It is really challenging to consider a critical assessment of The Hobbit. The much-beloved Tolkien novel has to live in many shadows, from the achievements of Peter Jackson’s previous treks into Middle-Earth, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, to the classic Rankin-Bass animated version, to the very novel itself. It’s almost impossible to judge Jackson’s return to Middle Earth without considering... 

“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them... 

“The Hobbit” follows the journey of title character Bilbo Baggins, who is swept into an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor, which was long ago conquered by the dragon Smaug. Approached out of the blue by the wizard Gandalf the Grey, Bilbo finds himself joining a company of thirteen dwarves led by the legendary warrior, Thorin Oakensheild. Their journey will take them... 

The show’s title comes from the new Avengers push that has come literally on the heels of Captain America: The First Avengers (stay through the credits of that film to see the teaser for next year’s The Avengers. If you missed Thor, you haven’t actually seen why Renner is being included in the super hero team. Meanwhile, we offer you three reviews of Captain America, sum up a little... 

Marvel has had pretty good luck this summer, laying in some key pieces for their upcoming The Avengers movie with Thor, which introduced both the Thunder God and (briefly) Clint “Hawkeye” Barton. Now it’s time to lay the final stone of the foundation. This is not just any character, however, but Captain America, “The First Avenger.” Despite having four other movies building up to The Avengers... 

Marvel has done it once again, delivering a fun, earnest, action-packed superhero movie with filled with heart and rich, rewarding characters. Captain America: The First Avenger is a terrific companion to Marvel’s Iron Man and Thor and sits somewhere between the two. While it doesn’t capture the sense of wonder and astonishment that Iron Man excelled at, it triumphs with a strong lead character... 

With Transformers: Dark of the Moon, action film director Michael Bay releases his first 3D film using cameras supplied by James Cameron. It’s a match made in heaven. Bay embraces the medium with a skilled hand and keen understanding of the benefits and the restrictions the added dimension brings with it. The results are incredible. Visually, Transformers: Dark of the Moon surpasses any major 3D... 

Transformers is back with a third chapter that continues the legacy of the first two movies, and by “legacy” I mean giant freakin’ robots, big explosions, and high action wound together by a tenuous plot that is more about moving to the next big action scene than developing any depth. Still, Transformers: Dark of the Moon is the best of the franchise’s movies so far, but it’s a movie that... 

We’ll admit it: This week’s show is pretty amazing. We return to a nice balance discussing new movies in the theater, what we’ve been watching at home, and a nice blend of movie news. In this episode: a review of Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’hoole, discussion of Wall Street and Tropic Thunder, a debate over Katy Perry’s pulled Sesame Street segment, and Joaquin... 

Zack Snyder is on his way to becoming a diverse director. Until now, Snyder’s name has been associated with more mature films, breaking onto the scene with 2004’s remake of Dawn of the Dead before really gaining recognition for his adaptations of 300 and Watchmen. While Snyder uses some of his same visual tricks in his latest project, Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole, the movie is...