Martin Freeman

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Review

The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug isn’t necessarily better or worse than its predecessor, but more like an inverse of all of An Unexpected Journey’s positives and negatives. Instead of an opening hour that sets things up in excruciating detail and a final two hours of exciting story, Smaug has a pretty entertaining, fast paced and swiftly moving opening 100 minutes before giving into repetitive indulgence that exists for no reason except to drag the story out over three movies.

Contest: Win a WORLD’S END Prize Pack!

Enter for a chance to win one of four prize packs celebrating the release of The World's End (now playing in theatres everywhere), including a special, limited edition beer glass and a pair of run-of-engagement passes to see the film!

The World’s End Review

Despite a jarring transition to its genre story this time out and not being the same laugh a second riot that Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz were, Edgar Wright's trilogy capping The World's End becomes the best of the trilogy simply through being incredibly thoughtful (on top of being hilarious).

Interview: Edgar Wright & Nick Frost

Dork Shelf sits down with writer-director Edgar Wright and actor Nick Frost to talk about their trilogy capping comedy The World's End, working with Simon and everyone they have grown close to one last time, what separates this effort from the recent glut of “manchild” moves, how nostalgia for music is a trademark of stunted adolescents, what their next plans together might be like if they ever happen, the one awkward thing that Frost always seems to have to do on his wife’s birthday, and why Wright has changed his opinion on Bad Boys 2 (somewhat).

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey Review

While dividing Tolkien's most childish and thinnest material into three films seems like a strange decision, Peter Jackson makes it mostly work with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which still manages to be a lot of fun. That new high-frame rate 3D? Not so much.