The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

Genre

Adventure | Fantasy

Director

Peter Jackson

Country

USA | New Zealand

Cast

Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Andy Serkis, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Liv Tyler, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Karl Urban, John Noble, Ian Holm, Sean Bean, Marton Csokas, Lawrence Makoare, Thomas Robins

Plot

While Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) continue to approach Mount Doom to destroy the Ring, unaware of the path Gollum (Andy Serkis) is leading them, Gandalf (Ian McKellen), Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), Legolas (Orlando Bloom), Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), Pippin (Billy Boyd) and Merry (Dominic Monaghan) aid Rohan and Gondor in a great battle.

Opinion

The final film of the Lord of the Rings trilogy certainly doesn't disappoint like some other trilogies - Matrix, X-Men.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is a glorious and thrilling final chapter. The film is full of emotions, ranging from astonishment to disgust, from funny moments to moving ones, and will keep the viewer on the edge of the seat for the whole time.

The film is stuffed with unforgettable landscapes - thank you, New Zealand -, memorable scenes - the battle at Minas Tirith was wonderfully made -, outstanding music, and stunning visual effects. However, the action is not all, and several factors steal the scene: the strong bond of friendship between Frodo and Sam, and Pippin and Merry, the improbable friendship between an elf and a dwarf, and love, for which Arwen gives up her immortality.

The performances are good, among which Viggo Mortensen's as Aragorn and Sean Astin's as Samwise stand out. Ian McKellen doesn't have much space, still he delivers. Orlando Bloom doesn't have a real chance to show off his acting skills. John Rhys-Davies keeps on doing great with Gimli. The only flaw is Elijah Wood's performance: he is stucked with the same facial expression for the whole film.

Quotes

Gimli: Never thought I'd die fighting side by side with an Elf.
Legolas: What about side by side with a friend?
Gimli: Aye. I could do that.

Aragorn: Hold your ground, hold your ground! Sons of Gondor, of Rohan, my brothers! I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me. A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day. An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down! But it is not this day! This day we fight! By all that you hold dear on this good Earth, I bid you *stand, Men of the West!*

Rating

9.0/10

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

Genre

Adventure | Fantasy

Director

Peter Jackson

Country

USA | New Zealand

Cast

Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Liv Tyler, Sean Astin, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Bernard Hill, Christopher Lee, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Hugo Weaving, Miranda Otto, David Wenham, Brad Dourif, Karl Urban, Sean Bean, Andy Serkis, Craig Parker, John Leigh, Bruce Hopkins, John Bach

Plot

While Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin), now accompanied by a new guide, Gollum (Andy Serkis), continue their hopeless journey towards the land of the shadow, each member of the broken fellowship makes a stand against Saruman (Christopher Lee) and his armies of Isengard.

Opinion

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers is gloomier and darker than the previous film, still it is outstanding, and once again everyone can enjoy it, or at least appreciate its visual beauty: the scenography and the cinematography are still outstanding, and the special effects are very well used. 

The film doesn't waste time with unnecessary prologues and it goes straight to the action, and it let us being part of epic battles. The three hours flies by, and there is so much going in the film that the time is barely enough.

The personalities of the characters are developed - a new side of Frodo, the dark one, is shown -, and the new characters are great, except for Gollum, which is spectacular and stunningly played by Andy Serkis - apparently he loves playing CGI characters. The acting is, as always, superb. 

Quotes

Frodo: I can't do this, Sam.

Sam: I know. It's all wrong. By rights we shouldn't even be here. But we are. It's like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn't want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it's only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn't. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding onto, Sam?

Sam: That there's some good in this world, Mr. Frodo... and it's worth fighting for.

Rating

9.3/10

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Genre

Adventure | Fantasy

Director

Peter Jackson

Country

New Zealand | United States

Cast

Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin, Liv Tyler, Cate Blanchett, John Rhys-Davies, Billy Boyd, Dominic Monaghan, Orlando Bloom, Christopher Lee, Hugo Weaving, Sean Bean, Ian Holm, Andy Serkis, Sala Baker, Marton Csokas, Lawrence Makoare, Craig Parker, Mark Ferguson, Peter McKenzie, Harry Sinclair

Plot

Assisted by a Fellowship of heroes, Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood) plunges into a perilous trek to take the mystical One Ring to Mount Doom so that it and its magical powers can be destroyed and never possessed by evil Lord Sauron (Sala Baker).

Opinion

The astonishing journey of Frodo Baggins begins. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring is an excellent film that everyone can appreciate and enjoy, also the non-fantasy fans like me.

The film is beautiful from every point of view. The narrative is surprisingly long - in a good way - and incredibly detailed, and the storyline is great. Its long running time - 172 minutes, and it's not even the extended version - is not boring at all. The scenography is outstanding, partly because New Zealand is photographed like some kind of magic place, but also for the high attention to details.

The acting is pretty much good. Ian McKellen's portrayal of Gandalf is magnificent.

Quotes

Sam: I made a promise, Mr Frodo. A promise. "Don't you leave him Samwise Gamgee." And I don't mean to. I don't mean to.

Gandalf: A wizard is never late, Frodo Baggins. Nor is he early. He arrives precisely when he means to.

Rating

9.0/10

Rumor Mill: Dark Smaug On The Horizon Plus Further Word That THE HOBBIT Will Be In 3 Parts -AND- 3D!!

Jim here. Got some interesting HOBBIT news for you. The information I am sharing is from one of my most trusted sources and so you can rely quite a bit on it despite being very early in the production of THE HOBBIT(s).

Why am I so excited about this news I am about to divulge to you? It's because a lot of it I had already uncovered back in 2007. It is being collaborated right now! Sure, this is not ironclad yet - it is still early in the process, but this is not the first time I have heard these things. So how does this sound to you guys (especially if you are a new reader and didn't hear the first word from us on it):

1. THE HOBBIT(s) will be in stereoscopic 3D.
2. THE HOBBIT will be shot in THREE movies - two Del Toro movies covering the book itself and a third bridge movie.
3. Peter Jackson will direct the bridge movie.
4. Smaug and the characters in THE HOBBIT will be darker than in the book.

Here is what he has to say about the famed dragon that is soon to star in the movie and about PJ potentially bringing us a third HOBBIT movie (emphasis is mine):

"Smaug will be a mixture of practical and animation ...going purely on practical, the design rocks. I think THE HOBBIT may be a different beast to the book, at least in terms of going darker. And judging from Smaug "and the Gollum tweaks" will be something to rival the previous attempts at the very least. It is still very lock and key at the moment. I can tell you this, Peter Jackson is very keen to have the two part Hobbit tale set in 3D. Del Toro however is holding back on that school of thought. At least for the time being. Im hearing word "and its only speculation at the moment", that it wont be two films. It will be three. The two parts and the bridge movie. Word alone is not trustworthy. However I hear this from lots of people. And have seen things to indicate this may be the way it is heading. Del Toro on Hobbit duty, Jackson on the bridge project. Time will tell."

I am completely thrilled about the possibilities! I have been hoping for this eventuality ever since I exclusively posted that PJ's lawsuit was being dropped and that he would indeed be coming back to the project. To me it just makes sense. Del Toro has a grasp on THE HOBBIT from a literary perspective and is a good choice for the first two, but who better than Jackson himself to connect THE HOBBIT to his LOTR trilogy? All in 3D! I am a little worried that Del Toro will not shoot in 3D for some obscure reason, but confident that Jackson will bring him on board. Any bridge movie would definitely be in 3D though I am sure as Jackson would be helming it.

My bet? We will wind up with THE HOBBIT I, II (Del Toro) and III (Jackson) in 3D and then will be treated to a complete conversion of the whole LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy into 3D as well (Peter Jackson confirmed my exclusive story at Comic-Con this year). One sweeping epic, end to end. Magnificent! :-)

Keep it on MarketSaw for the best 3D coverage anywhere on the planet.

Photo courtesy of Raymond Gaustadnes.

Guillermo del Toro Sets Everything Straight!

You had to know it was not official and yet sites all over the world kept piling on the "Its Official" stamps. Well, NO, it is not official. Says del Toro himself!

“Well, the reality is that the Hobbit story has broken early because the negotiations have not ended and The Hobbit is not a sure thing.”

“The reality is, I will know that it's happening when we have the final word and I am fully and officially on board.”

“I think what happens very often is that these rumours have a way of becoming real or not. I don't expect The Hobbit to be troublesome. But you know, then again, it may never happen... or it may!”

Now I am not telling you "I told you so" - not by a long shot. But until there is official word from Jacksonville, New Zealand then you can speculate all you want. We know for a fact that minds have been made up, then changed and then changed again over in Jackson's camp. We trust that they will make the right decision, but it has NOT BEEN MADE YET.

We still believe that either Jackson directs both Hobbits or del Toro gets a crack at the first (classical Hobbit story) and Jackson retains the bridge movie joining The Hobbit and LOTRs.

Stayed tuned folks. Could it get any more interesting? Oh yeah, they have to announce all the 3D movies they plan to release too :-)

Source: TotalFilm

Its Official: Peter Jackson & New Line Kiss and The Hobbit is ON !

It's a done deal folks! Peter Jackson is involved with "The Hobbit". Here are the details:

1. Peter Jackson is INDEED involved in "The Hobbit". My sources and I REMAIN STEADFAST that Jackson is indeed DIRECTING as well.
2. The Hobbit will be a two part prequel to LOTRs - shot simultaneously as Jackson did with LOTRs. My sources were again BANG ON with this news. We remain steadfast that the two movies will led up elegantly to LOTRs.
3. Peter Jackson and New Line have INDEED settled their litigation issues as I reported exclusively back on October 5th, 2007. Congratulations Peter!

More on this breaking story as I encounter it!!!

Thanks to my readers and sources for sticking beside me throughout the past couple of months - there are some naysayers of course but I have not led anyone astray - we shall see who directs and who does not. I intend to keep on reporting exclusive and breaking news from my trusted sources and to ensure MarketSaw remains your go-to destination for all things 3D.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

-jim

Image source: AP

Confirmed: The Serkis Is Coming To Town Again!

It's confirmed. Andy Serkis, known for his excellent performance capture work as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and as the big ape in King Kong will now turn his sights towards the new 3D Peter Jackson / Steven Spielberg trilogy Tintin. He will NOT play the lead role of Tintin however. I will let you know more as I get it.

It is great to hear he is aboard. He is obviously the master actor you think of when performance capture is mentioned! As if it were even possible, that trilogy in development just rose up a notch in my books.

Source: Variety