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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Chain Lightning" data-source="post: 1273982" data-attributes="member: 6791">Just got back from a midnight screening here in California. I loved it. It was just awesome to watch. I dreaded many things going wrong with wrapping up the LotR trilogy. One of which is the ending. In my mind, I had a version that I wished to see personally. And I thought that there was no way Jackson or anyone was going to do it that way. But I was surprised. Jackson did it! What a happy coincidence. I was very happy.I could go on and on about all the awesome stuff. But man, my post would be huge. So how about I'll just list some stuff I thought were the weak spots and you guys can assume that everything else I thought was awesome. Heh heh.[spoiler]1.) The finding of the Palantir (spelling?): I thought this was kind of weak. In the book, it states that the Ents couldn't gain entrance into Orthanc. Thus, no battle took place inside that tower. In the movie, the inside of the tower is never seen sacked either.....and yet....how does the Palantir end up outside? Yes, in the book, Wormtongue throws it out the window....but that's not shown either. In the movie, it is presented as if it was part of the detritus of battle. But a thing from inside the tower winding up outside? Weird. I thought that could've been done better. I suspect the extended DVD edition will clear it up.[/spoiler][spoiler]2.) Eowyn and Faramir: I love the scene they have together in the book that takes place after the big battle. I really wanted to see something similar to that done in the RotK movie. Maybe there will be in the extended DVD...but in the theatrical release, there isn't. Faramir is just suddenly up and healthy and standing next to Eowyn. Both actors trying their best to convey to the audience that they're going to 'hook up' with just a single look. Because that's obviously all they're aloud to have time for . Tough call....so much to tell with the more central characters....how do you squeeze in the time? [/spoiler][spoiler]3.) Too many close ups: It seems to me that they used WAY more close ups in RotK to save money. Less compositing you have to do when all there is in the background is some ambiguous 'stuff'. You don't have to film on location or have the FX team digitally put in a BG that matches when you're so close. Makes it easier to shoot those lines out of sequence or for 'pick ups' and last minute tweaks. Cutting close to someone delivering a dramatic line is a staple of movies. But in RotK , there was so much scenes where the head of the actor dominated the whole screen. Most films vary it up a bit. Head & Shoulder shots, Chest and Up shots, etc. Anyways, I'm just nit picking this. Didn't hurt the film really. [/spoiler][spoiler]4.) Shakey Cam still blows: I still hate the shakey cam. Yah yah yah, it puts you in the action blah blah. I still hate it. Thankfully Jackson doesn't make it too bad. Action is clear in most of RotK. But the shakey cam was at its worst when Osgiliath was being over-run in the first quarter of the movie. Where Faramir had to retreat. [/spoiler][spoiler]5.) No Easterlings?: Uh....where are the Easterlings? Why weren't they shown in the battle of Pelenor Fields? This upset me. Not seeing them make a showing. I really loved how they looked and all.[/spoiler][spoiler]6.) Arwen's Gay Parents: Y'know....sometimes just the smallest of things will ruin a dramatic moment. A foam prop flopping in the background.....an extra that didn't take off his Nike shoes in a period piece....etc, etc. Well, there's this nice moment in the end of RotK when Aragorn walks by a line of people. Each bowing to him. After he's been crowned by Gandalf. Then, Legolas stands to the side to reveal that Elrond and Arwen are there. Elrond mouths some words in his daughter's ears that the audience can't hear. But you can tell he says, "go to him". Its a nice moment.  He is finally letting his daughter be with the man she loves and with his approval too. Aragorn and Arwen kiss. Crowd cheers! Then camera cuts to Elrond standing proud and happy for his daughter. [/spoiler][spoiler]Or.......at least that's what the shot should've been. Elrond should be standing prominently in front and in focus while everyone else should be off to the side or far enough behind him to leave him a single focus on screen. So the audience can look upon him and his acting. See how his character finally has come to terms with his daughter's decision and how he's happy for her, how he's approved. But instead, camera cuts to Elrond....and standing way too close to him right next to his shoulder is this really odd looking Elf man with long golden hair. The moment looks like an alternative lifestyle couple watching their adoptive daughter recieve her diploma at a high school graduation. Only thing left is for them to look at each other knowingly, or for the strange elf man to have one hand around Elrond's shoulder. It doesn't help that the previous scenes showed couplings. Faramir and Eowyn, Aragorn and Arwen...then Elrond and strange Elf man life partner. And please, don't take this as some negative comment toward homosexual couples on my part. That's not what I'm saying. I'm perfectly fine with those who choose such a lifestyle....its just that I don't think that's what Elrond is doing in Middle-Earth. I could be wrong though.<img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /> [/spoiler]Well, that's about it. I loved the rest. Can't wait to hop back in line sometime and see it yet again!</blockquote>

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