Finally posting here.
I saw no movies in 2012...until its final week. Then I got to see
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and
Wreck-It Ralph within a couple days of each other.
The Hobbit was pretty much what I expected. Lots of attention to detail, spectacular effects, and a reasonable enough adherence to the story to make it worthwhile. I saw the 2D version, so I am thinking about going back to see the 3D version (if I can get into a theater in time) just so I can make up my mind about whether or not the enhanced refresh rate is all that for me. As it was, there were plenty of times in the 2D version where I was jolted out of my immersion because I would realize, "Oh. This scene was filmed because 3D." Still, I'm not at all disappointed that I saw it, not one bit. Also, some of the songs are quite well done, and Christopher Lee is looking seriously
old, man.
Ralph was a complete and total surprise, and a joy. I went in expecting a kids' movie laden with nostalgia sprinkles, and I was not at all disappointed. There were plenty of moments where the movie said, "Oh, hey! You're an adult watching this movie? We put this power-up here just for you." It's a bit obviously formulaic (no doubt to make it easy for the kiddies to follow along) but I quickly realized that there was quite a bit of fractal-like depth to the movie. The adult component isn't just bolted on, it's woven through the entire fabric, and the closer I looked, the more I'd see. For instance, the music is modern and bubble-gum, but they dragged in some
serious ringers. Kids will get caught up in the action, the slapstick, the colors, and the overall cartoon, but the performances make it obvious that the characters are treated as actual
characters, and not just caricatures/stereotypes. I smell a sequel, or at least something else set in the same universe. I pray the magic continues.
--Patrick