The Shakeup: Madoka Magica Rebellion

It was an interesting sort of experience to see the two "compilation movies" made of the Puella Magi Madoka Magica anime series at the movies, but I suppose that in concluding they hadn't quite "replaced" the original series in my estimation (which saved me buying their pricy first release) I also let them point ahead to the promised third movie with its original story. The third movie came out in Japan without my picking up too much about it, and then a few months later it began its special screenings over here, including at my own local theatre. With a new sense of anticipation, I headed over to the movies, and this time managed to get one of the bonus items being handed out, an "art board." I took in the rest of the audience with a sort of "I'm not alone around here" feeling, then had the unfortunate thought that to wonder what to make of them would be to ask what they would make of me.

As for the movie itself, the problem with being surprised at a work of entertainment might be that when compelled to talk about it, you're giving that surprise away to others. Trying to craft a brief and non-specific statement, I want to say the artwork was as interesting as ever, what was happening kept surprising me and yet seemed to fit into the patterns set before with just a bit of thought, and my first settled reactions to the conclusion were to be intrigued, but to also think my particular grounding for that might just mean a lot of other people would find what happened more problematic.
( And now for the specifics )