The best movie of the year bar none, and a testament to the creativity and vision of humanity.

Rating: 10/10 (22 December 2001)

The best cinematic experience I've had in a long while. I don't want to spoil it for you, but suffice it to say that you NEED to see this movie. It runs the gamut of emotions - from amusement to terror to awe to grief to pride. And every one of those emotions is genuine, not manufactured and spoon-fed a la Pearl Harbor. It has so many memorable moments that rank right up there with the ones we all love - Vader's revelation to Luke, for example. Everything about this film drips passion and effort. PJ embodies what a great director should be - creative, visionary, and most important of all, he has a love for what he's doing and pours his life into it. The cast, as well, is superb. You find yourself attached to them, and when any of them gets hurt, you wince and cover your eyes. McKellen, in particular, is Oscar-bound without a doubt. The special effects also deserve mention - make no mistake, people, these are the most imaginative and well-done effects you've ever seen in a movie. Not only are they perfectly rendered and real-looking - you really can't tell when something is CGI, unlike Jar-Jar - but they have the desired effect every time. In short, When you combine one of the greatest stories ever told, a genius of a director, a terrific cast, a superb SFX company, and $260 million, you can't really go wrong. PJ, New Line, and everyone involved in making the movie deserve the highest praise.