The Wolf of Wall Street Review

Rated R (Sequences of Strong Sexual Content, Graphic Nudity, Drug Use and Language Throughout, and for Some Violence)

Running Time: 3 Hours

Cast-

Leonardo DiCaprio-Jordan Belfort

Jonah Hill-Donnie Azoff

Margot Robbie-Naomi Lapaglia-Belfort

Kyle Chandler-FBI Agent Patrick Denham

Matthew McConaughey-Mark Hanna

Jean Dujardin-Jean Jacques Saurel

Cristin Milioti-Teresa Petrillo-Belfort

Rob Reiner-Max Belfort

Christine Ebersole-Leah Belfort

Joanna Lumley-Aunt Emma

Mackenzie Meehan-Hildy Azoff

Jon Bernthal-Brad

Jon Favreau-Manny Riskin

P.J. Byrne-Nicky Koskoff

Kenneth Choi-Chester Ming

Brian Sacca-Robbie Feinberg

Henry Zebrowski-Alden Kupferberg

Ethan Suplee-Toby Welch

Barry Rothbart-Peter DeBlasio

Jake Hoffman-Steve Madden

Bo Dietl-Himself

Jon Spinogatti-Nicholas the Butler

Aya Cash-Janet/Jordan's Assistant

Jordan Belfort-Auckland Straight Line Host

Directed by Martin Scorsese

Leonardo DiCaprio delivers a bravura performance in Martin Scorsese's latest magnum opus, "The Wolf of Wall Street."

Note: Screened on Wednesday, December 18, 2013 at AMC Loews Lincoln Square 13.

My mother often says that if she were rich, the first thing she would do is hire a housekeeper. However, she would continue working at her sales job, which may go against the point of being rich (why work when you already have millions of dollars in your bank account?) but we Asians are nothing if not pragmatic. We know full well that money doesn't last forever. New York stock broker Jordan Belfort, played by an insanely brilliant Leonardo DiCaprio in director Martin Scorsese's latest film "The Wolf of Wall Street," doesn't share my mother's quaint view on wealth. By age twenty-six, Belfort had his own brokerage firm and was making forty-nine million dollars a year. He had achieved the 'American Dream' but then he blew all that money away on an endless supply of drugs, hookers, and more drugs and hookers. Belfort is extremely proud of his vices too; after showing off his 'mansion, private jet, six cars, three horses, two vacation homes and…170 foot yacht,' he remarks that he 'also gamble[s] like a degenerate, drink like a fish, f*ck hookers…five times a week and have three different Federal agencies looking to indict [him].' Oh, and have I mentioned that he loves drugs? Hell, with the amount of Quaaludes (read about them here), Xanax, Ambien, marijuana, cocaine, and morphine that he takes per day, it's frankly a miracle that Belfort is still alive and kicking. The man is a thoroughly despicable scoundrel with absolutely no moral compass (since his release from prison in 2006, he still hasn't fully paid back the $110.4 million he owes in restitution) but he remains a charismatic, fascinating individual. A darkly comic, unflinchingly disturbing, and grotesquely hedonistic deconstruction of the moral erosion of the American Dream, Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" isn't just one of the finest films of 2013, it's a bona fide classic that's on par with the director's best works and cements his status as a timeless voice in American cinema. Despite its three-hour running time, there is not a single dull moment in the film thanks to a bravura performance from Leonardo DiCaprio.

Fresh out of college and newly married, optimistic twenty-two year old Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) arrives in New York City in the summer of 1987 with big dreams of making it rich on Wall Street. Starting out on the chaotic trading room floor of investment banking firm L.F. Rothschild, Belfort catches the eye of Mark Hanna (Matthew McConaughey), who tells the naïve young man that the keys to success are 'masturbation, cocaine, and hookers.' Finally made an official stockbroker after passing his Series 7, Belfort sets out to conquer the world and become a 'Master of the Universe' but his hopes and dreams come crashing down when the stock market collapses on October 19, 1987—otherwise known as 'Black Monday.' With a wife—Teresa (Cristin Milioti)—to support, Belfort decides to take a job at Long Island's Investor's Center, where he pushes penny stocks onto hapless, uneducated blue collar workers. Thanks to a fifty-percent commission rate, he is soon rolling in the dough, allowing him to form his own brokerage firm Stratton Oakmont in 1988 with new business partner Donnie Azoff (Jonah Hill). It doesn't take long for Belfort's new firm to become a force to be reckoned with on Wall Street, with the former stockbroker becoming wealthier than he could have ever imagined. Eventually dumping his first wife in favor of lingerie designer Naomi Lapaglia (Margot Robbie)—the so-called 'Duchess of Bay Ridge'—Belfort's life quickly becomes consumed in a sea of money, drugs, and hookers. With the American Dream now within his grasp, Belfort grows careless and attracts the attention of FBI Agent Patrick Denham (Kyle Chandler), who waits for a chance to bring the arrogant and hedonistic stock titan to justice.

Adapted by "Boardwalk Empire" creator Terence Winter from Jordan Belfort's 2007 tell-all memoir of the same name, Martin Scorsese's "The Wolf of Wall Street" opens with a soothing, early '90s commercial about the dangerous world of investing, with the narrator comparing it to a jungle. Here to lend a helping hand is Stratton Oakmont, a prestigious brokerage firm that offers 'stability, integrity, [and] pride.' You can almost hear Scorsese yelling 'bullsh*t!' behind the camera as he then cuts to the actual Stratton Oakmont, where three hundred drunken stockbrokers are playing a game that involves tossing a bunch of dwarves onto a dollar-signed bull's-eye. At first glance, "The Wolf of Wall Street" appears to be a redemptive tale of a man who got caught up in his own greed but the film is the complete opposite of this. Sure, Belfort was successfully convicted for securities fraud and money laundering yet he only served a mere twenty-two months in prison. Now he's living a comfortable life in Manhattan Beach, California as a motivational speaker, with an audience who are hungry and desperate to have what he has. Meanwhile, the FBI agent that arrested Belfort is probably still commuting home on the subway. He may have brought the stock titan to justice but where did it get him? That's right, nowhere. As Vanity Fair's Katey Rich puts it, "The Wolf of Wall Street" is a film where 'the bad guys win, over and over again.' For three hours, we watch Belfort rise to the top, not through honest hard work but by lying and scheming on the backs of anyone who were dumb enough to invest with him. In between he's blowing coke inside a hooker's a**hole, crashing his Lamborghini while high on fifteen-year-old Quaaludes, and physically assaulting his wife when it all comes crashing down on him. Scorsese leaves little doubt that Belfort is a revolting individual but you know what? We keep watching because as bad as he is, his charisma and his ability to motivate outshines his worst qualities, creating an individual that is endlessly fascinating from beginning to end.

A big part of the film's success is Leonardo DiCaprio's infectious performance, which I'll get to later but what sets "The Wolf of Wall Street" apart is it's wildly irreverent tone. Scorsese isn't overly concerned with condemning Belfort's behavior; instead he exaggerates the memoir's already-bizarre occurrences to hilarious effect. One scene that will leave your sides hurting from extreme laughter is when Belfort discovers the 'cerebral palsy phase' while high on fifteen-year-old Quaaludes. Transformed into an incoherent, drooling mess, the man starts crawling along the floor like an infant, his every move a struggle. To get to his Lamborghini, he rolls down the stairs. When Belfort finally gets home, he finds an equally-high Donnie (a renamed Danny Porush) on the phone with their Swiss banker (played by a gleeful Jean Dujardin), leading to a ludicrous struggle that ends with Belfort snorting an entire vial of cocaine—while Popeye's famous theme plays in the background—in order to save his best friend from choking to death on a piece of ham. I have to say, this scene was funnier than all of 2013's comedies combined. Scorsese packs his film with outrageous moments like these, each more grotesque and disturbing than the last. We should turn away but we don't because deep down, we crave Belfort's lifestyle.

It's easy to mistake the endless drug-fueled orgies as pointless but that would be doing Scorsese a great disservice. There's a purpose behind every scene and what's great about Winter's script is how it reveals the American Dream to be a total farce, a lie. The ideal of being rewarded for honest hard work is dead. It's been beaten to death by the 'dog-eat-dog' world of Wall Street greed. Everyone wants to get rich quick and while Belfort stole millions of dollars with his numerous 'pump and dump' schemes, his victims are equally complicit. People allow themselves to be conned. We let people like Belfort ruin our economy while he funds his latest orgy with the money that some overeager investor, whether rich or poor, gave him. Even as we're laughing along at his increasingly over-the-top escapades, Scorsese is holding a giant mirror in front of us, screaming that we allowed this. We allow people like Belfort to exist and enabled his behavior by blindly giving him money in the hopes that we will become rich ourselves. HitFix's Drew McWeeny says it best with the following line from his review: 'Wall Street may be a vampire, but America leaves a standing invitation at the door, allowing themselves to be drained because they hope against hope that just maybe they'll get turned and then it'll be them doing the draining.' That's the true genius behind "The Wolf of Wall Street." On the surface, it seems to openly mock Belfort's hedonistic lifestyle but really its showing how morally lost America has become in the crazed pursuit of money.

The performances in this film are absolutely amazing. It pains me that Leonardo DiCaprio has yet to win an Academy Award because in "The Wolf of Wall Street," he doesn't play Jordan Belfort; he becomes him. Never have I seen an actor throw himself into a role with such wild abandon, with DiCaprio transforming into a hypnotic, cult-like figure as his character screams at the top of lungs at his employees, motivating them to 'ram…stock down [their] clients' throats and make them choke on it till they buy 20,000 shares!' This is a career-best performance from DiCaprio and he delivers it with absolutely nothing held back. For three hours, you are convinced that he's the amoral, sociopathic, condescending, sick f*ck that Belfort was. Jonah Hill feeds off of his co-star's kinetic energy as Donnie Azoff and there are moments where his character becomes even more morally depraved than Belfort. The gorgeous Margot Robbie is a revelation here, holding her own in several explosive scenes with DiCaprio as her character Naomi confronts Belfort about his continued infidelity. The rest of the supporting cast only has a handful of scenes but they nail each and every one of them, with Matthew McConaughey being a standout as he hilariously imparts some sage-like wisdom about being a successful stockbroker. Jon Bernthal's Brad has a number of funny moments with Donnie as they express their animosity toward each other while Kyle Chandler shares a great scene with DiCaprio, their characters verbally attacking one another. Finally, there's Rob Reiner as Belfort's father 'Mad Max,' as he's affectionately called. Unable to steer his son on the right path, he tries to enjoy the ride despite expressing his befuddlement that women now shave their vaginas.

Released on December 25, 2013, "The Wolf of Wall Street" has received positive reviews with a solid 77% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics hailed it as 'funny, self-referential, and irreverent to a fault, [the film] finds Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio at their most infectiously dynamic.' It's pretty much guaranteed to be a major contender at next year's Academy Awards but audience reception has been polarizing to say the least. I'm not at all surprised because when the masses are presented with a film whose subject matter is either unfamiliar or uncomfortable, they reject it. I don't think it really matters in the long run though. It obviously got people talking and if you came away disgusted, I'm sorry to say that the film's message was lost on you. "The Wolf of Wall Street" is a hilarious picture for sure and easily stands tall as one of 2013's best but it's also a disturbing film, and what it has to say about the state of America should frighten you. As critic Matt Zoller Seitz writes, 'We laugh at the movie, but guys like Belfort will never stop laughing at us.' Ain't so funny now, is it?

Final Rating: 5 out of 5

"There is no nobility in poverty. I've been rich, and I've been poor and I choose rich every time. At least as a rich man, when I have to face my problems, I show up in the back of a limo wearing a $2000 suit and $40,000 gold watch! And if anyone here thinks I'm crazy, get the f*ck out and get a job at McDonald’s, because that's where you f*cking belong! But before you depart this room full of winners, I want you to take a good look at the person next to you, because one day in the not-so-distant future, you'll be sitting at a red light in your beat-up old Pinto, and that person’s gonna pull up in a brand new Porsche, with their gorgeous young wife at their side. And who will you be next to? Some ugly beast with three days of razor-stubble in a sleeveless moo-moo, crammed in next to you with a carload of groceries from the f*cking Price Club! So you listen to me and listen carefully. Are you behind on your credit card bills? Good. Pick up the phone and start dialing. Is your landlord threatening to evict you? Good. Pick up the phone and start dialing. Does your girlfriend think you're a f*cking loser? Pick up the phone and start f*cking dialing! I want you to deal with your problems by becoming rich! I want you to go out and spend money! Leverage yourself, back yourself into a corner, let the consequences of failure become so f*cking unthinkable that you'll have no choice but to do whatever it takes to win! You have an obligation here, people! To your clients! To this firm! An obligation to yourself, godammit! You ram Steve Madden stock down your clients' throats and make them choke on it till they buy 20,000 shares! Be aggressive! Be ferocious! Be telephone f*cking terrorists!"

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Grudge Match Review

Rated PG-13 (Sports Action Violence, Sexual Content and Language)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 53 Minutes

Cast-

Sylvester Stallone-Henry 'Razor' Sharp

Robert De Niro-Billy 'The Kid' McDonnen

Kim Basinger-Sally

Jon Bernthal-B.J.

Kevin Hart-Dante Slate, Jr.

Alan Arkin-Louis 'Lightning' Conlon

Jason Todd Smith/LL Cool J-Frankie Brite

Camden Gray-Trey

Joey Coco Diaz-Mikey

Anthony Anderson-Mr. Sandpaper Hands

Directed by Peter Segal

Let's get ready to rumble...

Note: Screened on Monday, December 16, 2013 at the Ziegfeld Theatre (Red Carpet Premiere).

Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa and Robert De Niro's Jake LaMotta are two of the most iconic pugilists in American cinema, and now they're finally going head-to-head in Peter Segal's latest film "Grudge Match." Yes, I'm well aware that 1976's "Rocky" and 1980's "Raging Bull" have absolutely nothing to do with each other (with the exception of the main characters who just happen to share the same profession) but that hasn't stopped Warner Brothers from bringing this boxing fanfic to the big screen. You can't get any more self-referential than this: two actors looking to sustain their fading careers play older versions of fictitious characters that once earned them critical acclaim back in their prime, except these older versions are ultimately just fictitious derivatives of those same fictitious characters. Yea, try wrapping your head around that confusing meta-paradox. The whole premise, combined with its stunt-casting, is obviously a gimmick that can only come from the head of a studio executive who mistakenly believes he's the cleverest person in the room. That being said, however, Segal's film is still worth checking out, if only for curiosity's sake. With its clichéd script, limp drama, and weak humor, the only saving grace in "Grudge Match" is the presence of Stallone and De Niro, with the two aging stars bringing an emotional honesty to their respective roles in what would've been a middling film.

In the 1980s, there was no fiercer rivalry in the boxing world than the one between Pittsburgh natives Henry 'Razor' Sharp (Sylvester Stallone) and Billy 'The Kid' McDonnen (Robert De Niro). Razor and Kid fought two matches in 1982 with split results but before the two fighters can engage in their third bout that will decide who is better, Razor abruptly announces his retirement from the ring. Thirty years later, Razor is struggling to make ends meet as a blue-collar factory worker while also caring for his former boxing trainer Louis 'Lightning' Conlon (Alan Arkin). Meanwhile, Kid uses his fame to become a successful entrepreneur, owning both a car dealership and a bar named after him. One day, Dante Slate, Jr. (Kevin Hart), the son of the promoter who made money off the two fighters, approaches Razor and Kid about an opportunity with a big payday. Each would come in at separate times to provide motion-capture work for a boxing video game that would allow gamers to finally play out the final bout themselves. Razor wants nothing to do with it at first but he reluctantly agrees in order to take care of Lightning's nursing home bills. Unfortunately, Kid, who's still holding a grudge, arrives at the same time as Razor and the two immediately get into a fight, which is caught on video and immediately goes viral on YouTube. Taking advantage of their newfound fame, Dante manages to convince the two former boxers to agree to a long-awaited rematch. Dubbing the event with the ludicrous name 'Grudgement Day,' the upcoming fight quickly captures the attention of the entire nation. The ensuing media frenzy prompts Sally (Kim Basinger) to rekindle her romance with Razor while Kid reunites with his estranged son B.J. (Jon Bernthal). Given the opportunity to finally even the score, Razor and Kid struggle with their age as they train for their thirty-years-in-the-making rematch on the boxing ring.

The Italian Stallion versus the Raging Bull: that's essentially "Grudge Match" in a nutshell. The script from Tim Kelleher and Rodney Rothman is predictable to a fault but thanks to its gimmicky premise and blatantly meta-stunt casting, the film manages to pull itself out of mediocrity through sheer force of will. Don't get me wrong; Segal's latest definitely has its fair share of problems yet there's no denying the appeal of seeing two cinematic boxing legends finally face-off in a no-holds-barred bout in the ring. Stallone and De Niro, age 67 and 70, may be way past their prime but they can still knock your teeth out with one punch. Whether they can actually throw a second or third punch remains to be seen.

Using footage from "Rocky" and "Raging Bull" to recreate the first two fights between Razor and Kid, the opening scenes of the film doesn't exactly make the best first impression, with unconvincing body doubles and laughable CG to de-age the two lead actors. Given that the biggest draw in "Grudge Match" is the sight of Stallone and De Niro duking it out on the boxing ring, the film sure takes it sweet time getting to that point. The running time clocks in at a reasonable 1 hour and 53 minutes but it still feels slightly protracted, partly due to the hackneyed drama, which revolves around a personal wrong that Kid committed against Razor shortly after their second bout, putting the story on the side of Stallone's character from the very beginning. This 'personal wrong' led to Razor's sudden retirement and it isn't too hard to guess what it is, especially once Sally and B.J. enter the picture. Considering the film's subject matter, Segal couldn't resist placing some obvious nods to "Rocky" and "Raging Bull," with Razor about to punch the meat carcasses hanging in a butcher's freezer before Lightning stops him and a drunken Kid doing a stand-up comedy routine. Fortunately, the director avoids overdoing these overt references, keeping the film from becoming a parody. There are some laughs to be had, largely coming from Lightning's curmudgeonly demeanor being pitted against Dante's loud, fast-talking personality. However, most of the comedy rely a little too much on old-man slapstick, with 'because they're old!' serving as the punch line once again. The anticipated rematch at the end won't become the stuff of cinematic legend but it's surprisingly brutal and realistic, at least for a PG-13 picture. No, Stallone and De Niro are far from being at their physical best, but 'it's the best we got.'

The performances are pretty good for what is essentially a lightweight sports picture. In spite of the script being riddled with clichés, Stallone and De Niro invest in their roles with emotional credibility, grounding the picture in the midst of some outlandish set-pieces (like skydiving onto a Target parking lot). No one will mistake it for nuance but Stallone brings a nice sense of gravitas to Razor, finding the old boxer forced back into the ring in order to make ends meet and care for his former trainer. He is initially shown as a reluctant participant but comes to realize that he doesn't want to walk away not knowing whether he can beat Kid at his best. Razor has every reason to hate him but he owes his opponent at least that much. De Niro, who's been phoning in a lot of his performances recently, seems to be enjoying himself as Kid, who is basically a loudmouth riff on Jake LaMotta. However, there's also a sense of desperation to his character. Kid knows he's old and he gladly leaps at the opportunity for a rematch because it might be his only chance to do so. Although the script positions him in an antagonist light, Kid is not an outright villain, just a man with too many regrets. Kim Basinger, looking ravishing at sixty, isn't given much to do, with her character suffering from being underwritten while Jon Bernthal is solid if unremarkable. Alan Arkin and Kevin Hart make for a funny pair on-screen, even if the laughs are cheap.

Released on December 25, 2013, "Grudge Match" has received overwhelmingly negative reviews with 23% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics called it 'sporadically funny but meandering, [with] its strong cast largely mired in a plot that's overrun with clichés.' The sight of seeing Rocky Balboa finally going head-to-head with Jake LaMotta will hold some appeal, although younger audiences who aren't familiar with Stallone and De Niro's filmographies will likely come away confused. Despite the competition it has to deal with, the film should easily break even since its production budget is only a modest $40 million. "Grudge Match" obviously doesn't hold a candle to "Rocky" and "Raging Bull" (it's not even in the same league for that matter) but Segal knows exactly what type of film he's making. He allows the gimmicky premise and his two leads to carry the picture through its formulaic story, and while the end result is definitely no classic, it still makes for some breezy, late-holiday entertainment.

Final Rating: 3 out of 5

"The whole world's laughing at us! But we're not dead! In fact, I feel more alive now than I ever felt!"

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The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013) Review

Rated PG (Some Crude Comments, Language and Action Violence)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 54 Minutes

Cast-

Ben Stiller-Walter Mitty

Kristen Wiig-Cheryl Melhoff

Adam Scott-Ted Hendricks

Shirley MacLaine-Edna Mitty

Kathryn Hahn-Odessa Mitty

Adrian Martinez-Hernando

Patton Oswalt-Todd Maher

Sean Penn-Sean O'Connell

Jonathon C. Daly-Tim Naughton

Terence Bernie Hines-Gary Mannheim

Paul Fitzgerald-Don Proctor

Ólafur Darri Ólafsson-Drunken Helicopter Pilot

Þórhallur Sigurðsson-Trawler Captain

Ari Matthíasson-Trawler 1st Mate

Directed by Ben Stiller

Ben Stiller's Walter Mitty finds the titular character turning his fantasies into reality as he embarks on a globe-trotting adventure.

Note: Screened on Thursday, December 5, 2013 at Regal Union Square Stadium 14.

The opening scene in Ben Stiller's latest film, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," finds the titular character sitting in his small apartment while he quietly goes over his latest expenses. Midway through his task, Walter decides to turn on his laptop and check his eHarmony profile. After running a general search, he discovers that his co-worker, Cheryl Melhoff, is also on eHarmony, with her profile stating that she is looking for a man who is adventurous, brave, courageous, and most importantly, employed. Her likes include her sister and mystery novels while her dislikes are ironically her sister and internet dating. Walter wants to send a 'wink' to Cheryl but hesitates at the last second, with his finger hovering over the button on his keyboard. He finally goes through with it several minutes later but the website is unable to complete his request. Walter tries again a few more times, only to receive the same error. Frustrated, he turns off his laptop and leaves. I don't know if Stiller secretly looked inside my head but this is a situation that I know all too well. I would be doing my homework when suddenly this girl, whom I had a deep crush on, would pop up online on AOL Instant Messenger. With the chat window open, I would agonize for several minutes (sometimes half an hour) about whether I should initiate a conversation. It's such a silly thing to worry about in hindsight but I am, at heart, a big romantic and I suspect Stiller is as well. This is why I ended up enjoying his latest film in spite of its mixed reception among critics. Its themes aren't exactly subtle but "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" remains a wonderful, charming film that's backed up by gorgeous cinematography and a sincere earnestness that never feels false.

For the past sixteen years, Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller) has been handling and cataloguing photo negatives as a 'negative assets' manager for LIFE magazine in New York City. Meek and unassuming, Walter frequently escapes from his humdrum, routine existence by daydreaming of fantastic adventures and imagining himself as a courageous hero. However, reality soon comes knocking on his door when he learns from his co-workers that LIFE magazine is about to be downsized, with the new owners—led by corporate bean-counter Ted Hendricks (Adam Scott)—choosing to scuttle the print edition and moving the entire operation online. Layoffs are imminent. Famed photojournalist Sean O'Connell (Sean Penn) delivers his last batch of photos to Walter and singles out number twenty-five, revealing in a note that it captures 'the quintessence of Life' and that it should be used as the cover for the magazine's final issue. The only problem is that the negative for the photo is missing. To track down Sean (since he's always on the road and eschews using a cell phone), Walter enlists the aid of his secret crush Cheryl Melhoff (Kristen Wiig). He learns from her that Sean is in Greenland and decides to put aside his doubts and fears by personally going after the photographer himself. This leads Walter on a wondrous journey that will not only inspire him but also change his outlook on life.

Loosely (and I must really emphasize this word) based on the 1939 short story by James Thurber and previously adapted for the big screen in 1947 by director Norman Z. McLeod, Ben Stiller's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" is basically the best commercial that Nike has never made. It's an oversimplification that's meant to be taken as a compliment. Samuel Goldwyn, Jr., whose father had produced McLeod's film, originally conceived the idea of doing a remake in 1994 with Jim Carrey in the title role but the project ended up languishing in development hell for seventeen years. Directors like Ron Howard, Steven Spielberg, Mark Waters, and Gore Verbinski came and went, with the role of Walter Mitty going through a succession of actors that included Carrey, Owen Wilson, Mike Myers, and Sacha Baron Cohen. Ben Stiller was cast in April 2011 and a mere two months later, was confirmed as director. Although classified as a remake, it would be more appropriate to call Stiller's version a reimagining. It is thematically similar to McLeod's adaptation but most of the details have been changed. Instead of being a pulp magazine editor, Walter is now a lowly office drone who spends his days handling and cataloguing photo negatives. The only aspect that writer Steve Conrad (whose previous credits include 2005's "The Weather Man" and 2006's "The Pursuit of Happyness") takes from Thurber's sub-2000 word tale is that Walter tends to space out and escape his own banal existence with flights of fancy. Stiller has a lot of fun with these daydream sequences, finding the main character rescuing Cheryl's three-legged dog from an exploding building and engaging in a lengthy, city-wide battle with Adam Scott's smarmy Ted Hendricks—a scene that would feel right at home in "The Avengers." The film doesn't always indicate when Walter is lost in one of his fantasies so a nagging question that you'll get is whether it's all simply one big dream. Fortunately, Stiller doesn't resort to such an obvious cop-out at the end.

One line that's repeated throughout the film is LIFE magazine's motto: 'To see things thousands of miles away, things hidden behind walls and within rooms, things dangerous to come to, that is the purpose of life.' This is pretty much the theme for "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty," with the second half finding the titular character going on a globe-trotting adventure and turning fantasy into reality. Many critics have accused Stiller of devolving into calculated schmaltz but I feel that cynicism has clouded their judgment. This is a film that soundly rejects cynicism and while the material is lacking in nuance, it makes up for it with sincere earnestness. From Walter leaping into a rickety helicopter with a drunken pilot at the helm to him skateboarding toward a massive volcano on the verge of eruption, the film shows that life doesn't always have to be a dull routine and that sometimes, you have to risk taking a leap of faith. However, that doesn't mean you should be reckless. The point is to appreciate life in all its beauty, something that cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh captures in one gorgeous shot after another. It truly does add a sense of wonder to Walter's journey. The scope of the film is huge but Stiller and Conrad keep the stakes grounded. In hindsight, Walter's quest to locate Sean and the photo negative seems trivial, considering that he's about to be laid off anyway. However, it's not about the goal; it's about the newfound sense of purpose he receives from the journey. This is someone who's worked at the same job for sixteen years, a job he's dutifully performed without question. Walter will lose his job and he might not even get the girl but Sean trusted him with his photos and even if it's the last thing he does, he will fulfill the photographer's last request. I really admire that. Even when there's no reward waiting at the end, Walter soldiers on because it means something to him, and life without meaning isn't worth living.

The performances, while low-key, are wonderful, with Ben Stiller charmingly endearing as the titular Walter Mitty. It's clear that the actor was immensely passionate about the role, enough to pull triple-duty by additionally serving as the film's director and producer. The fact that his character is unable to work up the courage to speak to his crush Cheryl and even struggles with sending her a 'wink' on eHarmony was something that I really identified with. There's a scene where Walter eavesdrops on Cheryl as she recounts her weekend to her friend. When she jokes about bathing in arctic mountain water while her Latin lover recited poetry, he imagines himself as a rugged mountain climber with a seductive Hispanic accent and a 'poetry falcon' perched on his shoulder. It's a cute moment that reminds us that we've all daydreamed about wooing our crush while imagining ourselves as someone else. Kristen Wiig doesn't get as much screen-time as I had I hoped and her character is largely an ideal but the quiet scenes she shares with Stiller are sweet, especially one lovely moment where Walter imagines Cheryl serenading him with a soulful acoustic cover of David Bowie's 1969 song Space Oddity. Adam Scott, complete with a douchey-looking beard, is appropriately slimy as Walter's new corporate overlord, although his character does approach being a caricature at times. Shirley MacLaine and Kathryn Hahn deliver fine supporting turns as Walter's mother and sister while Sean Penn, in an extended cameo, captures the world-weary demeanor of someone who's seen it all but can still be amazed by something as simple as a snow leopard.

Premiering at the New York Film Festival back in October and set to be released on December 25, 2013, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" has received largely mixed reviews with 48% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that 'it doesn't lack for ambition, but [the film] fails to back up its grand designs with enough substance to anchor the spectacle.' General audiences will likely be more receptive toward the picture but any hopes of winning awards have all but evaporated given its less-than-positive reaction from pundits. Fortunately, Stiller has had a lot of success this time of year so a $100 million gross at the domestic box office isn't too far from the realm of possibility. It's not among 2013's best but Ben Stiller's "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" remains a marvelous film that's full of whimsy and charm. It is, on almost all accounts, 'noteworthy and mentionable.'

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

"Life is about courage and going into the unknown."

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Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues Review

Rated PG-13 (Crude and Sexual Content, Drug Use, Language and Comic Violence)

Running Time: 1 Hour & 59 Minutes

Cast-

Will Ferrell-Ron Burgundy

Paul Rudd-Brian Fantana

Steve Carell-Brick Tamland

David Koechner-Champ Kind

Christina Applegate-Veronica Corningstone-Burgundy

Meagan Good-Linda Jackson

James Marsden-Jack Lime

Kristen Wiig-Chani Lastnamé

Greg Kinnear-Gary

Dylan Baker-Freddie Shapp

Josh Lawson-Kench Allenby

Judah Nelson-Walter Burgundy

Fred Willard-Edward 'Ed' Harken

Harrison Ford-Mack Tannen

Directed by Adam McKay

This is what "Anchorman" fans were doing when the sequel was finally announced.

Note: Screened on Sunday, December 15, 2013 at the Beacon Theatre (Red Carpet Premiere).

'I don't know how to put this, but I'm kind of a big deal.' A tongue-in-cheek riff on the 'action news' format that was popularized during the 1970's, director Adam McKay's 2004 comedy "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" received lukewarm reviews (66% on Rotten Tomatoes) upon its release and was only a mild box office success with its $90.6 million worldwide gross but the buffoonish antics of Will Ferrell's titular character struck a chord with audiences and once the film arrived on home video, Burgundy and the rest of the Channel Four News Team were transformed, as IGN's Lucy O'Brien puts it, into 'gods of modern pop culture.' Ferrell's particular brand of comedy is largely hit-and-miss with me—he's either very funny or completely unfunny—so I don't hold "Anchorman" in such a high regard compared to other people. While there are definitely some laugh-out-loud moments, McKay's film just isn't as hilarious as its reputation seems to suggest. Fans have been clamoring for a sequel and after waiting for nine long years, their wish is finally coming true with the release of "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues." Given that comedy sequels rarely live up to the original, e.g. 2011's "The Hangover Part II," I went into the advance screening with low expectations but twenty minutes later, I was laughing my butt off. Although the film overstays its welcome with its two-hour running time and suffers from a patchy script, "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" succeeds in the rare task of being better than its predecessor, with McKay taking the outrageous, absurdist tone of the original even further and providing not only plenty of laughs but also some clever satire as well.

Set at the dawn of the 1980s, married news anchors Ron Burgundy (Will Ferrell) and Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) have risen through the ranks since their humble days in San Diego, with the couple now working for a prestigious news network in New York City while also raising their precocious six-year-old son Walter (Judah Nelson). When their boss, famous evening news anchor Mack Tannen (Harrison Ford), announces his retirement, he promotes Veronica as his replacement, making her the first female nightly news anchor in the history of television. Ron is overjoyed and believes that Tannen will give him a similar promotion but he is fired instead, with the veteran news anchor declaring him to be 'the worst newsman I have ever seen.' A jealous Ron tries to force his wife to choose him or the job but Veronica has already made her decision. Six months later, Ron is working as an announcer at San Diego's Sea World. After making a series of crude comments, he is fired once again and attempts to commit suicide. Just when he's at his lowest point, opportunity comes knocking on Ron's door in the form of Freddie Shapp (Dylan Baker), who wants him to return to New York City and work for GNN, the world's first twenty-four hour news network. Ron initially finds it to be a stupid idea but immediately accepts the offer once he sees his weekly salary. Reassembling his former Channel Four news team—Brian Fantana (Paul Rudd), Champ Kind (David Koechner), and Brick Tamland (Steve Carell)—Ron struggles to break out of the graveyard shift he's been given and impress his new boss Linda Jackson (Meagan Good) while also dealing with a rival named Jack Lime (James Marsden).

For the past nine years, fans have been begging for a sequel to "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy" but their extreme love for the first film inevitably puts "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" at a severe disadvantage. Paramount's relentless marketing campaign already overburdens McKay's follow-up with unreasonably high expectations, which has been steadily building up for almost a decade. Comedy sequels often end up vastly inferior to the original and the opening scenes in "Anchorman 2" doesn't initially appear to buck this trend, leaving me worried that McKay had simply made a lazy, uninspired cash-in. A montage of Ron Burgundy repeatedly flubbing his on-air readings of the teleprompter, which leads to his firing by Harrison Ford's Mack Tannen, offers a few chuckles but has a feeling of been there, done that. Even seeing him reunite with Champ Kind doesn't produce much laughs, with the whole bit involving Champ's fried chicken business actually selling fried bats to customers coming across as strained and worse, painfully unfunny. Fortunately, the sequel starts to pick up steam when Ron, Brian, and Champ attend Brick's funeral. Of course, how can Brick be dead given Steve Carell's second-billing status and his prominence in the film's marketing campaign? The answer is he isn't but Brick, being the child-like imbecile that he is, seems to be completely oblivious to the fact that he's alive, leading to a hilarious moment where his friends have to exasperatingly remind him of who he is. While I may not regard the original "Anchorman" as a comedy classic, I did enjoy its silly, chaotic randomness, which lent the picture its unpredictability. Having Brick attend his own funeral and even deliver a eulogy to himself is about as random as you can get and from that point on, "Anchorman 2" is just one laugh after another as it revels in its own absurdly cartoonish world.

McKay and Ferrell's script largely exists as an excuse to string along a series of increasingly ridiculous comic set-pieces but there is a story in a very loose sense of the word. Although it doesn't exactly break any new ground and once again finds Ron falling victim to his own hubris, it does make some surprisingly sharp observations about how 'dumbed down' television journalism has become. After challenging James Marsden's Jack Lime to a ratings war, Ron and his friends struggle to find something worthy to report on in their time slot. In a moment of enlightenment, he suggests that rather than telling people what they need to know, they should just tell people what they want to hear. Instead of informing viewers on 'boring' topics like foreign affairs and economics, Ron decides to run a fluff piece on how great America is, with Champ simply showing random clips of home runs while repeatedly yelling his catchphrase, Brick speculating wildly on the weather, and Brian discussing the best vaginas in the world. Ron's approach proves to be a massive hit and beat Jack's ratings by a wide margin. Soon, other news networks desperately scramble to emulate them. From smoking crack cocaine while on the air to reporting on random car chases, the 'news' that Ron and his team choose to focus on feel right at home in the inane, absurdist world that the "Anchorman" films inhabit but what makes these silly antics so funny is that it's based in truth. Modern news channels are often more concerned with higher ratings than preserving journalistic integrity. Headlines are commonly sensationalistic and misleading, with stories suffering from wild speculation and at times, distracting graphics. We may laugh at Ron Burgundy's loud personality and narrow-minded ignorance but the joke's really on us and that's where the comedic genius in "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" lies in.

Despite the nine-year gap, Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner slip comfortably back in their old roles like they never left them in the first place. Ferrell is at his funniest here with his character's ad-libbed, nonsensical exclamations and one of the most memorable scenes in the film is when Ron's boss Linda, whom he is dating, invites him to her parent's house for dinner. What follows is sheer lunacy as Ron's attempts at 'breaking down the barriers of race by assimilation' come across like a reversed, manic version of 1967's "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?" Although some viewers may be turned off by the film's crude humor, it's never mean-spirited or nasty. We forgive Ron's use of offensive stereotypes because we know it comes from a place of wide-eyed naivety. Paul Rudd and David Koechner are sadly underutilized, with their characters relying on familiar gags but Steve Carell, now a bona fide movie star, enjoys an expanded role in the form of a romantic subplot with Kristen Wiig's Chani Lastnamé (I'm not even kidding as that is seriously her surname). Their bizarre love story, combined with Carell's penchant for non-sequiturs, form one of many hilarious bits in the film. Christina Applegate is disappointingly sidelined from the main plot for much of the film's running time but newcomer Meagan Good more than makes up for it as Ron's sexually aggressive boss and love interest. His initial reaction to her, which I won't spoil, is absolutely priceless. James Marsden and Greg Kinnear prove themselves to be a perfect fit for the loony reality that "Anchorman" exists in. Just like its predecessor, the sequel includes a ludicrous fight scene, only on a much more epic scale. Its chock full of cameos that you'll have to discover for yourself but suffice to say, it's laugh-out-loud hilarious, even if it is a retread.

Released on December 18, 2013, "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" has received positive reviews with a solid 76% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that the sequel 'may not be quite as quotable, [but] it's nearly as funny as its predecessor.' Given that fans have been demanding for McKay to do a follow-up for the past nine years, "Anchorman 2" is all but guaranteed to be a box office success and is looking at a five-day debut around $45 to $50 million. It's going to enjoy a long, successful run in theaters due to the relative lack of compelling fare in January. "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" doesn't make the best first impression but it quickly finds its footing as it gleefully pokes fun at what modern television journalism has become while also providing plenty of silly comic set-pieces. This sequel most definitely 'stays classy,' even more so than the original.

Final Rating: 4 out of 5

"By the hymen of Olivia Newton-John!"

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The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug - An IMAX HFR 3D Experience Review

Rated PG-13 (Extended Sequences of Intense Fantasy Action Violence, and Frightening Images)

Running Time: 2 Hours & 41 Minutes

Cast-

Martin Freeman-Bilbo Baggins

Ian McKellen-Gandalf the Grey

Richard Armitage-Thorin Oakenshield

Graham McTavish-Dwalin

Ken Stott-Balin

Aidan Turner-Kíli

Dean O'Gorman-Fíli

Mark Hadlow-Dori

Jed Brophy-Nori

Adam Brown-Ori

John Callen-Óin

Peter Hambleton-Glóin

William Kircher-Bifur

James Nesbitt-Bofur

Stephen Hunter-Bombur

Orlando Bloom-Legolas

Evangeline Lilly-Tauriel

Lee Pace-Thranduil

Luke Evans-Bard

Sylvester McCoy-Radagast the Brown

Mikael Persbrandt-Beorn

Stephen Fry-Master of Lake-town

Ryan Gage-Alfrid

Cate Blanchett-Galadriel

Manu Bennett-Azog the Defiler

Lawrence Makoare-Bolg

Benedict Cumberbatch-Smaug the Dragon/Necromancer

Directed by Peter Jackson

Don't wake the dragon, Bilbo...

Note: Screened on Monday, December 9, 2013 at AMC Loews 34th Street 14.

'Yes, I do believe the worst is behind us now.' I wouldn't be so hasty there, Mr. Bilbo Baggins, as you still have to deal with a massive, fire-breathing dragon at the end of your journey. Despite being mired in development hell for six years due to tedious lawsuits and MGM's financial troubles, a film adaptation based on J.R.R. Tolkien's beloved 1937 fantasy novel The Hobbit finally saw the light of day with the release of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" last December. In a controversial move, returning "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson decided to split the three hundred-page prequel into a new trilogy, supplementing the main plot with material taken from the appendices published in the back of The Return of the King. "An Unexpected Journey" grossed over a billion dollars at the worldwide box office but reception was mixed compared to the critical acclaim that the original trilogy received nine years earlier. With a lukewarm 65% on Rotten Tomatoes, many critics felt the film was unnecessarily bloated and were additionally turned off by Jackson's decision to shoot the picture at 48 frames-per-second. Personally, I loved it in spite of some extraneous padding in the first half. Jackson may have initially been reluctant to return as director but "An Unexpected Journey" remains an obvious labor of love for him as he pours the same amount of passion, creativity, and attention to detail that made his "Lord of the Rings" film trilogy such a huge success. Seeing Sir Ian McKellen as Gandalf the Grey again was like visiting a grandfather whom you haven't seen for a long time. If you came away disappointed with the first installment, have no fear because "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" jumps right into the action now that all the set-up is out of the way. The narrative can get hamstrung at times due to its 'middle chapter' status and the film closes with an abrupt cliffhanger but it remains a rollicking roller-coaster thrill ride, one that continuously offers up dazzling set-pieces while also enriching the source material in surprisingly clever ways. 

Following a daring escape from the Goblin King's underground horde in the Misty Mountains, reluctant adventurer and hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman), Gandalf the Grey (Ian McKellen), and the twelve dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Richard Armitage)—Balin (Ken Stott), Dwalin (Graham McTavish), Glóin (Peter Hambleton), Óin (John Callen), Ori (Adam Brown), Nori (Jed Brophy), Dori (Mark Hadlow), Kíli (Aidan Turner), Fíli (Dean O'Gorman), Bifur (William Kircher), Bofur (James Nesbitt), and Bombur (Stephen Hunter)—soon run afoul of Azog the Defiler (Manu Bennett) and his band of orcs who are hell-bent on wiping out the line of Durin. With his hand forced, Gandalf has the group take refuge within the home of Beorn (Mikael Persbrandt), a skin-changer who dislikes dwarves but hates orcs even more. However, their respite proves to be short-lived as the very next day, Bilbo, Gandalf, and the rest of Thorin's company set out toward the great forest of Mirkwood, where the elderly wizard suddenly reveals that they will have to proceed without him as he must investigate a pressing matter. Before he departs, Gandalf warns Bilbo and the dwarves to not leave the marked path for any reason whatsoever. Despite being besieged on all sides by vicious Giant Spiders, Wood-Elves, and bloodthirsty orcs, the group manages to make it out of the deadly forest alive. Stripped of their weapons and with Durin's Day fast approaching, Thorin and his company are forced to ally with Bard (Luke Evans), who agrees to ferry the group to Lake-town, located in the shadow of the Lonely Mountain, in exchange for gold. When Bard discovers that they intend to reclaim Erebor, he tries to stop them, knowing that awakening the dragon Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) will only bring destruction to his home.

An audible groan erupted from the audience when "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" abruptly faded to black mid-climax, forcing us to wait another twelve months to see how it all ends. Middle chapters in a planned trilogy can be difficult to pull off as the director has to leave viewers wanting more while also providing a resolution that satisfies. Unfortunately, "The Desolation of Smaug" doesn't really succeed in that regard. Just when all the disparate plot threads are about to coalesce into something exciting or meaningful, Jackson ends the film, leaving you with a feeling of frustrating whiplash instead of fulfillment. Even last year's "An Unexpected Journey" managed to build to a sincere resolution that provided some measure of closure both emotionally and thematically, with Bilbo finally finding his courage and gaining not only the admiration of Thorin but also his respect. Of course, Jackson isn't entirely to blame here as the source material is self-contained to one novel, not three. Then again, this problem wouldn't even exist if he had chosen to tell Tolkien's story in two installments like he originally planned. It ultimately lessens the emotional pay-off because it's arriving so separate from the context of this film.

Abrupt ending aside, the rest of "The Desolation of Smaug" remains as exciting as ever. Similar to its predecessor, the film opens with a familiar face but it isn't Ian Holm. Instead, it's Peter Jackson himself, who lurches out of an inn while once again gnawing on a carrot like in "The Fellowship of the Ring." The inn just happens to be the Prancing Pony, where Thorin Oakenshield is anxiously waiting to meet Gandalf in order to discuss reclaiming his homeland Erebor from the dragon Smaug. It's a fantastic way to bring viewers up to speed without needlessly lingering on the details. Ten minutes later, we're back on the road with Bilbo, Gandalf, and the dwarves, who are still being pursued by Azog and his band of orcs. In an attempt to tighten up the pacing and address some of the criticisms of the first film, the sequel dispenses with early events relatively quickly, with the group staying with Beorn for only one night before continuing on their journey the next morning. If you've read the novel, you should know that this isn't the last time we'll see the gruff skin-changer. The early departure of Gandalf allows Jackson the opportunity to relish in his horror roots as he slowly ratchets up the tension when Bilbo and the dwarves are forced to fend for themselves while trekking through the great forest of Mirkwood. These moments are complemented by a simmering, dissonant chorus from Howard Shore's score, which gives way to loud, blaring horns during a deadly encounter with a group of Giant Spiders. These overgrown arachnids make Shelob look like a harmless tarantula. It's here that Bilbo gets to demonstrate his newfound courage but it's tempered by the subtle, insidious hold that the ring is already beginning to have on him. Even as he grows more heroic, the film doesn't let you forget about his nascent dark side, a fact that the hobbit is increasingly well-aware of.

Jackson has shown that he isn't afraid to deviate from the original source material when necessary and while die-hard Tolkien purists may be horrified by this, the changes that he has enacted actually feel organic rather than extraneous. A great example would be the action, which has been amplified into a series of grand set-pieces with so many moving parts yet Jackson makes it all look so effortless with his confident camerawork. Instead of having the dwarves simply escape unscathed in empty wine barrels, he transforms the famous Barrels out of Bond sequence into a gleeful, ingeniously choreographed action symphony. As Thorin's company float down the river, they have to fight off a contingent of orcs while Legolas (Orlando Bloom) and newcomer Tauriel (Evangeline Lilly) gracefully weave in and out, taking down orcs as they go even as they try to prevent their prisoners from escaping. It's exhilarating to watch but it's the climactic battle with Smaug that will leave you breathless. The last thirty minutes or so is akin to watching a thriller, with Bilbo and the dragon playing a cat-and-mouse game of sorts. Like Andy Serkis' Gollum, Smaug is a technical marvel to behold and even though we already know what a dragon is 'supposed' to look like, his entrance is still awe-inspiring to say the least. It's enough to give you goose-bumps. Seeing "The Desolation of Smaug" in 48 frames-per-second definitely heightens the realism of the film's many CG creations, although some of the issues with the format remain as it betrays the fact that some of the locations are just sets. Be that as it may, the production design is still sumptuously detailed, with Lake-town seemingly inspired by Renaissance-era Venice. The 3D is fine, if perfunctory. I don't imagine it looking too well on a 24 frames-per-second projection though. As the film approaches its climax, the story grows increasingly busy with no less than four concurrent plot threads. Unfortunately, the end credits roll right when the film is at its most compelling. It's frustrating as I've said before but everything leading up to it is so good, I admit that I was truly left wanting more.

All of the returning players are uniformly excellent, with Martin Freeman still a joy to watch as Bilbo Baggins. His character remains a little too marginalized for my liking but I love the way Freeman approaches the role. In the first film, he portrayed Bilbo as a bumbling, overly-cautious neurotic who worried over the most inconsequential matters, like his doilies and mother's dishes. He's much more assertive in the sequel yet he's still the same bumbling hobbit that's easily gripped by fear. The main difference is that he fights through that fear now and uses it to motivate himself further. Bilbo may not be all that handy with a sword but he's clever. Even when coming face-to-face with an enormous dragon, it is his quick-thinking that keeps him from being incinerated into an ash pile. Richard Armitage continues to bring a sense of gravitas to Thorin Oakenshield while also subtly hinting that the character's reasons for reclaiming Erebor aren't as pure as he initially made them out to be. Thorin is a natural-born leader, a trait that Armitage fully captures but the cracks are beginning to show, making for a fascinating study at how even the most good of intentions can succumb to something as simple as recklessness and greed. Each of the twelve dwarves are given a more distinct personality this time around and it helps that the story eventually splits them up into two groups, which is easier to manage for Jackson as it prevents the film from becoming overly crowded.

Ian McKellen is wonderful as always as Gandalf the Grey but most impressive are the cast's newcomers. Even though his character doesn't appear in the novel, it's nice seeing Orlando Bloom's Legolas doing what he does best again, which is filling orcs with arrows. However, he is completely upstaged by Evangeline Lilly's Tauriel, a new character created specifically for the film. Despite being saddled with a rote love triangle between the dwarf Kíli and the aforementioned Legolas, Lilly manages to kick all kinds of ass as Tauriel, taking down orcs left and right and looking gorgeous while doing it. This is a perfect example of enriching the source material without disrespecting it. Luke Evans brings a quiet intensity to Bard and it'll be interesting to see his character develop into the famous 'Bowman' in the third film. He's only lending his voice but Benedict Cumberbatch purrs with cunning malice as the titular Smaug. While the dragon is obviously brought to life via CG, Cumberbatch transforms this pile of pixels into a fully-realized character. Smaug isn't feared because he can breathe fire and turn cities into mere ash; he's feared because he's smart, a fact he repeatedly demonstrates as he easily deduces what Bilbo plans to do and begins to plant seeds of doubt within him, telling the overwhelmed hobbit that Thorin is only using him for his own personal gain. It's a highly compelling vocal performance that turns the third act into an engrossing battle of wits between him and Bilbo. Finally, there's Stephen Fry, looking almost unrecognizable and appropriately sleazy as 'The Master' of Lake-town.

Released on December 13, 2013, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" has received positive reviews with a solid 73% on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics noted that while it was 'still slightly hamstrung by middle chapter narrative problems and its formidable length, [the film] represents a more confident, exciting second chapter for the Hobbit series.' Audience reception at the advance screening was highly enthusiastic in spite of the abrupt ending and it's all but guaranteed to be a box office success. While the lukewarm reception of "An Unexpected Journey" will likely temper its final gross, the sequel is still poised to make at least $800 million worldwide. Taken as a stand-alone film, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" doesn't quite work as it offers little emotional pay-off yet it remains a thrilling sequel, with Jackson continuing to bring Tolkien's words to life with meticulous zeal. Christopher Tolkien feels that Hollywood has 'eviscerated' his father's work but I think if he were alive today, he would be proud of the way the films have inspired an entirely new generation of fans that otherwise wouldn't have picked up the novels.

Final Rating: 4.5 out of 5

"Dragon-fire and ruin—that is what you'll bring upon us! He cannot see beyond his own desires!"

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