I just saw a clip of "Return of the King" on the apple.com/trailers site. They have like a little 4:00 minute documentary about the making of "Return of the King" and it really made me want to go see the movie for a third time.

Last week, "Return of the King" won every single award it was nominated for at the Academy Awards. Although it didn't make for the most excited awards show ever, it deserved every award it received. I think that it's almost like we geeks didn't really know just how great we had it. What Peter Jackson did was really quite remarkable. Unprecedented even. He made three outstanding movies that each and of themselves, could be considered a masterpiece. But of course, they aren't single separate movies. They're all different parts of one of the single greatest series of movies ever made. I'm talking about a once in a generation type of movie event. Movie events like the LOTR movies only come around every so often. "The Godfather" movies and the original "Star Wars" movies are really the only movies that come close to achieving what the LOTR movies achieved. While the first two "Godfather" and "Star Wars" movies are undoubtedly masterpieces in and of themselves, fans and critics alike were torn with the third installment. But with LOTR, EACH movie got progressively better than the last. And it turned out to be the third movie that topped all of the previous movies.

I don't want to overstate just how good of a series these movies were, but it's going to feel a little boring and empty this coming up Christmas when no LOTR movie comes out to the theaters. We're going to have to go back to the norm of boring Christmas movies coming out. If it wasn't for Star Wars Episode III trailers, there really won't be much reason to get excited about fantasy movies this Christmas. And if it weren't for "Star Wars Episode III" coming out in May of 2005, there would be NOTHING on the map in regards to fantasy.

It's just rare that of all the types of films that would receive such critical and fan approval, it was a fantasy film about elves, hobbits, and orcs. But somehow the impossible was achieved. And we have all the dvd's if we want to go back and watch the movies. But for a three year span, the LOTR really reminded the Hollywood community what "vision" is. And it reminded the Hollywood community, that when you combine a good story, a visionary director, a great script, great acting, great music, and great effects, movie magic can happen. And that magic can translate into just as much box office gold, if not more so, than some hastily thrown together "popcorn flick." That's why I'm not surprised that since the first Matrix movie and the first LOTR movie coming out in 1999, there have been some really fantastic summer movies come out. The first Matrix and LOTR movies really kick started a good era to be a geek. 'Spiderman' was well done, both 'X-Men' movies were REALLY well done, although the 'Hulk', 'Matrix: Reloaded', and 'Matrix: Revolutions' weren't great movies, I can't really fault the directors for trying.

I think it's great that fantasy and comic book types of movies are being given a very adult like approach. And that they're being taken seriously. Because superhero movies are where a lot of modern mythology comes from. And they're where the fantastical word can come to the masses.

But LOTR has outshone them all. In my eyes, it's "The Godfather" movies, the "Star Wars" movies, and the "LOTR" movies that shine above the rest. They're your gold standard.

matt out