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

"I would have followed you..my brother, my captain, my King."  (Boromir)

"I am the servant of the Secret Fire, wielder of the Flame of Anor.  The dark fire will not avail you, Flame of Udun.  Go back to the Shadow.  You cannot pass.  YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!" (Gandalf the Grey)

After watching this movie and it's brothers way too many times, I can right now claim that I think The Fellowship of the Ring is my favorite pure movie of the trilogy. (Comments and debates on the subject welcome.)

More than Ten years later, and I am still in awe of the this movie.  Yes, it is rather long in it's extended cut, and as a friend pointed out if you have to pee at any point after they leave Lothlorien; urine trouble.  -They're on boats and approaching waterfalls for the next like 30+ minutes with the constant sound of moving water in the back soundscape.  (hahahahaha)

Great things in the movie:  The Shire, Uruk-hai, Saruman the Wise (Christopher Lee), Gandalf the Grey, (Ian McKellen), A Balrog of Morgoth,  John Rhys-Davis (Gimili),  Aragorn (Viggo Mortenson) saying a quick prayer to his sword before taking on an entire cadre of Uruk-Hai,  Ring Wraiths, Sauron, The long dark of Moria, Boromir's (Sean Bean) greatest death on screen in the last 20 years, it goes on and  on and on.

Ratings:

Everyone:  See it

Me:  Watch it again next year

Tolkein if were still alive:  See it  (He might hate it...but at least he should see it.)

AFI top 100 film inclusion committee:  See it

On a 5th date?:  See it.  If you date hates it with rage.....

On a scale from sunrises on the beach after being out all night with true friends to the moment on Christmas morning when everyone has sat down, but the presents have not yet been opened, I give The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring 4.6 out of 5 stars.