The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

By

⭐ 10.0/10

(Originally written by Joseph)

I actually watched this a week ago so #summeroftolkien did indeed finish during the summer. My first thought while watching this was actually one of worry because the first hour is pretty slow. I'm usually an extended edition truther, but I'm going with a hot take here: ROTK's theatrical version is the choice. Not only does the movie become absurdly long with the extended scenes, but the Saruman scene, the whole dragged out scene with Gimli and the ghosts, and the drinking game are all begging to be cut.

I was actually beginning to think that I might have to rethink my idea of this being the best movie in the series. But then the war on Pelennor Fields begins and I remembered exactly why this is the greatest movie ever made. From Pippen's song onward, this is the greatest 2-3 hours of film in history. I would say this movie has like 5 of my all time favorite scenes, and each one brought back the same feelings they did 20 years ago. To me, the ultimate highlight is still the charge of the Rohirrim, which I still watch on YouTube any time I need a dopamine hit. Watching it in the context of the full movie is just so, so incredibly epic. By guy Bernie gives the performance of a lifetime.

Anyways this movie is the greatest, everyone knows that. The whole climactic scene with Mt Doom and the war at the gates, the love between Sam and Frodo, talking about strawberries with cream and Rosie Cotton, this is all the greatest. The super long closing action honestly feels necessary to bring this epic to a close.

It still hurts me that Frodo had to leave. I wanted the Shire to essentially be heaven where everyone can find healing. My friend also felt that way, and sometimes I forget how bittersweet the ending can leave you. But in the end it feels like the right call, and at least PJ had the wisdom to leave out the scouring which I don't even like in the books.

This was a terrific sendoff for a weird summer, and I'll be counting down the days till I can start this series all over next summer.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

By
⭐ 6.5/10 (Originally written by Tim) Watched this for the first time because we wanted a comedy, and it was fine. I laughed a couple times, mostly at Paul Rudd, whose character was amazing. Otherwise its just a 2000s raunchy comedy. These Apatow movies are way too long for comedies, and the feel-good endings take too long to get to. I liked the idea of a fake NBC show that Kristen Bell stars in, and those clips made me laugh. Jason Segel is fine, and he fits the depressed guy thing they are going for here. I will never understand why the two women in this movie are so beautiful and the two guys are pudgy idiots. I guess I do understand, given the target audience for these movies. Another thing, they clearly were in Hawaii for filming a bunch of this, but then there are a couple scenes that are clearly using a green screen for the background. Pretty weird, since I assume they were in Hawaii, so maybe reshoots? Felt kinda cheap. Anyways, good for a couple laughs, don't ever nee...
Read more

July Reading Favourites

By
Image
Look at that cover! This is a YA horror book written by a trans Canadian author that knocked my socks off. A small town has secrets it's trying to hide, and after the death of a boy and a newcomer arriving, things start slipping out of control. It's a book about being trans or queer and living in a small town, and how a community creating a facade of a perfect town can backfire. Also maybe closing your eyes to anything that's "not your business" is not good actually! It's violent and full of rage, and I loved the way it played with time and perspective. Check the triggers, but if you're interested in reading it, I'd recommend going in blind without looking at reviews or a longer description! This is a short book of essays about ableism and disability justice, specifically relating to technological advances for disabled people. Most of the essays focus on a different type of technology for different disabilities (prosthetics, hearing aids, cures for aut...
Read more

Magdalene's Favourite Books of 2024

By
Image
In 2024 I read another ABSURD amount of books, and I will not be commenting on what that says about me, my decisions, or the state of my mental health. So I'm just going to go straight into my favourite books of the year! I've posted about a lot of these in my monthly faves, but now you get to see which ones made it to my favourites of the year list! They're in no particular order. A Pacific Islander-inspired fantasy with unique, refreshing vibes. Hanalei returns to her home island, Her childhood best friend is looking for a dragonfruit to heal his mother, and Hanalei will use her connection with the seadragons to help. Lucier has a pretty simple way of writing, but the story was fun and beautiful, and it really took me on an adventure. Sid is a Korean adoptee living in a very white town that is over a crack where magic can get through. One day a Guardian falls, releasing magic and zombies, and it becomes a fight to survive. This is such an interesting blend of fantasy and ...
Read more