Gollum!

Best. Animated character. Ever.

We just returned from a visit to Middle Earth. They seem to be having a bit of a tiff over someone's wedding band. Serious looking guys with horses were trying to protect the women and children from nasty looking dudes with bad dental work. Heads were flying off bodies. Reminded me of my wedding reception...

Since this is the middle of the story, I can see why Peter Jackson found it the hardest one to sew together. The beginning already happened last year, and he didn't want to put a sappy "when last we left our heroes" recap on this one. And the end is, well, not really an end. All told, he did a bangup job of things.

Of course, this review is premature. As with the first one, I spent most of the movie trying to place the action in the book. The second viewing is the one where I'll actually watch the film and let it wash over me without the nagging "Oh, that's not in the book that way!" or "Is that what comes next?"

I am prepared for my second helping of Tolkein, sir. May I have another?