This year, as I did both last year and in 2012, I am engaging in something I like to call the Year-End Dash. Basically, its the scramble to get as many eligible titles viewed as possible before the end of the year for the forthcoming BAM Awards.

The extemporaneous reactions to late viewing will be short, but they will be logged. So I thought it would also be a good idea to re-post in standalone form some of the more memorable films I’ve seen in the first few jaunts.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Based on all the banter I had heard about this film before I got to see it, I fully expected to despise this film. I didn’t. I do acknowledge that for those who have read the book that divorcing oneself from the source material may prove difficult here as it is a sprawling, elaborated version of the tale. I, personally, came in unencumbered by expectations from another medium.

I hope that as a series this bucks the precedent of the original trilogy where the second installment plays like a feature-length second act as opposed to an individual installment. Getting back to this film once it gets really going, which does take a bit longer than desired, it works. I also saw this film in 48 fps. It’s not quite ready for primetime it would seem. In the beginning when the lighting is flatter, it’s like you’re watching the world’s largest HDTV. There are issues handling both movement of the camera and character movement throughout. Movement isn’t always smooth, it’s at times jittery. As for helping the 3D, I’m not the best judge there, but the depth seemed consistent later on. I usually defer to CinemaBlend and agree with their final assessment.

Aside from all the extras, including the fact that I was also watching this in a new local theater, I think it is enjoyable, and perhaps having the original three as a background buoys it, but I think it’s a better start to the proceedings.

8/10