It's clear Peter Jackson did an admirable job translating Tolkien’s stories into film form, likely exceeding expectations considering how long ago news of the Lord of the Rings project first surfaced. I will admit though that I don’t find them as appealing as reading the books originally did. There are probably some complicated factors at play for me personally; I experienced those books at a very young age, and i…

While not quite reaching the heights of *'The Lord of the Rings'*, I really did enjoy *'The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey'*. It has a certain appeal, and the story is captivating enough, with some nice references to earlier films—it’s visually stunning, just like its predecessors. The actors are well-chosen; Martin Freeman as Bilbo is someone whose performances I’ve always found inconsistent, but he was great in t…

Over a decade after a relatively unknown director from New Zealand secured an astonishing $300 million from New Line Cinema to adapt JRR Tolkien’s celebrated fantasy work, The Lord of the Rings—a project many considered impossible to film—the landscape of fantasy cinema had fundamentally shifted. Much like Tolkien's novel, the Lord of the Rings films came to define high fantasy in film, influencing subsequent adaptat…

Another wonderful addition to the Lord of the Rings series has arrived. This film really showcases how impressive results come from talented performers, an engaging narrative, and a stunning setting. It seems Peter Jackson surpassed his previous work with this production. While there are some changes compared to the book, I don’t have any real issues with them; even though I'm fond of the original tale, this one rema…

Jackson constructs a familiar world, reminiscent of his *Lord of the Rings* films, though he doesn’t limit himself to that repetition. He also revisits the habit of breaking Tolkien's narrative down into a continuous string of chases and battles, filled with orcs and various additions that detract from the author’s original work. These lengthy sequences resembling video game levels within caves are familiar as …