3. Bilbo Meets Smaug - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
The Desolation of Smaug, Peter Jackson's second film in his Hobbit trilogy, may have suffered from its fair share of problems, but it's a step in the right direction after the plodding and boring An Unexpected Journey. Of course, more action doesn't necessarily make for a better film, and as with the Riddles in the Dark sequence in AUJ, Desolation of Smaug's most famous and most exciting moments are those that strip away the unnecessary elements and focus solely on Bilbo's interaction with one of Tolkien's greatest creations. When Bilbo finally steps into the Lonely Mountain in an attempt to steal the Arkenstone, he comes face to face with the massive and talkative dragon, Smaug. Smaug is brought to life in such a phenomenal way that he may very well be the greatest fantasy character ever brought to life on the big screen. The entire discussion that he has with Bilbo (who's desperately trying to remain hidden and keep from burning to a crisp) is amazing, and well worth the nearly six hour wait we've now had to endure to get there.
James is a 24 year old writer and filmmaker living in Portland, OR. He attended college for graphic design and writes for various sources on the web about film, television, and entertainment.
You can view all of his work on his website, www.thereeljames.wordpress.com
