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AinurOlorin
Half-elven
Jan 19 2013, 5:59am
Views: 1898
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The Hobbit will almost certainly hold up as a bona fide chapter in a larger classic film series, despite the mixed and overly cynical reviews. .
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Can't Post
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Why? A number of reasons, not the least of which being it is a good to great movie, in general, and is certainly a GREAT Sword & Sorcery - Action/Adventure genre movie. Is it perfect? Certainly not. It has flaws. There are moments in a few odd scenes which seem rushed. There are a few musical cue ins from already aired movies in the series which seem forced and a tad gimmicky. There are excessive displays of Pit humour (some of the eye crossing bordered on ridiculous, and some of the snot joking bordered on or became repulsive, and in both cases marred some of the surrounding humour that would have worked well without it); Jackson plainly finds a 5 year olds delight in excess expulsions of mucous and gas, which some of us (including, presumably, Tolkien who never really mentions such thinga) do not share. And, of course, there are a few glaring inaccuries and deviations from the actual history of events related in the book, some of which make it a less powerful story than it might have been. It has flaws, as I have said. Yet, the flaws do not negate the fact that it has many truly wonderful moments, and they do not stop it from being a good and possibly great film. It is NOT The Phantom Menace by any stretch (and that movie was not as bad as some made it out to be, but it merited its rebukes far more than An Unexpected Jurney merits those it has been targeted with). It does not manage to greatly detract from the legacy of the existing films in the series, and there are many positive things which it adds to them (not the least among these being better humour, a lighter paced more charm focused opening to gradually lead into the more somber affairs of the latter installments than Fellowship could have rightly provided, Balin, Thorin, and more Gandalf the Gray {revealing more humour, more cheek, and more power], not to mention the wonderful Erebor sequence and the chilling Lonely Mountain anthem). Many critics have given less than stellar receptions to the movie. But, once you parse through all of the "it isn't what Rings was, and it doesn't live up to the hype," moaning, very FEW critics actually gave it a fundementally bad review. With a few exceptions, most said that it started off slow and had an eye afflicting frame rate (wholly optional the latter), but was a good ride with solid acting once it started moving. Mostly, the reviews read like the response of a middle-school parent whose child recieved a mixed report card of A and B grades, when the lofty expectation parent was hoping for a 3.7 to 4.0 all A brilliance display. . . the normal person who comes in and looks past the parental dissapointment and disaproval, still sees a pretty damned good report card. And, as many here and most who were not looking for something to complain about will attest, the "slow" hour of opening which many critics complained about held some of the best and most engaging material in the movie. Many have already discovered the mixed grandeur and enchantment of the first third of the film, and more will come to as time goes forward. The average viewer who generally likes this type of film, and yet is neither burdened by the hyper-critics quest to root out perceived "bloat" even where it is not present, nor by the hardore lore learned's (read purists and quasi purists. . . and I am among the latter myself) horror at changes like those made to the history of the Dwarves, will find plenty to delight them on both the front and back ends of this movie. I hope the same will be true of the two films still set to follow. I think this review, while more glowing than I would give (I am not as willing to give Jackson and crew quite as many pats on the ass as this guy does) has it largely right about the more negative critics http://www.forbes.com/...arth-is-a-triumph/3/ . Also, the combination of returning actors and sets creates a more seamless unity than is found in many other prequels, including Star Wars. There is a much greater feeling of differnt but related stories being told in the same world and age than is the case with most other attempts of this sort. So, put a star in for continuity. And, on the topic of the actors. . . all of the leads are high quality and give good performances. There is no strain of the a lead role being left in the hands of a ham-fisted or mediocre actor. McKellen, Armitage, Freeman, Stout, Nesbit and the other more heavily featured performers all provide very authentic dramatizations, and for the most part they have pretty good lines. A few of the lines are clonkers, but then a few of them are magnificent, so it balances out. Also, and perhaps key, these movies are going to be boxed set, and inextricably tied to a benchmark genre trilogy that has one more combined Academy Awards than virtually any other films in the history of the Academy, a Best Picture award among them. The films are a set, to which these will now belong, and the earlier instalments finale (now the series finale) managed what even The Wizard of Oz and The Ten Commandments could not, iconic as they are. They are inevitably part of a greater whole, the latter part of which has already been deemed Great. And in the future they will be considered a collective. And (barring unlikely crap exuding on the part of one or both of the remaining two films) they, and certainly An Unexpected Journey, are not bad enough to get the "skip over that part," treatment from most audiences. Indeed, it is good in its own right, and makes the Rings viewing a more hollistic experience. It will become a classic film sextet series.
"Hear me, hounds of Sauron, Gandalf is here! Fly if you value your foul skins, I will shrivel you from tail to snout if you step within this circle!" "Do not be to eager to deal out death in judgement. Even the very wise cannot see all ends."
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The Hobbit will almost certainly hold up as a bona fide chapter in a larger classic film series, despite the mixed and overly cynical reviews. .
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 19 2013, 5:59am
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yepper!
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swordwhale
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Jan 19 2013, 6:14am
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Quite true. What I think some forget (and the mixing in of Thror's fate doubtless muddied it further)
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 19 2013, 6:30am
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Nothing to add except
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SirDennisC
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Jan 19 2013, 6:40am
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Yes. Unless they sold them, which seems utterly improbable. New Line was already a division of AOL/Time Warner
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 19 2013, 6:51am
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It will hold up
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imin
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Jan 19 2013, 7:57am
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fine line indeed. That's what is so hard here, for us as fans to comment on... though we still have a concept of how good it was of course.
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Xanaseb
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Jan 19 2013, 12:27pm
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A 6-er box will definitely occur
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Estel78
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Jan 19 2013, 1:00pm
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Funny parts of the film
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ceppault
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Jan 19 2013, 3:32pm
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I am fairly confident that had this film managed to get made and released 13 years ago
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 19 2013, 7:15pm
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Trying to make a prequel is the root of the problem
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burrahobbit
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Jan 19 2013, 11:49am
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Book adaptation versus written for the screen.
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glor
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Jan 19 2013, 3:39pm
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The threat of death is not neccessary for Drama. I don't need to fear that Margret Thatcher will be eaten by a shark
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 19 2013, 7:21pm
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There's very little drama in the necromancer story thread
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burrahobbit
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Jan 19 2013, 7:38pm
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Using the length of the book as criticism of the three film format.
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Black Breathalizer
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Jan 21 2013, 3:18pm
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It's one of those movies
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Súlimë
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Jan 19 2013, 2:45pm
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Exactly my sentiment.
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 19 2013, 8:50pm
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Pretty spot on my friend
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Elessar
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Jan 19 2013, 3:26pm
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Thank you, Friend
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 19 2013, 9:37pm
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My pleasure
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Elessar
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Jan 20 2013, 7:25am
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I am more or less of the same mind.
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 20 2013, 5:52pm
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I beg to disagree
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Black Breathalizer
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Jan 20 2013, 6:30pm
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And yet Thror had gone mad. The movie already tells you as much. He had succumbed to "a sickness" of the mind.
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 20 2013, 7:03pm
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Agreed
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Elessar
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Jan 20 2013, 6:37pm
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And some are pretty
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Captain Salt
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Jan 20 2013, 6:34pm
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I guess
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Elessar
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Jan 20 2013, 6:40pm
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Lol!
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Captain Salt
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Jan 20 2013, 6:41pm
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Captain Salt,does quoting yourself make the point stronger? =)
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Black Breathalizer
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Jan 20 2013, 6:54pm
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Black Breathalizer, and YOUR point is what, exactly? =) //
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Captain Salt
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Jan 20 2013, 7:26pm
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But, art being subjective, there are no facts of good versus bad. Only matters of taste.
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 20 2013, 7:15pm
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Everything's subjective, and taste
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Aragalen the Green
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Jan 20 2013, 8:02pm
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Well, shall we count what ways that AUJ failed to impress?
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Captain Salt
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Jan 20 2013, 8:03pm
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a rebuttal
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Black Breathalizer
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Jan 20 2013, 9:24pm
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I agree thoroughly about the dwarves, and largely about the humour.
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 21 2013, 12:21am
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Again, this is simply not the case:
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Captain Salt
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Jan 21 2013, 6:14am
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Aaaaaaaaaaaaallllllllllll that typing I did to specifically respond to all that your long , 7
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 21 2013, 6:45am
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Bilbo fretting over his handkerchief is from the book.
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entmaiden
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Jan 20 2013, 9:48pm
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I put more stock in what was impressive.
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 21 2013, 12:03am
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I won't refute all of your counter-arguments, as clearly we're not going to agree
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Captain Salt
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Jan 21 2013, 6:57am
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Fair enough
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 21 2013, 7:06am
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Never mind, I've responsed to your considerable arguments in full (see above):
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Captain Salt
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Jan 21 2013, 7:35am
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Well actually, I'll just respond to your previous post in full:
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Captain Salt
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Jan 21 2013, 7:34am
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Thank you for the careful and thoughtful response. There remain matters on which
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 23 2013, 10:58pm
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There's room for everyone here
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Altaira
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Jan 20 2013, 7:59pm
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I was responding to this comment, actually:
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Captain Salt
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Jan 20 2013, 8:08pm
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The same applies to that comment
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Altaira
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Jan 20 2013, 8:40pm
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Your very negative comments regarding fellow posters is uncalled for.
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Old Toby
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Jan 21 2013, 4:51am
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Thanks very much for sharing.
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Captain Salt
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Jan 21 2013, 6:42am
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*points to top of the board*
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Silverlode
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Jan 21 2013, 6:52am
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I certainly hope he replies
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 21 2013, 6:56am
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Don't agree at all...
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Captain Salt
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Jan 19 2013, 4:41pm
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Well, we are all entitled to our opinions, and varying tastes.
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 19 2013, 9:03pm
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Have the opposite reaction
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IdrilofGondolin
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Jan 20 2013, 12:34am
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Um, I assume you only speak for yourself
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Old Toby
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Jan 20 2013, 2:27am
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I agree
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peace1993
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Jan 19 2013, 6:25pm
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The same criticisms were said of FotR...
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bborchar
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Jan 19 2013, 6:59pm
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Not really, no.
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Captain Salt
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Jan 19 2013, 7:09pm
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I explained...
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bborchar
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Jan 19 2013, 7:34pm
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And I'm saying
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Captain Salt
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Jan 19 2013, 7:58pm
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No, many are not of that opinion...
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bborchar
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Jan 19 2013, 8:18pm
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In fact just the opposite...
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Captain Salt
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Jan 19 2013, 8:30pm
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I don't think anyone is saying...
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bborchar
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Jan 19 2013, 9:01pm
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*bangs head on keyboard*
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Roheryn
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Jan 19 2013, 9:26pm
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Nice way of putting it...
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bborchar
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Jan 19 2013, 10:51pm
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You're a breath of fresh air here!
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Old Toby
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Jan 20 2013, 2:45am
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I'm kind of curious if this is age related at all
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Magpie
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Jan 20 2013, 3:05am
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Could be...
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Roheryn
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Jan 20 2013, 4:09am
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Flawlessly stated.
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 20 2013, 5:02am
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My rants
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Elessar
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Jan 20 2013, 7:41am
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Maybe not an important thought
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Elessar
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Jan 21 2013, 10:22pm
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More like a breath of rather old air. :-)
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Roheryn
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Jan 20 2013, 3:56am
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Yay Ro!
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entmaiden
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Jan 20 2013, 3:25am
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No,
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Starling
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Jan 20 2013, 3:35am
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If I dig deep enough, I can find all kinds of fault with LOTR as movies.
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Kimtc
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Jan 20 2013, 3:58am
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*bangs self on keyboard*
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Captain Salt
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Jan 20 2013, 6:17pm
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That's not the situation
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peace1993
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Jan 20 2013, 4:12am
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And the echo chamber/group think/fan denial continues... //
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Captain Salt
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Jan 20 2013, 6:18pm
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Disagreement with an OPINION is not "denial", "group think", nor "echo chamber"//
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Kirly
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Jan 20 2013, 10:47pm
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at some point, you have to consider that someone is just yanking people's chains
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Magpie
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Jan 21 2013, 1:30am
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I have only just returned for a short time, but yes, began to think that yesterday.//
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Kirly
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Jan 21 2013, 2:21am
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I don't know. I don't think being indelicate or over genralizing are definite signs of a Troll.
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AinurOlorin
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Jan 21 2013, 3:10am
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I don't necessarily think people who like to yank chains are trolls
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Magpie
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Jan 21 2013, 4:24pm
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Eh, no but the kneejerk response of:
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Captain Salt
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Jan 21 2013, 6:20am
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Yes they were..
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glor
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Jan 19 2013, 8:20pm
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Thank you...
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bborchar
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Jan 19 2013, 8:35pm
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A film should work on its own merrits.
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Captain Salt
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Jan 19 2013, 8:52pm
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FotR got a good critical response...
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burrahobbit
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Jan 19 2013, 9:26pm
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Oscars and critics two different ball games
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glor
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Jan 19 2013, 11:16pm
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...
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burrahobbit
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Jan 19 2013, 11:56pm
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I think we may agrere to disagree on the post-modern politics of criticism but..
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glor
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Jan 20 2013, 12:37am
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Thank you!
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Captain Salt
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Jan 20 2013, 6:21pm
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Pre-release Fan Expectations for AUJ & FOTR
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Black Breathalizer
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Jan 20 2013, 4:41pm
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Thank you :)
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bborchar
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Jan 20 2013, 5:31pm
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Can't speak for everyone
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Grant
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Jan 19 2013, 7:04pm
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It will sit fairly well next to LOTR on a shelf, but...
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jtarkey
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Jan 19 2013, 9:22pm
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The only review I really care about
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Kangi Ska
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Jan 20 2013, 5:21am
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45 years is a long time to wait. .and PJ didn't..
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Bombadil
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Jan 20 2013, 7:02am
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