964. The Lord of the Rings

The Lord of the Rings
2001, 2002, 2003
Directed by Peter Jackson

As you could probably tell from previous posts, I am a bit of a nerd.  Consequently, I love the Lord of the Rings.  I even have a map of Middle Earth in my bedroom, which, I assure you, is quite the man magnet.  I also own my own Evenstar Pendant.  You know what, I should probably stop sharing.

The Powers That Be have condensed the trilogy into one entry on the List.  One entry to rule them all...Okay, that one even made me groan.  Regardless, I think this is cheating a bit, as I think Jackson did a brilliant job of making each movie a self contained adventure.  In any case, it is a bit difficult to summarize twelve hours worth of excitement in a short paragraph.  Let's just say even the smallest person can change the course of the future.

So basically, these films (and books) are the best that the fantasy world has to offer.  Obviously the special effects and battle sequences are absolutely spectacular, but I loved the less flashy scenes in this series just as much.  The friendship between the characters is incredibly powerful and I am pretty sure my Best Line Oscar nominations for the 2000s will consist solely of quotes from this film.  I also thought the acting was spectacular but that might just be because I'm in love with half of the cast.

I could go on and on about this series, but I suppose I will end it here by saying that the Lord of the Rings is pretty much perfect.  Also, apparently Viggo Mortensen is a talented swordsman in real life which is...interesting to all of us.

RATING: *****

Interesting Facts:

Andy Serkis drank "Gollum juice" (honey, lemon, and ginger) to keep his throat lubricated for his vocal performance.

Gimli's armor weighed 66 pounds.

Kate Winslet was offered the role of Eowyn.

882. Heavenly Creatures

Heavenly Creatures
1994
Directed by Peter Jackson

It is strange that a film about such a grisly murder can actually turn out to be incredibly beautiful.  I am not sure if that is good thing or not.  In any case, it was exciting to see another Peter Jackson movie, as I am a huge Lord of the Rings fan.

Pauline and Juliet share an intense friendship.  Together they create a fantasy kingdom, Borovnia,  which serves as a backdrop to the stories they write and hope to publish.  Their parents become concerned by the possible homosexual nature of their relationship and attempt to separate them.  The girls...uh...take their revenge.

Apparently, the Parker-Hulme murder was quite the cause celebre, although I hadn't heard of the case before viewing this film.  Obviously, Jackson wanted to create a film that explored the minds of the girls, rather than the more monstrous aspects of the story.  It was certainly an interesting approach that was both chilling and, at times, gorgeous.  Still, I think we were supposed to sympathize with the girls more than I did.  I found them to be selfish, bratty, and rather stupid.

Great performances and great directing.  I know hindsight is 20/20 but it is easy to detect Winslet's and Jackson's star power, even in 1994.

RATING: ****-

Interesting Facts:

When asked at the trial if the two had had sex, Juliet replied "how can we have sex? We are both girls."

175 girls auditioned for the role of Juliet.