You're right, it is silly of me to be a bit pessimistic. Because if there's anything that cash-in prequels to beloved franchises are known for, it's quality and integrity.

Shut up, you're reminding me that my freshman year of college (I bombed my philosophy final because I went to the midnight screening) was a decade ago. The specter of 30 is looming pretty large 'round these parts.

I realize that, and also that this is only a trailer that I'm judging. But even with the more serious turn the story takes at the end, I'm not sure we need more sweeping helicopter shots of Middle-earth in this. The story is more about Bilbo going from an unambitious homebody to an adventurer, not (as is the case with…

I dunno … I desperately want this to be good, but it looks like it might fall into the same trap as the Narnia movies: trying to place more dramatic weight on a children's story than it can support. The whole "can't guarantee your safety" thread running through this trailer seems overly portentous and a little…

"starring Stellan Skarsgard"

Yeah, um, ouch. Christmas vacation is still a few days away, y'know.

Yeah, I recognized that set from The Fall. I'm really curious to know what the actual location is, because it looks awesome.

JGL would make a good Robin.

I just finished ACOK myself. I hope @fastandsloppy is right about the next book being the best. If it doesn't blow my socks off I'll probably quit reading. I'm just growing weary of Martin's writerly peccadilloes.

My impression of the Catelyn chapters: "Gosh, war sure sucks and also I am a mother."

Friday—I went to see the House Theater's adaptation of "The Nutcracker" with the girlfriend. It was actually less "Nutcracker" than "The Wizard of Oz: Christmas Edition," but I still enjoyed it way more than that time I went to see the actual ballet. Beforehand, my girlfriend had talked up the House's reputation for…

I'm not sure if you're using "literally" correctly, but if so that's a pretty awesome story. And I'm no Hitchens fan.

@GuyIncognitoII:disqus Hey, if Hitchens can dish it out (witness his excoriating words for Jerry Falwell, newly deceased at the time, in the clips above), he should be able to take it.

INSURANCE PLAN
WALTER JUNIOR NEEDS BRACES

It's a fun, bizarre little scene in an otherwise bland affair. It was right at the beginning, and it had me hoping that at the least I might get to see Harrison Ford pull a Pacino-in-Devil's-Advocate and just act batshit-crazy the entire time. Try to YouTube it, but please don't subject yourself to the whole movie. I…

Ah, I see. It's a fair question, one that everyone should probably ask himself from time to time. I think the reason for Polanski being such a lightning rod for this sort of outrage is threefold: his transgression was absolutely, unequivocally vile; he used his money and status to avoid any sort of meaningful…

Sex with underage teens? Sure, that might have been common. Straight-up raping a 13-year-old who had been given drugs? Somewhat less common.

"The Man with the X-Ray Eyes" gave eight-year-old me nightmares for a week, thanks to that final shot of the protagonist tearing his own eyes out with his bare hands.

This. The worst of it was, in its opening minutes it seemed like it might be trashy fun. Harrison Ford's first scene has him torturing a guy while bugging his eyes out and speaking in a weird accent. But then he must have taken too much medication or gets replaced by a robot double or something and the movie stays…

Hey, a real vegetable just could not melt at that temperature. That's science!