I had no problem with the ending either. Sure it was unexpected, but I still enjoyed it. I was definately more excited for DoS than AUJ, since I'm more of a Thorin fan than I was last year. Sure, I might have been excited to see another movie set in Middle-earth, but not because of a singular character. I was more into the Witch-King back then (whom I still regard as one of my favorites, just not my
top favorite) and I was a little surprised when I saw he had a cameo in the first Hobbit movie (I wasn't expecting
that). Can't wait to see it again on Christmas Day (since the theater it's playing in is also open on both Christmas and New Year's, probably because it also has an arcade).