Well, everyone, today, we are going to be doing movie reviewing in a way that I don’t normally do, but thought I’d try it this time around, and probably should have tried with the Hobbit trilogy. Oh well! Anyway, let’s now discuss the Lord Of The Rings trilogy that consists of The Fellowship Of The Ring (2001), The Two Towers (2002), and The Return Of The King (2003)!

Plot for Fellowship Of The Ring: In the mythical land of Middle-Earth, in the land of Mordor, the dark lord, Sauron forges a ring in the fires of Mount Doom, and attempts to use it to dominate over other magical rings of that world, and over all Middle-Earth overall. However, an alliance of men, and elves that resist the rings power, and march upon Mordor to fight Sauron, and his army. Though Sauron is vanquished, Isildur, the son of the king of Gondor, takes the ring for himself, instead of casting it in the fires of Mt. Doom, and destroying evil. For the next 2500/3000 years, the ring ends up in the hands of creatures like Gollum (Andy Serkis), and then in the hands of a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Ian Holm). Sometime after this, Bilbo, his nephew, Frodo (Elijah Wood), and a company of others are summoned to the elf kingdom of Rivendell). King Elrond (Hugo Weaving) then summons them, and tells them that the ring must be taken to Mordor once, and for all. Frodo then agrees to the difficult task, and is accompanied by Gandalf the wizard (Ian McKellen), Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Boromir (Sean Bean), Gimli the dwarf (John Rhys-Davies), and hobbits Sam, Pippin, and Merry (Sean Astin, Billy Boyd, and Dominic Monaghan respectively). Now, they must make the hard journey from Rivendell to Mordor.

So, unlike The Hobbit, I never got the chance to read any of the Lord Of The Rings books. So, in the reviews of these films, I will not be making any comparisons to the books. Also, my reviews of these films will probable shorter ones this time around. That all being said, what are the pros, or cons of The Fellowship Of The Ring?

Well, for the pros, the film, first of all, has an excellent score by Howard Shore. Throughout the course of this movie, his score has a way of making get more emotional, feel more excitement, feel suspense even more, and things like that. I’m actually thrilled to hear that Fellowship Of The Ring won an Oscar for Best Original Score, along with likely other Oscar awards as well. Then, there’s the characters. Frodo, Gandalf, Samwise Gamge, Aragorn, they are all really well developed within around three hours. Oh, and there’s also Gimli the dwarf, who helps provide comic relief for this film. Definite thanks to the filmmakers for the comic relief element mostly with Gimli. Additionally, the script was also well-written, well-paced, and also had some really funny lines from some additional characters as well. But overall, what makes Lord Of The Rings really well done is the pacing of the story. Yes, I’m sure there were much more incredible amounts of details in the books. However, what really makes this film, and even the other two films shine is the incredible amount of symbolism in this Lord Of The Rings series. I’m sure you can tell that Peter Jackson wanted to respect J.R.R. Tolkien’s work as much as possible. Why? Because a great amount of symbolism, particularly with the whole nature of good versus evil, is just incredibly well done here. Again, probably done better in the books. Even so, for what we got here, and for how much may have likely been condensed, it was definitely well done. What’s more is that the relationships are even well handled. Even when there is a point when a character gets sucked into evil, and temporarily betrays another one, it’s just great how this film even shows that if we allow it, we can get sucked into evil, making bad choices, of course feel guilty from time to time, and more.

Honestly, if there was one thing that maybe could have been included in this film is the whole deal with the Orcs. I know that a character in this movie briefly mentioned that Orcs were once Elves. So, if that was the case, and/or even if the book elaborated on that more, this film probably could have kept, and incorporated that element into this first film. Yeah, maybe that would have added an extra 15-20 minutes. But you know what, films like Titanic were a little over three hours. So, why not make this film, and maybe even the other two films do so as well, even before we had the extended editions of the Lord Of The Rings films, you know?

And that’s at least my review for The Fellowship Of The Ring. The film is full of suspense, comedy, great fantasy, excellent world building of Middle-Earth. Though maybe some things could have likely been elaborated on a little more, for what we got, Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring is an excellent film overall. If you haven’t seen this movie, then all the more reason to see it, and see what you think!

Final Rating 9/10 ⭐️

And now for my review of Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers!

Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers Plot: In this second installment, Frodo (Elijah Wood), and Samwise Gamge (Sean Astin) continue their journey to Mordor after getting separated from the rest of their company, and now being accompanied by Gollum. Meanwhile, Pippin (Billy Boyd), and Merry (Dominic Monaghan) escape from the orcs that captured them, then run into a company of talking trees, along with Gandalf (Ian McKellen) reuniting with Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas (Viggo Mortensen, John Rhys-Davies, and Orlando Bloom), to help King Theoden of Rohan (Bernard Hill) reclaim a kingdom by the name of Helm’s Deep).

Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers is definitely a good film. What’s even more is that this second installment is more action-packed this time around. At the same time, we see great development with not only the old characters, but also the newer ones as well. Theoden was a great leader, along with his daughter, Eowyn, who cares about her father, and ends up having a liking for Aragorn. Even villains like Grima were crafty as well. What makes the characters stand out even more is there being symbolic moments with some of them, whether it’s certain moments with Gandalf, Gollum dealing with inner conflict with himself, and more. Also, this is the second of three films, there could be times when this Lord Of The Rings like a bit of a drag. However, the action scenes, and any scenes that help develop the story, characters, and more help make up for that. And then, of course, there’s Howard Shore’s score. Why he didn’t even get a nomination for his score, or even win an Oscar for that year, I’m not sure. Still, that should have been the case, especially with how his score is composed near the end. Speaking of the beginning, and endings, I will say that you may yet find yourself surprised by how the very beginning of this film is set up as well. However, it is also a great setup for certain events that occur throughout the rest of this second film. I also heard that some things that weren’t in the book were added to this film. Of those things that I heard about, I will say those were rather interesting to hear about, especially a subplot that was included during the climax of this film. The conflicts that occur near the end, like the one at Isengard, and the awesome battle for Helm’s Deep, those were all really well done as well. Still, I will say that what also makes this really great is the script. This is especially the case with some of speeches that some of the characters make near the end, most notably a speech that Sam makes to Frodo that let’s just say could be one of the most powerful speeches spoken, and that would ring true even today. Finally, messages that include not giving up hope, even when it may seem easy to do so were really great as well.

And that’s my review for Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers. For a film that may feel a little more action-packed, it is done really well. The characters are still well developed, the story does well with moving along for the most part, and there are some really great lines as well. If you liked The Fellowship Of The Ring, then hopefully you will like The Two Towers just as much, if not more so. So again, see it, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 9.5/10 ⭐️

Plot of The Return Of The King: As Frodo, Sam, and Gollum get every step closer to Mordor to destroy the Ring, Sauron vamps things up by sending an army of Orcs, and other evil creatures to places like Minas Tirith, and other areas to destroy all that is good in Middle Earth. But can Gandalf, Aragorn, and the gang stop them? And will Frodo, Sam, and Gollum finally destroy the One Ring in the fires of Mount Doom in Mordor once, and for all?

Well, for the final installment, Peter Jackson went hard, and all in with this one. And boy, does it show! Not only did Jackson do well with the story, but also Howard Shore with the score, the people that made the visuals, and so much more. The CGI even on the monsters, and Orcs are really good even by today’s standards. Yes, this film may have been a little more violent this time around. Still, that’s expected, especially considering how much things vamp up this final time around. But what’s even more interesting is how symbolic this film was, maybe even more so than in say the first two installments. I mean with this film showing how people can be easily brainwashed into betraying others, how not everyone can be trusted, the fact that anyone can get enticed into so easily, learning to let go when necessary, and so much more. Oh, and another thing! I did think it was interesting that unlike the first two films, not only was there a song playing during the end credits, but you also had some of the characters singing on different occasions over the course of this film as well. And what’s even more is that you get a sense of different emotions as well. I mean you feel truly sad at points, happy at others, and more. Finally, as for the ending, I won’t say what happens, but let’s just say that it’s bittersweet, and a real tear-jerker

And that’s my review for Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King. Though it might have taken some liberties from the book, it does well with remaining faithful to its source material, and keeping a lot of symbolisms that were put in the book in the first place. And what’s more is that you may find yourself getting a little more enjoyment from this one than the previous two films. If you haven’t seen Lord Of The Rings: Return Of The King, or the previous two films, do so ASAP, especially if you’re a fantasy buff, or want a story that’s truly exciting, has richness in it, and more. So yeah, see it, and see what you think!

Final Rating 10/10 ⭐️

Well, everyone, I hope you all enjoyed me reviewing this film, along with the other two films, and the Hobbit trilogy. Now, will Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim be almost, if not quite as good as this trilogy? We shall see!

Today, we review a film from Universal Pictures that was based on a popular musical that has had a long run for a long while. Not to mention that it is the origin story of the Wicked Witch Of The West, and The Good Witch Of The East. Starring Ariana Grande-Butera, Cynthia Erivo, and a few other people, the movie is Wicked.

Plot: The movie tells the origin story of how Elphaba Thropp (aka the future Wicked Witch Of The West, and played by Cynthia Erivo), and Glinda (aka The Good Witch Of The East, and played by Ariana Grande-Butera) each came to be on the path to each of their choices that they decided to make in the end.

Well, even though it is only the first of two parts of this musical (the second film comes out next year), this first part was still very good. First of all, the music was very top notch. Still, some of the highlights included songs like “I’m Not That Girl”, “Popular”, and even “Defying Gravity”. Even the other songs that I didn’t mention were very good, and you’ll probably find yourself humming, and singing even after this movie is over, especially since most of them are from the original Wicked musical that this film is based on. Oh, and did I forget to mention that Stephen Schwartz, who is known for helping out with music from films like Godspell, and The Prince Of Egypt, also did the songs for the original musical, and for this film itself? Having him at the helm of the music was most likely a very well done choice. Also, the way that the film was setup was very good, and has a very good fantasy feel to it. What’s even more is that the storyline, and a lot of the CGI, especially with the animals, seems to make Wicked: Part One make the film have a Harry Potter, or Fantastic Beasts type of vibe. I guess that’s not that surprising, since this is one of those where we have fantasy sorcery included in this film. With all that said, did we really need this film divided into two parts? Well, maybe, maybe not. Then again, the original play was divided into Act One, and then Act Two. This film was also around 2.5 to 3 hours. So, the fact that Universal Pictures, and the filmmakers involved decided to go this route probably does make sense. And hey, at least this film wasn’t divided into three parts, with one of those films having a little ton much comedic nonsense, and dragging a little too much at times (talking to you, Hobbit three part film series). In this case, it probably does make sense dividing it into three parts. For one, again, the songs help make this movie even better. They even help develop the characters even more. Putting the songs aside, having at least the first part helps make room to develop the characters very well. I’m sure that when Part Two is released next year, the characters will be developed even better. This film does show that some people do end being even more complex than we realize. Anyway, the world building of Oz was also really great. The designs, the trains, the clothing, and more, also really great. The characters were also really great, be it Glinda, Elphaba, Fiyero, Nessarose, you name it, they were all really great characters. Some of them had really great lines that helped make this film very funny at times. Finally, this film can help teach some very good lessons like how you can’t always trust people that come in your life, and how not all decisions are the right ones.

The only issue that one could likely have with Wicked is that some of character development, and some of the story could feel a little confusing at times. That is especially near the end of the film. But then again, that may be the case for those who have at least seen the film, but not the musical. So, maybe it might make more sense if you see both? You got me!

And that’s my review for Wicked: Part One. Though some elements of the film might feel a little confusing at times, the movie is overall really great. Truthfully, with movies like this, Moana 2, Gladiator 2, and more getting released over the course of the Thanksgiving, and Christmas holiday season, we may yet have one of the better years of films being released, as 2024 comes to a close. Wicked: Part One is obviously in this lineup. This film has heart, there’s comedy, likable characters, some of the most top notch songs that you can think of, and more that help make this film very good. If you haven’t seen Wicked:Part One, I highly recommend it. I can guarantee that this will especially be one of those times that you’ll be glad that you got out of the house to venture to the movie theater to see a movie. So yeah, see this film, and see what you think!

Final Rating: 9.5/10 ⭐️

P.S. So, even though it’s shortly after my 700th film review, I’ve decided to still try this new rating. That is since, well, I’ve heard that this rating system might be a little better than the letter grading system. I might go back to that sometime in the future. But we’ll see! Anyway, just thought you all should know!

And now, it’s time for Gladiator 2, the sequel to a classic historical action film that was released 24 years ago, soon to be 25 come next year, Gladiator. Now, let’s discuss its sequel, Gladiator 2.

Plot: Sixteen years after the events of the first film, Lucius Aurelius (aka Hanno, and played by Paul Mescal), and grandson of former emperor Marcus Aurelius, is a farmer with his wife, Arishat (Yuval Gonen) in the Northern African kingdom of Numidia. But one day, Roman General Acacius (Pedro Pascal) conquers that part of the land, kills Arishat, and takes Lucius as a gladiator prisoner by orders of corrupt twin emperors Geta, and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger, and Joseph Quinn). Now, as a gladiator, will Lucius ever reconnect with his mother, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen)? And will he, and his gladiators help revive a dream that former gladiator Maximus once had for Rome?

So, was this film as good as the first one? Well, not quite. It’s still good, but it likely could have been a little better. First of all, some of the writing for the film could have maybe been tweaked here and there. I mean especially with at least some of the character development, it could have been done better. Also, Lucius was most likely a little too big of a jerk at times. I mean some of those instances I could see where he was coming from. However, he might have gone a little overboard. Some of the villains might have had a little bit of a too nice persona at points too, especially Denzel Washington playing Macrinus. Finally, there were also some scenes that might have been a little too bloody, and gory even for an R-rated film.

But with all that said, what does make Gladiator 2 work? Well, even though this sequel wasn’t exactly needed, especially since we hardly see any of the same cast this time around, the story, though clunky in places, was overall very good. It definitely showed how the people of Rome were hardly ever willing to back down in a fight, and were willing to go all in. I’m sure that many of you heard the saying “Rome ruled the world!”, yes? Well, here’s a film that demonstrated just that. As for the majority of characters that were not mentioned in the last paragraph, they were also really good. You can really sense when a person is truly trying to do what’s good, and right, and when others are just downright corrupt, and evil. What’s even more is that not only can you see the physical battles going on in this film, but you can also sense any spiritual battles going on over the course of this film as well. Next, there are the action sequences. Now, again, some of them might have been a little too gory, even for an R-rated film. Still, even if that might have been the case at times, it doesn’t change that a lot of them were also still very well choreographed as well. Probably one of the best action sequences that this film could have had was maybe the climax of this film. The reason being is because of how neither the heroes nor the villains were willing to go down without an actual fight. The way that it was handled was excellent.

And that’s my review for Gladiator 2. Though it may not be quite on the classic level, like it’s 2000 predecessor, Gladiator is still fun, action-packed, has some really great acting, more often than not, and has a very good score. Granted, it was more violent than it most likely needed to be. And yes, some of the acting could have maybe been a little better. Some characters also could have felt a little underdeveloped at times. Despite these flaws, Gladiator 2 is still an overall fun time, even if it doesn’t quite live up to the 2000 film. Even so, definitely go see the film when you have the chance. I can guarantee that you’ll still enjoy it regardless.

Final Grade: B+

And now, we shall come to the conclusion of the Hobbit trilogy, this third one, which will be reaching its ten-year anniversary this year. So now, let’s dive into The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies.

Plot: After Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), his dwarf clan, and Bilbo (Martin Freeman) have reclaimed the dwarf kingdom in the Lonely Mountain, as well as Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch) getting defeated by Bard (Luke Evans), the new leader of Lake Town, Thorin, and company, with the help of the citizens of Lake Town, and other dwarf clans, must face a new threat, as Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett) summons his Orc army, and other creatures of Mordor to try to rid the Lonely Mountain of the dwarves. It is up to Thorin, and the gang to defeat Azog once and for all.

Well, what is there to say for this Hobbit film? Well, first of all, this was most definitely one of the strongest, along with likely the second Hobbit film. Again, did we need three parts for The Hobbit? Probably not! Still, what we got in this third film was awesome. Starting with the characters, we got the following:

Smaug the dragon: We see this very briefly in the beginning of this film. For those of you who have seen this film, you know why. For the time he has in this film, he still has his devious, and cunning nature, and will try to do anything to discourage others from getting done what needs to be done.

Azog the Defiler: Wow, what a menacing Orc villain, especially for a character that didn’t even possess magic powers. He’s sneaky, and clearly would not give up on his hatred for the dwarves, or anything, or anyone that served a good cause.

Bard the Bowman: What’s not to like about Bard? He’s always willing to do what’s right, and is always willing to lend a helping hand to those in need. And another thing! How could you not appreciate that he was willing to step up, and be a leader, after the citizens of his town suffered greatly from what Smaug the dragon did to their town? Also, after rewatching this film recently, something that I think a lot of people can appreciate about his character is that he won’t repay evil for evil, but to be willing to repay evil with good, even when certain cruel characters may deserve just punishment, so to speak. Also, how could you not care for his kids?

Alfred Lickspittle: Oh man, what a coward this guy was. He was also very greedy, and, unlike Bard, cared only for riches, rather than other people. Tragic!

Gandalf the Grey: He is most definitely a great voice of reason. He definitely has great words of wisdom, and will do whatever it takes to avoid war of any kind.

Tauriel & Legolas: Both were willing to do what’s right, even if it sometimes meant having to go against orders of elf leader Thranduil.

Thranduil: Not exactly the best elf leader, but you could probably tell that he was trying to do what he thought best especially for his kind.

Bilbo Baggins: Bilbo most definitely cared about the dwarves, but also could sense that Thorin Oakenshield was not being the best leader. One of the more impressive things about him for this third installment was that he was willing to defy orders from characters like Thorin in order to save him, and his dwarf clan, and Bard, and the others for going to war with each other. He was also willing to do whatever it took to help, and save the lives of others that needed it.

Thorin Oakenshield & the Dwarves: Thorin had a really great character arc throughout this third film. Also, I loved the symbolism that occurred as his character progressed throughout this movie. Still, at least you know that deep down, he had a good heart that needed to hopefully resurface at some point. And at least the other dwarves had more of a conscience than him at least at first.

As for the other aspects, there’s Howard Shore’s score. Man, did he do a great job. In fact, though maybe not quite on the level of say Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King, it was still very good, and helped carry the emotions of this film. The battle scenes were surprisingly phenomenal as well, from Lake Town’s battle with Smaug, the battle that involved the dwarves, Bard, Gandalf, and their armies against Azog, and the Orcs near the end, and more. Additionally, it was great how Peter Jackson did his best to keep as much of the spiritual, and symbolic elements of the Hobbit book incorporated in this film, and in the previous two Hobbit movies. From the lessons of doing what’s right, to letting the love or riches corrupt you, and more, there are probably more lessons that can be taken from this film. Finally, the ending can potentially make you feel bittersweet, happy at the same time, and maybe some other feelings as well.

And that’s my review for The Hobbit: The Battle Of Five Armies. Overall, even if we didn’t need three films, maybe two at most, The Hobbit: The Battles Of Five Armies was an excellent way to end this film series. It also may have served as an excellent setup for the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. It has excellent actions, great visuals, has very emotional moments at times, and is one that you will overall be glad that you saw. Definitely give this film, and the previous Hobbit films a chance when you can. The first may not be as good as the second, or third films. Still, for what we got, definitely worth checking out. So yeah, see it, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A+

Well, everyone, today, we will take a mini break from The Hobbit, and Lord Of The Rings film series for a bit. In its place, we shall talk about a film that was apparently directed by Dallas Jenkins, who has also been directing The Chosen TV series. Presenting his recently theatrically released film debut, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever!

Plot: Grace Bradley, and the staff at her church, have helped direct a Christmas pageant at their local church for quite a few years. But when the one main female that organizes it gets injured, Grace has no choice but to step up to the plate, and direct the pageant for the first time in her life. That plan doesn’t bode well at first, as six siblings, known as the Herdman children, and who are big time troublemakers, leave Grace no choice but to have them be included in different parts in the pageant. Through the process, the question remains, will the Herdman kids remain the same troublemakers by the end, or might the pageant help change each of their lives, and their hearts?

Well, first of all, Dallas Jenkins, along with film companies Lionsgate, and Kingdom Story Company, help create a really well-crafted film. This film ends up having some Christian values incorporated in, while taking some very realistic approaches in life, and making it work really well for this film. The acting, and characters are also really well developed, well-thought out, and have some really good depth to each of them. Also, having Dan Haseltine, a former member of Christian band Jars Of Clay, compose music in this film, that was super cool. Additionally, it is also amazing to have a Christmas film that is not only very heartwarming, but also very uplifting, and is overall a film that should hopefully become a newer Christmas classic film for people to enjoy around Thanksgiving, and Christmas every year. Honestly, with the world that we live in especially as of recently, it would seem as The Best Christmas Pageant Ever is a holiday film that is needed. The movie also helps people see possibilities of the first Christmas from a newer angle. What makes this film even better is that this movie does well with portraying the fact that there are people in life that call themselves Christians, while acting judgmental, hypocritical, and overall high, and mighty, while there are other Christian people that do a better job of showing love, grace, compassion, and mercy to others as Jesus would. And you know what? That is something that makes this film worth seeing even more. Why? Well, because that is an aspect that has become really common particularly in today’s day, and age. Because of this, this is most definitely a film that could help Christians examine themselves, and hearts. Hopefully, should quite a few non-Christian people give this film a chance, they will also somehow feel drawn into the Christian faith. Finally, after seeing this film, you will most likely leave with a smile on your face, and be glad that you saw this film in the end.

And that’s my review for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. The characters are very real, and the movie is overall a film that is bound to be heart touching to all who see this film. Truly, it is a movie that needs to be seen on the big screen before being seen possibly a second time, or more, on video. Dallas Jenkins truly made a great film that ought to become a Christmas, and Christian classic? Let’s hope, and pray that The Best Christmas Pageant Ever won’t be forgotten, and out back on the shelf as the years go by. So yes, go see this film, and I can guarantee you’ll be glad you did!

Final Grade: A+

And now, onto The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug!

Plot: After Bilbo (Martin Sheen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the dwarves have faced perilous battles with Orcs, including the Orc leader, Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett), in the first film, along with other dangerous creatures, they now continue to face threats not only from Orcs, but also encounters with other creatures, and an overall perilous journey, as they continue their journey to the dwarf kingdom of the Lonely Mountain. Did they make it, and reclaim it back from Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch)?

So, did this second film improve from the first movie? Well, in quite a few ways, yes, it did. There may have been one, or two issues. Aside from that, this film was really, really good. First of all, the filmmakers raised the stakes for things such as suspense, more depth to the characters, and more. Even Howard Shore improved vastly with his musical score for this second Hobbit installment. Also, nearly every single character was fleshed out lore this time around, especially ones like Gandalf, Thorin, Bilbo, villains like Azog the defiler, and even newer characters that we get introduced to this time like Tauriel, or even characters like Legolas (yes, we get to see him in this film, just as we saw the elf leader, Elrond or Rivendell in Rhe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey). Oh, and it was also great to see Bard, who is played by Luke Evans, in this film as well. But probably one of the most notable characters is Smaug the dragon, who is well voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. I mean even though he doesn’t show up until near the end of this movie, every moment that he’s in makes The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug much more memorable. In fact, if you liked villains from the Lord Of The Rings trilogy like the Orcs, Sméagol, or Sauron, you’re most definitely bound to like, and love to hate Smaug the dragon as well. He’s menacing, cunning, persistent in his greed for treasure, and will not hesitate to stop anyone that might try to get in his way. In addition to all of this, there were scenes that were surprisingly really well choreographed, most notably a scene that involves Bilbo, and the dwarves each floating in a barrel downstream. I won’t spoil how that happens, or how that whole sequence plays out. However, I will say that that sequence, along with scenes like the dwarves, and Bilbo dealing with Smaug in the Lonely Mountain, were very well played out, and well crafted. Truthfully, in this film, and even the first, and maybe even third films, you can tell that Peter Jackson was trying to remain as faithful to the source material as possible. Did he take some liberties? Most likely! But still, he did well with trying to depict scenes from the Hobbit book as much as possible. And yeah, it shows. Additionally, both this movie, and the first film have seemed to serve as reminders of why preventing evil from rising, and running amok is important. One other thing to mention is that there were a couple interesting twists in this film as well.

Honestly, if there was one thing that could have maybe been taken out of this film, it might have e been the love relationship between Kili the dwarf, and Tauriel the elf. Don’t get me wrong! It’s nice to add things from time to time. And yeah, it was great to have a relationship between a male, and female incorporated this time around. At the same time, one can’t help but wonder if maybe this time around, that might have bogged this movie from moving it’s story along a little more, and maybe even just having this film get divided into just two parts (again a problem that the first film seemed to have more so), you know? 

And that’s my review for The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug. It is most definitely a vast improvement from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The characters are fleshed out more, twists are great, and lessons from this film are great. Honestly, after seeing this film, you’ll most likely find yourself more excited to see how things wrap up in the third, and final Hobbit film. Even if you might not have been a fan of the first Hobbit film, still give this one a chance anyway since, the first one was still very good, and, two, you’ll likely be surprised by how much better The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug is. Again, see this film, and see what you think!

And now, onto The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug!

Plot: After Bilbo (Martin Sheen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the dwarves have faced perilous battles with Orcs, including the Orc leader, Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett), in the first film, along with other dangerous creatures, they now continue to face threats not only from Orcs, but also encounters with other creatures, and an overall perilous journey, as they continue their journey to the dwarf kingdom of the Lonely Mountain. Did they make it, and reclaim it back from Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch)?

Plot: After Bilbo (Martin Sheen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the dwarves have faced perilous battles with Orcs, including the Orc leader, Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett), in the first film, along with other dangerous creatures, they now continue to face threats not only from Orcs, but also encounters with other creatures, and an overall perilous journey, as they continue their journey to the dwarf kingdom of the Lonely Mountain. Did they make it, and reclaim it back from Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch)?

Plot: After Bilbo (Martin Sheen), Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage), Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and the dwarves have faced perilous battles with Orcs, including the Orc leader, Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett), in the first film, along with other dangerous creatures, they now continue to face threats not only from Orcs, but also encounters with other creatures, and an overall perilous journey, as they continue their journey to the dwarf kingdom of the Lonely Mountain. Did they make it, and reclaim it back from Smaug the dragon (Benedict Cumberbatch)?

So, did this second film improve from the first movie? Well, in quite a few ways, yes, it did. There may have been one, or two issues. Aside from that, this film was really, really good. First of all, the filmmakers raised the stakes for things such as suspense, more depth to the characters, and more. Even Howard Shore improved vastly with his musical score for this second Hobbit installment. Also, nearly every single character was fleshed out lore this time around, especially ones like Gandalf, Thorin, Bilbo, villains like Azog the defiler, and even newer characters that we get introduced to this time like Tauriel, or even characters like Legolas (yes, we get to see him in this film, just as we saw the elf leader, Elrond or Rivendell in Rhe Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey). Oh, and it was also great to see Bard, who is played by Luke Evans, in this film as well. But probably one of the most notable characters is Smaug the dragon, who is well voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch. I mean even though he doesn’t show up until near the end of this movie, every moment that he’s in makes The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug much more memorable. In fact, if you liked villains from the Lord Of The Rings trilogy like the Orcs, Sméagol, or Sauron, you’re most definitely bound to like, and love to hate Smaug the dragon as well. He’s menacing, cunning, persistent in his greed for treasure, and will not hesitate to stop anyone that might try to get in his way. In addition to all of this, there were scenes that were surprisingly really well choreographed, most notably a scene that involves Bilbo, and the dwarves each floating in a barrel downstream. I won’t spoil how that happens, or how that whole sequence plays out. However, I will say that that sequence, along with scenes like the dwarves, and Bilbo dealing with Smaug in the Lonely Mountain, were very well played out, and well crafted. Truthfully, in this film, and even the first, and maybe even third films, you can tell that Peter Jackson was trying to remain as faithful to the source material as possible. Did he take some liberties? Most likely! But still, he did well with trying to depict scenes from the Hobbit book as much as possible. And yeah, it shows. Additionally, both this movie, and the first film have seemed to serve as reminders of why preventing evil from rising, and running amok is important. One other thing to mention is that there were a couple interesting twists in this film as well.

Honestly, if there was one thing that could have maybe been taken out of this film, it might have e been the love relationship between Kili the dwarf, and Tauriel the elf. Don’t get me wrong! It’s nice to add things from time to time. And yeah, it was great to have a relationship between a male, and female incorporated this time around. At the same time, one can’t help but wonder if maybe this time around, that might have bogged this movie from moving it’s story along a little more, and maybe even just having this film get divided into just two parts (again a problem that the first film seemed to have more so), you know?

And that’s my review for The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug. It is most definitely a vast improvement from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The characters are fleshed out more, twists are great, and lessons from this film are great. Honestly, after seeing this film, you’ll most likely find yourself more excited to see how things wrap up in the third, and final Hobbit film. Even if you might not have been a fan of the first Hobbit film, still give this one a chance anyway since, the first one was still very good, and, two, you’ll likely be surprised by how much better The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug is. Again, see this film, and see what you think!

Everyone, today, in preparation for the upcoming Lord Of The Rings: The War Of The Rohirrim being released next month, we review the Hobbit trilogy, and do a second, and final reviewing of the Lord Of The Rings trilogy. Starting with The Hobbit, which Peter Jackson decided to divide into three films for some reason, let’s first travel to the fantasy world of Middle Earth, beginning with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey!

Plot: Based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic novel, The Hobbit, and set sixty years before the events of Lord Of The Rings, the movie begins with Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) getting whisked into adventure by the wizard, Gandalf (Ian McKellen), and a group of dwarfs, led by Thorn Oakenshield (Richard Armitage) in order to help the dwarfs reclaim their kingdom that was destroyed by an evil dragon years before. Will the company succeed in their quest?

Now, as you all may likely recall, this film version of Tolkien’s novel, The Hobbit, got split into three parts. Should that have been the case, or should it have been divided into two parts, or even just been one whole movie altogether? Well, if they wanted to make this specific film franchise as good as possible, two parts may have for sure been necessary. However, having said that, I’m not sure that dividing the film into three parts might have been the best idea. I mean at least with the original Lord Of The Rings trilogy, there was a legitimate reason for having that three films, since, well, Tolkien’s novels for that series WAS a trilogy. But with The Hobbit, it was just one book. So, what was director Peter Jackson’s goal with dividing The Hobbit into three movies? Could it be that he wanted to make the film overall almost, if not quite as good as the original book? Were he, and the rest of the film trying to get the audience to explore more of the fantasy world of Middle Earth? Honestly, there may likely be quite a bit of speculation for Peter Jackson, and the crew’s decision to do this. Regardless, it’s likely possible that two films might have been the better option to go, somehow. That is especially since the second, and third films may have been the better films of this trilogy (though, we shall see fairly soon). That being said, was this first Hobbit film good too? Well, it was definitely good, but not great. First of all, the movie could have most likely gone through one, maybe two more drafts for a better storyline even for this first movie. For instance, the beginning of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey started off kind of slow. In fact, for some of the very beginning, I’m not so sure a lot of that needed to be in this film. There were also some points that might have dragged a little too much. I mean even some of the fight scenes might not have always been necessary. Oh yes, some of them were. But still, even those might have gone on a little too long at times. Oh, and with some of the characters that were included in this Hobbit film, especially ones like Elrond, and maybe even Saruman, I’m not sure some people will be fans of how they especially were handled at certain scenes that they were in in this movie. One other thing that I will add is that there were one, or two scenes that might have been a little corny.

With all of that said, what did work for this movie? Well, for one, this film did well with incorporating a lot of things from the book. I remember reading the book, The Hobbit, years ago, and recalling scenes from it. I can remember even imagining what those scenes had to be like before even seeing this movie version in the first place. So, kudos to Jackson for including a lot of that into this film. Additionally, other than a couple characters not being handled in the best way, the rest were really great, especially Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and Thorin Oakenshield, and a good majority of the dwarfs. It was also great to see that Howard Shore returned to compose the score for this movie. Yeah, definitely another way that you can tell that Jackson wanted to try to honor the legacy of Tolkien’s work as much as possible, be it the Lord Of The Rings trilogy, or the three-part Hobbit. There was also some really great CGI as well. In addition to all of this, there were also some really pretty shots, beautiful scenery, and other imagery that helped make this film worth one’s time even more. Oh, and a lot of the script, and conversations that occurred in this film were brilliant. Finally, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey helps deliver excellent messages, and allegories in terms of not letting yourself be blind to all that is going on in the world, not judging others by their actions, size, color, you name it, and being willing to help others, even when it may not be easy.

And that’s my review for The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Well, even though this Hobbit film may not have been the best start to this particular trilogy, one needs to give Jackson credit at least for trying to make this three-part film series as good as possible. It has good dialogue, excellent shots, good heroes, and villains, and more that make this film worth one’s while. If you still have yet to see this Hobbit film, or even the other two that film, definitely do. You’ll still get enjoyment out of it regardless of how you feel about this one, or even the other two Hobbit films.

Final Grade: B-

Everyone, today, we are finally at my 700th film review. This is yet another one that I review just on Facebook back in 2016, I believe it was. However, because The Forge was released a couple months ago, and I believe a film like this is fitting for certain events that have happened recently either in this nation, and/or in the world, I figured why not review this one one last time, you know? So how, let’s discuss a film that was released in theaters by the Kendrick Brothers back in 2015. It is the one, and only War Room.

Plot: Sometime after beginning to have problems in her family, and her marriage, a real estate agent named Elizabeth Jordan (Priscilla Shirer) one of the clients that she comes across ends up being a prayer warrior named Miss Clara Williams (Karen Abercrombie). This situation ends up being more than just Elizabeth trying to sell Clara’s home. Clara challenges Elizabeth to fight for her marriage in prayer. Will Elizabeth accept the challenge? If so, what then?

Now, you may all be wondering why this is one of those films that I’m reviewing again here on my blog. Well, I have a confession to make. Shortly before The Forge was released back in August of this year, I was almost going to give this film a second review for this blog then. However, even though I had reviewed this film once before, I figured that as great if a film as it is, and with the really good themes, and messages that it has, I thought it might be nice to let War Room be a milestone review. Now, with all that said, I will also mention that back when this was one of the films that I reviewed when I was much newer to doing that, I mentioned things like that War Room served as a great example of showing why prayer is an important tool, especially in today’s society, that Kendrick Brothers have come a long ways from when they first started making faith-based films nearly a decade before this film’s release, like Facing The Giants, FireProof, and films like those. Well, eight years after reviewing this film once before just on Facebook, I will say a little more about War Room. One being that this film truly does develop the story, and characters, along with other elements. The acting was also really great, especially from Priscilla Shirer as main character Elizabeth Jordan. Same with Alex Kendrick (yes, he plays a minor role in this movie), T.C. Stallings, and actors, and actresses like them. Additionally, War Room is most definitely a film that could help teach not only Christians, and help them grow in their faith, but also most likely reach out to non-Christians as well. Are non-Christians as likely to enjoy it as Christians? Maybe not as much! Still, we can hope, and pray that this is a film that could serve as a tool to touch the lives of even non-Christians. What’s more it is a film that could teach some very valuable life lessons like how prayer, and the way that we pray, is important in everyday life, how quality time with family, and friends is essential, and overall helps set a very Godly example overall to it’s audience. So, because of all this, one can only hope that a film like this one can help others find God, be it a Christian, or non-Christian person! Finally, the soundtrack was really good, especially putting in songs like “Press On” by Mandisa, and “Me Without You” by Toby Mac.

And that’s my review for War Room. Though some of the themes in the film may feel a little heavy-handed at times, that was definitely for the best that some of them were, especially for the themes that this film, in particular, was clearly wanting to tackle to begin with. Also, the characters are great, especially the main ones. One other thing is that while this movie does a fantastic job of being heavy-handed at points, also is great at being uplifting, and is a great tool that can be used in Bible studies, or for really great discussions overall. If you haven’t seen this movie, then definitely check it out! You’ll most likely be glad, and surprised by how well done it is. So, there you have it!

Final Grade: A+

Ladies, and gentlemen, we are now nearing my film reviews in the 600s. To conclude that string of reviews, we shall review an animated film that has been out for six weeks, and has received a good majority of positive reviews from critics, and audiences alike. And now, for the one, and only latest review of DreamWorks’ latest animated film, The Wild Robot!

Plot: When a storm causes six robots to crash, and wash ashore on an island that has been uninhabited by humans, a robot named ROZZUM unit 1734, who is later nicknamed Roz by some of the local wildlife, is the only survivor. After befriending a mischievous fox named Fink (Pedro Pascal), and adopting a gosling named Brightbill (Boone Storm as the baby version of this character, and Kit Connor as the adult version of him), Roz slowly becomes acquainted with some of the local wildlife of this area. Now, as she tries to teach Brightbill to fly, and face harsh realities with the island, and some of the wildlife, the questions remains, will Roz try to return to her group of robots that she came from, or will she remain with Brightbill, Fink, and any other animals that she befriends along the way?

Now that I’ve finally seen The Wild Robot myself, is it as good as many people have made it out to be, or is it’s over positive reception getting blown out of proportion? Well, I’m going to tell you the truth, everyone, The Wild Robot may yet be another animated classic from the DreamWorks animated film lineup. First of all, sure, the story could potentially drag a little bit. However, what makes this film really stand out just like say other films in this canon like The Prince Of Egypt, Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron, the How To Train Your Dragon films, the Kung Fu Panda movies, and films like those, is that there is a strong, and engaging story, combined with mature themes, and elements from beginning to end. Honestly, had this film been released years, or even decades earlier, I’m not sure how well it would have worked. Next, the animation is beautiful. Truth be told, the method of likely combining some 2D, and 3D animation together seemed to feel better this time around. Seeing as that didn’t seem to work quite as well with last year’s Disney film, Wish, I’d say that’s saying something. Rhetorical animation is truly top notch to be sure. The color palettes truly do come together over the course of this film, whether it’s scenes with geese flying, any action scenes that occur, and so much more. Next, there are the characters. First off, Roz is a fun, creative, and well thought out character. Putting aside the fact that characters like her were done in movies like The Iron Giant, for instance, Roz knows how to stand out on her own. The same can be said about all the other characters in this film as well, particularly Fink the fox, and Brightbill, the duck that she adopts as her son. That was another aspect of this film. The relationship between Roz, and Brightbill is deep, and meaningful. Her relationship with Fink was also well developed as well. The character arcs not only for the three of them, but also some of the other supporting characters, were also surprisingly well handled. For a film a little over an hour, and a half, that for sure is saying something. But honestly, I would say what makes each of the characters truly memorable, especially Roz, Brightbill, and Fink, is the character journeys they each go through, learning to love, and/or even let go when necessary, and the love, and compassion that they had for everyone else around them, to the point of risking danger, or even their lives. The other side characters, like Thorn the grizzly bear, Pinktail the opossum, and all of them were great, and sometimes even hilarious as well. Honestly, for reasons such as these, and other reasons, it’s understandable as to why so many people are loving this film, and giving mostly positive feedback for the film. Then, there is the score by Kris Bowers. Holy cow! The score is most definitely out of this world. For a non-Hans Zimmer person scoring for a DreamWorks animated film, he knows how to draw in the audience. He should definitely be listed as one of the greats for composing film scores. Then, there’s the storyline overall. Again, it may have dragged a little once, or twice. However, at the same time, The Wild Robot also takes it’s time to develop it’s story, all the characters, and truly takes it’s time to put heart, and soul into it’s story. Truly, Chris Sanders, who also directed animated films like Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, and the How To Train Your Dragon trilogy from DreamWorks, truly did seem to go all in this time around. He was not afraid to make this film appeal to kids, as well as make it’s deep, and mature subjects appeal to the adult audience as well. There’s heartwarming moments, along with gritty wit, excellent action at points, and other elements that make The Wild Robot a well-crafted story. The best part about that is it makes this film a work of art, or, rather, a work of heart. Finally, there are valuable lessons provided by this film in the form of love, compassion, being willing to look out for the best interests of others no matter what, and well thought out lessons like those.

And that’s my review for The Wild Robot. It is an overall well done film that has action, has heart, well-written characters, an excellent script, funny moments, as well as emotional moments, and all of the ingredients mixed together to make a memorable story. Truly, Chris Sanders didn’t have to make this film as good, or great as he did. But he did, and, in doing so, made a film that may be almost, if not quite as great as DreamWorks’ other animated movies of this library like The Prince Of Egypt, Spirit: Stallion Of The Cimarron, Kung Fu Panda, How To Train Your Dragon, and films like those. If you want to see an animated film like this that kids enjoy, as well as adults, has grit to it, and has mature topics, and a very mature story, then please go see The Wild Robot. By the end, you’ll be glad that you saw this film, and will probably be hoping that it gets nominated, or even wins a Golden Globe, or even Oscar for Best Animated Feature. Don’t believe me!?! Well, make a point to see The Wild Robot, and see what you think!

Final Grade: A+