I just came back from my second viewing of The Hobbit: AUJ I had mixed feelings about my first viewing. First of all this film had a lot to live up too. Even though I never expected it to be as good as FOTR, I did really want it to be good, to involve me, to immerse me again in PJ's version of Tolkien's world. To move me. At my first viewing, I liked it. Parts of it I liked a lot. But I never felt like I was drawn back in, immersed like I was in 2001, 2002 and 2003. It was weird seeing this film, many of the same actors, but slightly older, slightly different. Familiar, yet somehow now. Also the 3D and especially the HFR distracted from the experience. Instead of being immersed, it put a buffer between me and the film. I was watching, not feeling. Today I watched it in 2D, standard frame rate. And the dreaded weight of anticipation was lifted from it's shoulders. I enjoyed it sooo much better then before. I felt like I was back. It was the Middle Earth I knew and loved. It's far from a perfect film, there are many things you can complain about. (much of BB's enormous review I agree with) But tonight it made me feel happy. It made me feel young again.