Saw The Hobbit

STOP READING IF YOU DON'T WANT SPOILERS!

Took the kids to see The Hobbit yesterday.  As a nerd, I was looking forward to it myself having read the book several times since I was younger.  Mostly enjoyed it with a few caveats...

1. Did not see the 3D or 48 frames per second version so can't comment on them.  Just the regular movie.
2. Visually stunning non-the-less as you'd expect if you saw the LOTR.  I so much want to go to New Zealand some day!
3. I liked the prelude in the Shire with Frodo.  Linked together The Hobbit with the LOTR quite well even though it wasn't in the book.
4. I had trouble with the dwarfs.  Not the way I pictured them in my mind's eye - especially Thorin who was clearly eye-candy in this movie.  Balin was good, the others mostly forgettable or just silly.
5. I did like the backstory of Thorin added by Jackson even though it wasn't entirely canonical with the books.
6. Didn't mind the scenes with Elrond, Saruman, and Galadriel even though they're non-canonical as well.  It came across as plausible and again linked with the LOTR.
7. The encounter with the trolls was changed, not really for the better in my opinion.
8. I really didn't like the goblin city stuff.  Too much like Indiana Jones and numerous other Hollywood special effect extravaganzas, too long, and completely unbelievable (I realize that using the term unbelievable for a movie like this is a stretch but I can believe in Middle Earth!).  The goblin king was too cartoonish for my taste.
9. Didn't like Radagast and his bunny sled either.  Reminded me of Jar-Jar or the Ewoks in Star Wars - something the director thought was cutesy or whimsical to add but came across as stupid (at least to me).
10. Did like the riddle scene with Gollum.  Well done.

I didn't find it too long (other than I wish there was a pause button for movies over 2 hours so I can go pee without missing anything!).