trez1 It's a safe bet that if you want to see this film, you're also a fan of LOTR and have seen the trilogy and probably own the EEs (extended DVD editions). The film is fun look at the 40 year cultural impact of Tolkien's masterwork and its co-opting by different generations and its continuing popularity with young people (not unlike Star Wars). However, I feel the film is a little slow in the beginning with too many talking heads covering some of the historical material already seen in the LOTR EEs. Most enjoyable are the fan interviews (done in a private "confessional" box), the breathtaking views of New Zealand, an absolutely hilarious mariachi song parodying all the LOTR merchandising and interviews with Pete Jackson & members of the cast. I would have preferred less official literary history and more about the crazed fans, some of whom are a scream and a wonder and elicit joy as they wax passionately about their fandom. Frodo does indeed live!

LaurieMann If you've enjoyed Lord of the Rings, you'll enjoy this look at the history of LOTR and the development of LOTR fandom. Yeah, there's a bit much focus on the folks in costume and the people who'd spend days in line to be "first" in the theater to see a movie. But there were good interviews with both random people and unexpected fans (like David Carradine and Cameron Crowe). The photography is very nicely done. There are also clever reenactments throughout. The documentary suffers a bit in the editing; some of the transitions are quite abrupt. There was also an odd contention that public appreciation of Lord of the Rings pretty much died after the infamous cartoons of the late '70s. Still, it's a fine documentary on one of the more enjoyable pop culture phenomenons of recent times.

stop2pretend My friend and I were lucky enough to see Ringers (me twice and her three times) up a Slamdance. It portrays LOTR fans in such a flattering light and a funny one too. We're not just geeks! There are just too many good things to be said. From the obsessed fans (how many times have they seen LOTR, why they choose a costume to wear, how long have they been in line, etc.) to the older generation and their love for the books. They go into great detail telling about how the books came to be so popular with younger generations and basically how it regenerates itself. There is not one boring second in this film and even if you aren't THIS OBSESSED you can enjoy it. If anything it will make you want to go home and read the books (again for most of us) through and through! Carlene and Cliff have a great deal of respect, love and admiration for Tolkien and it definitely shows.They were kind enough to do a Q and A session after the film and I just have to say that if there were 2 chosen people to make a film about LOTR and it's fans this is them. If any of them happen to see this I just want to say that I can't wait for the DVD and all the deleted interviews and so on to come out! I hope you get everything back that you put into this because you deserve it!!!

PastaYes I attended the premiere of "Ringers" in Park City and have now seen the film three times. Somehow, it got even more enjoyable with each viewing. "Ringers" is a film that will obviously appeal to fans of the books and movies but you do not have to be a Tolkien or "The Lord of the Rings" devotee to enjoy it. The film is smart, interesting, and entertaining and even those few poor souls who have never read the books or seen the films might find Ringers to be a fascinating social study. The filmmakers are obviously very knowledgeable and passionate about Tolkien and this shows from the first frame till the last."Ringers" covers Tolkien's influence on pop culture from the original publication of the book in the 50's, through the 60's hippy counter-culture, 70's rock and roll music, and the current internet craze grounded in the website, theonering.net. It contains many satisfying interviews with movie and music celebrities and others known to be Tolkien enthusiasts. The movie celebs include those from the "The Lord of the Rings" films themselves. It has a good share of comments from luminaries in the field of literature as well, each without a hint of literary snobbery. I was pleasantly surprised by the addition of fun graphics and audio that were reminiscent of Monty Python. The somewhat contrived footage of groovy hippies getting way into Tolkien just adds to the wonderful campy feel of the segments. Being a hopeless music freak, I feel that the music is one of the highlights of the film. I often found myself focusing on it, sometimes distracting me from the visuals (but that's just me), which made my multiple viewings even more valuable. Even though there were plenty of Celtic-type tunes included in appropriate spots, the film is mostly driven by pounding rock music, including the miraculous offering of Led Zeppelin's "Ramble On". For those who do not know, several classic rock bands wrote music based on the books and this fact is discussed in the film in satisfying depth. I should also mention that there is some gorgeous footage of New Zealand, the movies' Middle-earth. The filmmakers traveled around the world in their quest to make this film representative of the fans, who come from every part of the planet.Of course, as expected, there are plenty of fan interviews and anecdotal blurbs. They range from the serious and poignant to the fun and silly. Although the focus appears to be more on the hard-core costumed fans instead of the more mainstream ones, there is a good representation of both. A couple interviews with fans who might be described as being on the outer fringe of fandom caused major chuckles from the audience, but these fans are treated with genuine affection by the interviewer. They are never made to look foolish - only fun-loving and passionate. And passion is what this film is about. Passion for a book...a trio of movies...and the people who created them. Passion for a story that will, no doubt, live on forever because its themes are timeless.