Why is voter turnout at elections in decline? Because the people are turned off by wearisome, chronically rudderless politics. I am building a new website to try to boost voter participation this election, and fill the gap left by traditional journalism that is too ossified to change.
People have opinions, and while they may snarl at attempts to pander to them, they respect an honest challenge. Tackle the bull and not the man, that is a common cry for issue orientated debate over personal attack. Far to often an opportunity to honestly challenge the opinions of someone is resisted, the media resists it even going so far as to denigrate those 'uppity' enough to proclaim their views if they don't conform to the orthodoxy.
This has caused many to throw the towel in on politics and use election day to mow the lawns. The lawn of our national discourse if left to be entangled in the weeds of a few opportunistic politicians and hacks. Reversing this is simple, and need take no longer than one election cycle. Visit my website, more regularly as it grows into Palmerston North's hub of political news and debate. No matter what your opinions are (and I know you have them) share them here. Be part of the debate, be part of the future of New Zealand. Vote on election day.
Please visit the PalmyPolitical site today:
https://palmypolitical.squarespace.com/
Saturday, 1 March 2014
Friday, 21 February 2014
Notes on 'The Book Thief'
Floating German accents and the occasional cinematic cliché poke holes in the imperfect fabric of this film. I saw The Book Thief last evening; despite its flaws the performances are outstanding, and the narrative is powerful.
I should first admit that I haven't read the book. Shocking, I know, but whenever I finish a novel five more spring up to replace it on my 'to read' list. And then, I often ignore the carefully weighed priorities of my list and seize whatever commands my attention in any given moment. That being the case I could start The Book Thief this afternoon, or in five years, or quite possibly never, so forgive me the offence of seeing and reviewing the film sans reading the original text.
Sophie Nélisse, the Canadian actress in the role of Liesel Meminger, plays her part with so much innocence and sincerity, that her minor wobbles with the German accent - and the slightly wooden quality this causes - is entirely irrelevant. She builds a deep and lasting emotional connection with the viewer; is a well balanced negotiator of the sympathy tightrope, and though she does sway in places she never falls.
Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson, well cast as Hans and Rosa Huberman, also struggle at times with keeping the German accent consistent. But on this point I have to say that I don't mind in the least, since it has been common in the past to use the British accent almost exclusively in western WWII films (think Valkyrie). Not going so far as using full on German, I am more than satisfied to pay lip service to authenticity and go for the English-with-Germanic-sounds compromise. Rush is a superb supporting actor, the genial father figure that balances and deepens the outer harshness of Watson's Rosa.
Unlike many supporting parents, Hans and Rosa are believable as a couple, and the rather formulaic nature of their narrative presence does not (for the most part) feel tired and hackneyed. There is a moment where Hans boards a military truck as a conscript in the German army, and in a very familiar 'Geoffrey Rush' way, he asks, "How we all doing, lads?" The snide rebuke given by the young soldiers, "Have they started conscripting Grandads?" The expression on Rush's weathered face, and the look of restrained dignity in his eyes, reminded me that he is one of the finest actors active at present.
The stand out performance for me was Liesal's best friend Rudy, played by Nico Liersch. Bold, energetic, and confident just as his character, Liersch gives the film a lift every time he appears on screen. The tenacious quality of his character opens up a further avenue for analysis of German social history. The drive for physical prowess and success, respect for such quality in others, and fierce loyalty are all positive traits in Rudy, and are taken to their negative extreme in the Nazi's - who Rudy comes to despise. This makes Rudy (in my view) indispensable, and fuels my annoyance at his demise being poorly engineered. But in this case my criticism is pointed at the screenwriter and the director, Michael Petroni and Brian Percival.
A word on cliché. Cinematic conventions, formulaic narrative devices, and character clichés function to convey ideas and meanings quickly and effectively. They are a part of cinematic language, and when used properly they enhance the viewers experience by effortlessly transmitting information. Often an obvious convention is deployed for the purpose of undermining and criticising something - this is always admirable. But the clichés that injure a film are ones like the action hero fighting to rescue someone (usually a damsel but not always) and going through an extended sequence of violence and quick cuts, only to finish at the feet of the (now saved) person, perspiring and breathing heavily, only for them to say, "What took you so long?" Just writing that makes me feel decidedly unoriginal. So when they are done right clichés are very good at quickly getting through exposition, introducing characters, and acting as trojan horses to carry subversive seeds that germinate later. At worst they are cheap tropes, evaporating a films lifeblood, leaving shallow characters and little meaning. As cinema is dogged by criticism that it has a 'crisis of originality', with the plethora of remakes and adaptations of earlier films and other media, it cannot afford to reduce the quality of its art with bad clichés.
Death narrates the film with Rodger Allam's sardonic tones. A different method of dealing with what is quite sensitive material, life in the centre of zealous Nazi Germany, but one which is refreshing. I felt a keen sense of inter textual separation, WWII while remaining a fascinating vault of drama and intrigue, is now able to be viewed from many perspectives. I am not claiming that The Book Thief takes a definitely new approach, merely that its social commentary is more nuanced than it appears. However, for every moment of subtle originality, there was at least one other of blunt submission to the orthodox. Even the score is revealing (though beautiful nonetheless), composed by John Williams - like Schindler's list, and Saving Private Ryan - it provides continuity. The Book Thief, a worthy successor in a long hereditary line.
I should first admit that I haven't read the book. Shocking, I know, but whenever I finish a novel five more spring up to replace it on my 'to read' list. And then, I often ignore the carefully weighed priorities of my list and seize whatever commands my attention in any given moment. That being the case I could start The Book Thief this afternoon, or in five years, or quite possibly never, so forgive me the offence of seeing and reviewing the film sans reading the original text.
Sophie Nélisse, the Canadian actress in the role of Liesel Meminger, plays her part with so much innocence and sincerity, that her minor wobbles with the German accent - and the slightly wooden quality this causes - is entirely irrelevant. She builds a deep and lasting emotional connection with the viewer; is a well balanced negotiator of the sympathy tightrope, and though she does sway in places she never falls.
Geoffrey Rush and Emily Watson, well cast as Hans and Rosa Huberman, also struggle at times with keeping the German accent consistent. But on this point I have to say that I don't mind in the least, since it has been common in the past to use the British accent almost exclusively in western WWII films (think Valkyrie). Not going so far as using full on German, I am more than satisfied to pay lip service to authenticity and go for the English-with-Germanic-sounds compromise. Rush is a superb supporting actor, the genial father figure that balances and deepens the outer harshness of Watson's Rosa.
Unlike many supporting parents, Hans and Rosa are believable as a couple, and the rather formulaic nature of their narrative presence does not (for the most part) feel tired and hackneyed. There is a moment where Hans boards a military truck as a conscript in the German army, and in a very familiar 'Geoffrey Rush' way, he asks, "How we all doing, lads?" The snide rebuke given by the young soldiers, "Have they started conscripting Grandads?" The expression on Rush's weathered face, and the look of restrained dignity in his eyes, reminded me that he is one of the finest actors active at present.
The stand out performance for me was Liesal's best friend Rudy, played by Nico Liersch. Bold, energetic, and confident just as his character, Liersch gives the film a lift every time he appears on screen. The tenacious quality of his character opens up a further avenue for analysis of German social history. The drive for physical prowess and success, respect for such quality in others, and fierce loyalty are all positive traits in Rudy, and are taken to their negative extreme in the Nazi's - who Rudy comes to despise. This makes Rudy (in my view) indispensable, and fuels my annoyance at his demise being poorly engineered. But in this case my criticism is pointed at the screenwriter and the director, Michael Petroni and Brian Percival.
A word on cliché. Cinematic conventions, formulaic narrative devices, and character clichés function to convey ideas and meanings quickly and effectively. They are a part of cinematic language, and when used properly they enhance the viewers experience by effortlessly transmitting information. Often an obvious convention is deployed for the purpose of undermining and criticising something - this is always admirable. But the clichés that injure a film are ones like the action hero fighting to rescue someone (usually a damsel but not always) and going through an extended sequence of violence and quick cuts, only to finish at the feet of the (now saved) person, perspiring and breathing heavily, only for them to say, "What took you so long?" Just writing that makes me feel decidedly unoriginal. So when they are done right clichés are very good at quickly getting through exposition, introducing characters, and acting as trojan horses to carry subversive seeds that germinate later. At worst they are cheap tropes, evaporating a films lifeblood, leaving shallow characters and little meaning. As cinema is dogged by criticism that it has a 'crisis of originality', with the plethora of remakes and adaptations of earlier films and other media, it cannot afford to reduce the quality of its art with bad clichés.
Death narrates the film with Rodger Allam's sardonic tones. A different method of dealing with what is quite sensitive material, life in the centre of zealous Nazi Germany, but one which is refreshing. I felt a keen sense of inter textual separation, WWII while remaining a fascinating vault of drama and intrigue, is now able to be viewed from many perspectives. I am not claiming that The Book Thief takes a definitely new approach, merely that its social commentary is more nuanced than it appears. However, for every moment of subtle originality, there was at least one other of blunt submission to the orthodox. Even the score is revealing (though beautiful nonetheless), composed by John Williams - like Schindler's list, and Saving Private Ryan - it provides continuity. The Book Thief, a worthy successor in a long hereditary line.
Sunday, 16 February 2014
Blue is the Warmest Colour: Seek the Uncomfortabe
 |
| Adèle Exarchopoulos and Léa Seydoux, as Adele and Emma |
I was mesmerised by the bold honesty in this critically acclaimed film. Since its début at Cannes last year, Blue is the Warmest Colour has collected controversy over the working conditions on set, and as many negative reviews as positive ones.
Aliza Polkes, who tore at Blue in her review on the Huffington Post website said:
“When I first started hearing Blue buzz I was wildly excited. I couldn't wait to experience another movie which presented me with complicated sexual realities that are always overlooked or censored in American cinema.”
She goes on to say that she was disappointed, and the film instead was – “clumsy, horribly edited, directorially [sic] indulgent, cheaply pornographic, and, above all, a straight man's lesbian fever dream.”
I believe Polkes missed the point. She also reaffirms the American terror of the uncensored sexual act. If there is no music, the scene lasts more than a few minutes, and position after position is shown – ragged breathing and peals of pleasure cutting through it all – it must be pornography. And therefore it must be denied. As if there can be no other function but audience gratification in sex scenes on screen. To be so wafer thin in ones perception is regrettable.
I must take issue with the characterisation that Blue is some kind of male fantasy of lesbian passion. As Kate Roger argued in her terse 3news review, the sexual orientation of the characters is almost irrelevant. It is not a film about lesbian love, but human love. And although the graphic content and three hour duration will clearly be unsuitable for some people, the love story is “universally real.”
This is not to say that gender is unimportant, quite the opposite. Womanhood is the overarching theme. Women defined by what they are themselves, not by how they are different from men. Allow me to explain. Male characters are given some attention, but they are mostly left in the background, and do not progress the narrative. Adele’s father appears in a few scenes; giving the paternalist orthodoxy its voice when he questions Emma on her boyfriend (who does not exist). A kind of lip-service is thus paid to the old world of proscribed gender roles, but since the father makes no further impact on the story the judgement is clear.
I like films that make me uncomfortable. Films that challenge and provokes me to consider thoughts and ideas which are alien, or, much too close to be seen on their own. After the tedious justification that film is first and foremost to be entertaining; giving a couple of hours reprieve from the ordinary, the function of cinema is to cloak and package a collection of ideas and themes in a stimulating form. That is certainly an influence of the French New Wave, of which Blue is the Warmest Colour is the latest in a generous oeuvre.
I shall postpone a full critique until seeing the film a second time. If you are considering going, consider the points I raise - and go!
Sunday, 9 February 2014
Land of our Lorde?
Her single took top billing around the world, she won two Grammy's last month, and the media is fascinated by her. Lorde has climbed to the summit of fame and fortune in New Zealand, in as little at eight months. She is now one of our tallest poppies, and with all the pride we feel as a public looking up to her, our malevolent psychosis lurks close by - anxious for the fall.
 |
| Photo By (Kirk Stauffer) (Own work) [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons |
We, the public are a compassionate, fickle, and easy to distract bunch. We love it when someone ordinary takes wing from our ranks and briefly shows us how extraordinary we can be. We focus on them, and for a moment in time (or 15 minutes according to Andy Warhol) we indulge in their success. They either fade from view, or they get brighter, but we do not view them the same way twice. If they get brighter and more successful and famous - we start to become enraged. We feel they have violated the bargain, they showed us how great we can be, now their greatness is competing with our collective egos.
Or, if they drift to the wings as something else appears centre stage, perhaps taking Rob Brydon's advice from The Trip, 'Never be hot, always be warm'. That is how one could summarize the careers of many well known New Zealanders, from Dave Dobbyn to Anika Moa. Public interest in them simmers quietly, bubbling prominently at various times, but never enough to permanently injure their ability to lead a private life.
Perhaps Lorde will simmer this year, but with her scheduled performances in the USA in the next few months, and her high rate of musical output - I suspect not.
Both Neil Finn*, and Charlotte Dawson have publicized their opinion that she should leave New Zealand; become a smaller fish in a larger pond. While I reject that there is a fundamental difference between media here and overseas, island social gigantism does affect the intensity of the public interest. I for one, hope that she doesn't leave NZ. She clearly likes it here, this is her home, and it should remain so. But Ella Yelich-O'Connor is 17, and she has a right to her privacy. We have a duty therefore to ignore the tabloid snaps, dangled as they are like keys to distract an infant, and choke back the tide of our petty opinions - delivered from the refuge of anonymity. The nauseating chorus of social media cowardice that made the most revolting and racist comments about Ella's boyfriend, are the result of a media and public in a conspiracy to prune the tall poppies.
This brings me to an article in the NZ Herald two weeks ago, in which Paul Dykzeul - head of Banner Media, the publisher of Woman's Day - defended the magazine for publishing photos of Ella and her boyfriend at the beach. 'We care about readers, and these photos would be and are of genuine interest to our readers', he said. Dykzeul holds up the curiosity of his readers as a trump card; the same curiosity which is in part cultivated by the magazine itself. It is a feedback loop, and it doesn't stand up to scrutiny.
There is another stupid argument that says famous people cannot complain about being burnt by the intensity of the spotlight, because after all, they chose to be famous. I submit that they chose their career path, Lorde chose to make brilliant music, but we are all to blame for the height of her pedestal. It is the miserly nature of the sadist that delights in a fall after a meteoric rise, demanding that the subject is complicit in the whole enterprise. How intolerable it is for the sanctimonious to convict anyone of hypocrisy.
The international debate on privacy, both with regards to state action and invasion by the media (take the scandal behind the fall of the News of the World) is happening because it is intolerable for the right to privacy to be violated on the whim of curiosity. By anyone.
We are curious about Lorde, but we should limit our curiosity to Lorde, leaving Ella Yelich-O'Connor to her privacy. We can attend her concerts, follow her on twitter, and enjoy her music. In short, when she is Lorde, she is a kind of public property - but as Ella, she is part of the crowd. Anonymous, and private. That is a more than reasonable compromise. May it be so.
*Subsequently, Neil Finn downplayed his comments on twitter. See here.
Monday, 27 January 2014
An open letter to employees in New Zealand, on behalf of all Arts graduates.
Greetings
and salutations,
I
hope you find this polite and to the point, it is neither my intention to lick
your shoes nor waffle on about my skills. You are an employer, I am a graduate.
You have money and a job that needs doing; I am broke with time on my hands. Do
not treat me like a fool. Putting ‘comprehensive prior experience’ as a
prerequisite for whatever banal position you care to throw into the market – as
the gorged diner throws his scraps to the dogs – does not change nature of the
job itself.
I
am a Bachelor of Arts graduate, which means I spent at least three years buried
in academia. Three years of experimenting with ideas and points of view, learning
how to deconstruct an argument and assemble another from scratch. I was not
allowed to have ideas of my own, I wrote what others before me had said;
fastidiously referenced it all. I came through it with knowledge of political
systems, the basics in policy making, even the vagaries of Japanese Kabuki
theatre. I can learn anything, question anyone, and argue any point.
You
want me to have experience in the kind of job you’re offering? I want it too;
why not give it to me? Employment law now says you can sack me within 90 days,
so give me that chance to prove myself. You hold all the cards, so ditch the
automated system that filters out the best applicants on account of them declining
to put all the right buzz words into the fields. Treat me as a human being, I
studied humanities – I know the difference.
Sincerely,
An
Arts Graduate
Monday, 6 January 2014
Don't Rock the Boat: Key's Election Year Strategy
Prime Minister John Key is stepping into this election year with a massive advantage - the economy is doing well. Extremely well in fact. Recent projections put the rate of economic growth at 3.3%, against the 2.3% OECD average (figures sourced here). If the Clintonian motto, "It's the economy, stupid" still has currency (and I believe it does) then it is clear that the National-led government has a good chance of keeping the government benches. His strategy is simple, focus on the economy and don't rock the boat.
The well worn approach of "trust me, I'm John Key", remains the government's most effective weapon, however it is subject to diminishing returns. For an increasing number of people the Prime Minister's grinning, dismissive nature has become condescending, and patronizing. While that number is no where near critical mass, these people are voters who occupy the centre ground. If he steps too far and fans that particular flame, the resulting burn will be fatal. Even so, what is a small minority this year will be crucial body in 2017. As governments age their opponents increase in number and the public forgives less easily. And Cunliffe is the most formidable opponent Key has faced since Helen Clark. The Labour leader will not make it an easy competition, and I wouldn't bet against him just yet.
So John Key's first task is to shore up his leadership credentials - more vital now than in 2011, with a resurgent opposition and effective Labour leader. To this end he has started extremely well with scoring a golfing photo op with President Obama while they holidayed in Hawaii. A perfect opening for an election year, putting Key at the forefront of the charge - so much more necessary now since the rising stars of Judith Collins and Stephen Joyce have attracted media interest in their leadership potential. It is also a photo op that David Cunliffe simply cannot compete with.
Key's cunning in securing a royal visit from the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge in April, deserves a round of applause. It is a chance (like golf with Obama) to re-emphasize his own leadership, but more than that it damages the republican movement - which is largely a Labour/Green bloc. Monarchist sympathy exploded when Prince William last visited, the smart money is on that sympathy reaching titanic proportions when the Duchess and baby-Prince come to. Like the doomed liner the monarchist feeling will be short lived, as it is based on surface level events, not convincing argument, but it will certainly have an impact on election results.
The 2014 budget is also going to be a formidable tool for the governments electoral success. Their plan for insulating the economy against future shocks by 2016/17 by further restraining public sector spending so they can pay down debt, is only convincing in isolation. They will try to shout down opposition criticism, and if that fails (as it conceivably will considering the skills of David Cunliffe, David Parker, and Russell Norman) they will revert to "trust me" politics.
Don't rock the boat! We can see this in Murray McCully's impotent statements that although whaling is completely indefensible, New Zealand has no jurisdiction over the actions of the Japanese whaling fleet inside the southern ocean whale sanctuary. It would be a risk (politically as well as physically) to send the HMNZS Otago to monitor the fleet, but it would set a precedent. He won't though, the government sold their international courage along with other assets.
Support party survival is the government's Achilles heel, but it is likely that Colin Craig will manage to scrape through. If this is the case then the fifth National Government (a technically incorrect but convenient name) will continue in the 51st New Zealand Parliament. Key just has to not rock the boat.
The well worn approach of "trust me, I'm John Key", remains the government's most effective weapon, however it is subject to diminishing returns. For an increasing number of people the Prime Minister's grinning, dismissive nature has become condescending, and patronizing. While that number is no where near critical mass, these people are voters who occupy the centre ground. If he steps too far and fans that particular flame, the resulting burn will be fatal. Even so, what is a small minority this year will be crucial body in 2017. As governments age their opponents increase in number and the public forgives less easily. And Cunliffe is the most formidable opponent Key has faced since Helen Clark. The Labour leader will not make it an easy competition, and I wouldn't bet against him just yet.
 |
| Who moved my mic? |
So John Key's first task is to shore up his leadership credentials - more vital now than in 2011, with a resurgent opposition and effective Labour leader. To this end he has started extremely well with scoring a golfing photo op with President Obama while they holidayed in Hawaii. A perfect opening for an election year, putting Key at the forefront of the charge - so much more necessary now since the rising stars of Judith Collins and Stephen Joyce have attracted media interest in their leadership potential. It is also a photo op that David Cunliffe simply cannot compete with.
 |
| Bored John? The things you have to do to win a third term... |
Key's cunning in securing a royal visit from the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge in April, deserves a round of applause. It is a chance (like golf with Obama) to re-emphasize his own leadership, but more than that it damages the republican movement - which is largely a Labour/Green bloc. Monarchist sympathy exploded when Prince William last visited, the smart money is on that sympathy reaching titanic proportions when the Duchess and baby-Prince come to. Like the doomed liner the monarchist feeling will be short lived, as it is based on surface level events, not convincing argument, but it will certainly have an impact on election results.
The 2014 budget is also going to be a formidable tool for the governments electoral success. Their plan for insulating the economy against future shocks by 2016/17 by further restraining public sector spending so they can pay down debt, is only convincing in isolation. They will try to shout down opposition criticism, and if that fails (as it conceivably will considering the skills of David Cunliffe, David Parker, and Russell Norman) they will revert to "trust me" politics.
Don't rock the boat! We can see this in Murray McCully's impotent statements that although whaling is completely indefensible, New Zealand has no jurisdiction over the actions of the Japanese whaling fleet inside the southern ocean whale sanctuary. It would be a risk (politically as well as physically) to send the HMNZS Otago to monitor the fleet, but it would set a precedent. He won't though, the government sold their international courage along with other assets.
 |
| McCully's election year pose |
Support party survival is the government's Achilles heel, but it is likely that Colin Craig will manage to scrape through. If this is the case then the fifth National Government (a technically incorrect but convenient name) will continue in the 51st New Zealand Parliament. Key just has to not rock the boat.
Friday, 20 December 2013
The Desolation of Smaug
I will not transgress the sturdy boundaries of brevity in this review. I am not engaging in either intense criticism, nor protracted fawning. If you haven't yet seen The Desolation of Smaug then I offer you a frank, yet humble reason why you should.
Firstly, I write with the assumption that you, dear reader, sustained a degree of disappointment with An Unexpected Journey. A solid preamble to be sure (if rather protracted, to the discomfort of the less bladder controlled), but something of a narrative mess. Furthermore, the high frame rate (HFR), coupled with the busy nature of 3D, left much (or a lot less!) to be desired. Middle Earth felt familiar, but less genuine.
The aforementioned issues compounded the usual problems encountered by the first in a pre-concieved trilogy (so the Matrix, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and initial Pirates of the Carribean are exempt from the rule). The first film has to introduce the core characters, build audience sympathy, thoroughly illuminate the many strands of the plot, and remain (in this case) reasonably close to the book. The curse of the first film is that the pay off for all this trouble does not occur until its sequel.
Think of the movie sagas that were conceived as more than one film in the first instance. The Empire Strikes Back is often considered the jewel of Star Wars. The Godfather Part II is the finest film Frances Ford Coppola has ever made. Every issue plaguing the success of the first movement in these grand cinematic endeavors is absent in the second - by definition.
Aiding The Desolation of Smaug is the slight modification of the effects, and the year we have had as audiences to come to terms with HDR. If you are one of the unfortunate viewers for whom HDR and/or 3D is always trouble, then you don't have to try it this time. Simply see the film in old school glory and enjoy yourselves.
Greame Tucket mentions in his Dominion Post review that the difficulty with the Hobbit from a screenwriting perspective is the great proportion of characters. The company of Thorin Oakenshield sits at fourteen and though all their names may be hard to keep in mind (I still confuse Oin, Bifur, Dwalin, Orry, and Norry), their individual characteristics are so particular, and thanks to Journey so familiar that you shouldn't get lost. The classic barrel sequence, and Bilbo's introduction to Smaug are highlights - Oscar fever is rightly warming.
I promised to be terse and so I shall, the reason to go to The Desolation of Smaug is it vindicates An Unexpected Journey, and proudly hits the mark of a great film.
Firstly, I write with the assumption that you, dear reader, sustained a degree of disappointment with An Unexpected Journey. A solid preamble to be sure (if rather protracted, to the discomfort of the less bladder controlled), but something of a narrative mess. Furthermore, the high frame rate (HFR), coupled with the busy nature of 3D, left much (or a lot less!) to be desired. Middle Earth felt familiar, but less genuine.
The aforementioned issues compounded the usual problems encountered by the first in a pre-concieved trilogy (so the Matrix, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and initial Pirates of the Carribean are exempt from the rule). The first film has to introduce the core characters, build audience sympathy, thoroughly illuminate the many strands of the plot, and remain (in this case) reasonably close to the book. The curse of the first film is that the pay off for all this trouble does not occur until its sequel.
Think of the movie sagas that were conceived as more than one film in the first instance. The Empire Strikes Back is often considered the jewel of Star Wars. The Godfather Part II is the finest film Frances Ford Coppola has ever made. Every issue plaguing the success of the first movement in these grand cinematic endeavors is absent in the second - by definition.
Aiding The Desolation of Smaug is the slight modification of the effects, and the year we have had as audiences to come to terms with HDR. If you are one of the unfortunate viewers for whom HDR and/or 3D is always trouble, then you don't have to try it this time. Simply see the film in old school glory and enjoy yourselves.
Greame Tucket mentions in his Dominion Post review that the difficulty with the Hobbit from a screenwriting perspective is the great proportion of characters. The company of Thorin Oakenshield sits at fourteen and though all their names may be hard to keep in mind (I still confuse Oin, Bifur, Dwalin, Orry, and Norry), their individual characteristics are so particular, and thanks to Journey so familiar that you shouldn't get lost. The classic barrel sequence, and Bilbo's introduction to Smaug are highlights - Oscar fever is rightly warming.
I promised to be terse and so I shall, the reason to go to The Desolation of Smaug is it vindicates An Unexpected Journey, and proudly hits the mark of a great film.
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