Oh! If I had not read here that the Rohirrim are chanting "Death" as they attack the Fields I would not have heard it (I couldn't make it out the first time and only did the second time because I already knew.)

Dude. That is some heavy shit. It was perfect.

New Line marketing chief Russell Schwartz said young girls have, in fact, become among the "most ardent supporters" of the "Rings" series, right up there with the hardcore Tolkien freaks.

Somebody needs to show that to Caryn James.

MovieHim fails to resist the ring's desire to subvert the mission of the ringbearer and plays on his daddy approval issues to get him to misuse his power and force the ringbearer a) from his path and b) to Gondor where it will cause the destruction of the last bulwark of men in the west. Can you imagine Denethor with the ring? Faramir knows in his gut the old man isn't right in the head.

Aaaah! But don't misunderstand me, JS. I know that if he sends the Ring to MT and Denethor, the mission of the ringbearer is over and Sauron has won.

What I am saying is that the reason Film!Faramir is ultimately able to release Frodo to return to his mission is because he does not take the Ring for himself.

Very important distinction in my mind. (Which is, of course, the one with all the correct thoughts...) ;)

I managed, on second viewing, to get by with only sniffles and no actual falling tears until Theoden says, "I know your face. Eowyn." Arrrgghh.

I was really upset by how still the theatre audience was. I wanted to cheer and clap and sniffle audibly--the other viewers were apparently carved from stone, although I did see some surreptitious tear-wiping. I'm planning on seeing it again this week or early next, alone or with a friend. DH won't be ready to see it his second time until after New Year's.

t sweeps out a corner, puts up 'Souless Freaks over here' sign.

I was moved by a lot of the common cry points, but went more for the grim nods of 'Hell, if it was easy, everyone would be doing it'. Pippen's song was bloody amazing.

I kept getting pulled out of things during the battle though. I got all charged up during the speech and such, and the first charge was gold, but when the Oliphaunts took the field and Theoden said 'Meet them head on' my Warhammer brain said 'Geez, Theoden-King, as plans go that's kinda long on the testicular fortitude, short on the tactical foresight.' Suffice to say that as a general in general, I think Theoden is more than a little suspect.

My favorite effect in the film is a draw between Aragorn's Big Dead Army. and The Witch King of Angmar. That guy was fearsome and a half.

One of my biggest worries about TT was that they wouldn't manage the thin line between Badass!Gimli and ComicRelief!Gimli, and I was glad when they did such a good job of it. Here, NSM.

One of my biggest worries about TT was that they wouldn't manage the thin line between Badass!Gimli and ComicRelief!Gimli, and I was glad when they did such a good job of it. Here, NSM.

Really? I liked him a lot better in this one. The short jokes at Helm's Deep bothered me way more than anything in RotK. In RotK, I felt I was to be laughing at his jokes, not at him.

Okay, and I know that I'm gonna be in a minority here, but...

BadMofo!Legolas v. the Oliphaunt? Took me right out of the movie. I was "Oh, here's another CGI stunt for the damnable elf. yay."

The rest of it rocked.

t stern look at MM

stern look at MM

What? It did!

Really? I liked him a lot better in this one. The short jokes at Helm's Deep bothered me way more than anything in RotK. In RotK, I felt I was to be laughing at his jokes, not at him.

True enough, and believe me, I was no fan of 'Or shall I get you a box?' and the like, but at least it was balanced by the ungodly number of necks hewed, the Flying Gimli attack, the Flying Gimli attack redux, saving Aragorn's life when the wall blew up and such. It seemed like more of a balanced fellowship. In RoTK, the humour (though I agree that it was better humour) was pretty much all there was for him. I wouldn't quibble, but if they have time for five more minutes of Pretty Boy and The Beast , they could've at least given gimli one cool fight sequence.

ETA t Amends sign to read 'And folks who didn't like Legolas v. Oliphaunt'

Concur with Mecha on the generallismo. I kept thinking, "I don't think those Oliphaunts can turn as quickly as the horses. Maybe coming in from the flanks and behind would be better, eh?"

Concur with MM on the Oliphaunt slaying. As I noted upthread, Legolas/Orly was much cooler with actual human-sized moves in FoTR when he was poking Orcs in the face with arrows and his whirling slashing attack in Moria.