The Lord of the Rings is still the Best Trilogy EVER Made

Every year, I have a ritual. I wait until the last couple of days when I have the most time.

I make myself comfortable. Perfect temperature. Perfect position. Some snacks. A cup of my favorite tea. Blanket hugging my body. Phone on silent.

And I plunge into an umpteenth viewing of the complete Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Every year it’s the same. The magic still works. I can’t see the time passing. I discover a few things I’d missed (or forgotten) during previous viewings.

I was recently at an event. The kind where you find yourself in the middle of a table of your friends’ friends. Your buddy thought it was a great idea to put you there, in the midst of complete strangers.

“You’ll have fun! Trust me.”

The closer you get to the table, the more uncomfortable you feel. You sit down, scanning the table to try and capture the mood. The few attempts at conversation are perilous. The only confident exchanges: “Could you pass me the water please?”

You know you’re going to feel the seconds tick by. But sometimes, you have to be brave. So I dare a slightly general question.

“What’s your favorite movie?”