Calling in Hobbit

[stgulik]

Don't tell my boss, but I called in sick today because last night we went to the midnight premiere of "The Hobbit."



I think the single nicest thing about the movie was returning to Middle Earth and the Shire. It's even prettier than you remember, thanks in no small part to the fact they've majorly stepped up the special effects. 

Lovely to see Ian McKellin and Cate Blanchett and other actors from the Lord of the Rings. There are a bunch more English actors I didn't recognize. Elijah Wood got a cameo, and I even caught a quick sight of Samwise Gamgee tending the garden, I think. So as I say, a big nostalgia factor throughout.

The actor who plays Bilbo is the guy who was Arthur Dent in "Hitchhiker's Guide" a few years ago. He has this comfortable sort of befuddled friendliness to his demeanor which makes him a very good Bilbo. Hands-down, my favorite sequence was "Riddles in the Dark," in which Bilbo and Gollum try to best each other with a test of wits down in the caves. It was word-for-word from the book. Groom and I remembered all the riddles, and for some reason we kept nudging each other throughout that scene. 

So, get over there this weekend, and have a good time! The 2-D theatre wasn't nearly as packed as the 3-D one, so keep that in mind. 



I'm a bit of a zombie this afternoon, having gotten only about four hours of sleep. That's my last midnight movie, I fear. They're great fun in spirit, but wow, the body just doesn't take this no-sleep thing in stride the way it used to. No wonder Groom and I were just about the only Boomers in the crowd. 

Off to eat second breakfast!

Comments

[mimimanderly.livejournal.com]

My groom and I will see it on Christmas day, as per our "tradition" of a movie followed by Indian food. We'll be seeing it 2D. I just don't think it's worth the price, the crowd, and the headache and eyestrain of seeing it in 3D.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

I dislike 3-D too, for those reasons. It always gives me a headache. I don't understand the popularity.

[kittylefish.livejournal.com]

i fully support skiving off work after watching the hobbit. go you! i can't wait.

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

You'll love it! Thanks for the vote of confidence.

[delphipsmith]

We went to a midnight showing as well and I can totally identify with the zombification: all the next day at work I felt like I was wrapped in cotton wool, everything felt rather surreal and faraway. To think I used to do midnight movies as a regular thing!

I agree, Martin Freeman as Bilbo was just sheer perfection. I was a big fan of his on the British version of The Office and had high hopes that he would capture the character -- I was not disappointed. The riddle scene was my favorite: the truest to the book, the best dialog, etc. Was SO GLAD they actually did the "In a hole in the ground there lived a Hobbit..." lines!

As a side-note, I have to say that Thorin and also Kili gave me some major HUBBA HUBBA moments :)

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

Lovely icon!

Yeah, as I say, I was smart enough to call in sick the next day, but now I know not to do midnight shows at all anymore, LOL.

It was Peter Jackson and Co., who have already shown their loyalty to Tolkien during LOTR, so I knew we were in for a great rendition of the Hobbit.

Thorin was gorgeous. If I were a dwarf-woman, I'd be all over that.

[nagandsev.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing--can't wait to see it, but am saving it as a Christmas or day-after Christmas treat! So excited that they're using dialogue ver batim from the book--*happy dance*!

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

You'll love it. They've stayed so faithful to the book.

[christev.livejournal.com]

Calling in Hobbit -LOL - I had already told some of my coworkers that I was going to the midnight show, so knew I'd be busted if I tried to call in sick. But my boss is very cool, and a couple days before, I asked for Friday off, saying that friends were coming to town, so got it off. :)

and it was true! went to see it with annietalbot, her sister, and shefa, two of whom are from out of town... although they drove right home after the show. :)

Loved Martin Freeman (who I already loved from Love Actually and Sherlock) and Richard Armitage (hottest. dwarf. ever.), and yeah, Kili was totally totally hot worth noticing, too!

[stgulik.livejournal.com]

I should have just told them I had friends coming in on Friday! Coming from Middle Earth, that is. How great you could go to the show with annietalbot and shefa!