Hammervision's 10 Best of the Decade: No. 3

The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)

3 movies. 1 slot. A bit of a cheat you might say. True, but who really wants to argue against it? And who honestly thinks they can win that argument? I guess if you're going to have to pick one, you'd have to go with the Oscar-winning third installment, Return of the King, but I'm not going to do that. Peter Jackson and company always intended for these movies to be one organic whole, filming all three at the same time. Jackson aimed for the fences with The Lord of the Rings, adapting one of the most beloved (and bedeviling) pieces of literature of all time. It was no easy task, but in many ways - he did what most movies never do: improved upon the books, streamlining the narrative, accentuating the action, and doing it all with visual sweep and style to spare. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is the gold standard of film adaptations. It was a huge risk for Jackson and New Line, and if Fellowship of the Ring had tanked, it would have ended a lot of careers. But The Lord of the Rings transcended all expectations, and can now be viewed for what it really is: a monumental achievement in filmmaking. Many complained about the dozen different endings in Return of the King, but by then, the movie had earned the right to bask in its own glory. If you've never caught the extended editions on DVD, which add about 40 minutes to each movie, you're really missing out. Sitting down for 12 hours to watch all three is one of the great pleasures you'll have in this life.

Here's the running list:

10. Mission: Impossible III

9. The Royal Tenenbaums

8. United 93

7. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

6. There Will Be Blood

5. Memento

4. Wall-E

3. The Lord of the Rings trilogy

2.

1.

Agree? Disagree? Think I'm cheating by putting three movies in one slot? Have you already figured out Nos. 1 and 2? Post your thoughts below, and come back soon for No. 2, as the countdown nearly finishes.

- John