The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

It's difficult to explain to younger people just what a big deal Peter Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" movies were.  What a relief that after two years of waiting, "The Return of the King" was the grand finale it was promised to be.

Movie poster for "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King" (2003)

I enjoyed "The Two Towers" in 2002, although the extended edition on DVD was far better than the cinematic version (we also went to see the Two Towers exhibit at the old McLaughlin Planetarium in Toronto before the show.)

Jackson's conclusion to the film trilogy far exceeded most people's expectations, sweeping the Academy Awards with 11 Oscars, including Best Picture (which remains the most awards ever won by a single film, to date).

I can still remember how spellbound I was, watching Annie Lennox perform "Into the West" at the 2004 Oscars.  When I was in high school, I never would have imagined a pop icon such as Lennox singing a song inspired by Tolkien.

A year later, I cradled my newborn son upon my chest as I read "The Silmarillion".  When he was old enough, I read him a little part of "The Lord of the Rings" each night before going to bed, for the better part of a year.

Tolkien's masterpiece remains a touchstone of my existence, although I'm not certain when I'll get a chance to read it again.  More probably, I will listen to the story as an audiobook, some day.  Few tales withstand the test of time, like that.

Spider-Man (2002)

One of my earliest memories is of watching the Spider-Man animated TV series on Saturday mornings in the small, furnished basement of our old house.  (I was later surprised to learn that Ralph Bakshi was involved in the production of the show).

Movie poster for "Spider-Man" (2002)

 

Spider-Man was a ubiquitous character, even then.  His enigmatic appearances on "The Electric Company" were intriguing, and there was no shortage of merchandising (I had a Spider-Man action figure, Spider-Man coloring books, and even a Spider-Man cereal bowl).

As a Marvel fan, I collected several of the Spider-Man titles growing up, although soon gravitated towards the Uncanny X-Men, Conan, and later Thor, prior to broadening my range to include DC and many of the independent publishers.

Back in those days, comic fans had very little television or cinematic options to choose from.  Of course, there was "The Incredible Hulk" TV show, and I distinctly remember when "Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends" hit the Saturday morning lineup.

I saw "Spider-Man" with my wife, on a summer's night in Toronto, not long after we got married.  She absolutely loved it, and even purchased the movie on DVD, so that we could watch it, again and again.

While the first X-Men movie provided a glimpse of things to come, it was actually "Spider-Man" that broke new ground, establishing a mainstream appreciation for big budget movies based on comic book characters.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Growing up, I was a big fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" (my first copy was a one-volume paperback tie-in edition released in conjunction with Ralph Bakshi's 1978 animated film, although I also owned the film storybook).

Movie poster for "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" (2001)

I remember when the BBC Radio dramatization first aired in 1981 (we listened to it on CBC Radio), and purchased it on cassette in the late 1990s (and again on CD in the early 2000s), for listening to in the car on long road trips.

Once I learned that the trilogy was being filmed in New Zealand, I checked theonering.net regularly for updates, and collected newspaper clippings with any shred of news.  Anticipation among fantasy fans was running high.

I saw the movie over the holidays with childhood friends.  We were blown away, mostly at how seriously the material had been handled.  I saw it again at least once, and couldn't fathom how long I'd have to wait until the next installment.

Casting was perfect, as were the costumes.  The cinematography was magical, with strategic use of color and special effects.  The score by Howard Shore was also finely done, and I loved the songs "Aníron" and "May It Be" by Enya.

"The Fellowship of the Ring" was a game changer.  Prior to its release, fantasy films weren't taken seriously by the industry, but its success had an immeasurable impact on both moviemaking and pop culture.

Gladiator (2000)

I remember seeing the teaser trailer for "Gladiator" in theatre, prior to hearing anything about the movie.  The music used was by Basil Poledouris from the "Conan the Barbarian" soundtrack, which boded well.

Movie poster for "Gladiator" (2000)

I had just finished reading "When Death Birds Fly" by Andrew Offutt and Keith Taylor, which deals in part with the Battle of Soissons in 486 and the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, and so was primed.

My wife and I saw "Gladiator" in Montreal with our good friends, Don and Suzanne, (although I was half-expecting the film to culminate in the sack of Rome, and so the ending wasn't quite as epic as I'd anticipated).

I'd visited the Colosseum on my first trip to Italy, a few years earlier, and again on a vacation to Europe with my family in 2011.  It's an impressive structure, and easy to imagine oneself as a spectator in the crowds.

The score by Hans Zimmer and Lisa Gerrard (of "Dead Can Dance" fame) is memorable.  (A few years later, Luciano Pavarotti released a song called "Il Gladiatore", originally intended for the movie).

"Gladiator" went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture, paving the way for a wave of historical epics.  I'm grateful for the types of films made possible by its success.  (A sequel has apparently been in the works).

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

Ever since childhood, I've held an appreciation for horror as a genre.  I was therefore keen to see "The Blair Witch Project" when it came out.  While not the first faux doc horror film, it was ground-breaking for its time.

Movie poster for "The Blair Witch Project" (1999)

Back in grade school, I read and re-read my copies of Alfred Hitchcock's "Haunted Houseful" and "Ghostly Gallery" anthologies as well as The Tomb of Dracula magazines.  I vividly remember seeing "The Omen" when it aired on TV.

In university, I came across the writings of HP Lovecraft (having first glimpsed the Cthulhu mythos in the D&D hardcover "Deities and Demigods" cyclopedia) and participated in a "Call of Cthulhu" RPG campaign (a memorable experience).

A few years later, my friend Vince and I systematically watched all of the most notable horror films of the 1960s and 70s, like "Rosemary's Baby" and "The Exorcist" (including its sequels).  The latter was particularly disturbing.

I saw "The Blair Witch Project" with my future wife, while we were living in Montreal.  I remember that we felt so dazed afterwards, we went for dinner at "Blue Nile" an Ethiopian restaurant, in an effort to shake the mood.

We watched the movie again with our two teenaged daughters, this past summer (one of whom loves to watch "scary" movies).  It really didn't have the same impact, watching it at home in our living room, but was still creepy.

The Mask of Zorro (1998)

I was never a big fan of Zorro (unlike my cousin, Louie, who coincidentally grew up in the same small town as Zorro's creator, Johnston McCulley) but have always been enamoured of Spanish California, with its Mediterranean climate.

Movie poster for "The Mask of Zorro" (1998)

Like so many other memorable characters, Zorro first appeared in the pulps, debuting in the story "The Curse of Capistrano", serialized in All-Story Weekly in five instalments from August 9 to September 6, 1919.

I remember picking up "Dracula vs. Zorro" back in 1993, as my comic collecting days were winding down.  The title was published by the short-lived Topps Comics, and illustrated by Thomas Yeates (one of my all-time favourite artists).

That's why I was excited to see "The Mask of Zorro" during a trip to San Francisco to visit friends from high school (although Zorro's stomping grounds were historically further south, in the Pueblo of Los Angeles).

One thing I really liked about the movie was that it was framed as a homage to the character, telling the tale of an aged Zorro and his new protege.  This was also the film that introduced many of us to Catherine Zeta-Jones.

Years later, I picked up Isabelle Allende's "Zorro" in advance of another trip to California.  It's a great novel, and serves as a sort of prequel to "The Curse of Capistrano" while drawing upon elements from "The Mask of Zorro".

Titanic (1997)

I was living in Montreal when James Cameron's "Titanic" came out, although saw the movie with my family when I came home for Christmas.  (The "draw me like one of your French girls" scene was a little awkward).

Movie poster for "Titanic" (1997)

I first learned of the sinking of the Titanic in a book that my mother got for us when we were young, "Strange Stories, Amazing Facts" (1975), which included "The Fiction That Came True: Strange case of the two Titanics".

The next time was in the pages of the first "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, "The Cave of Time" (1979), in which it's possible to be transported on board, just before the iceberg is struck (you choose whether to stay or leave).

I remember when the wreckage of the Titanic was discovered, in 1985.  We saw the IMAX documentary film "Titanica" several years later, at Ontario Place (which was re-released the same year that "Titanic" came out).

Something people nowadays probably don't recall is that most critics absolutely panned "Titanic" after its opening weekend (check the newspapers), which only reinforced to me how wrong film critics can be.

This was my fourth "favorite movie of the year" (the third in a row) that went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture (it's only happened a couple more times).  Were my tastes becoming more mainstream, or was the industry targeting my demographic?