Absolutely outstanding!!!

Rating: 10/10 (3 February 2002)

I grew up in the time of epic motion picture making, when vision, daring and showmanship brought us "Ben-Hur," "Lawrence of Arabia," "Spartacus," and a host of others. Sadly, that type of vision seemed lost in today's monumental budgets and miniscule stories. And then came Peter Jackson... What audacity to tackle J.R.R. Tolkien's famous classic, especially as a live action film! And what talent to pull it off! He combined an expert cast, superb cinematography and top-notch special effects to re-create the beauty and terror of Middle Earth. Howard Shore's music score with help from Enya is dramatic and emotional. Obviously, the film is a masterpiece, standing head and shoulders above a ton of films over the past few decades. But the real tragedy about this incredible piece of movie-making will be the lack of awards it will attract. If the Oscars were fair, it would obviously win the award for Best Picture, but the voters ironically do not vote for originality and vision. Never mind, this film will be a classic for years to come. And, I am anxiously waiting for next Christmas!