Mr. Peabody and Sherman

Credible Credits

Year: 2014

Director: Rob Minkoff

Starring: Ty Burrell, Max Charles, Ariel Winter, Stanley Tucci, and Patrick Warburton

Tagline: History is catching up with them.
Synopsis: The improbable adventures of Mr. Peabody -- a genius who happens to be a dog -- and his adopted boy Sherman as they time travel through history.

Review

Let me begin by saying that I have fond memories of watching reruns of The Rocky and Bullwinkle Show from when I was a kid.  I loved the quirky humor.  And I always enjoyed the segment, Peabody's Improbable History.  I think by the time I started watching the show I knew enough about history to get the jokes and know how far they'd stretched the truth.  After all, how realistic could you get with a genius, talking dog as your main character?

I should back up though.  I guess it has been a while since I saw a Dreamworks animated film.  Have they always done short films before the feature?  I don't remember any of them.  Maybe it is a new thing and they are trying to be cool like Disney (Paperman was better than Wreck-It Ralph) or awesome like Pixar (Gerry's Game, 'nuff said).  If it is a new thing, they started with a fail.  I don't even remember what the short was called.  It was colorful, but nonetheless bland.  It finished and I thought, "Wait, that's it?"  I've seen commercials with more heart and humor.  Bleh.

Sorry, back to the actual movie.

Mr. Peabody and Sherman does a nice job paying homage to its origins.  It even begins and ends with the same lines as the very first Peabody's Improbable History segment.  It also ends with the same disgruntled, bristle-brush mustachioed street sweeper cleaning up after the final parade.  Nice.

And it is fairly true to the zany view of history and historical figures.  This is certainly not a movie that is trying to teach history.  It is a film having fun with history and embracing anachronisms.  And, true to the original, Mr. Peabody loves to crack terrible puns.  Case in point: Peabody and Sherman find themselves in an Egyptian tomb where a mummy loses its arm, freaking out Sherman.  Peabody responds with, "Well, that's disarming."  What can I say, I'm a fan of puns.

The humor in the film is more than just puns though.  It manages to run the full gamut: from body odor gags to humorous references about Oedipus ("You do not want to go to family dinner at his house.  Awkward!").  How many in the audience actually got the Oedipus joke I don't know.  But I appreciated it.  While it is hardly laugh out loud worthy, there are certainly enough chuckles to keep most people amused throughout.  I think my favorite gag had to be the "I'm Spartacus!" line during the climax.  Terrific usage of a famous movie quote.

As for the story itself, well, it is fairly predictable.  And by the end it starts getting a bit convoluted (a typical consequence of ripping holes in that pesky space-time continuum).  It does have some heart as it strives to be not just an adventure, but a "father" and son bonding tale.  I got the impression it was trying to take a few pages out of Finding Nemo's book with the whole "You think you can do these things, but you can't" setup.  But it just doesn't quite work here.  I guess you might say the film only puts forward a halfhearted attempt to have heart.

The film is visually fun and the voice acting is pretty spot on.  It's not a terrific movie, but it's fun and worth seeing, if not in theaters then via Redbox or Netflix.  So if someone asks if you want to see Mr. Peabody and Sherman, just say "Sure, man."  (Sorry, I couldn't resist.)

Quotable Quotes

• "You can't have your cake and edict too." -- Mr. Peabody
• "If at first you don't succeed ... Troy, Troy again." -- Mr. Peabody on his escape from the battle of Troy
• "I love you, Mr. Peabody."  "I have a fond regard for you, too" -- Sherman and Mr. Peabody
• "I'm Spartacus!" -- Spartacus

ISFS

The Lego Movie

Credible Credits

Year: 2014

Director: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller

Starring: Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Will Arnett, Will Ferrell, and Liam Neeson

Tagline: Assembling in 2014
Synopsis: When President Business threatens to unleash a super weapon, Emmet, an ordinary minifigure, must rally the Master Builders in order to save the Lego world.

Review

The other week I noted that Monuments Men failed to live up to its movie trailer.  Well, I suppose in a strange way The Lego Movie balances that out by far surpassing its trailer.

I've loved Legos for as long as I can remember.  It was my toy of choice during my childhood.  I had castle sets and pirate sets and space sets and town sets.  Even now, I still have some Legos as decorations.  I'm also a big fan of the Lego Indiana Jones video game.  So when I saw that Lego was coming out with a movie, I was cautiously optimistic.  The trailers showed the film would have zaniness and humor (and Batman), but they didn't really get me excited about the film.  And then the reviews started coming in ... and they were nearly all positive, very positive.  I knew I definitely had to check it out.

So, now I can add my praise.  The Lego Movie is terrific.  I suppose "awesome" would be a more appropriate term given the number of times the song "Everything Is Awesome" plays throughout.

There is a wonderful humor that runs throughout the entire film.  There were so many clever or tongue-in-cheek lines it was hard to keep up.  I think I spent most of the run time with a grin on my face.  The film also pokes fun at various movie genres (e.g., there is a constant bar fight going on in the western town; the villain's lair is guarded by lasers, sharks, and laser sharks), superheros (Batman is fantastic, with a great theme song), and pop culture (e.g. Emmet happily buys a $37 coffee).  The humor is also at times very irreverent.  There were a few times when I thought to myself they'd never get away with this if these weren't plastic minifigures.

The animation is colorful and somewhat manic, but very fun throughout.  Even when there is water or an explosion, there is the appearance that it is all made of Lego pieces.  Also outstanding was the voice cast.  They were all perfect for their roles.  I was especially impressed with Liam Neeson who played a Bad Cop/Good Cop character.  Each personality had a very distinct voice.  Will Ferrell is also a terrific villain.

The story itself is fairly straightforward.  Bricksburg is a nice orderly city where everyone follows the instructions.  But the world is in danger because President Business still isn't satisfied that everything is perfect and plans to unleash his secret weapon: Kragle.  So a prophesied "chosen one" must arise to save everyone.  In this case, that person is termed "the Special."  Emmet is as ordinary as ordinary can be and follows his instructions obsessively.  But when he accidentally stumbles on the "Piece of Resistance" (that clever name made me very happy) he is immediately believed to be the Special and is whisked off to a meeting of the Master Builders who are in hiding.  What follows is the typical quest.  The heroes experience some setbacks, have to work together, and manage to get exactly what they need exactly when they need it (by means of my favorite cameo in the movie).

In terms of themes, the Master Builders pride themselves on their creativity and ability to build whatever they need without instructions.  And it is awesome and fun to watch.  But Emmet, whose creativity is severely lacking, teaches them that there is a place for instructions.  More importantly, he shows them that sometimes their own creativity is keeping them from successfully working together.  There is also a theme of being yourself and your own special.

And then the third act hit with a plot twist I didn't see coming.  All of the above is why The Lego Movie is a fun, enjoyable movie.  But the twist takes it to the level of a terrific movie.  Suddenly there is as much heart as there was humor.  It's a little annoying that I can't say more, but that would ruin the movie.  So the rest of my review will have to go down in the Spoiler Section.

I definitely recommend this movie, but be in a slightly goofy mood and be prepared to have "Everything Is Awesome" stuck in your head.

*** Spoiler Section ***
Once the movie revealed what the Kragle was (Krazy Glue with some of the lettering rubbed off) and President Business started showing off his relics (including a used Band-Aid, a Titleist golf ball, and an X-Acto knife) I had a feeling there might be a real world tie in at some point.  Having Emmet sacrifice himself by throwing himself off the edge of the universe worked quite well in the story.  And I wasn't particularly surprised when, in the real world, he was picked up by a young boy.  Up until that moment, the movie was humorous and fun.  And then Will Ferrell, the voice of President Business, walked down the basement steps to confront his son for messing with his (the father's) toys.

In that moment, the entire movie changed.  Yes, it was still about what it means to be special and creativity vs. instruction-following.  But mostly it was about a father and son.  In that one moment, everything that had been happening in the movie took on a different meaning.  It had always been about a son and his relationship with his father.  And because of what had come before, you already knew much more about their relationship and who this father was than was portrayed in the live action sequence.  Watching Will Ferrell's character thaw from being an OCD perfectionist to seeing the value of his son's "chaotic" creativity put a bigger smile on my face than any of the witty lines or visual gags.  Based on all the trailers and the entire movie up until that point, I was not expecting that much heart.  And that surprising touch of humanity is what elevates The Lego Movie.

In the end, the film was never about Emmet saving the world.  Given that it is based in the imagination of a young boy, that Lego world will never be safe.  Instead, the movie was about reconciliation: the reconciliation (and coexistence) of precise instruction following with creative play and the reconciliation of father and son.  And that is awesome.

Oh, and in case you're wondering, when I played with Legos as a kid, I built according to the instructions and played President Business style.  As Emmet proves, we can't all be Master Builders, but that doesn't mean we can't still have fun.

Quotable Quotes

• "I think I heard a whoosh." -- Emmet
• "The Special will now give an eloquent speech." -- Vitruvius
• "Come with me if you want to not die." -- Wyldstyle

ISFS

The Monuments Men

Credible Credits

Year: 2013

Director: George Clooney

Starring: George Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Jean Dujardin, and Cate Blanchett

Tagline: It Was the Greatest Art Heist in History
Synopsis: A team of museum curators and art historians fight to recover millions of pieces of stolen artwork from the Nazis.

Review

From the moment I saw the first trailer for The Monuments Men I couldn't wait until it came out.  It looked so awesome.  How could you go wrong with such an incredible sounding true story and a cast like that?  It seemed like Oscar bait for sure.  When the release was pushed from December of last year to this February I was so sad, but still extremely excited.  It became one of the films I was most excited for this year.  Sadly, the film did not live up to the trailer or all the expectations it raised.

It was disheartening to watch the "rotten" reviews start to pile up on Rotten Tomatoes.  From the tidbits of reviews I looked through, the general consensus was that it was a film of unrealized potential.  Some films are just plain bad because the script is trite or downright ridiculous, because the actors are wooden and unlikable, or because the director simply didn't know what they're doing.  That was not the case for The Monuments Men, and I think that is why critics were so excessively harsh on the film.  It had so much potential, and yet it never lived up to it.

The story -- based on actual events -- is incredible; make no mistake about that.  And for that reason alone, I think the movie is worth seeing once.  But let's end on the positive note ...

I wanted so very much to love The Monuments Men.  I really did.  But the best I can really say is that it was likable.  For one thing, the pacing was so very slow.  Now I've watched many many old movies.  I am fine with unfolding a story at a slow pace and getting to know characters.  But this was just plain slow.  And I didn't feel we really did ever get to know the characters.  For as brilliant as the actors were, and as fun and charming as they were in their roles, there just wasn't a ton of depth.  There were some attempts to add more characterization, but with so many characters, it was as though each only got a half-hearted attempt.  Nor did those attempts at characterization forward the story.  A great film can move the story and the character development along simultaneously.  This film couldn't seem to manage that.

The movie also had some tonal problems.  It was never trying to be a gritty, realistic film like Saving Private Ryan or Schindler's List.  But it seemed to struggle to balance a light, humorous tone with some of the more ugly parts of war.  I enjoyed the humor.  I enjoyed that it didn't completely gloss over the atrocities the Nazis committed.  But the two tones didn't quite gel the way they were supposed to.  Again, the problem seemed to be depth.  The humor and the horror were more situational.  They didn't naturally stem from the humanity of the characters.

The biggest problem was in the telling of the story itself.  The story was, by its nature, very episodic.  But not all of the episodes seemed to fully resolve or lead to further developments.  Basically there were quite a few times when I had to shake my head and say "wait what?"  Even analyzing things after the fact, I'm still not entirely sure how certain plot points were supposed to work.

The cast did do a very good job.  You were just left wanting there to have been more.  And the film certainly has good intentions.  I'm grateful George Clooney wanted to tell this lesser known story from WWII.  It's a great story.

 By the time the Monuments Men in the film get to work, the tide has already turned and it is fairly clear the Allies are going to win.  With the greatest dangers averted, then they are able to divert some attention to the preservation and recovery of art.  The film makes it seem like it was just these seven men.  In reality, it was a much larger program consisting of a few hundred service members and civilians.  In the film, the men don't always get much support from the various commanding officers they seek assistance from.  That may have been true at times, but in reality, the program had the backing of General Eisenhower himself.

The film asks an intriguing question: what is worth fighting and even dying for?  In real life and in the film, there were a couple of casualties among the Monuments Men.  But this wasn't simply the case of a person dying for one piece of art, even if it was by Michelangelo.  The Nazis had plundered every place that had fallen into their possession.  The number of pieces of art was in the millions.  It was much of the cultural history of western Europe.  George Clooney's character explains why they risked all they did for the cause: "You can wipe out an entire generation.  You can burn their homes to the ground, and somehow they'll still find their way back.  But if you destroy their history, destroy their achievements, then it's as if they never existed."

Having watched the trailer again, I want the movie the trailer gave me hope for.  This is a great story that deserved a great movie, not a passably likable movie.

Quotable Quotes

• "We've been tasked with the finding and protecting of over five million pieces of stolen artwork." -- Stokes
• "If you destroy [people's] history, destroy their achievements, then it's as if they never existed." -- Stokes
• "Why would you do that?" -- Garfield to Granger, who just stepped on a mine

ISFS

Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans

Credible Credits

Year: 1927

Director: F.W. Murnau

Starring: George O'Brien, Janet Gaynor, Margaret Livingston, and a drunken pig (don't ask)

Tagline: N/A
Synopsis: A wayward husband reconnects with his long-suffering wife, falling in love with her all over again.

Review

It is time again for another film school flashback.  This time we're going all the way back to the silent film era.  Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans is often cited as being not only one of the best films of that era, but one of the greatest films of any era.  I watched quite a few silent films during my time as a film student, and Sunrise was hands down my favorite.  It is simply a beautiful film.

Cinematic storytelling has changed a lot over the decades.  Just to put this in context, Sunrise came out the same year as The Jazz Singer (the first "talkie").  And although it is a silent film, it was one of the first to incorporate a proper soundtrack with sound effects.  But what little dialogue there is comes from title cards.

The director, F.W. Murnau, was a master of German Expressionism and this film is simply a Hollywoodized version of that movement.  What that means is, if you are looking for realism, this isn't the film to choose.  Sunrise isn't about reality in the sense of being a completely realistic story set in the world as it literally is.  It is expressive by design and an exaggerated portrayal of reality.  What's truly real are the emotions.

The film's subtitle is A Song of Two Humans, and that is an apt description.  The story is kind of like a song, or perhaps a fable, rather than the normal narrative structure you'd see today.  The main characters are more archetypes than fleshed out people.  They are never even given names.  They are simply the Man, the Wife, and the Woman from the City.  But just because the Man could be any man and the Wife any long-suffering wife doesn't mean you don't connect with them as humans with genuine feelings and emotions.  The beauty of the film is that you do connect with them.  Perhaps it is not that the characters are realistic portrayals so much as they are true portrayals (if you want to have a nice philosophical discussion on the difference between real and true let me know).

Since there is hardly any dialogue in the film, the brunt of the storytelling and character development comes from body language and facial expressions.  The Man's change is the most dramatic.  At the start of the film he is beaten down by life and having a fling with the visiting Woman from the City.  He doesn't walk, he trudges.  His entire frame bespeaks his guilt and shame and turmoil.  As he hits rock bottom, he is hunched over with downcast eyes.  But then things change.  He realizes he still loves his wife and is horrified by what he has done (and almost done).  I can't help but smile as I watch him transform.

The bulk of the film is dedicated to that transformation, as the Man comes to his senses, seeks forgiveness from his wife, and rekindles their romance.  It is a beautiful portrayal of repentance/forgiveness as you see the burdens fall from the Man.  He begins to walk taller and straighter.  He gets a shave and a haircut.  He laughs and dances.  For her part, the Wife goes from worn down to terrified to forgiving to flirtatious and joyous.  And you can believe every moment of it just from her body language and face.

But the film doesn't end with the couple's reconciliation.  They must first weather one more storm, literally.  It isn't so much a final test for the Wife as it is for the Man.  And there is a dramatic irony to the situation that unfolds.  As the title implies, after the long and stormy night is over, a new day dawns for the Man and his Wife.  And the seductress heads scowling back to the city from whence she came.

There are so many wonderful moments in this film that make it a joy to watch.  The scene in the church, where the couple watches another couple exchange wedding vows is a brilliant and believable catalyst for the Man's continuing change of heart.  But my favorite scene is probably when they go to a photographer to have a portrait done.  It's just a wonderful, playful scene that helps lighten the mood and shows why the couple fell in love in the first place.

So there you have it, my favorite silent film.  I know it isn't a movie for everyone.  Silent films require a lot more patience than modern ones.  But if you do decide to hunt down this film (which just got easier since it came out on Blu-ray), remember, this isn't a story about the roaring 1920s, it is a story from the 1920s.  Trying to impose modern sensibilities would be a disservice to the film.

Quotable Quotes

• "For wherever the sun rises and sets, in the city's turmoil or under the open sky on the farm, life is much the same; sometimes bitter, sometimes sweet." -- Title Card
• "Forgive me!" -- The Man

ISFS

Frozen: Let It Go

Credible Credits

Year: 2013

Director: Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee

Starring: Idina Menzel

Music/Lyrics: Kristen Anderson-Lopez & Robert Lopez
Synopsis: After Queen Elsa's icy powers are revealed, she flees into the mountains and begins to explore just what she is capable of.

Review

Nope.  I'm not one bit ashamed to admit that I saw Frozen for the third time today.  I still think it has some flaws, but I love it anyway.  And I just really wanted to see it one more time on the big screen.

As the post's title suggests, this is only a review of one particular segment.  I actually had many of the following thoughts related to "Let It Go" a few weeks ago.  So I thought I'd put my film school knowledge to use and share.

It truly is a powerful segment, as the outstanding visuals and soaring music forward both the story and Elsa's character development.  I've read the equivalent section of the novelization (What?  It's a good story.) and it isn't nearly as awe-inspiring or revealing.

The segment is about liberation.  Elsa starts out feeling isolated and like a failure for having accidentally revealed her powers.  For years she has abided by her parent's well-intentioned counsel to "conceal it; don't feel it."  But now her secret is out.  And with it comes a sense of exhilarating relief.  She no longer has to keep this enormous secret.  She no longer has to live in fear of discovery.  And though she is alone, she thinks she no longer has to fear hurting Anna or anyone else.

At long last, Elsa lets go of her fears and the constraints she has lived under (symbolized at that point by her remaining glove and cloak which both blow away in the wind).  Instead, she embraces the incredible power she was born with.  As soon as she relinquishes her fears and embraces who she is, the snowstorm around her stops and the night becomes crystal clear.

It is very appropriate and telling that almost the first thing Elsa does as she embraces her powers is to build Olaf.  She has never forgotten the lopsided little snowman (who likes warm hugs) she and Anna once built as children.  Olaf in a way becomes a living reminder of not only the sisters' bond, but also of Elsa's inherent goodness.

As Elsa is liberated (or rather liberates herself) from her fears and the constraints on her powers, she also undergoes a transformation.  Timid steps become an excited run.  Her confidence grows along with her ice palace.  And lastly she transforms herself, freeing her hair and changing her gown to become a crystalline, shimmering complement to her powers.

But there is an undercurrent to the segment.  It took a few viewings before I picked up on it.  For almost the entire sequence, Elsa is moving from right to left across the screen.  Because we are a left to right reading society, right to left is often considered the "wrong" direction, or it implies moving backward.  (In The Hobbit, for example, the characters are almost always moving from left to right on their journey.)  So having Elsa move from right to left is a subtle, subconscious commentary within the film.  Yes, she is excited and feels free.  Yes, she is becoming empowered and confident.  She genuinely feels like she is on the right path.  And certainly her motivation of protecting Anna and Arendelle from herself is well-intentioned.  But ultimately, she is going the wrong way.

The audience has already begun to know what Elsa doesn't: that Arendelle is in a deep freeze.  Elsa may think she can be free from her past, but she will ultimately have to face not only her past but all her fears in order for everything to be set right.  Running away to be alone isn't the answer.  And I love that the sequence subtly shows that.

Quotable Quotes

• "A kingdom of isolation ... and it looks like I'm the queen."
• "My soul is spiraling in frozen fractals all around."
• "Let the storm rage on!  The cold never bothered me anyway."

ISFS

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

Credible Credits

Year: 2013

Director: Ben Stiller

Starring: Ben Stiller, Kristen Wiig, Shirley MacLaine, Patton Oswalt, and Sean Penn

Tagline: Stop dreaming; start living
Synopsis: When an important photo goes missing, Walter Mitty must stop living in daydreams and start adventuring in real life. 

Review

Did you know this is actually the second film adaptation of James Thurber's short story?  For that matter, did you know it was based on a short story?  I first read Thurber's tale in my 9th grade English class.  I don't remember much beyond the premise: a timid man spends a lot of time daydreaming.  Well, the premise is about all the films and the short story have in common.  The first adaptation was in 1947 and is a comedy featuring the inestimably talented Danny Kaye.  It's terrific.  So I was very leery when I learned a few years ago that a new adaptation was in the works, especially when I saw that it would be Ben Stiller starring and directing.  And then I saw the movie trailer.

If the Academy Awards had an Oscar for Best Movie Trailer it should go to The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.  The various trailers are beautiful, touching, epic, witty, and unlike the cookie cutter trailers you see everywhere else.  And they perfectly utilize their songs.  One view of the trailer and I was sold on seeing the film.  With each successive trailer my hopes climbed higher.

I can't say that the film is perfect.  It has its flaws, its moments that are slightly jarring, its inconsistencies and illogicalities.  But I can forgive all that.  Because overall it is a beautiful, touching, and humorous film that puts a smile on my face just recollecting it.  It isn't so much a film about daydreaming so much as it is a film about becoming.

Ben Stiller's Walter Mitty isn't henpecked by his wife (like the story) or his mother (like the first film).  Instead, you might say he is henpecked by life.  He is quiet and shy and has a frequent tendency to "zone out" as he daydreams about being more than he is.  But we find that he wasn't always quite so reserved and afraid of life.  Circumstances in a sense knocked the adventure out of him until he became overly sensible and reserved.  And then throughout the film, more circumstances bear down on him: a merger at work, a lost photo, and an insensitive jerk who holds Walter's job -- and the jobs of his friends -- in his obnoxious hands.  Necessity is the mother of invention, and apparently the mother of adventure as well.  But the story isn't simply about finding the lost photo.  It is about Walter finding Walter.  And watching Walter learn to love life and truly live it is wonderful to behold.

While the film is certainly about Walter, he is surrounded by some great supporting characters.  His mom is empathetic and encouraging.  It is through her that we start to understand Walter better.  Sean O'Connell is the adventuresome photographer Walter must track down.  He also serves as an inspiration to Walter, helping him to see what matters.  The most humorous character is Todd, a customer service representative from eHarmony who becomes phone buddies with Walter.  And then there is Cheryl, the girl of Walter's dreams and daydreams.  What makes their relationship work is that it is shown early on that while she may think Walter is a little odd ("Where do you go?" she asks after he has zoned out), she starts to like him even then.  Her real life encouragement is genuine, so when Walter conjures her as his inspiration to help him on his journey, it works.

The film itself is also beautiful.  Ben Stiller did a terrific job directing.  The scenery, as Walter is skateboarding through Iceland or trekking through the Himalayas, is truly stunning.  But it is also fun to see the ways in which Stiller used the scenery.  For example, films usually start off with titles about who the production company is and what the name of the movie is.  In The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, those titles appear as though written on the street as seen from a bird's eye view, or on train station signs.  They are absorbed into the world.  Words from the motto of Life magazine are shown on the walls of the airport and then within the plane's cabin as Walter first embarks on his adventure.  My favorite was when Walter receives a text message which the audience gets to read etched onto the side of a mountain.

My favorite part of the film may actually be the soundtrack.  Partly because the songs used in the film (e.g., "Dirty Paws" by Of Monsters and Men, "Wake Up" by Arcade Fire, and "Step Out" by Jose Gonzalez) are great songs.  But mostly because they are absolutely perfect for the tone of the film.  I was so excited to discover the two songs that helped the trailers work so well were actually part of the soundtrack ("Dirty Paws" and "Step Out").  Movie trailers often use completely unrelated music.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty won't appeal to everyone.  It has kind of an indie feel to it.  And it does have its flaws.  But as long as this post is, I still feel like I could go on and on about it.  It it is a fantastic film that I look forward to seeing and reliving again and again.

*** Spoiler Section ***
The film's "MacGuffin" (a film term for the plot device a protagonist/antagonist is after) is a lost picture that is meant to be on the cover of the very last issue of Life magazine.  Walter spends the bulk of the story trying to track it down.  It is the catalyst to get him to start living.  The fact that Walter has the picture in his wallet all along is a nice touch.  As is the fact that his loving mother -- who he has clearly spent a lifetime sacrificing for -- is the one to rescue it after a discouraged Walter throws his wallet in the garbage.

The film spends a lot of time building up the wonder of the missing picture.  It is described by Sean O'Connell as the "quintessence of life."  They did so much to build it up that by the end I was thinking there was no way they could truly live up to the expectations they'd set.  I almost hoped they wouldn't show the picture.  I thought they should just show people's reactions to it and let the audience imagine what they would.  But when they did reveal the picture, on the cover of the last issue, it truly did work.  It's not a picture of an exploding volcano, a storm-tossed ship, or an elusive snow leopard.  It is the "quintessence of Life" magazine: a candid shot of Walter, outside the Time & Life building, eating lunch, and scrutinizing a sheet of negatives.  For all the grand adventures both Sean O'Connell and Walter Mitty have, there is a beauty in the simplicity of life: dedication to a job well done.

Quotable Quotes

• "That's a shark!" -- Ship captain
• "Have you done anything noteworthy or mentionable?" -- Todd
• "Beautiful things don't ask for attention." -- Sean O'Connell

ISFS

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

Credible Credits

Year: 2013

Director: Peter Jackson

Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Benedict Cumberbatch, Orlando Bloom, and more dwarves than anyone can keep track of

Tagline: N/A
Synopsis: Bilbo, Thorin, and the rest of the dwarves continue their quest to reclaim Erebor whilst Gandalf sets off on a journey of his own.

Review

Yes, I have actually read The Hobbit.   It has been a number of years, though, so I don't remember all the details.  My main recollection is that the dwarves got captured a lot and Bilbo/Gandalf rescued them a lot.  The films have certainly been true to that aspect of the story.

I'll admit, I was a bit surprised when it was announced that The Hobbit was going to be split into not two but three movies.  And they are not short movies either.  But, for the most part, The Desolation of Smaug doesn't feel too long.  I love Jackson's interpretation of Tolkien's world and enjoy the time I get to spend there.  The scenery is astounding -- both the real places and the ornate sets.  Both Thranduil's elven kingdom and the dwarf kingdom Erebor have an epic grandeur to them that is unique to the culture and temperaments of their occupants.  Every place characters visit feels different, which just makes this world feel that much more real.

I think Desolation of Smaug is an improvement upon the first film.  It keeps the pace going nicely and has some terrific action sequences (like the river chase).  There were a few minutes when it felt like it started to lag.  But not many.

While the film is mostly true to the book, Peter Jackson has certainly taken some liberties: some to round out the story more and others to tie it in more to Lord of the Rings.  Most of the subplots with Gandalf, Radagast, and the Necromancer are additions.  And I think they work.  In the book, the Necromancer is only mentioned briefly and we are told little if anything about what Gandalf was up to when he left the dwarves.  In the book it felt a little bit like a plot device to make things more difficult for the dwarves.  But Jackson has used it to greater effect.

I was a little nervous when I first learned that Legolas would be in the film, since he is not in the book whatsoever.  But then I learned he is the son of Thranduil, king of the woodland elves that the dwarves have a run in with.  That seemed like decent justification.  And Legolas is indeed put to good use.  Tauriel, who is completely made up for the films, is another interesting character.  She's a fun addition who manages to bring some much needed heart and conscience to the woodland elves.  I'm not entirely sure how I feel about her subplot though.  I guess we'll see how it plays out in the third film.

The very best part of the film is Smaug.  As dragons go, he is stupendous (to borrow Bilbo's description).  Benedict Cumberbatch is utterly brilliant as the voice: equal parts intelligent and menacing.  He also did motion capture to make Smaug's facial movements and expressions more realistic.  I love the way his chest and throat begin to glow before he breathes fire.  The whole scene in the treasure room with Smaug and Bilbo is terrific.  Speaking of Bilbo, Martin Freeman continues to do an excellent job as the titular hobbit.  He is clever, witty, and optimistic.  But it is also interesting to watch as the One Ring does begin to affect him.

As the middle part of a trilogy, Desolation of Smaug does a pretty good job.  It isn't nearly as strong as, say, The Two Towers (which is the film that turned me into a Lord of the Rings fan).  But it carries the story along and builds things up for the finale.  Sadly, we have another 11 months to wait before the Battle of Five Armies.

Quotable Quotes

• "I am fire ... I am death." -- Smaug
• "I ... found something in the goblin tunnels."  "What did you find?"  "My courage."  "Good.  You'll need it." -- Bilbo and Gandalf
• "When did we allow evil to become stronger than us?" -- Tauriel
• "What have we done?" -- Bilbo

ISFS