Feedback: Jan. 11, 2012

Becoming Bilbo
In your article about The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (#1237), Martin Freeman was trying not to be consumed by what ”that one person from Idaho” thought of him. I’d like to let him know that this girl from Idaho is rooting for him. His casting as Bilbo was perfect.
Jennifer Gregg
Lewiston, Idaho

Gruff Love
How much do I love your interview with Tommy Lee Jones? Immensely. It was so drily hilarious that I read it twice. Like squeezing juice from a rock … great writing.
Courtenay Rudzinski
Houston

My only quibble with this piece: Jones is not always ”irascible.” Check out The Good Old Boys (in which he plays a guileless and impossibly sweet cowboy) and Blue Sky (he’s heartbreakingly vulnerable).
Pamela Boyd
Olympia, Wash.

Revenge Isn’t Sweet
I totally agree with The Bullseye’s comment ”Revenge is borderline incomprehensible.” It has jumped the shark, the whale, and the Grand Canyon.
David Britton
Bellingham, Wash.

Fantastic Mr. Foxx
Finding Django Unchained‘s Jamie Foxx on the cover — along with the caption ”Tarantino’s Wild, Wild Western” — was an early Christmas treat (#1238). Here’s hoping Leonardo DiCaprio finally gets some esteem from the Academy.
Veronica Sitaylo
Vineland, N.J.

Blue Christmas
Your holiday playlist was missing the saddest Christmas song ever (Music): ”The Cat Carol” by Meryn Cadell. I dare anyone to listen to this and not crawl under the tree and lie in a fetal position.
Jennifer Dury
Vancouver

Les Miz: Yay or Nay?
In News and Notes, you rank Les Misérables as the No. 2 film to see before Oscar night, but Lisa Schwarzbaum’s review of the movie is very mixed, to put it kindly. What gives?
Christopher Decostanza
Bronx, N.Y.
Managing editor Jess Cagle responds: Good question! Anthony Breznican chose the 25 Oscar-bait movies because they’re expected to get Oscar nods — not because our critics liked them. In fact, Les Miz looks like one of those movies that critics and the Academy will have to agree to disagree on.

Correction
Some versions of ”Late Greats 2012” (#1238) switched the birth and death dates of Don Cornelius (Sept. 27, 1936-Feb. 1, 2012) and Sherman Hemsley (Feb. 1, 1938-July 24, 2012).

Online Debate
Man of Steel. Discuss.
Who is the new Superman? That’s what EW.com readers were trying to deduce after reading Jeff Jensen’s deep dive into the trailer for Zack Snyder’s reboot.

He’s Got Potential
If any hero needs a change, it’s Superman. Superman Returns got some things right but didn’t go far enough. Maybe he will finally get something he’s been missing: personality. —Imjustsocool

He’s a Modern Man
In Richard Donner’s films, Superman was who we wanted him to be: the Boy Scout. I think this take will bring him into the 21st century, where even Ma and Pa Kent may be fearful of their son’s power. —Psudavid

He’s Too Emo
This looks very heavy and dark. [Producer] Christopher Nolan seems to have confused the Man of Steel with the Dark Knight. How many people will want to see a morose Superman movie? —DN51370

He’s a Badass
This isn’t a hippie-dippy Superman. If you know anything about Zack Snyder’s movies, then you’ll see that he pushes the envelope as much as Christopher Nolan does. They complement each other. —Mysterwright