Overall though very enjoyable and I'm sure it'll fit well in the completed trilogy. I have high hopes again for the final film!
===Rating===
1, for definite. It was genuinely good this time, though not 2-worthy.
==The Battle of the Five Armies release (December 2014)==
===Format===
First watch
2D at Cineworld, midnight release.
===Journal===
I went to see it at midnight, at the Cineworld in Sheffield, despite having to teach the next day. Couldn't resist, for the final movie! Had Legolas hair at school, which was fun.
It had a couple of good bits. As in, probably literally two. In the first half an hour. Not sure what the rest of the movie was about or for.
To be honest, I think this was a pretty terrible film. I didn't leave disappointed, because I had no expectations that it would be good, but I can't really see myself watching it again. I could probably write a long list of things that should have been better, that were inexplicably bad, that I wished was different, that I don't see the point of, that were clichéd and contrived, etc, but it doesn't seem worth it. Suffice it to say that I just don't think there's much good to say about this film.
I liked the stuff in Dol Goldur and wished more had been made of it. I liked Smaug and thought that should have maybe been drawn out a bit (or more probably the rest of the film should have been condensed).
===Rating===
-1
==Ratings, awards, mentions and recommendations==
Howard Shore score!
Category:Works
Category:Films
Category:Fantasy films
Category:High fantasy films
Category:New Zealand films
Category:2010s films
Category:Middle-earth films
Category:Films watched in 2012
Category:Films watched in 2013
Category:Films watched in 2014
Category:Films with 0 rating
Category:Films with 1 rating
Category:Films with -1 rating