Simon's Movie Reviews

  Despite all the fantasy elements and the many battles, it would be reasonable to consider Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings movie trilogy a holiday tradition. All three movies all came out during the holiday season, feature family and friends joining together, and it is wonderful escapism to enjoy on a cold winter day. The Return of the King (2003) is especially joyous since it is the culmination of all the adventures the characters have gone through, even though there are about five different culminations as the movie winds down. Whether you are a fan of the fantasy genre or if you have read the books, seeing The Return of the King on the big screen is quite the experience. It is not with every movie that you get to see thousands of riders charge against an army of orcs on a battlefield only to get attacked by a battalion of elephant-like creatures. That is one of the most spectacular scenes in a movie filled with plenty of spectacular scenes over a two and a half runnin...

Here’s a fact that will make you feel older: it’s been 17 years since the release of the second chapter of the Lord of the Rings saga. Looking back it was one of those movies that signalled the permanent residence of fantasy blockbusters on the big screen. Whereas The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) was a bit of a road trip, The Two Towers (2002) becomes a war movie in the third act with armies fighting in the rain, exploding walls and the arrival of the cavalry at the last minute. However audiences had never seen before an army composed of an advanced breed of Orcs and the cavalry being led by a bearded wizard recently back from the dead. This is one of the rare movies that I have seen twice on the big screen and numerous times after on DVD, specifically the extended version. Director Kevin Smith may have a point by saying these movies are basically hours of people walking and that the one true trilogy is Star Wars , but I really enjoy watching those hours of footage directed b...