The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (Two-Disc Widescreen Theatrical Edition)
As the triumphant start of a trilogy,The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ringleaves you begging for more. By necessity, Peter  Jackson's ambitious epic compresses J.R.R. Tolkien's classicThe Lord of the Rings,  but this robust adaptation maintains reverent allegiance to Tolkien's creation,  instantly qualifying as one of the greatest fantasy films ever made. At 178  minutes, it's long enough to establish the myriad inhabitants of Middle-earth,  the legendary Rings of Power, and the fellowship of hobbits, elves, dwarves, and  humans--led by the wizard Gandalf (Ian McKellen) and the brave hobbit Frodo  (Elijah Wood)--who must battle terrifying forces of evil on their perilous  journey to destroy the One Ring in the land of Mordor. Superbly paced, the film  is both epic and intimate, offering astonishing special effects and production  design while emphasizing the emotional intensity of Frodo's adventure. Ending on  a perfect note of heroic loyalty and rich anticipation, this wondrous fantasy  continues inThe Two Towers(2002).--Jeff Shannon