She went into the back and everything -- she said they had FotR and TT ones, which strikes me as odd. Maybe I just shouldn't shop in Simi.

Apparently they're sold out of the RotK ones worldwide, so if you see one, grab it. They overestimated the ones they needed of the first two films, so there are some left over. (This is just what my DVD-mad colleague tells me, but he's a pretty reliable source).

My favorite added bit was the extra Eowyn footage on the battlefield, showing she can kick some serious ass. And Theoden saw her and recognized her! I think Theoden's death scene is a little different, too.

Managed to watch all of the first disc of appendices last night. Does it make me a wuss if I cry at a documentary? And by 'a' documantary, I do of course mean 'each and every' documentary.

Nooooo. I've cried in the last too. People keep saying the moment with Frodo is getting them every time.

Pippin telling Merry he's going to take care of him gets me.

I'm not sure if I missed it or it's just not in the movie. In the previews we see Pippin sitting on Gandalf's horse in Rohan. He leans over and Merry has his hand. Merry says to him "We shall see the shire again, Pippin" and then the horse takes off.

Am I just missing where they show that or is it not in the movies?

But, they didn't change Merry's line back from the TE version, "Are you going to leave me?" to what he actually says (if you read Dom's lips), "Are you going to bury me?" I guess since they didn't put in the healing of Faramir and Merry at the HoH, they decided to leave the line as is.

The cast commentary is pretty enjoyable--I've listened to the first two-thirds of it, and Dom and Billy are keeping up the humor, as usual. Andy Serkis was recorded solo, and EW is keeping Astin in check, so you don't hear as much blathering as on TTT (although he still is whining a bit about being "so fat"). John Noble is very soft-spoken, so you have to concentrate to hear him, but he is interesting to listen to. Dom and Billy have developed a funny bit where the screen will have a Frodo/Sam moment, and they'll say, "Oh, Elijah had a tough time here, but he'll tell you about it. Elijah?" and the editor will follow it with EW's comments, recorded separately. Lawrence Makaore is a wonderful addition to the commentary, with great stuff about the difficulties of filming in prosthetics.

Cereal to add--

Beathen, Billy and Dom talk about that in the commentary--apparently, PJ and the writers decided to go with a more vulnerable farewell scene. It was filmed during the pickups that last summer.

I can't wait to get my own copy (Christmas) and sit and listen to all the commentaries. Sometimes they make the movie MORE enjoyable!

although he still is whining a bit about being "so fat"

Have you read his autobiography? There is some good stuff in there, but it's mostly about his selfishness and "poor me, I'm ONLY getting $250,000 for a year and a half of work. I'm so fat and it affects my confidence. Mememememe..." Boo. Fucking. Hoo. Trying living on barely $30,000 a year - THEN you can complain.

PJ and the writers decided to go with a more vulnerable farewell scene.

The scene in the previews seemed more vulnerable to me because you could see the tears in Merry & Pippin's eyes.