Month: December 2003 (Page 2 of 7)

Don’t you know your Sam?

I didn’t think it belonged in the overall review, but “Return of the King” definitely cemented my undying love for Sean Astin. In a lot of ways “Lord of the Rings” is really Sam’s story more than Frodo’s, and Astin carries it off beautifully.

Sam’s emotional highlight, I think, was in “The Two Towers,” with his speech about the old stories and what they meant. But even in “Return,” there were moments like when Sam finally appears at Frodo’s bedside at the end. I turned to Lisa with an unmistakable “awwww” expression, and she responded, “Who could not love that face?”

So true.

Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

Looking back the last two years, I found I didn’t really review the previous LOTR movies, mostly because I posted something right after watching, when my brain was running too hot to express anything coherent. But I thought this one, being the last in the trilogy, deserved better.

“Return of the King” manages to be simultaneously more epic and more intimate than the films that came before it, and that’s saying a lot. On the one hand, the battle of Minas Tirith makes the battle of Helm’s Deep from “Two Towers” look like some harsh words at a Cub Scout meeting. Absolutely thrilling.

On the other hand, since we know these people so well by now, the emotional climax of this story is also thrilling in its own way. Peter Jackson isn’t afraid to shift from wild action to a tiny but significant conversation between characters – and he makes it work. Special accolades should go to Miranda Otto as Eowyn and Bernard Hill as King Theoden; wonderful stuff between them.

The production design has always been spectacular in these movies, helped along by the landscape of New Zealand. But nothing prepared me for the sight of a gleaming white Minas Tirith – I said “wow” out loud several times, and that’s unheard of for a cynical old coot like me.

If I have a criticism, it would be that this installment takes a little while getting going. Unlike the others that plunged right in, it felt a little tentative the first 30-45 minutes. But once it got its legs, watch out. Shelob alone was worth the price of admission.

If Peter Jackson does not win the Oscar for this film, there’s no justice left in the world.

The only problem now is, that’s the end. No more holidays looking forward to another installment. No more anticipation of new sights and sounds of Middle Earth. But hey, there’s still the “Return of the King” DVD set to look forward to. I guess that’ll have to do.

Highly, highly recommended.

Purgatory

I don’t usually call attention when I have a new tagline. I have this hope that regular readers notice and appreciate when I change taglines. But since I won’t be posting my “Return of the King” review until tomorrow (yes, I finally saw it), I thought I would let everyone know I’m back from the holidays with a religion-themed tagline, courtesy of my oldest and dearest friend Paul.

Paul, on the other hand, is clearly going to heaven.

Merry Christmas

Hope everyone has a great holiday. (I’ll save my year-end musings, if any, for later. No, don’t thank me.) Since I probably won’t be posting much over the next few days, I invite you all to relate your favorite holiday memory in the comments.

<TINY TIM>
God bless us, everyone!
</TINY TIM>

The corners of my mind

I’m reading my own archives again, and enjoying myself. I don’t know why I do this.

Paging Winston Smith

The National Parks Service has ordered footage of gay groups gathering at national sites removed from videotapes shown at the Lincoln Memorial. In their place has been added footage of Promise Keepers and pro-Gulf War demonstrators. (Lots of funny/scary related detail in the linked story – crosses, creationism, etc.) Via Atrios.

We got the government we so richly deserved. Now it’s time to take it back.

Listening to…

“Cold Missouri Waters,” Richard Shindell, Cry Cry Cry

Aren’t you surprised I didn’t mention another Patty Griffin song? 🙂

Thanks again to David, King of the Mix CD. Long live the King!

Sister cities

Seriously fucking scary talk over at Dean Esmay. If anyone doubts how much the right is licking their chops over the possibility of making some towel-head countries into glass parking lots, all you need to do is read this thread. Utterly sickening.

I honestly think now that the sugar high of the Iraq invasion is fading, they’re jonesing for another fix. The problem with addicts is, they need more and more each time to maintain the high. We need a methadone clinic for xenophobic murderers.

Grrrrr.

It’s Monday, and I still haven’t seen “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” yet, unlike everyone else in the known universe who’s interested in these movies. Last night I came close, but the shows were already sold out by the time I got there.

At first I thought, hey, I can wait. What’s the big deal? But ever since Wednesday I’ve been chomping at the bit, and all the weblog reviews don’t help matters any.

For some perverse reason (yes, I’m sure the holidays are a major factor) all of my usual movie buddies are unavailable. Most of the time I don’t have a problem going alone to movies. But going alone to see LOTR:ROTK seems a little pathetic, even for me.

I told my good friend Lisa I would drive to Sheboygan Friday to see the movie with her. But can I wait that long without exploding? I really really want to see this movie.

Grrrr.

Quote of the day

“The men the American people admire most extravagantly are the most daring liars; the men they detest most violently are those who try to tell them the truth.”

-H.L. Mencken (via Salon)