Andare, Partire, Tornare ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I feel bad for not loving it more... I'm torn between writing a big spoilery review for Return of the King and leaving it alone, because one viewing wasn't enough to figure out how I feel about the movie. Plus, my movie-going experience was tainted to the extreme, as I was sitting in front of an obnoxious woman who had to comment on everything, and who had the most obnoxious laugh this side of Fran Drescher. Save me from the inbred. So, while I didn't hate the movie, I was left with a sense of not liking it nearly as much as I thought I would. That's probably largely in part due to heavy expectations, but I think there was also a lot of choppy editing that didn't let me, the perpetual cryer-at-movies, do more than get a little misty from time to time. The movie didn't linger on much, and even moving scenes (Eowyn) seemed oddly truncated. I could feel where there were big edits made, and presumably most of them will be back for the EE DVD, but it made this movie feel very strangly paced indeed. And, I have to say it, so avert your eyes if a mild spoiler will offend: If people are laughing during the scene of the Pyre of Denethor? It's because it was not done right. In fact, it was so wrong that my mind is having problems coming up with clever metaphors for how wrong it is (not that my metaphors are generally all that clever.) I can't see how it would have taken more time to do Denethor properly, as they could have just cut the scenes of him slow-mo biting into a tomato and having it spurt everwhere. So. I will see it again. And I won't have to be distracted by wondering what changes will be there, so I can enjoy myself a little more, maybe. And I'll choose my seat more carefully and perhaps see the movie at an ungodly time where there won't be any braying half-wits breathing down my neck. 10:05 p.m. - 2003-12-18 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
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