Having been a massive fan of the original book, having read it over 7 times, I was very much looking forward to viewing the film last Saturday morning. The LOTR trilogy was excellent, watched the extended versions a few times over the years and enjoyed every minute of them. So when Jackson revealed that the short book the Hobbit was spanning over 3 feature length films I was bemused to say the least. How could a 300 page book span the same film time as the 1,200 paged LOTR? I was expecting long drawn out scenes and additional segments inserted to pad the movie out, though best to reserve judgement until viewing it first hand.
Saturday morning, 12:30pm, booked viewing when it is not so crowded and noisy so I could focus on the new 48HFR & 3D effects. Accompanied by a friend and then my brother and his son, sat down not knowing how the new x2 increase in frame rate would transfer to the big screen.
So, sat down with a bag of peanuts and bottle of water the show started. Straight into a bit of dialogue I was not familiar with and then into a violent visual description on how Eberron was destroyed. The 3D and the 48HFR kicked in at the same time as if I wasn’t confused enough of how much it had deviated from the book. I felt that the higher frame rate for these scenes was kind of hard to get accustomed too . It showed to much info. In-fact it reminded me of the “Zena Princess Warrior” Series. It being that it looked more “Real” but also tacky at the same time. Way too much detail took away from the CGI and the make up departments gargantuan efforts. It lost its “Movie” feel for me. Took a long while to get accustomed to and whilst it was excellent in most areas it did look awful in others. As for the 3D, if I had the choice I would not have bothered. For me, 3D has no place in a film unless its a hologram scene or something that you do not need glasses for. If you want 3D go to the theatre and watch a play. 48HFR in the Movie House Dublin road came with 3D as standard. Pointless.
Leaving the Shire could not come quick enough for Bilbo.
On we trundled down this pre prequel and then ” In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.” I thought that this would be the commencement of the actual movie. It was. Hell was it slow tho! Tedious, and I found myself saying, “Surely it can be this bad!”. It was, Freeman was totally unfunny and did not carrying the humor well at all. Don’t think the scenes where scripted well by Jackson. Forwards we lurched towards the exit from the Shire. Thankfully I was glad to see the back of it. Then in comes Radagast, the brown wizard.
On a sleigh pulled by Hares….. what?
Reminiscence of a scene from “Alice in Wonderland”. Radagast was another victim for padding out the movie. Pointless in my opinion to have wasted so much air time on the ex Doctor who, who should have remained in obscurity. Too make matters worse, all the way to this stage and until the end of the film, the soundtrack is familiar…. all to familiar. It’s unchanged almost from the LOTR scores. That disappointed me that Jackson did the minimum in order to make the movie a tad distant from its older and darker bother. Laziness maybe?
Anyways, fast forward until they hike up the mountain face from the elves and encounter the stone giants. Now finally it starts opening up into an excellent rendition of book in dramatic fashion from here on in. The action scenes are fast paced as they are chased through tunnels and when Bilbo falls down into the depths of the caves and meets Gollum for the “Riddles in the Dark” scene. Which is amazing. Tingles up the spine as they both throw riddles to deceive each other, really well written and set.
Riddles in the dark
Jackson, now can do no wrong by me as he has conducted the best scene in the book to new heights!
In fact the rest of the film now goes on in this vein. Later a couple of annoyances kinda put my nose out of joint but nothing major. Like the fire balls the party threw at the Worgs when stranded in the trees and the fact it was on the edge of a cliff. Sure artistic licence is to be expected.
Was so glad that the second half of the film was epic when the first was lacklustre. Would definitely watch it again. Next time in normal 24frames per second and minus the 3D. Overall it was a success in my eyes and I hope that the rest do not fall foul to padding out like Jackson done with the Unexpected Journey.
Another further upgrade that is still behind in the hardware stakes….
Apple fail to impress as they are no longer the innovators they once where.
When you stop laughing I can continue. £20….. £20 for them failing to pay all your bills, not letting access your money via ATM’s, not accepting money being transfered into your account, causing your credit file to become effected due to non payments for bills, charging you for not having adequate funds when they did could not update balances, failure for the customer to monitor their cash flow and therefore leave them finically crippled earlier in the month, expecting the customer to personally run to the bank in order to get cash and then spend 2hrs waiting for it.
REMINDER £20
Then of course you have all the knock on effects. For example, not having food due to money being unavailable, unable to travel due, no petrol could be bought, heating the home could not be granted either, having to payback a months missed rent to the landlord in installments, on top of you usual outgoings, also, last weekend, taking a SO 4 days early leaving you with no money, stranded in a Bus terminal etc etc… I am sure the list goes on and on for each individual linked to this failed bank. The above where just issues that I personally had to endure as a consequence of their failure as a bank.May I add, not once did they offer any compensation over the phone, not once did they actually return a call via “Call back”. Spoke to managers, spoke to staff, sent in letters, nothing, zilch, not even a “sorry”.
AGAIN £20
How can this Bank justify that? This is one customer and they have allocated a massive £27 Million for compensation. Simple maths and a max of 20,000 customers equates to roughly £1,350 each. So where does all this cash go to. I understand that customers who complain can have 20% of their acknowledged hassles paid up to a titanic maximum of £95! Does big business get a windfall while the average customer yet again gets shit on from a great height? Maybe the bankers at the helm of Ulsterbank get to take that which is not given back to the public as a bonus? Something stinks, really stinks.
Talk about treating people like worthless feeders. How dare you. £95 is all you are worth to them.
Attached for download is their complaint/compensation document required for your application for this pathetic amount.
If you think it will be worth the hassle download, fill them in and send them off. I wouldn’t personally, I am leaving, on a jet plane, dont know when I will be back again. Tell you when…. NEVER!
PS The fee Waiver Period is from 19 June – 19 Sep 2012.
They are still screwing up my account 10 weeks after the first incident… so they will no doubt be charging me for anything they can.
Further links.
Ulster Bank “Compensation scheme an insult to customers” Ritchie – Newry Times
Ulster bank to compensate customers – The Guardian
Ulster Bank redress scheme provokes response – BBC News NI
Bank Chief defends £20 compensation deal – Belfast telegraph
Over 3 hours of great music that captures this years sunset cruise
Listen below
Looking forward to watching this when it is shown on BBC4, Sunday 18th of March.
@ 8:30pm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17218931
Seeing as I used to live in the area as a child (Killough), it will be very interesting to see all the buildings I used to play in as a nipper! Having watched the trailer, it highlights the beauty in the area itself. Will reserve judgment on the acting after watching it of course! 🙂
Brief description taken from a website below.
“The Shore,” a 30-minute film about an expatriate Irishman returning home for the first time in 25 years, won the Academy Award for live-action short film on Sunday night.
The win marks the first Oscar for director-writer Terry George, who was nominated for two features: original screenplay for “Hotel Rwanda” and adapted screenplay for “In the Name of the Father.”
The latter feature is one of multiple films by George, including “The Shore,” about the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Shot in the director’s native Belfast, the short stars Irish actor Ciarán Hinds as the man returning to the Emerald Isle.”
For more info check out The Shores official website.
Just finished watching Hammer Films new feature movie “The Woman in Black”.
Have to say that it was exceptional and I thoroughly enjoyed it, I did think wee Harry Potter was totally mis cast for the main role. He did manage to provide a decent bit of over reaction that was necessary in sections of the film. His extremely youthful looking face was far from the worldly wise and experienced middle aged man that should have been cast.
That aside, the film clearly had throw backs to the Hammer Horrors of yore as many scenes like the small village inn that warns away strangers and the hastily hurrying indoors of their children as Young Harry ambles past. Cinematography was excellent, long dark corridors and shifting shadows cleary reminded me of some of the old vampire flicks. The nostaliga was oozing from the film! Which was great to see.
As a seasoned horror veteran i was pleased to be actually shocked, which is rare these days. Some scenes where superbly scripted with shock after shock. At one stage I had a almost total body spasm as a sharp shaft of adrenalin seemingly went from my head to my toes!
All in all, I would definitely watch this again as the last horror I really enjoyed was quite some time ago. That was Insidious.
For a discussion on the ending of the film once you have seen it, please click on the link below.
Click on the play button below and plug in your headphones and find out.
Link
A amazing and inspiring video. Watch
Yes, seems like I took my MacBook Pro a step too far! With it being 5 years old and having served me relentlessly, I have taken it to the threshold and one of my dearest and loyal friends is gone….. I was running Lion and Windows 7 Ultimate by dual booting and Boot Camp. Maxxed out the graphics card and it crumpled. So I am looking to sell it for parts as I do not want to change the logic board but buy a new laptop instead. So anyone out there who is looking for a screen, touch pad, keyboard, or other internal parts I have placed it on eBay for sale.
Make an offer or Buy Now if you are interested. Doubtful many would be but at least I will advertise it in order to hopefully increase traffic and potential buyers.
All details for the eBay auction are at the link below.
My MacBook Pro Auction – Parts
After using a bruised and battered Sony Ericsson K810i for the last 4 months, due to my absentmindedly losing my HTC Desire in the back of a cab! I toyed with the idea of upgrading to a new iPhone 5 when my upgrade was available on the 12th of October…. though, it failed to appear…. a disappointing upgraded iPhone 4 emerged and straight away I contemplated going back to Android having being let down by Apple. Who may I add suck up quite a few wary souls by their excellent marketing and the art of selling phones with basic upgrades. 🙂
I went straight into research mode and looked at the competitors out there. Almost immediately i was taken by the superior spec and the tinker abilities of the Samsung Galaxy S2 and Andriod 2.3.2. I was sold and due the the substantially better deals you could get from O2 in relation to the smartphone I negotiated a £31 a month contract with 1GB data, 500 anytime /network mins… plus unlimited O2 to O2 calls and unlimited texts and BT Openzone and Wi-Fi access. Not bad as the same deal on the substandard iPhone4S would cost you £15 more as its an Apple phone! Joke really aint it!
Considering that Android has has voice commands and the S2 also has a better camera and overall spec , I have not been disappointed in the least and am glad I have a S2 even tho its a 2 year deal. This will defo last me that length of time and fingers crossed the new Android 4 gets released and updated via O2, otherwise I may have to manually install it myself as it does look excellent! Oh did i mention it has facial recognition software…. Android is now leading the market not Apple as they would make you believe!
Compare the Samsung Galaxy vrs iPhone4S Vrs HTC Sensation XL
