This movie should win best picture

Rating: 10/10 (22 December 2001)

At the end of each year, I always enjoy naming one movie that truly stands out as a fantastic movie. In 2000, I felt that honor went to Gladiator. So far, in the year 2001 I had yet to see a movie that truly captivated me...until now. Ladies and gentlemen, my choice for the best movie of 2001 goes to the Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. This movie had everything you could want.
First off, the visual effects and costume design were amazing. The best example of this was the opening sequence with the battle between the forces of elves and men, and the forces of Mordor. It was amazing to see thousands of armor clad soldiers fight on a stormy, desolate battlefield. The costume design of the Dark Lord Sauron can only be described by one word...whoa. Also, the costumes of the Ringwraiths were fairly simple, yet they were striking at the time. The acting in the movie was top notch. Elijah Wood played a convincing Frodo Baggins. But, the stand out actor in this movie would be Ian McKellen, who played Gandalf the wizard. He made the character act in such a way, that it made me believe he was a wise, intelligent, and powerful wizard. As for the storyline itself, it is filled with drama, fights to the death, perilous journeys, and even a little humor. And, while it does not exactly follow the novel it is based on, the movie follows the novel closely enough so people who have never seen the movie can understand what is going on, while satisfying die hard fans of the novel.
You know, I have talked to many friends who have seen the movie. Some of them have read the novel, while others have not. But, overall, they enjoyed watching the movie. The fact is whether like the fantasy genre or not, Lord of the Rings is a movie that can appeal to everyone. So in conclusion, I urge you to go see this one of a kind film. And, you can bet that I will be first in line when the next Lord of the Rings movie comes out.